The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has recently secured a matching grant from the Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) of B.C. to fund stages two and three of the Sunshine Coast agricultural area plan.
Commencing by early May, these latter stages will focus on policy development and implementation, including an agricultural development strategy and an evaluation and progress-monitoring plan.
In January, theSCRD completed stage one of the plan, culminating in a background report that establishes a 'snapshot' of local agriculture on the Coast, as well asa preliminary market opportunities analysis (available by visiting www.scrd.ca/agriculture). The background report estimates that currently only about two per cent of food consumed on the Coast is produced locally.
"There's plenty of room across the region for expanding farming and agriculture-based opportunities," said Steven Olmstead, general manager of planning and development.
The next steps involve publishing a request for proposals from interested consultants to help prepare the plan. Following a project kick-off, SCRD planner Gregory Gebka indicates "a number of public engagement initiatives will provide meaningful opportunities for local communities to take part in the growing discussion."
"Developing our agricultural area plan is a Coast-wide initiative and is all about making local agriculture work," added agricultural advisory committee chair Dale Peterson. "Local municipalities and First Nations will be invited to participate in developing and implementing the plan."
Additional information concerning the plan may be obtained by visiting www.scrd.ca/agriculture or contacting Gebka at 604-885-6804 (ext. 3) or emailing [email protected].
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