Councillor Dean Murdoch sends us this quick update on this week’s recommendation to Saanich Council:
I am pleased to report that Council unanimously supported the recommendation, and asked staff to explore partnerships and options for thecreation of a Farmland Trust. Staff will report back to Council with options for implementation.
Thank you for your emails of support for the initiative that is an important step forward for Food Security in our region. A farmland trust can be a powerful tool to provide food security by removing the barrier of high land costs and giving new farmers access to farmland to grow food for our local community.
I also wanted to let you know that Council approved the Panama Flats Concept Plan. The plan achieves Council’s goals of securing the farmland and floodplain by effectively tripling the ALR dedication from 8.5 to 22 hectares and capturing on-site floodwater management. It will also see the completion of recreational trails around the site, and undertake important ecological restoration of the Colquitz and Gary Oak ecosystem.
You can find out more about the Concept Plan right here.
There’s lots of work to do on both these key initiatives. Let’s take a moment to celebrate these important steps forward as we move closer to food security for our community.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
Dean Murdock
Saanich Councillor
