It might take some doing to make Campbell River the farming capital of the world but city council was presented with a plan last night designed to encourage agricultural production within the city.
“Campbell River is well-positioned to dramatically increase the amount and variety of what is currently being grown in the area, representing great potential in an emerging industry sector,” says a report prepared for council by Morgan Ostler, chair of the Agriculture Plan Steering Committee.
“Approximately 5,000 hectares of land have been designated with the city as Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR),” Ostler’s report says. “These lands have favourable climates, soils (overall) and competitive land prices.”
Ostler was to present a draft agriculture plan to council last night.
The plan represents the culmination of approximately one year of “visioning and assessment of opportunities, constraints and necessary actions to facilitate significant agricultural production in the community.”
The draft preceded by a background report and opportunities report that contains technical and trend analysis and opportunity assessment. Campbell River’s draft sustainable official community plan includes a section on the food and agriculture system that supports the agriculture plan in strategic areas such as infrastructure and maintaining and enhancing agriculture.
The draft SOCP also includes land-use policies that support the objectives and directions defined in the agriculture plan, Ostler says.