Dear Editor,
Re: “MLAs pointing at council, a bit rich,” Letters, Feb. 1.
Kelly is absolutely right in pointing out that MLA Linda Reid has put herself in a position that can only be viewed as hypocritical.
The provincial government should indeed be making the rules needed to protect B.C.’s ALR. However, the criticism and blame should not only fall on the provincial Liberal government. That’s because when the Liberal government didn’t step in to help ease the burden of decision and enforcement regarding protecting our ALR land, our mayor and city council should have responded by accepting the responsibility as theirs (it is) and acting immediately.
Of course, in order to avoid losing the support of those who profit from these mega mansions, city council tried to pass the job on to someone else. It’s like a game of hot potato, and sadly, the real potatoes in this story are most likely rotting in untended fields behind mansions.
City council needs to at least enforce the provincial government’s recommended 5,382 square feet as a maximum house size on the ALR.
They could be even more responsible and accept the recommendations of their go-to development expert, Richard Wozney, who recommended a maximum square footage of 4,200 square feet in order to keep land prices in balance with farm use.
City council is revisiting the issue again this month through a public consultation process. Let’s hope they get it right this time. Farmland isn’t just dirt — it is our irreplaceable food source.
Judie Schneider
RICHMOND
