Threats against Metro Vancouver's agricultural land reserve are growing, with winery restaurants joining mega homes, truck parking and port expansion on the list of potential pressures.
The Agricultural Land Commission is questioning whether it's appropriate to allow nonfarm use of Metro's agricultural land, noting the primary use of the land - growing and producing crops - could end up taking a backseat as more farmland is swallowed up for other purposes.
"We're trying to spend more time and effort working with the region district and [individual] municipalities to try to encourage local government to plan appropriately for agriculture," executive director Brian Underhill said.
The commission is in the midst of considering a request by Richmond's Lulu Island winery to add a 3,500squarefoot restaurant on its land in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Underhill said a main focus is to weigh the longterm effect of a restaurant, noting it would increase the winery's footprint.
Harold Steves said the winery already has enough space for a banquet hall.
"The farmers are concerned. They don't want restaurants in the middle of the Agricultural Land Reserve," Steves said, noting a restaurant would bring in too many non-farm people.
Steves noted Metro Vancouver also faces threats from Port Metro Vancouver, which is buying up farmland and expanding, and landowners building mega homes on ALR properties.
The Metro board is expected next week to vote on whether to ask the province to pass legislation to mandate the guidelines for Metro Vancouver.
Steves noted government has refused to make them compulsory for all of B.C. because the farming circumstances are different across the province.
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