At LUSH Valley Food Action Society, we know how important it is to have leaders and decision-makers, across the region, that will stand up for our local communities, economies and the environment, especially as it relates to healthy food production and access.
Here are some notes on the 3 main party’s respective platforms relating to food security:
BC Green Platform
– We will Create a Food Secure B.C. strategy to make B.C. agriculture more climate-resilient, improve local food security and support local agricultural producers.
– Establish a long-term food sustainability strategy for the province to decrease reliance on increasingly unreliable import supply chains and diversify farming in BC.
– Recognizing income and regional disparities in food insecurity across BC, work to enhance access to high quality, healthy food for low-income British Columbians
– Supporting local processing of agricultural products.
– Incentivize small-scale farms to adopt technologies to increase low-carbon and hyperlocal farming.
– Identify options to make farming a more attractive and lucrative endeavour e.g. by approving micro licences for cannabis cultivation.
– Expand the area of land under food production and create a publicly owned agricultural land bank available to lease by new farmers
– Restrict foreign ownership of ALR land.
– Incentivize agro-ecological farming practices such as regenerative farming.
– Protect and restore B.C.’s wild fish populations and support the use of sustainable selective fishing methods.
Source: https://www.bcgreens.ca/b_c_greens_release_plan_to_strengthen_community_self_reliance
BC NDP Platform
– The agriculture and food commitments re-establish the importance of our prior work with GrowBC FeedBC and BuyBC
– We will strengthen the Grow, Feed and Buy BC programs to encourage greater food security and local business growth. Our popular programs are key to supporting local farmers, orchardists, growers, processors, wineries and breweries. We’ll expand these programs with new worker training, land acquisition supports, and new processing hubs.
– We also have brought forward a new piece that will create jobs for workers, opportunities for farmers, and sustainability for BC agriculture.
– A new Regenerative Agricultural Network will be created.
– This network will bring together natural systems of production with agri-technologies that enhance production – such as robotics, precision farming, and mesh networks.
– Regenerative agriculture is a broad practice of farming that creates food using natural systems. It is already widely used by BC farmers and include crop rotation, manure and compost for nutrients, winter crop cover and no-till techniques.
– What is new is the technology that can be simultaneously used to increase food production. Machine-learning, robotics, precision farming, mesh networks, automated harvesting equipment, data optimization and other agri-technologies are rapidly changing the sector for the better.
– A BC NDP government champions agri-technology that helps farmers and protects farmland by increasing the sector’s profitability, productivity and sustainability.
– At a time when the climate crisis is threatening the viability of farming lands, this kind of innovation can bring greater food security, agricultural sustainability, and jobs.
– The Regenerative Agricultural Network will strengthen the provincial food system, improve profitability for farmers, jobs, and help us meet our CleanBC targets.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture’s new feed.
BC Liberal: Agriculture Platform
– Restoring opportunities for Farmers and ranchers. Under the NDP, operating costs and land-use restrictions for farmers and ranchers have increased. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance to our economy and food supply of our BC farmers, ranchers and food processors.
A BC Liberal Government will:
– Implement a Trespass Act that significantly protects the properties and livelihoods of farmers.
– Eliminate NDP policies that unfairly discriminate against farmers.
– Implement reforms to the Agricultural Land Commission that restore the rights of farming and ranching families to earn supplemental income on their farms and opportunities for reasonable forms of secondary residences on their land.
– Improve access to farm workers by reducing obstacles to the recruitment of skilled and semi-skilled labour.
– Ensure access to water for crops and livestock.
– Ensure the security and longevity of our local food system by making BC’s agriculture industry more self-sufficient and sustainable.
Questions? Contact Your Local Candidates
Mid-Island/Pacific Rim Candidates:
Independent: Graham Hughes (250) 720-1241 independent.alberni@gmail.com
Green: Evan Jolicouer 1 (778) 647-2233 electevan2020@gmail.com
Liberal: Helen Poon (250) 723-5811 helen.poon@bcliberals.com
Libertarian: Robert Alexander Clark (no phone number given) rob.clarke@libertarian.bc.ca
NDP: Josie Osborne (778) 421-0438 josie.osborne@bcndp.ca
Courtenay-Comox Candidates:
Green: Gillian Anderson (778) 322-3490 voteanderson@greenparty.bc.ca
Liberal: Brennan Day (250) 702-1987 brennan.day@bcliberals.com
NDP: Ronna-Rae Leonard (250) 941-2941 ronnarae.leonard@bcndp.ca
Advance Voting Places – District Electoral Offices (DEO)
Now until 4 p.m. (Pacific time) on Saturday, October 24.
You can vote at any district electoral office in the province from now until 4 p.m. on October 24.
Offices will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
They will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. during advance voting.
Courtenay-Comox
Black Creek Community Church, 7898 Island Hwy N., Black Creek, Sat., Oct. 17 to Wed., Oct 21
Comox Community Centre, 1855 Noel Ave Comox, Thurs. to Wed., Oct. 15-21
Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave Courtenay, Thurs. to Wed., Oct. 15 – 21
Merville Community Hall, 1245 Fenwick Rd Merville, Fri., Oct. 16 to Tues., Oct .20
DEO, 5-3195 Cliffe Ave., Courtenay
Mid-Island/Pacific Rim
DEO, 108-3550 Johnston Rd., Port Alberni
Oct. 24, 2020, Election Day Voting Places
Courtenay-Comox
All general voting places are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on October 24, 2020.
Airport School, 1475 Salmonberry Dr., Comox
Arden School, 3040 Lake Trail Rd., Courtenay
Aspen Park School, 2250 Bolt Ave., Comox
Black Creek Community Church, 7898 Island Hwy N Black Creek
Brooklyn School, 1290 Guthrie Rd., Comox
Comox Community Centre, 1855 Noel Ave., Comox
Courtenay School, 1540 McPhee Ave., Courtenay
D’Esterre House, 1801 Beaufort Ave., Comox
Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave., Courtenay
Lake Trail Middle School, 805 Willemar Ave., Courtenay
Mark R. Isfeld School, 1551 Lerwick Rd., Courtenay
Merville Community Hall, 1245 Fenwick Rd., Merville
N.I.D.E.S – Tsolum School, 2505 Smith Rd., Courtenay
Queneesh School, 2345 Mission Rd., Courtenay
Mid-Island/Pacific Rim
Cumberland Senior Citizens Centre, 2674 Dunsmuir Ave., Cumberland
