The Capital Regional District has two alternative approval processes underway for two potential new services in Greater Victoria – a regional food-lands access service and biodiversity and environmental stewardship service.
The goal of the proposed food-lands service is to enhance food security and address concerns over the rising cost of farmland by facilitating affordable access to productive land for new and expanding farmers.
The service would purchase or lease land for agricultural-related activities. It would also fund capital improvements to agricultural land; provide operational funding for service delivery; allow the CRD to enter agreements with third parties for service delivery and operation; provide grants or financial assistance to support agricultural initiatives and do promotion. The maximum amount that could be requisitioned annually for the service is $1 million.
The biodiversity and environmental stewardship service would open the CRD to taking a regional approach to the preservation and protection of natural assets. It would mean working with municipalities, First Nations, large landowners, other government agencies and stewardship groups.
The goal is to restore and enhance key biodiverse habitats and ecological assets.
The service will include conducting research, obtaining data, managing problem species, establishing partnerships with government and non-government organizations including First Nations, and facilitating an environmental stewardship strategy along with public outreach and education. The maximum amount that could be requisitioned annually is $500,000.
Both proposed services apply to all the communities the CRD serves. The required bylaws earned first three readings from the board this fall.
An alternative approval process means the bylaws would be automatically approved unless 10 per cent or 33,194 voting CRD residents indicate opposition in writing through an official response form requesting the board seek a referendum.
Results of both will be presented at the Feb. 12, 2025 CRD board meeting, where the bylaw could be adopted.
The deadline for submitting the forms is Jan. 15, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Find them online at crd.bc.ca/about/how-we-are-governed/elections-other-voting/foodland-access-service-alternative-approval-process and crd.bc.ca/about/how-we-are-governed/elections-other-voting/biodiversity-and-environmental-stewardship-service-alternative-approval-process.
