Surrey Parks Agriculture Initiative
Surrey Parks is examining the existing and potential role of agriculture in parkland.
Surrey is a diverse and growing city with a strong agricultural community. This combination allows for a local, sustainable and secure supply of high-quality food, contributing a high level of agricultural economic activity relative to the City's share of the provincial Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
Surrey has made important strides in supporting its place role in Metro Vancouver's regional agricultural landscape through policy and planning, but these measures, while critical, are only one aspect of preserving the community’s farming future.
The Initiative
“Parkland in Surrey’s ALR: A comprehensive plan for agriculture”, supported by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C., is an initial feasibility study by Surrey Parks to examine the role that parklands in Surrey’s ALR could play in:
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maintaining a thriving, viable agricultural economy that is sustainable and resilient in the face of change (i.e., climate, markets and practices),
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creating opportunities for the wider community to engage in and learn about the benefits of agriculture, and
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connecting the dots between natural areas, ecosystems services and tangible benefits to agricultural productivity, soil health and water conservation.
The City has retained Upland Agricultural Consulting to work with key stakeholders in the City’s agriculture community, including the Surrey Farmer’s Institute, Metro Vancouver, agricultural operators and landowners adjacent to parks in the ALR, agricultural leaseholders in parks, and organizations working on agricultural land management and stewardship in Surrey.
The completed study will help inform broader planning objectives and community engagement for existing and future parks in Surrey’s ALR.
Timeline
- Completed
- Started
- Pending
Project Completed
Report and Media Information Release
