North Saanich’s mayor and chief administrative officer were awarded last weekend for the Sandown proposal.
CR-FAIR – Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable – presented the Agriculture Champion award to Alice Finall and Rob Buchan at Seedy Saturday on Feb. 18 in Victoria.
“Your municipal council’s commitment to food security and your leadership in creating opportunities for farming and agriculture in North Saanich is making a difference in our community,” CR-FAIR’s Christina Peacock said of the selection. “The innovative model for the Sandown race track your municipality has developed and is exploring is another example of this outstanding commitment.”
CR-FAIR was formed in 1997 as a group of organizations and involved in local foods. Its mission is to increase knowledge of and bring about positive change in the food and agriculture system within the Capital Region.
The Sandown proposal, initiated by the district, intends to rezone 12 acres of land into commercial for development by Sandown owner Bill Randall. The municipality would acquire the other 83 acres, and add 12 acres of land elsewhere into the Agricultural Land Reserve.
The approval process is currently stalled, with four of seven council members opposed to signing a memorandum of understanding with the Agricultural Land Commission.
