PORT ALBERNI – Elsewhere in the print edition of the Business Examiner you will see the Alberni Valley ad for ‘The Most Affordable Agricultural Land on Vancouver Island’. As with homes and businesses in the Port Alberni area that are selling for much less than comparable properties elsewhere on Vancouver Island , our agricultural land is also priced significantly below farmland in other parts of the Island. The story doesn’t end there.
We have many supporting initiatives to assist the growth of the agricultural sector and hence the diversification of our economy. These include a comprehensive Alberni Valley Agricultural Plan and two contracted Agricultural Support Workers (Heather Shobe and Anna Lewis) to ensure the recommendations in the Plan are implemented.
Both Heather and Anna have extensive backgrounds in agriculture and both are results-oriented. Their achievements in the ten focus areas chosen for the last reporting period are inspirational.
Between August 2015 and March 2016 they produced 18 reports, newsletters or documents; secured $19,550 in external funding for two water projects and the West Coast Farm & Garden Show; identified barriers to and opportunities for agriculture in Tofino and Ucluelet; facilitated a very successful ‘Farmer Meet-Up, Social & Discussion Group in Port Alberni which brought together farmers and restauranteurs to discuss collaborative initiatives; recorded a series of agricultural education videos for YouTube and Shaw TV; hosted a land access workshop for young agrarians (after developing a database of land leasing opportunities); implemented a regional buy local campaign (What’s On Your Fork?); did a consumer market survey; supported farmers’ markets via social media and advertising campaigns; and assisted our efforts to secure hosting rights for the 2017 Islands Agriculture Show in Port Alberni.
Agriculture in the Alberni Valley is also being supported through the work of a number of organizations and some legislation. These include the City’s urban agriculture bylaws and a ‘Food Security & Climate Disruption Committee’; the Alberni Valley Transition Town Society who produce the ‘Alberni Valley Food Directory’ and a report entitled ‘Building a Resilient Food System’; the Alberni District Fall Fair (in its 71st year); Alberni Famers’ Institute; Heritage Society; Tractor Club; 4-H; two Farmers Markets; the Regional District’s Agricultural Development Committee; and the View Street Online Market.
For all of the above and many more reasons we invite you to ‘grow with us in the Alberni Valley’.
– Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250-720-2527 or Patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca.