Kayaking odyssey
3
Local duo paddles all the way to Alaska
Running for Terry
Annual Fox Run is set for tomorrow in Tsawwassen
7
Quite a collection
Sidekick gets access to hockey memorabilia
21
Optimist Delta
Young guns ready Major Midget team features top WHL picks
Gala takes flight
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See Page 23
Trust interested in Southlands
Yet-to-be-approved Metro initiative would see regional government buy farmland to save it from development BY
SANDOR GYARMATI
sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com
The Southlands could be a prime purchase by the regional district through a new compensation program, says the chair of the district’s agriculture committee. Having long stated his opposition to any kind of development on the Southlands property in Tsawwassen, Harold Steves said his committee endorsed a plan last week for the creation of a farmland trust. “We’ve been working on this for two years. It would have great implications for Delta,” said Steves. “The Southlands would be a candidate and all that South Fraser Perimeter Road and the Vancouver Port stuff would be candidates for donating towards the Southlands and other properties,” he said. Steves said projects that impact farmland should contribute toward a fund so properties can be purchased and saved from development. “They aren’t going to like that and it would be a long haul to get them to do it, but it’s now in a report recommending doing that and it will likely go to the (Metro) board in early October,” Steves noted. The idea of establishing a trust is to have the regional district buy farmland and then lease those properties to farmers and to establish farm schools.
FILE PHOTO/RICHMOND
NEWS
Harold Steves, pictured with his wife Cathy, says the Southlands would be a candidate for purchase by a regional farmland trust. A report that recommedns establishing such a trust is expected to go to the Metro Vancouver board next month. The recommendation is part of a series of proposals in a report outlining a new regional food strategy. Other proposals include creating a centre for excellence
in food technology, a labeling program to identify locally grown foods in stores, and municipalities creating property tax-exempt enterprise zones to encourage pro-
cessing and distribution centres to locate closer to farms. Owned by the Century Group, the Southlands is zoned agricultural but no longer in the
Agricultural Land Reserve. During public debate on the Tsawwassen Area Plan, some See TRUST page 3
Today’s by-election to fill vacant Delta council seat Amy Ghuman Sara, Peter Harms, Kathleen Higgins, Sandeep Pandher, Ian Paton and Ray Robinson are all on the ballot. Regardless of who wins, it will be their first time on council. Resident voters must be 18 years of age or older on voting Bottle Drive Specialists $
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day, be a Canadian citizen, have been a resident of B.C. for at least six months immediately before voting day and have been a resident of Delta for at least 30 days immediately before voting day. Non-resident property owners must have been the owner of real
property in Delta for at least 30 days immediately before voting day as well as be a citizen and 18 or over. Voting places are open today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information about the voting process or locations,
call the municipal clerk’s office, which will be open today, at 604946-3220 or visit www.corp.delta. bc.ca/deltavotes. Just over 2,200 residents came out to vote in the advance polls held in all three communities over three days last week.
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Voters head to the polls today for the Delta council by-election. Eight candidates are vying for the seat that became vacant earlier this year after the sudden death of longtime council member George Hawksworth. Sylvia Bishop, Maria DeVries,