Please refer to Survey Steps

1. Rural agriculture lands

Metro Vancouver is part of the less than 1.5% of the B.C. land base that generates 28% of the farm gate receipts and also where 52% of the population resides.1 This high correlation between population and agriculture on a small land base point to one of the primary challenges facing the viability of farming the most fertile soils in this province: land use conflicts between agricultural and urban uses.

In a region where over 52 percent of the provincial population resides on a fraction of the landscape that also represents a significant portion of the best farmland in B.C., conflicts between farming and urban land uses occur at a variety of scales. Most stark is the price of agricultural land that attracts urban land market values that are significantly higher than most farm operations in the region can afford. Coupled with other factors, high farmland values result in agricultural land being used for activities that are not maximizing this limited agricultural landscape.

On April, 2010, the government of Metro Vancouver published the research Policy Options to Protect Agricultural Land on the current situation of rural agriculture lands and the possible policies that can protect those lands. By quantitatively analyzing the farmland in Metro Vancouver, the researcher reveals an agricultural landscape that is highly fragmented in places, has a high proportion of non-farm uses on ALR land, and contains a high proportion of hobby farmers. Also, the possible policies that can be used to change the current situations are suggested in the report. The policies include reducing the rate of farmland fragmentation and non-farm uses of

My point of view:

Since the high land prices and negative externalities from nearby urban uses have led to a decline in the farm economy in Metro Vancouver, I think we can include the changing areas of rural agriculture land in building our scenarios. For example, we may be able to assess the farmlands areas around the Metro Vancouver city under a particular policy, and see if the changing/expanding rural farmlands have effects on urban agriculture. Also, based on the report, Vancouver city has no farmlands, which emphasizes the importance of urban agriculture in Vancouver city and the possible impacts on local food system under the optimized farmland policies.

The policies including protecting Conservation, Recreation, Agricultural, and Rural Lands. The Regional Growth Strategies Backgrounder summarized the coverage of conservation, Recreation, Agricultural and Rural Lands in Metro Vancouver.(Figure 1.)

My point of view: The backgrounder can give us the general idea of where the potential farmslands are both in rural and urban areas.

The plantable crops in farmlands are listed in the link below "seasonal food availability".

2. Urban Agriculture

Roof top community gardens

To avoid problems with residents and ensure safety, the government is first planting gardens on roofs of public buildings, such as government offices, schools and hospitals.Designed considerations for implementation of roof gardens summarized both the benefit and drawbacks of rooftop community gardens. Benefits include stormwater management, energy efficiency, reducing urban island effect etc. Shortages include regular and costy maintainance, availability of expertise and structure of gardens

Seasonal food availability

getlocalbc.org

There is a seasonal food availability chart online.

The chart is from getlocalbc.org Get local is a community of BC food producers, businesses, and groups working together to promote eating locally in the Metro Vancouver area.

Here is the list of local business who are participating Get local Business Alliance.They are committed to selling and serving local food in the lower mainland.

I've noticed that many of the members are grocery stores, including Capers and Choices, producers and grocery delivery. spud! is one of them. However, there is only a few dine places are participating the organization. MORE will be updated.

Sauder School of Business did a project on the economy of local food in Vancouver. Their research explains the reason that lead to the high price of domestic food and the valuable import market in Metro Vancouver. They also summarized some barriers and gaps of local food system. Besides geological inability, limited market, regulations and high land cost are also the reasons that why there is only a few restaurants participate in Get Local Business Alliance.

100 mile diet Vancouver

Interesting, there is a show called "The 100 mile challenge" which is a documentary series that follows six families from Mission BC, as they accept the challenge to eat only food produced within a 100-mile radius for 100 days. Each episode documents the progress chronologically, revealing the ups and downs and downright creativity of ordinary citizens as they try to cook full meals from local ingredients. The series draws attention to what average Canadians eat and exactly how far food travels to reach their plates. episode guide

food shed project

The project is held by 100-mile diet society and Center of Sustainable Food System at UBC Farm. It is designed to explore how sustainable agriculture can help reduce and climate change and nurture the environment. James M. Richardson, who is the master in advanced land agriculture in UBC, published his study on foodshed system in Vancouver in May, 2010. His study, which focuses on the size and use of lands for local food, is based on the aspects of land use and design.

SPEC

SPEC, which is found in is a non-profit charitable organization that addresses environmental issues in British Columbia, and it works to create healthy and sustainable communities through education. The organization also manages the Vancouver Environmental Information Centre, which provides general environmental information and community environmental resource listings.

The demonstration site built by City Farm

At 2150 Maple Street, the home of SPEC, City Farmer managed the organic gardening and composting demonstration site. The place shows the examples of build a garden from scratch using permaculture methods, how to find and use "green garbage" in local areas, organic pest control, landscaping for the elderly and disabled, and how to use neighbourhood resources, etc. The building has the rooftop garden is the unique real world demonstration centre for green building techniques, renewable energy technology. It is also the place that people can learn planting and building urban agriculture with limited space.