BC town wants to develop municipal land for forestry and ag opportunities

Oct 26, 2021

The British Columbia town of Qualicum Beach wants to create a rural innovation hub on 44 acres of municipal land that will provide value-added opportunities for forestry and agriculture.

Although the parcel of land is in an area with a long growing season, it is not thought to have the best quality of soil for outdoor farming—so greenhouses may be the best option.

Qualicum Beach is looking for proposals to design, develop, own, operate and finance a light industrial forestry and/or agricultural development in an effort to encourage new value-added activities in the area.

The end-result of the project is to create local jobs and businesses, increase economic activity and support current area suppliers and shops. Along with taxes generated via any new commercial building project, land sales or long-term leases are also on the table.

A portion of the land is within the BC Agricultural Land Reserve, with another section containing a decommissioned landfill topped with clay.

The town said initial proposals must be in by November 3, 2021, with additional proposals to be considered quarterly per year.

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner