Powell River Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons is continuing to speak out on changes to the Agricultural Land Commission.
Simons is the NDP Agriculture Critic.
Tuesday at the Legislature he welcomed farmers from the riding of minister Bill Bennett, who’s been criticized for downplaying the importance of agriculture in the Kootenays.
That area will see changes to the rules on protection of farm land, but Simons says the fate of the ALC is a local issue for the Sunshine Coast as well.
Simons praises the work of the Sunshine Coast Regional District, which like the Regional District of Nanaimo, now has an agricultural area plan. But he worries a weakened ALC could make sticking by that plan harder.
Simons tabled a petition from the Kootenay area farmers, and he says he expects more petitions to come in from around the province as debate on the changes continues.
