Barnston Island will stay in BC’s Agriculture Land Reserve
After a concerted campaign that ran for years and received solid support from BC NDP Leader Carole James and former NDP critic for Agriculture and Surrey - Whalley NDP MLA Bruce Ralston, the Agriculture Land Commission ruled last month that the Barnston Island will stay in BC’s Agriculture Land Reserve.
On Saturday, August 19th, several well known BC agricultural and environmental activists along with Barnston island farmers and residents held a celebration and honoured MLA Ralston for being a tireless campaigner to protect Barnston Island and other farmland in the province.
MLA Bruce Ralston is joined (L to R) by Barnston Island farmers Doug Devitt and Sylvia Devitt, Barnston Island Conservation Society Chair John Russell and GVRD’s Agriculture Committee Chair Councillor Harold Steves in a cake cutting ceremony as part of the celebration.
Donna Passmore of the Fraser Valley Conservation Society and John Russell, Chair of the Barnston Island Conservation Society present a plaque to Surrey Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston in appreciation of his hard work fighting to keep Barnston Island in BC’s Agriculture Land Reserve in his role as the former NDP Agriculture critic.
