Re: Nathalie Chambers’ letter to the editor in the Feb. 28 Saanich News “Better protection needed for Saanich’s farmland.”
This letter covers the issues and concerns to what is happening to Saanich’s remaining farmland. Food security is a major societal issue for which all of us as citizens of Saanich have a duty to protect. Under our established rules of governance the primary role for providing this protection falls upon our elected mayor and council who have accepted the responsibly to look after the best interests of all residents of Saanich.
This means that council must apply due diligence to ensure that at a minimum, short-term decisions or inactions do not jeopardize the longer-term needs to maintain the sustainability of our farmlands and supporting ecosystems.
This subject area is not a future requirement that can be either deferred or ignored any longer. It needs to start now beginning with an engaged public continuing to remind council of their obligations to protect rather than dismantle safeguards for our farmlands and ecosystems.
We can begin by making our concerns known at the upcoming District of Saanich public hearing scheduled for March 17 to amend the bylaw to “remove all provisions related to the Environmental Development Permit Area from the Official Community Plan.”
This is our Saanich and what we do or don’t do now is what we will be delivering to our children and their children.
Mike Romaine, chair
Farmland Protection Coalition