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Home My WebLink AboutAAC 2020-09-24 agenda.pdf City of Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee AGENDA Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 7:00 pm Held via Zoom Teleconference Meeting Access Information To practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic we will be holding the Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) meeting via teleconference. All participants including members of the AAC and the public are asked to join the meeting from home using the following access information: Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone https://mapleridge-ca.zoom.us/j/97481085520?pwd=b0cvUmVFVmdaakx4TmFhdFRNd2h0dz09 Meeting ID: 974 8108 5520 Passcode: 299059 Or join the meeting using your phone Dial: +17789072071 Meeting ID: 974 8108 5520 Passcode: 299059 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES – June 25, 2020 4. DELEGATIONS 4.1. ALR Project - Dr. Wallapak Polasub & Kent Mullinex, Kwantlen Polytechnic University 5. QUESTION PERIOD 6. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.1. Agriculture Land Commission Exclusion Application Update 6.2. Water Meter Rates Research Update 6.3. 2021 Membership Recruitment 6.4. 2021 Business Planning 7. LIAISON UPDATES 7.1. Staff Liaison 7.2. Council Liaison 8. TASK FORCE UPDATES 8.1. Food Garden Contest 2020 8.2. Education 8.3. Promotion of Agriculture 9. ROUNDTABLE 10. ADJOURNMENT Next Meeting: October 22, 2020, November 26, 2020 Agenda Items Submission Deadline: October 8, 2020, November 12, 2020 QUESTION PERIOD Question Period provides the public with the opportunity to ask questions or make comments on subjects that are of concern to them. Each person will be given 2 minutes to speak. Up to ten minutes in total is allotted for Question Period. sc/ ------- MAPLE R l □-GE: EirJJ ■h Cel1111n1a maplendge .,ca City of Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee MEETING MINUTES The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Committee, held via teleconference on June 25, 2020 at 7:01 pm. ____________________________________________________________________________________ COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Councillor Gordy Robson Council Liaison Bill Hardy, Chair Member at Large Carla Schiller, Vice Chair Member at Large Andrew Pozsar Member at Large Melissa Maltais Fraser North Farmers Market Society Representative Pascale Shaw Member at Large STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Adam Rieu Staff Liaison Erin Mark Committee Clerk Laura Benson Corporate Policy and Sustainability COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT Lorraine Bates Agricultural Fair Board Representative Michelle Franklin Member at Large Angela Boss B.C. Ministry of Agriculture (Non-voting member) Shannon Lambie Agriculture Land Commission (Non-voting member) GUESTS John Lindner Metro Vancouver Theresa Duynstee Metro Vancouver Derek Jennejohn Metro Vancouver Amanda Smith Fraser North Farmers Market Society - Alternate Note: Andrew Pozsar was not present at the beginning of the meeting. 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA R/2020-016 It was moved and seconded That the June 25, 2020 Agricultural Advisory Committee agenda be approved. CARRIED 3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES R/2020-017 It was moved and seconded That the minutes of the Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting dated May 28, 2020 be adopted. CARRIED ----- MAPl..E R l □GE tir.JJ ■h C!l1111n1a map end19.,ca Agricultural Advisory Committee Minutes June 25, 2020 Page 2 of 3 4. DELEGATIONS 4.1. Metro Vancouver – Clean Air Plan and Climate 2050 Discussion Paper  John Lindner / Theresa Duynstee / Derek Jennejohn - Metro Vancouver John Lindner gave a presentation regarding the Clean Air Plan and Climate 2050 agriculture discussion paper. Mr. Lindner sought feedback on the discussion paper and answered questions from the Committee. Metro Vancouver’s consultation will continue through September with webinars and questionnaires available for the public and members of the agriculture community. Note: Andrew Pozsar joined the meeting at 7:17 pm. 4.2. Pollinators  Laura Benson, Corporate Policy and Sustainability Laura Benson presented an idea for a community engagement project that assists residents identify pollinators and create environments that support pollinators. Ms. Benson also sought feedback on a bee research project proposed to the City. Committee members provided feedback on the community engagement project and the proposed research project. 5. QUESTION PERIOD – Nil 6. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 6.1. Pollinators Presentations Follow-Up The Committee expressed interest in continuing to discuss ways to protect and encourage pollinators and discussed ways to incorporate those themes in the AAC’s 2021 education initiatives (ie. Booth in a Box, Pollinator Garden Contest). 6.2. Dr. Bee – 2020 Bees & Blueberries Festival – August 8/9, 2020 The Chair announced that the Dr. Bee event has been cancelled due to COVID related event restrictions. 6.3. Potential Food Shortage Correspondence The Staff Liaison shared information about the six existing community gardens and members discussed the importance of community gardens. R/2020-018 It was moved and seconded That the Staff Liaison draft a response to the letter received from John and Marie Robson indicating that the AAC is supportive of community gardens and providing information about community gardens in Maple Ridge. Note: Melissa Maltais left the meeting at 7:56 pm and Amanda Smith stepped in as Fraser North Farmers Market Society’s representative. Agricultural Advisory Committee Minutes June 25, 2020 Page 3 of 3 7. LIAISON UPDATES 7.1 Staff Liaison The Staff Liaison shared that City Hall is still closed to the public due to COVID. 7.2 Council Liaison Councillor Robson spoke about the municipal tax decrease for farms that is being phased in over two years (2020 & 2021). Councillor Robson inquired to the status of the water meter rate research. R/2020-019 It was moved and seconded That the Staff Liaison provided data on water meter rates for farms in other Metro Vancouver municipalities and determine if those municipalities offer discounts and how the discounts are calculated. CARRIED Members discussed the review of Committees of Council done in fall 2019 and resolution R/2020-007 passed at the January 2020 AAC meeting asking Council to reconsider the current AAC membership structure. 8. SUBCOMMITTEE & TASK FORCE UPDATES 8.1 Food Garden Contest 2020 The Staff Liaison shared an update on the entries received for the Food Garden Contest. 8.2 Education The Committee Clerk shared an email update from Michelle Franklin regarding speakers for a summer series on pollinators. The Staff Liaison confirmed that he is working with Ms. Franklin to coordinate the speaker series using a virtual format that can accommodate up to 300 people. 8.3 Promotion of Agriculture The Chair shared that the Task Force will be starting fresh on the Booth in a Box project over the summer. 9. ROUNDTABLE Members provided verbal reports on local agricultural topics and activities. 10. ADJOURNMENT – 8:48 PM Bill Hardy, Chair /em