Editor,
You recently published an article about the proposal to exclude land in South Surrey from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) at The Hills at Portal Golf Club, formerly Peace Portal.
The ALR has long served as a vital safeguard for British Columbia’s food security, preserving farmland for agricultural use and protecting the future of local food systems. Any decision to remove land from the ALR should be scrutinized with the utmost care, as the ripple effects of such actions extend far beyond the immediate community.
The proposal at hand raises several red flags. The land appears to have been purchased with speculative development in mind — a decision that disregards the purpose and protections of the ALR. Any diligent buyer would have been fully aware of the restrictions on this land, which leads me to question the motives behind the request for exclusion. Allowing this exclusion could set a dangerous precedent, inviting further erosion of the ALR and undermining its core purpose.
As someone who values sustainable land use and food security, I can not support this proposal. Surrey and the wider community benefit immensely from having land dedicated to farming for future generations, not only for environmental reasons but also for the economic and social stability it provides. Losing even a fraction of the ALR to development would be a step in the wrong direction.
I urge local officials and decision-makers to uphold the integrity of the ALR and resist this attempt to repurpose agricultural land for non-agricultural development. The issue isn’t just about one plot of land — it’s about the long-term well-being of our community and our ability to provide food for future generations.
Thank you for covering this important issue and allowing community members to share their perspectives.
Sincerely,
Markku Kostamo, Surrey
