Brownfield Plan Unveiled

Monday, February 25, 2008 01:17 PM

Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell has outlined an innovative solution to revitalize abandoned and underutilized lands known as brownfields.

Brownfields are abandoned, vacant, derelict, or underutilized commercial and industrial properties where past actions have resulted in actual or perceived contamination. They are different from other contaminated sites in that they hold active potential for redevelopment. Progress has already been made on three pilot brownfield projects at Ladysmith Harbour, New Westminster Gasworks and Millstream Meadows (District of Highlands).

Redevelopment of brownfield sites helps to reduce development pressure on farm and forested land, reduce urban sprawl, improve public and environmental health and safety, increase land values, revitalize communities and renew derelict and underutilized land. The Province is looking at ways to assist developments that emphasize triple-bottom-line outcomes.

Bell says a $10-million remediation fund will be established to create green opportunities for communities as they revitalize inactive or unused lands. These funds will allow the redevelopment of both Crown and private sites

The strategy includes fast tracking green development plans waiting for provincial environmental approval, tax incentives and disincentives to attract more investment in brownfield projects and to dissuade owners from keeping brownfield properties idle.

The Province is consulting with a wide range of stakeholders on the strategy and will hold its first consultation meeting on March 26 in Vancouver. Representation will come from the development community, UBCM, the Urban Development Institute and the ministries of Agriculture and Lands, Community Services, Environment, Finance and Advanced Education.

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Posted on Monday, February 25, 2008 01:17 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Harbinger on February 25 2008 5:56 PM

What will they think of next?

Posted by: The_grandinquisitor on February 25 2008 6:15 PM

Unused brownfields, eh? How about funneling the money to forestry...lots of unused brownfields there with a tint of red.

Posted by: ammonra on February 25 2008 8:17 PM

I don't know what the progress is in Ladysmith Harbour. If he is referring to removing the coal slag from the north end of the inlet, the whole project fell through and absolutely nothing is being done.

Posted by: socredible on February 25 2008 8:50 PM

I think he's referring to the old Crown Zellerbach Canada's logging railway shops and log dump at Ladysmith, ammonra. There's quite a large area there that's been little used since the demise of CZC's Nanaimo Lakes logging railway back in the mid-80's, (around the time when CZC itself disappeared as a corporate entity, and was purchased by Fletcher Challenge Canada.)I passed by there about a month ago, and there's been a large, new building (not sure what it is) constructed on part of that site.

Posted by: ammonra on February 25 2008 11:17 PM

The large building is probably the new Link Hardware store. But you could be right.

Posted by: metalman on February 26 2008 9:43 AM

Thanks Pattie (as in Wendys hamburger)
for giving us a new political buzz word to bat (gaelic slang for hamburger bun) around Geez, I really hate these slogans, cuz where the "rubber meets the road"
"it's all good" I'll have my people call your people, and we'll do lunch in the "brownfields" Get a vocabulary Patrick, you talk so much and say so little.
metalman.

Posted by: thereasonableman on February 26 2008 9:53 AM

I thought brownfields were front lawns in the city during the summer, because you can't water.

Posted by: camoose on February 26 2008 11:13 AM

Brownfields are the area around where a politician has stood with his mouth open.

Posted by: rvuser on February 26 2008 3:52 PM

Are any of these "brownfields" located in the central interior or is this "innovative" plan just for lower mainland and Island areas.

There are many lots along highways that have been service stations and are not being developed because the cost of removing suspected contaminated soil is too high. Will this "innovative" plan help developers of such properties? Sure would be nice to find out.