DELTA – The Province is providing $1.06 million in funding for 12 brownfield sites to support environmental investigations, Agriculture and Lands Minister Steve Thomson announced today.
“The Brownfield Renewal Strategy program is focused on encouraging the redevelopment of under-used lands that have potential for community benefit,” said Thomson. “The goal is for this funding to support the initial environmental work necessary to return these sites back into productive use. The program acts as an important catalyst for local economic growth, because for every dollar of government funding we put into these investigations, two dollars are invested by the successful applicants.”
The announcement was made from the Meadowlands Peat project site in Delta, a historical landfill site and one of the funding recipients. Successful applicants receiving funding include:
- $165,000 – Meadowland Peat Limited, 9250 River Rd, Delta.
- $22, 908 – Terra Forest Contracting Inc., Hixon Racetrac Gas site, Hixon.
- $164,878 – Cowichan Valley Regional District, Former Meade Creek Incinerator Site, Cowichan Valley.
- $110,594 – Active Earth Engineering (for Spade Holdings Ltd), 9190 Church St, Fort Langley.
- $47,590 – Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation, Former General Store and Gas Station Site, Pavilion.
- $31,553 – Crofton Quay Developments Inc., Crofton Quay.
- $40,000 – Tembec Industries Inc., Cranbrook Sawmill.
- $85,230 – AT Fortune Hodings Inc., 26426 Fraser Highway, Langley.
- $36,908 – Howard Dudley Meakin, Sturgeon’s on the Fraser, Mission.
- $190,763 – Youbou Lands, Youbou Sawmill, Youbou.
- $93,000 – BC Wilderness Tours Inc., Tranquille on the Lake, Kamloops.
- $72,650 – Gitxsan Forest Enterprises Inc. /Gitxsan Treaty Society, South Hazelton Sawmill site, South Hazelton.
In April 2009, the Province announced the Brownfield Renewal Strategy program to stimulate land development and economic activity by encouraging remediation of brownfield sites. Through the program, the Province is providing up to $40,000 for preliminary site investigations and up to $125,000 for other types of work. The Province will fund up to 85 per cent of the costs for preliminary site investigations, up to 70 per cent for detailed site investigations, and up to 50 per cent for all other types of work.
“Partnership is the key to getting these sites back into productive use,” said Delta Mayor Lois Jackson, who for several years has spearheaded a collaborative initiative called Saving Our Industrial Lands to encourage the cleanup of brownfield sites within Delta’s industrial core. “When sites like these are remediated, they pay dividends back into the local economy through jobs, a healthy community, and a clean environment.”
“These funds will allow us to begin the initial work necessary to resolve uncertainties around this site and begin a remediation plan,” said Meadowlands Peat Ltd. representative Shirley Meshen. “Meadowlands Peat is grateful to have the support of the Province and the City of Delta. Collaboration will help us realize our mutual goals of social, environmental and economic health.”
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. For more information on the the BC Brownfield Renewal Strategy, please visit www.brownfieldrenewal.gov.bc.ca.
The Province of British Columbia is a proud sponsor of the Canadian Brownfields 2009 Conference, Going for Gold, 26-28 October 2009 in Vancouver. This is the first time the conference has been held outside of eastern Canada. Local governments and industry representatives are welcome to attend. For more information, go to www.canadianbrownfields.ca.
CONTACT
Liz Bicknell, Communications Director
Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
+1 250 356 2862
Cell: +1 250 213 3072
