Food security is a lesson we learned during COVID: Councillor Linda Annis

Surrey, B.C. (June 21, 2022): Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis says a large tract of federally-owned land in Campbell Heights should stay as farmland, even if the federal government proceeds with its plans to sell it. The Heppell family has farmed the 220-acre site for 50 years.

“One of the biggest lessons we learned during the pandemic was the need for food security and protecting our food supply chain,” said Annis. “This incredible land asset is unique in all the Lower Mainland and we need to hold onto it for agriculture and food production.”

Almost 24,000 people, including local Surrey farmers, have signed a petition to keep the surplus federal land used for agriculture.

“Surrey is fortunate as a big city that still has farmland, and we should be holding onto that capacity to grow our own food,” added Annis. “Having our own farmland and a healthy agricultural industry is something few other cities have. The federal government needs to make the agricultural value of this land a priority, and so should Surrey City Hall.”