Maple Ridge News, March 21, 2014

Page 1

Albion debate Nothing’s worked. p6

Standoff over pair of smart meters. p8

THE NEWS

Survivor Niece one of those compensated. p3

www.mapleridgenews.com Friday, March 21, 2014 · Serving Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows · est. 1978 · 604-467-1122 · Delivery: 604-466-6397

More ‘farm’ income needed for lower taxes Too many property owners getting easy ride by Ne i l Cor be tt staff reporter

Colleen Flanagan/THE NEWS

Guess what? It’s spring, kind of

More agricultural land in the Lower Mainland might be farmed if cities crack down on property owners who abuse the current rules to avoid paying higher property taxes. That’s the advice to Metro Vancouver from consultant Scott Bowden of Colliers International, who studied options to intensify agricultural and industrial land use on behalf of the regional district. Only half of the agricultural land in Metro is actively farmed. Bowden said too much land is underused because it’s too easy to qualify for farm tax status, which reduces the property tax owners pay by as much as 99 per cent. See Taxes, p12

Daffodils are blooming in Memorial Peace Park Thursday, the first day of spring, but temperatures need to climb a bit to make it seem we’re out of winter.

Food bank, charity at odds Friends in Need does not collect door-to-door by M o ni s ha M a r tin s staff reporter

A non-profit society which runs a low-cost grocery store has the Friends in Need Food Bank concerned its volunteers are now collecting donations in Maple Ridge. Marian Rice alerted the food bank to the collection drive last week after she found a poster

tacked to a grocery bag on her doorstep. It read: “Finally a way to help underprivileged kids in school … Greetings from Fairshare Food Services Society.” The poster asked people to fill the grocery bag with non-perishable items such as canned food, pasta, cereal and coffee. It also purported to be supporting Youth Unlimited, which is not true. Dennis Hemminger, the area director of Youth Unlimited, confirmed his organization is not associated with Fairshare. “I’m a

skeptical person,” said Rice, who was annoyed to learn the donated food would be sold in Fairshare’s “low-cost grocery stores” located in Langley, Aldergrove and Nanaimo. “They shouldn’t be soliciting outside their area.” Kelly Fowler, the founder of Fairshare food service, acknowledged the society made a mistake by claiming they “support” Youth Unlimited. “We’ve got it all straightened out,” Fowler said. Fairshare intends to open a store

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in Maple Ridge in the next two months. According to its website, the society gives people a chance “to enjoy quality nutrition at about 50 per cent of a regular store.” Fowler said you must be a member to purchase groceries at their stores by proving you earn less than $20,000. Membership is free. “We fill a vacancy that is one step beyond the food bank,” Fowler explained, adding there’s a growing demand for the service.

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Opinion Letters News Community Calendar Driveway Sports Classifieds

6 7 8 13 14 37 39

Cops clamping down on need for speed. See story, p3

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