June 1, 2012 The Delta Optimist A3
Council favours inland terminal
Moving containers by rail to Ashcroft would reduce truck traffic as well as pressure on prime agricultural land
MLA delivers petition to protect farmland
tion in truck traffic since staff at the time noted containers would be loaded that as part of the Pacific Gateway Strategy, an Inland directly from ship to train. Clearly, moving as many Container Terminal Study of these was undercontainers taken and “The primary benefit as poscompleted sible out of in December to Delta and the the Lower 2006. That Lower Mainland Mainland study found generally would area by the establishtrain would ment of inland be the significant significantcontainer terreduction in ly reduce minals might the volume be a way to truck traffic since truck improve the containers would be of traffic,” effectiveness stated the and efficiency loaded directly from memo. of the supply ship to train.” The chain. Staff memo to council establish“The priment of an mary benefit inland container terminal to Delta and the Lower would also reduce pressure Mainland generally would on land for container storbe the significant reduc-
age and processing in the Lower Mainland, according to the memo. “For Delta, in particular, the conservation of agricultural land is a primary concern and, in terms of industrial land, container storage does not always constitute the optimal use, economically or aesthetically.” On another front, the NDP’s provincial council recently endorsed a motion to oppose the establishment of a foreign trade zone in South Delta. The establishment of a special zone is likely to result in a further loss of Delta’s prime farmland and change the character of the community, said Nic Slater, the party’s candidate for Delta South.
Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington presented a 2,000-signature petition to the legislature Wednesday opposing industrial development plans for prime farmland near Deltaport. Huntington initiated the petition in South Delta soon after revealing that optionto-purchase agreements have been signed on 558 acres in the Agricultural Land Reserve adjacent to Tsawwassen First Nation lands that are also to be developed. The independent MLA said the land was optioned for nearly $100 million on behalf of a port industry consortium including CN Rail, CP Rail Western Stevedoring, along with Carrix, a Seattle-based terminal and railway operator. Speaking to the legislature before presenting her petition, Huntington called on her fellow politicians to listen to the public: “When those whom we represent say, ‘Stop, you have gone too far,’ our obligation is to listen.”
know the other mayors throughout the province are concerned about the continual downloading of responsibility without any additional money to carry out the services. We’re going to be looking closely at the needs and how that’s tracked and who will provide the services for seniors,” Jackson said. The lack of housing variety for seniors wanting to downsize or “age in place” has been much talked about in the past couple of years. During the Tsawwassen
backlash to a proposed growth plan. As far as health care, a Fraser Health report presented to Delta council last fall noted the number of seniors is expected to rise to about 28 per cent of the population by 2030. In contrast, the proportion of residents under the age of 19 is expected to drop significantly. The Delta Hospital Foundation says an aging population requires more specialized and extensive health care services. The
foundation says Delta already has higher rates for dementia among the elderly than any other area of Fraser Health. The foundation notes the hospital has begun to add services to meet the challenges of chronic diseases of the elderly, including starting a memory clinic. The hospital also has a pilot project, Palliative Dementia Education, to increase the skill of staff to meet the needs of people living and dying with dementia.
PHOTO BY
Big rigs are a common sight in Delta thanks to the Deltaport container terminal at Roberts Bank. BY
SANDOR GYARMATI
sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com
Delta council wants a proposal to build an inland container terminal at Ashcroft revived and receive serious consideration. Civic politicians this week unanimously endorsed a motion by Mayor Lois Jackson to once again voice support for the proposed inland container terminal near the interior community Jackson said the proposal was brought forward several years ago but received little in the way of meaningful consideration or consultation by government, even though it makes sense on many levels. “This really could help
us tremendously save our farmland, create jobs in the interior and it makes just abundant sense reducing the number of trucks on our roads,” said the five-term mayor. In 2008, council received a request from the mayor of the Village of Ashcroft to provide a letter of support for the establishment of an inland container port in that community. The proposed site is 450 acres of flat, industriallyzoned land 260 kilometres from Vancouver. It is serviced by both CN Rail and CP Rail main lines and is close to the TransCanada Highway. There is capacity to store over 140,000 containers. A memo to council by
GREYING from page 1 the early 1970s and now a senior herself, who said the aging trend isn’t a surprise. She said questions need to be answered on how and who will assist the growing number of seniors struggling with health and financial issues, those with no family or those that can’t afford to stay in their homes. “What I want to pursue and try to establish is just what are the core services
of the provincial government and the federal government as it relates to seniors. What we so often at the local level do is see a need and if it’s not being filled we will try to help,” she said. “But if you look at the core services that we provide at local levels, we don’t have a component that is a core service that is for seniors and social services. So, it is a problem and I
Thank You for Supporting the Shriner's Community Activities. Enjoy our 43rd Salmon Barbeque!
Area Plan review, the advisory committee noted, “We need to accommodate people’s desire to stay in the community as they age.” That same idea was conveyed in a 2012 report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which noted creating new housing through infill or intensification within established areas can facilitate aging in place. The new Tsawwassen Area Plan, however, ended up setting out only modest changes after community
SANDOR GYARMATI
Tsawwassen Shrine Club 43rd Annual
Salmon Barbecue Sunday, June 3, 2012 ~ Noon to 5:30 pm
(if it’s raining ... plan a “takeout” to enjoy barbequed salmon at home) Adults $10 Children (under 12) $5
Harbour Park Ladner
Entrance is located off River Road at McNeely Way east of Ladner Yacht Club Information Phone: 604-943-3548