The Agricultural Viability Strategy is intended to be implemented over a 10-year timeframe. A number of actions are already in progress, as described in the table below. This table was last updated in May 2024.
| Strategy Number | Strategy | Implementation Status |
| 1.1 | Advocate to other levels of government for policies and regulations that support and stimulate productive stewardship of the agricultural land base. | The City submitted three resolutions to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) that call upon the Government of British Columbia to reform the farm property tax system. City Council attended the 2024 UBCM Convention in September 2024 to meet with various ministries and advocate for the needs of Pitt Meadows. Two of the resolutions were endorsed by UBCM, and one was referred to Executive for their consideration, due to time constraints. All three resolutions were also endorsed by the Lower Mainland Local Government Association in May 2024. Learn more. |
| 2.1 | Provide safe and reliable drainage infrastructure for farming. This includes advocacy to provincial and federal levels of government. | In progress – The City, in partnership with a local farm, is piloting the use of benthic barrier in the drainage network to control parrot's feather (an invasive aquatic plant). |
| 2.2 | Develop an agricultural water study to assess the capacity of the City's drainage system to support irrigation water for agricultural activities. | In progress – With the support of a $100,000 grant from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC, the City is undertaking a comprehensive study to assess the irrigation needs of the local agriculture sector and identify feasible irrigation sources. |
| 3.1 | Promote agri-tourism and marketing. | In progress – The City is exploring potential partnership opportunities to promote agri-tourism activities. |
| 3.3 | Support farm operators and labourers in mental health and wellbeing, networking, and succession planning. | In progress – Through its Agricultural Advisory Committee, the City is helping to explore opportunities to revive the Pitt Meadows Farmers Institute, which could help farmers to connect with one another, and could support advocacy to various levels of government. |
| 4.1 | Engage with producers to create a shared understanding of how farms can become more resilient to climate change. | In progress – The City has promoted provincial workshops related to drought response and water licensing. The City has initiated a process to develop a Climate Action Plan. |
| 4.3 | Explore opportunities to encourage or incentivize the restoration and/or maintenance of ecological services on farmland to mitigate climate change impacts. | In progress – The City is engaging in region-wide discussions and planning initiatives about opportunities to maintain and restore ecological services on farmland. In September 2023, the City’s Agricultural Advisory Committee received a presentation from the Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust, which offers a number of stewardship programs throughout the region. |
