Market Share February 2009

CSA - Three small letters = big benefits

by Roberta LaQuaglia

Want to make a difference in the lives of farmers in your community? Shopping at the farmers markets is a great start of course, but maybe you'd like a closer connection with a grower and don't know how you could do that? A CSA might be a great option for you.

CSA is an arrangement between local households and farmers who work together to share the responsibility of producing and delivering fresh food. Households support the farm by paying an annual fee in the winter or spring that entitles them to a "share" of the season's harvest. Each week during the growing season, members pick-up a weekly box of fresh foods which may include produce, fruits, eggs, meats, poultry, flowers, herbs or preserves. Pick-up sites are often located at a member's house, farmers market or at the farm. Many farms create opportunities for their members and families to visit the farm and participate in farm events. The typical CSA season runs from the end of May through mid-October. Farms offer a diversity of share options including extended season shares, add-ons like meat or eggs, multiple share types and sizes, and special funds and payment plans to accommodate households on a tight budget. CSA farmers use sustainable and organic methods to produce high quality to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment.

Four farm vendors who sell at Vancouver markets offer CSAs -
Glorious Organics/Fraser Common Farm - David
Klippers Organic Acres - Kevin or Annamarie
City Farm Boy - Ward
Yarrow Farm - Suzanne or Michael
Farm Folk City Folk also has a list of CSA resources around BC. Check it out.

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Farm Folk City Folk Calendars
Farm Folk City Folk 2009 Calendars are on sale until they are gone - 50% off - $8, $7 for members
Get 'em while they last!

Market News

Valentines Day at the Winter Farmers Market
tomatoheart Send your market Valentine a note this Saturday at the Winter Farmers Market. All vendors will have Valentine "mailboxes" at their stall and we'll have cards available for jotting down a note about how much you appreciate the work of our farmers and producers.
In honor of Valentines day, our RED market reusable bags will be offered at $4 each - that's $1 off! Why not treat your sweetie to a market tote full of his/her favourite goodies?!

Call for Designs for T-shirts Now Closed
Thank you to all the talented artists and designers out there who submitted designs to our call for t-shirt designs. We were overwhelmed by the response and are eager to review the entries and make a decision. Look for an announcement in the March newsletter and then some super-fly market merchandise coming soon to a market near you!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Packed Tuna
Estevan Tuna (Winter Markets, Kitsilano, West End) is now offering their albacore canned in Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. High quality Canadian tuna packed in Italian Olive oil is a great start for a primo sandwich - grab some bread and add your favourite additions - red onion, chopped pickle, mayo, lemon, parsley or dill. Delicioso!

Klippers Organic Acres Now Online
Annamarie and Kevin from Klippers Organic Acres have been working hard this off-season getting a website created for their growing business. Lots of great pics of their farm and their family as well as lots of great information. Great work, guys! - www.klippersorganics.com

Wenger Sheep Farm Looking for City Accommodations
Henry and Brigitte Wenger are looking for close accomodation for the Friday/Saturday nights when they come to the markets. A spare bedroom for two and safe parking so they could plug in their freezer (very low power consumption) is needed. The Wengers will be coming down beginning in August one or 2 weekends a month. Get in touch with Brigitte if you think you have something reasonably-priced that would work. Her email is wengerhb@telus.net

Opportunities to Help

Grandview Woodlands Community Potluck and Seed Swap
Planting season is just three weeks away so the Grandview Woodlands Food Connection is having a small seed swap at their next potluck Thursday, Feb. 12, 6:30 - AML Lounge, Britannia Community Centre. Bus tickets are available. Info: Ian Marcuse 604-718-5895

Job Posting: Farm Apprenticeship - 2009 Season Glen Valley Organic Farm

We're looking for apprentices interested in pursuing a career in small-scale agriculture. Through an apprenticeship on our farm you will gain a comprehensive understanding of operating a diversified, small-scale, certified organic farm. From crop planning, business management and seeding to weeding, harvesting and marketing, we offer a holistic understanding of organic agriculture and a small community of dedicated farmers who live on the farm. On-farm accommodation, access to farm food and a fair wage offered to apprentices. Work term is full-time approximately April through September with part-time work in the shoulder seasons. There is a long-term opportunity to farm with us if we feel there is a good fit after a full season.

Located on the Fraser River's floodplains in the spectacular Glen Valley (only 60km from Vancouver), this co-operatively-owned farm has two businesses that sell fruit and vegetable crops at a variety of markets throughout the Lower Mainland. Interested candidates should send a letter outlining farming interests, along with a resume to: glenvalleychris@gmail.com, or mail to Glen Valley Organic Farm, 8550 Bradner Road, Abbotsford BC V4X 2H5.

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Feast of Fields Okanagan Coordinator
FF/CF is seeking to fill a new position of Feast of Fields Okanagan Coordinator. Reporting to the Project Manager in Vancouver, this person will be responsible for coordinating our Feast of Fields Okanagan fundraising event. This is a contract position from April 1, 2009 until September 30, 2009. It is expected that time requirements are casual to part-time throughout the contract with full-time work from August 15 until after the event (September date TBD) with continued casual to part-time work until wrap-up by the end of September.
Please visit our web-site for details:
http://www.ffcf.bc.ca/NewSiteFiles/resources/kp/jobs.html

-------------------------------------

GROWING CHEFS! Have fun! Teach kids! Support sustainability!
We are recruiting volunteers for our 2009 season (chefs, food and sustainability-minded individuals.) Contact us at 778-885-1308, or send your name and contact information to admin@growingchefs.ca to register. http://growingchefs.ca/volunteer.htm

-------------------------------------

Community Meal Volunteer
Wilson Heights United Church (1634 East 41st Avenue at Argyle) is seeking volunteers to assist with our free, community dinner.
We have been hosting the community meal for 9 years and need your help so that we can continue to feed 80-100 people and families every Thursday at 5:30pm. The meal is child-friendly and open to all. To offer your services or for more information please contact Rosemary Collins at (604) 325-9944 Ext: 225.

Farming Residency
Deer crossing the art farm - a creation, performance and gallery space for artists on a five-acre farm just outside of Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast - is searching for a farmer for a 2-week residency in mid April 2009. The residency will include room, board and a $500 honorarium.

Goals for this residency include mapping and designing new garden space, building raised beds and devising strategies for soil remediation around the farm.

The right candidate should have experience in the field already - through schooling or otherwise - and be familiar with permaculture and organic practices.

Couples are welcome to apply. Looking for a working vacation? Contact us today!

contact@deercrossingtheartfarm.org

-------------------------------------

Food Policy Newsletter
A great place to keep up with what's happening on the Food Policy scene in Vancouver, go to the Food Policy Department of the Vancouver on the City's website. Here's a link to their latest newsletter online: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/initiatives/foodpolicy/newsletter/index.htm

Classes and Events

February 21 – Home Food Security Intensive. Duncan, BC. 10 – 2 pm Call Beth at 250- 337-1958 or Pat at 250-709-2391 for details/registration or email Beth at morefoodnow@gmail.com.
This workshop covers the foundations of food security for individuals and families. We will spend four hours learning about garden cycles, food harvest and storage, subsistence gardening and stockpiling. $62 includes snack, beverage and copy of Food Security for the Faint of heart.

February 22 – Duncan Sustainable Microfarm Forum Duncan, BC.
9:30 – 4 pm. Call Beth at 250–337-1958 or Pat at 250-709-2391 for details/registration.
Full day workshop for serious gardeners and small farmers interested in increasing production for home or commercial uses. Segments include “Understanding your Land” and “Water Wisdom”, and we will talk about free resources, working cooperatively, season extending and how to define “organic”. Marika Nagasaka will be giving her wonderful class on “Efficiency on the Farm”. Food and beverages provided. $100

-------------------------------------Genuine Progress Speaker Series
Should we measure how well we're doing by how much we shop?
Five lectures from April - October. Hear Susan Davidson, Member/Owner of Glorious Organics Co-op speak about the Value of Farming in this speaker series that looks at the health of our community and our country from a non-economic perspective. Other topics include the Value of Simplicity & the Value of Eco-Villages. For a complete list, lecture descriptions and location details See the PDF Flyer All lectures are FREE and will take place at the Central Branch of the VPL. Made possible by a grant from Coast Capital Saviings.

Community Kitchens Leadership Workshops
During this one-day workshop you will have the opportunity to find out more about community kitchens, different ways a group can work and how you can lead or start a community kitchen.
Upcoming Dates: Choose from one of the following :
Thurs, March 5
Thurs, April 30
Thurs, June 4
Time: 9:30-2:30 pm
Location: Vancouver Food Bank, 1150 Raymur Ave.
Cost: $25.00 for community members & $45 for agency representatives
To register or for more information: Contact Lynn Leong, lynnl@foodbank.bc.ca, 604-876-0659 ext 105

Thousands move from B.C. cities
By Tom Fletcher - BC Local NewsPublished: November 02, 2008 12:30 AM

A new analysis of migration patterns inside B.C. upsets the notion that small-town folks are increasingly flocking to big cities.

While the main destination for new arrivals from other countries or provinces is Metro Vancouver, a five-year study of census data by BC Stats shows a trend in the opposite direction for those moving around within the province.

The study looks at population flows between B.C.'s four Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs): Vancouver, Victoria, Abbotsford and Kelowna, as well as to and from the area outside CMAs.

It found that from 2001 to 2006, Vancouver saw a net outflow of 25,560 B.C. residents. All other regions saw a net gain, and communities outside the big urban centres posted the largest increase, more than 17,000 people.

"The largest of B.C.'s CMAs, Vancouver represents more than half of the provincial population," the B.C. Stats report says. "Also, as the third largest city in Canada, Vancouver is a primary destination for immigrants and inter-provincial migrants to B.C. However, individuals often move to Vancouver first, only to continue on to other parts of the province after a short stay."

Figures for 2006, the latest available, show Kelowna was the only major urban centre with a net gain, 835 people from elsewhere in B.C. Areas outside CMAs gained 7,175 people, almost the same as the net loss from Vancouver to other areas of the province in 2006.

The study confirms the common view that young people aged 15-24 showed a net migration away from rural and small-town B.C., but found gains in all other age groups. Areas outside major centres were also the biggest beneficiaries of B.C. residents aged 45 and up who moved out of Metro Vancouver.

The Kelowna region qualified as a CMA for the first time in 2006, its 9.8 per cent population increase the fastest of B.C. urban centres during the five-year period. Kelowna also had the oldest population, with a median age of 43.4 years. B.C.'s other favourite retirement centre, Victoria, had a median age of 43.1 due in part to in-migration of university and college students.

The Abbotsford CMA was the youngest, with a median age of 36.8 compared to the provincial median of 40.8. This reflects the attraction of the area for young families looking to stay close to Vancouver.


February 2009 The Newsletter of Vancouver's Farmers Marketswww.eatlocal.org
At the Market This Month Produce: Apples, Cabbage, Carrots, Fresh Herbs, Green Onions, Garlic, Potatoes, Quince, Parsnips, Salad Greens (very limited), Turnips, Mushrooms, Squash, Storage Onions, Frozen berries, & tomatoes Protein and Dairy: Eggs, Goat and Cow's Milk Cheese, Yogurt, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Sablefish, Salmon, Cod, Side Stripe Shrimp, Tuna, Octopus Prepared Foods: Dried Fruit, Fruit Juice, Baked Goods, Honey, Humous, Chutney, Pesto, Hazelnuts, Preserves, Chocolates, Olives, Granola, Roasted Coffee, Candy, Bread, Salsa, Seasonings, Maple Syrup, Tea, Brewed Coffee Crafts: cards, prints, jewellery, soap, bodycare Other: Tulips, Paperwhites You'll find a great guide to the seasonal availability of BC products provided by Get Local . Print your copy own copy and post it on your fridge for quick reference. Winter Farmers Market Dates Upcoming Market Dates NEXT MARKET: February 14 February 14 & 28 March 14 & 28 April 11 & 25 The WISE Hall is located at 1882 Adanac St. at the corner or Victoria and Adanac behind the Van East Cultural Centre. The market runs 10am - 2pm each time. Check our website for vendor listings for these markets. Don't Miss Our Monthly Raffles! Our famous raffles continue through the winter at our Winter Farmers Markets - we'll be raffling off a big ol' basket of goodies on the last market of the month for the next 3 months. Tickets are $1 each of 7 for $5 - look for the prize and signs around the market to direct you to the tickets! Thanks for your support! Chicken and Egg Dance - Feb 14 The Chicken and Egg Dance is an annual fundraising event that is organized by Organic Friends of the Future. This year, Vancouver's Farmers Markets are helping to make this event happen by spreading the word, managing the sales of tickets and helping getting volunteers for the event day. Event details: February 14 (Valentines Day), 6pm - 11pm at the Capri Hall - 3925 Fraser Street What's planned: Dancing, eating and children's activities. Sybaritic String Band and Marion Rose will entertain. This is a family event - so kids are welcome and no alcohol is allowed. Tickets: $12 for adults, $6 for kids and under 6, FREE Available at upcoming Winter Farmers Markets (market info booth) and at the market office - 1163 Commercial Drive. Contact Roberta - roberta@eatlocal.org or call 604-879-3276 for tickets If you're interested in Volunteering - check with Susan. My Markets News Email Update Service Find out who'll be at the market so you can plan your shopping trip - visit www.mymarketsnews.com and choose the markets you'd like to receive updates for. All of our Vancouver Farmers Markets are listed. Cinnamon Apple Cake Ingredients 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 ounces cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup) 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 cups chopped peeled apples - your favourite (2 large) Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine two tablespoons cinnamon mixture and apples in a bowl. Stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 9-inch springform pan coated with butter or cooking spray. Sprinkle top with remaining cinnamon mixture. Bake for 65-70 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack. Cut using a serrated knife. Makes 8-10 servings Adapted from Cooking Light Food Security for the Faint of Heart I can't think of anyone that wouldn't benefit from this great resource book. Give it some thought and I'm sure you know someone who'd love it. At under $20.00 - $16.95 to be exact, it fits all budgets. Available at local bookstores and at the Winter Farmers Market We'll also have another of her books, "Gardening for theFaint of Heart". ($19.95) Travel Far with Eat Local! Send us a photo of you and your market bag in a far-away place and we'll put it in the next issue of Market Share. This is an ongoing call for photos so send them in whenever you can. Photos can be sent to Jen in the market office either by mail or email (contact info below). Be sure to include where the photo was taken and your full name and address so we can thank you properly! Now get snapping! Newsletter Archives Missed the last issue of Market Share? Want to pull up that great recipe you saw back in August? We've got our newsletter archives online - going back about a year. Your Local Farmers Market Society - Board Your Local Farmers Market Society is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. They are an active board with many projects on the go. They are: Gigi Egan Andrew Hale Kevin Klippenstein Mel Lehan Bob Ransford Amy Robertson Joni Sherman Deb Taschuk You can look forward to learning more about the board and their activities in upcoming issues of Market Share.	CSA - Three small letters = big benefits by Roberta LaQuaglia Want to make a difference in the lives of farmers in your community? Shopping at the farmers markets is a great start of course, but maybe you'd like a closer connection with a grower and don't know how you could do that? A CSA might be a great option for you. CSA is an arrangement between local households and farmers who work together to share the responsibility of producing and delivering fresh food. Households support the farm by paying an annual fee in the winter or spring that entitles them to a "share" of the season's harvest. Each week during the growing season, members pick-up a weekly box of fresh foods which may include produce, fruits, eggs, meats, poultry, flowers, herbs or preserves. Pick-up sites are often located at a member's house, farmers market or at the farm. Many farms create opportunities for their members and families to visit the farm and participate in farm events. The typical CSA season runs from the end of May through mid-October. Farms offer a diversity of share options including extended season shares, add-ons like meat or eggs, multiple share types and sizes, and special funds and payment plans to accommodate households on a tight budget. CSA farmers use sustainable and organic methods to produce high quality to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment. Four farm vendors who sell at Vancouver markets offer CSAs - Glorious Organics/Fraser Common Farm - David Klippers Organic Acres - Kevin or Annamarie City Farm Boy - Ward Yarrow Farm - Suzanne or Michael Farm Folk City Folk also has a list of CSA resources around BC. Check it out. ----------------------------------------------- Farm Folk City Folk Calendars Farm Folk City Folk 2009 Calendars are on sale until they are gone - 50% off - $8, $7 for members Get 'em while they last! Market News Valentines Day at the Winter Farmers Market Send your market Valentine a note this Saturday at the Winter Farmers Market. All vendors will have Valentine "mailboxes" at their stall and we'll have cards available for jotting down a note about how much you appreciate the work of our farmers and producers. In honor of Valentines day, our RED market reusable bags will be offered at $4 each - that's $1 off! Why not treat your sweetie to a market tote full of his/her favourite goodies?! Call for Designs for T-shirts Now Closed Thank you to all the talented artists and designers out there who submitted designs to our call for t-shirt designs. We were overwhelmed by the response and are eager to review the entries and make a decision. Look for an announcement in the March newsletter and then some super-fly market merchandise coming soon to a market near you! Extra Virgin Olive Oil Packed Tuna Estevan Tuna (Winter Markets, Kitsilano, West End) is now offering their albacore canned in Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. High quality Canadian tuna packed in Italian Olive oil is a great start for a primo sandwich - grab some bread and add your favourite additions - red onion, chopped pickle, mayo, lemon, parsley or dill. Delicioso! Klippers Organic Acres Now Online Annamarie and Kevin from Klippers Organic Acres have been working hard this off-season getting a website created for their growing business. Lots of great pics of their farm and their family as well as lots of great information. Great work, guys! - www.klippersorganics.com Wenger Sheep Farm Looking for City Accommodations Henry and Brigitte Wenger are looking for close accomodation for the Friday/Saturday nights when they come to the markets. A spare bedroom for two and safe parking so they could plug in their freezer (very low power consumption) is needed. The Wengers will be coming down beginning in August one or 2 weekends a month. Get in touch with Brigitte if you think you have something reasonably-priced that would work. Her email is wengerhb@telus.net Opportunities to Help Grandview Woodlands Community Potluck and Seed Swap Planting season is just three weeks away so the Grandview Woodlands Food Connection is having a small seed swap at their next potluck Thursday, Feb. 12, 6:30 - AML Lounge, Britannia Community Centre. Bus tickets are available. Info: Ian Marcuse 604-718-5895 Job Posting: Farm Apprenticeship - 2009 Season Glen Valley Organic Farm We're looking for apprentices interested in pursuing a career in small-scale agriculture. Through an apprenticeship on our farm you will gain a comprehensive understanding of operating a diversified, small-scale, certified organic farm. From crop planning, business management and seeding to weeding, harvesting and marketing, we offer a holistic understanding of organic agriculture and a small community of dedicated farmers who live on the farm. On-farm accommodation, access to farm food and a fair wage offered to apprentices. Work term is full-time approximately April through September with part-time work in the shoulder seasons. There is a long-term opportunity to farm with us if we feel there is a good fit after a full season. Located on the Fraser River's floodplains in the spectacular Glen Valley (only 60km from Vancouver), this co-operatively-owned farm has two businesses that sell fruit and vegetable crops at a variety of markets throughout the Lower Mainland. Interested candidates should send a letter outlining farming interests, along with a resume to: glenvalleychris@gmail.com, or mail to Glen Valley Organic Farm, 8550 Bradner Road, Abbotsford BC V4X 2H5. ------------------------------------- Feast of Fields Okanagan Coordinator FF/CF is seeking to fill a new position of Feast of Fields Okanagan Coordinator. Reporting to the Project Manager in Vancouver, this person will be responsible for coordinating our Feast of Fields Okanagan fundraising event. This is a contract position from April 1, 2009 until September 30, 2009. It is expected that time requirements are casual to part-time throughout the contract with full-time work from August 15 until after the event (September date TBD) with continued casual to part-time work until wrap-up by the end of September. Please visit our web-site for details: http://www.ffcf.bc.ca/NewSiteFiles/resources/kp/jobs.html ------------------------------------- GROWING CHEFS! Have fun! Teach kids! Support sustainability! We are recruiting volunteers for our 2009 season (chefs, food and sustainability-minded individuals.) Contact us at 778-885-1308, or send your name and contact information to admin@growingchefs.ca to register. http://growingchefs.ca/volunteer.htm ------------------------------------- Community Meal Volunteer Wilson Heights United Church (1634 East 41st Avenue at Argyle) is seeking volunteers to assist with our free, community dinner. We have been hosting the community meal for 9 years and need your help so that we can continue to feed 80-100 people and families every Thursday at 5:30pm. The meal is child-friendly and open to all. To offer your services or for more information please contact Rosemary Collins at (604) 325-9944 Ext: 225. Farming Residency Deer crossing the art farm - a creation, performance and gallery space for artists on a five-acre farm just outside of Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast - is searching for a farmer for a 2-week residency in mid April 2009. The residency will include room, board and a $500 honorarium. Goals for this residency include mapping and designing new garden space, building raised beds and devising strategies for soil remediation around the farm. The right candidate should have experience in the field already - through schooling or otherwise - and be familiar with permaculture and organic practices. Couples are welcome to apply. Looking for a working vacation? Contact us today! contact@deercrossingtheartfarm.org ------------------------------------- Food Policy Newsletter A great place to keep up with what's happening on the Food Policy scene in Vancouver, go to the Food Policy Department of the Vancouver on the City's website. Here's a link to their latest newsletter online: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/initiatives/foodpolicy/newsletter/index.htm Classes and Events February 21 – Home Food Security Intensive. Duncan, BC. 10 – 2 pm Call Beth at 250- 337-1958 or Pat at 250-709-2391 for details/registration or email Beth at morefoodnow@gmail.com. This workshop covers the foundations of food security for individuals and families. We will spend four hours learning about garden cycles, food harvest and storage, subsistence gardening and stockpiling. $62 includes snack, beverage and copy of Food Security for the Faint of heart. February 22 – Duncan Sustainable Microfarm Forum Duncan, BC. 9:30 – 4 pm. Call Beth at 250–337-1958 or Pat at 250-709-2391 for details/registration. Full day workshop for serious gardeners and small farmers interested in increasing production for home or commercial uses. Segments include “Understanding your Land” and “Water Wisdom”, and we will talk about free resources, working cooperatively, season extending and how to define “organic”. Marika Nagasaka will be giving her wonderful class on “Efficiency on the Farm”. Food and beverages provided. $100 -------------------------------------Genuine Progress Speaker Series Should we measure how well we're doing by how much we shop? Five lectures from April - October. Hear Susan Davidson, Member/Owner of Glorious Organics Co-op speak about the Value of Farming in this speaker series that looks at the health of our community and our country from a non-economic perspective. Other topics include the Value of Simplicity & the Value of Eco-Villages. For a complete list, lecture descriptions and location details See the PDF Flyer All lectures are FREE and will take place at the Central Branch of the VPL. Made possible by a grant from Coast Capital Saviings. Community Kitchens Leadership Workshops During this one-day workshop you will have the opportunity to find out more about community kitchens, different ways a group can work and how you can lead or start a community kitchen. Upcoming Dates: Choose from one of the following : Thurs, March 5 Thurs, April 30 Thurs, June 4 Time: 9:30-2:30 pm Location: Vancouver Food Bank, 1150 Raymur Ave. Cost: $25.00 for community members & $45 for agency representatives To register or for more information: Contact Lynn Leong, lynnl@foodbank.bc.ca, 604-876-0659 ext 105 Read This... Thousands move from B.C. cities By Tom Fletcher - BC Local NewsPublished: November 02, 2008 12:30 AM A new analysis of migration patterns inside B.C. upsets the notion that small-town folks are increasingly flocking to big cities. While the main destination for new arrivals from other countries or provinces is Metro Vancouver, a five-year study of census data by BC Stats shows a trend in the opposite direction for those moving around within the province. The study looks at population flows between B.C.'s four Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs): Vancouver, Victoria, Abbotsford and Kelowna, as well as to and from the area outside CMAs. It found that from 2001 to 2006, Vancouver saw a net outflow of 25,560 B.C. residents. All other regions saw a net gain, and communities outside the big urban centres posted the largest increase, more than 17,000 people. "The largest of B.C.'s CMAs, Vancouver represents more than half of the provincial population," the B.C. Stats report says. "Also, as the third largest city in Canada, Vancouver is a primary destination for immigrants and inter-provincial migrants to B.C. However, individuals often move to Vancouver first, only to continue on to other parts of the province after a short stay." Figures for 2006, the latest available, show Kelowna was the only major urban centre with a net gain, 835 people from elsewhere in B.C. Areas outside CMAs gained 7,175 people, almost the same as the net loss from Vancouver to other areas of the province in 2006. The study confirms the common view that young people aged 15-24 showed a net migration away from rural and small-town B.C., but found gains in all other age groups. Areas outside major centres were also the biggest beneficiaries of B.C. residents aged 45 and up who moved out of Metro Vancouver. The Kelowna region qualified as a CMA for the first time in 2006, its 9.8 per cent population increase the fastest of B.C. urban centres during the five-year period. Kelowna also had the oldest population, with a median age of 43.4 years. B.C.'s other favourite retirement centre, Victoria, had a median age of 43.1 due in part to in-migration of university and college students. The Abbotsford CMA was the youngest, with a median age of 36.8 compared to the provincial median of 40.8. This reflects the attraction of the area for young families looking to stay close to Vancouver.
Vancouver Farmers Markets 1163 Commercial Dr, #2, Vancouver, BC V5L 3X3 Tel. 604-879-FARM (3276) i nfo@eatlocal.org Executive Director, Tara McDonald tara@eatlocal.org Roberta LaQuaglia, Operations Manager roberta@eatlocal.org Jen Pleadwell, Office Manager jen@eatlocal.org Alita Parisotto, Operations Assistant alita@eatlocal.org