Where are the 61 GE Free Zones in BC?

GE Free Zones in British Columbia

15^th June 2013

Our definition of a GE Free Zone is a municipality or group of municipalities which has passed a resolution against GE crops and animals within its jurisdiction.

Currently there are in 61 GE Free Zones in BC, which are the following (in rough order in which the resolution was passed):

Powell River (2004)

Salt Spring Island (2004)

Denman Island (2004)

Nelson (2008)

Kaslo (2009)

Rossland (2009)

New Denver (2009)

Richmond (2012)

Saanich (2012)

Metchosin (2012)

Telkwa (2013)

51 municipalities within the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC, resolution passed April 2013 – for AVICC members go here
http://avicc.ca/about-the-avicc/avicc-members-2/
)

City of North Vancouver (2013)

Metchosin and Saanich are in the AVICC area, but are not counted twice here.

In addition in September 2012 the Union of BC Municipalities endorsed a motion brought by the Okanagan-Similkameen against the genetically engineered apple being developed in the Okanagan.

Also two communities in the Okanagan, Cherryville and Lumby, have undertaken public voting where over 90 per cent of the population have voted for a GE Free Zone.

A large number of other municipalities across the Province, including Vancouver, Grand Forks, Duncan, Surrey, Langley, Coquitlam, Campbell River and many others, are working towards becoming GE Free Zones. If you would like to get involved in a campaign in your community, email gefreebc07@yahoo.ca

For resources and background on GE Free Zones, go to the resources tab.

 

North Vancouver City moves to ban GE seeds, crops and trees

Along with passing a resolution brought forward last night by GE Free BC and the Ecourbia Network, to make the City of North Vancouver a GE Free zone, Council asked staff to review the potential of a ban on the sale of all GE crops, seeds and trees within the City boundaries. If passed, North Vancouver City would be the first municipality in Canada to introduce such a by-law – and would of course lead the way for others to do the same.

A GE Free BC is possible. Please donate to our campaigns from this blog (scroll down to the donate button on the right hand side of the page) – we are 100% volunteer so all your funds go to the campaign.

Get in touch at gefreebc07@yahoo.ca if you want to get involved in a campaign in your community.

City of North Vancouver votes unanimously to become a GE Free zone

10th June

This evening the City of North Vancouver became the 2nd Vancouver municipality, and the 62nd municipality in the Province, to become a GE Free zone.

Councillors who were originally doubtful changed their mind during the meeting after a number of community members made forceful presentations about the importance of this issue.

Congratulations to all the campaigners who worked on this, the next piece in the puzzle to making the whole of BC GE Free.

A GE Free BC is possible. Please donate to our campaigns from this blog (scroll down to the donate button on the right hand side of the page) – we are 100% volunteer so all your funds go to the campaign.

Get in touch at gefreebc07@yahoo.ca if you want to get involved in a campaign in your community.

June 10th – say no to GMOs in North Vancouver

Help Make the City of North Vancouver a Genetically
Engineered Free Zone

WHEN: June 10, 5 – 7 pm
Sign up for public input at 5 pm, public input starts at 6 pm.

WHERE: City of North Vancouver Council meeting
141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver
http://www.cnv.org/Get-Involved/Contact-Us/Directions-to-the-City

WHY: North Van City can become the 61st GE Free zone in BC, but only if you help. We need speakers and members of the public (you don’t need to live in North Van City) to turn out in force. Three hundred people turned up at Richmond to make it a GE Free zone and that’s what changed the minds of Richmond Councillors – let’s do the same in North Vancouver.

More info: gefreebc07@yahoo.ca

Help make the City of North Vancouver a GE Free zone – 10th June

Please circulate widely

When: June 10, 5 – 7 pm

Sign up for public input at 5 pm, public input starts at 6 pm.

Where: City of North Vancouver Council meeting

141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver

www.cnv.org/Get-Involved/Contact-Us/Directions-to-the-City

Why: North Van City can become the 61st GE Free zone in BC, but only if you help. We need speakers and members of the public (you don’t need to live in North Van City) to turn out in force. Three hundred people turned up at Richmond to make it a GE Free zone and that’s what changed the minds of Richmond Councillors – let’s do the same in North Vancouver.

Yet another BC community – Lumby – says not to GE crops

Lumby – On April 15^th, Area D of the Regional District of the North Okanagan has overwhelmingly said NO to Genetically Modified Crops, joining Cherryville and the more than 60 other BC communities which have supported resolutions and/or where the public have voted against  GMO crops. While declaring a community a GMO FREE zone is not a bylaw it makes everyone understand the level of opposition to GM crops.

Push for a GE Free Vancouver Island heats up

Read the latest, including the upcoming debate between Dr. Thierry Vrain and Robert Wager, in the Harbour City Star.

http://www2.canada.com/harbourcitystar/news/story.html?id=a3caa92f-d491-4712-af2a-9c4fd5492b45&p=1

Email gefreebc07@yahoo.ca to get involved in a GE Free campaign in your community.

Vandana Shiva says make Vancouver Island a GE Free zone

96% of Cherryville, Okanagan, voters say no to GMOs

Bee SAFE asked the Cherryville public to cast a vote to show whether they were in favour of passing a resolution to ban GMO crops in their community.

Rural Lumby to talk GMO!

Bee SAFE will hold a meeting to discuss banning GMO crops on Wednesday March 27th at 7 PM at the Whitevalley Community Centre. Please come and let everyone know so we can make an informed decision on whether to join Cherryville and protect our farms and our food.

sign the petition to make Vancouver Island GE Free

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/648/428/554/declare-vancouver-island-a-ge-free-zone

Metchosin Council on Vancouver Island – a GE Free zone – has put forward a motion to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) to pass a resolution to make Vancouver Island and Coastal communities GE Free.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have contaminated our food supply. Vancouver Island is in a unique position to be a sanctuary that supports organic farmers and growers who want to be GE Free.

We will be delivering this petition to the AVICC) on Feb 28th so that this resolution makes it to the floor. Please share! Ask friends and family to sign!

110 show up to protest GMOs in Cherryville, Okanagan

February 13^th, 2013

Cherryville to decide on GMO crops.

CHERRYVILLE – More than a hundred people showed up at the Cherryville hall last night to get information and decide whether they want to pass a resolution banning GMO crops, as has been done in 10 other BC municipalities. The evening was organized by Carla Vierke, co-founder of Bee SAFE Monashees, a local volunteer organization started a year ago by Vierke, Jane Emlyn and Huguette Allen.

Sign the petition to make North Vancouver a GE Free zone

It just takes three minutes guys!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/913/029/534/genetically-free-north-vancouver-city/

EcoUrbia and the Society for a Genetically Free BC will be asking North Vancouver City Council to oppose the cultivation of genetically modified crops, plants and trees in the City of North Vancouver. There are now eight GE Free zones in BC, including Richmond. North Vancouver could be next!

For the reasons below, and many others, we ask that North Vancouver City Council support a resolution to ban the growing of genetically engineered crops within City limits.

For more information go to:

http://gefreebc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/why-municipal-politicians-should-support-ge-free-zones4.docx

Help make Surrey, North Vancouver and Vancouver GE free

After our success in Richmond we have targeted Vancouver, North Vancouver City and Surrey in the Lower Mainland as the next municipalities to go GE Free. If you are interested in helping out in any way, please get back to us.

We need people to get petitions out, lobby their councillors, educate others, put material in their local stores, and come to the council meetings.

For Surrey contact Phil Harrison at thebigph@gmail.com, he is coordinating the work there.

For Vancouver and North Vancouver reply to gefreebc07@yahoo.com

Please circulate to your lists. We look forward to hearing from you.