Please sign the petition to make the Comox Valley a GE Free zone.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/571/427/128/petition-for-a-ge-free-comox-valley/
We already have 15 individual GE Free zones in BC, with other municipalities working to become GE Free- for more details go to:
https://gefreebc.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/where-are-the-61-ge-free-zones-in-bc/
Email us at gefreebc07@yahoo.ca if you would like more info.
On March 4th at 6.30 pm the Campbell River City Council will hear a delegation asking the Council to pass a GE free resolution.
If you are nearby please go to the Council meeting and lend your support.
In BC 14 municipalities have passed GE Free resolutions and in September 2013 the Union of BC Municipalities (all municipalities in BC) voted in favour of asking the BC government to stop GE crops in the Province.
For more information check out:
https://gefreebc.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/where-are-the-61-ge-free-zones-in-bc/
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 14th 2013
Can BC Go GE Free?
Groups Rally as Union of BC Municipalities set to vote on Sept 18/19 at AGM
14 September 2013, Vancouver – Thousands of people across the province who are concerned about genetically engineered (GE, also often called GM or genetically modified) foods and crops are rallying to support a resolution calling for a GE Free BC that will be debated at the Vancouver AGM of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
“This is a monumental opportunity for our municipalities and the province to stop GE crops from irreparably harming the future of farming and food in BC,” said Teresa Lynne of the non-profit volunteer-run Society for a GE Free BC. “Municipal councilors have an incredibly important decision to make and we are asking them to choose precaution for the sake of all BC residents.”
On September 18 or 19, our elected officials will vote on a resolution: … that UBCM ask the British Columbia government to legislate the prohibition of importing, exporting and growing plants and seeds containing genetically engineered DNA, and raising GE animals within BC, and to declare through legislation that the province of BC is a GE Free area in respect to all plant and animal species. The ban would not affect processed or prepared foods containing GM/GE ingredients, and has no bearing on medical applications of genetic engineering. Continue reading
Press release from BeeSafe Monashees
Close to 200 people of all ages, from all over the regional district, came to the Regional Agricultural Advisory Committee (RAAC) meeting Wednesday night, to remind NORD that making a decision on becoming GMO free in the region is pressing. People are fed up with what they see as delaying tactics and expect the RAAC to make a clear statement advising NORD on the future of agriculture in the region. Continue reading
If you are in Port Coquitlam and would like to join a group working to make PoCo a GE Free zone, as well as our other campaigns against GE crops and animals, go to the following
http://www.meetup.com/Tri-Cities-in-Action-for-Sustainable-Food/
The Union of BC Annual Meeting is just around the corner – join us on the 18th September from 7-10 a.m. at the Vancouver Convention Centre
Print the flyer below and make your voice heard
Nanaimo City Council will meet at 4.30pm on the 26th August to hear a request for a GE Free zone resolution.
Help make Nanaimo GE Free!!! Come out and support the resolution, tell your friends and family.
Congratulations to Grand Forks which is now the 62nd GE Free zone in BC.Well done the amazing campaigners in Grand Forks for adding your town to the list! Every community that passes a GE Free resolution adds pressure on the Provincial government to declare a moratorium on GE crops and animals.
For more details on Ge Free zones in BC go to:
https://gefreebc.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/where-are-the-61-ge-free-zones-in-bc/
As part of our campaign for a GE Free Vancouver, we are collecting signatures on a petition. Signatories should live in Vancouver and include their postal code.
Please leave your petitions at local cafes or collect signatures at the farmers’ market or other events, then return them to: Council of Canadians, 700-207 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H7
http://www.northshoreoutlook.com/news/212192051.html
The North Shore Outlook ran a piece on the GE Free Zone resolution – look out for Monsanto’s response in the link above.
GE Free Zones in British Columbia
15th 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Lumby – On April 15th, 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. Continue reading
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.
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. Continue reading
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.
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!
February 13th, 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. Continue reading
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:
GE Free BC 