PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 2011 EDITION Abbotsford is a rapidly growing, young and vibrant city. Agriculture is a nearly $2-billion dynamo at the centre of the city’s economic activity, which is also fuelled by thriving residential and commercial development, as well as growing industrial and technology sectors. A newly renovated airport, top-rated university and state-of-the-art regional hospital are key components of the Abbotsford success story. In its second annual edition of Abbotsford in Action, The News examines the city’s economic energy. ACTION ABBOTSFORD IN PHOTO BY BETTY JOHNSTON
Transcript
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
2011 EDIT ION
Abbotsford is a rapidly growing, young and vibrant city.
Agriculture is a nearly $2-billion dynamo at the centre of the city’s economic activity, which is also fuelled by thriving residential and commercial development, as well as growing industrial and technology sectors. A newly renovated airport, top-rated university and state-of-the-art regional hospital are key components of the Abbotsford success story.
In its second annual edition of Abbotsford in Action, The News examines the city’s economic energy.
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A great place to live
Fifth largest city in British Columbia
Now the fifth largest city in British Columbia, Abbotsford has been a “growing” community, right from the start.
From its humble beginnings in 1889 as the Vil-lage of Abbotsford, a 160-acre tract of bush land, the city has continued to see new growth, in many ways. That slow, steady progress boomed in the last two decades as the Lower Main-land’s population increased and moved farther out from the boundaries of Vancouver and into the Fraser Valley.
As the population increased, so did the demand for housing and family services – which required more schools, rec-reational opportunities and facilities as well as artistic and cultural experiences. More businesses moved in to meet the population’s needs.
The Conference Board of Canada has Abbotsford’s 2010 Gross Domestic Product pegged at $5.48 billion, compared to $5.27 billion in 2009, with a projected GDP growth of more than three per cent in 2011.
Despite all of the changes, one thing has remained the same – agriculture is still the biggest economic force in the city. The Fraser Valley produces over 70 per cent of B.C.’s dairy products, berries, vegetables, poultry, eggs, pork, greenhouse vegetables, mushrooms, fl oriculture and nurs-ery products.
The chicken, turkey and egg business generates about $247 million annually, while 73 per cent of B.C.’s $500-million dairy industry is produced in the Fraser Valley.
In fact, berries, dairy and poultry are the big three resources, and the high yield creates major industrial opportunities.
Abbotsford is known to have Canada’s most productive farm-land and is blessed with three factors – climate, quality of soil and farmers. The result is $1.8 billion worth of economic activ-ity in the community.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. It has a signifi -cant economic spin off through all sectors of the economy. So much of the wealth that’s created through agriculture fi nds its way into all of the other sectors,” said Jay Teichroeb, the city’s general manager of economic development and planning
services.He said the degree of technology and innovation derived from
agriculture has a large impact.Agriculture-based industrial plants paved the way for other
industries. The development and recent renovation of Abbots-ford’s International Airport opened the door for a new wave of aviation-based industry.
As more companies move to the valley, people follow.The number of households in Abbotsford has more than dou-
bled in the past two decades. Residential areas have grown so quickly that high-density planning is a major mandate of council. Areas such as Sumas Mountain have been developed as homes spread away from the downtown core to fi ll every corner of the city.
Once the centre of commercial activity, Downtown Abbotsford has become a “destination” for visitors and locals alike.
Abbotsford’s retail sector changed forever in 1975 when the Sevenoaks Shopping Centre was built. It has grown to 562,328 square feet and more than 100 shops. The construction of West Oaks Mall and its 30 stores furthered the retail trend.
The construction of the 44-acre Fraser Valley Auto Mall in 1992 pushed expansion even farther west. Now, a $200-million shopping centre, adjacent to the auto mall, is being created by Shape Properties, creating yet another retail destination. The huge new development, called High Street, is expected to open in spring 2013.
The Abbotsford Regional Hospital, and a host of civic ame-nities prove that the infrastructure is in place to attract more families, professionals and businesses.
“It’s got the blessings of geography, it’s got an entrepreneur-ial spirit and the greatest strength is its people. The people of Abbotsford are proud to call Abbotsford home. They believe pas-sionately in the community and they are leaders in all sectors, whether it’s the arts, whether it’s athletics, education, business ... it’s a community to be very proud of and to be associated with. It’s a great place to live,” said Teichroeb.
What’s InsideHistory 5
Commercial 8/9
Residential 10/11
Industrial 31/32
Pork 27
Livestock 26
Airport 14/15
Field crops 29
Health care 35
University 34
Poultry 24/25
Sports 36
Arts/culture 38
Berries 17/18
Dairy 23
Contributors: Kevin MillsNeil CorbettVikki Hopes Melissa Welsh
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Simple beginnings
Pioneers carved a town out of bush land
Once a small, humble village, Abbotsford has grown to become
the fifth-largest city in B.C.Originally inhabited by
the Sto:lo people – their territory covered most of the lower Fraser River, from Richmond to Yale – Abbotsford owes its cre-ation to the gold rush.
The first wave of European settlers in the Fraser Valley arrived in the mid-1800s, drawn by the dis-covery of gold just south of Yale. By December of 1858, an estimated 30,000 people – including many miners travelling north from San Francisco – had made their way up the river.
The gold fever paved the way for the establishment of many Fraser Valley towns.
The 160-acre tract of bush land that became
the Village of Abbotsford was originally obtained in 1889 by John Cunningham Maclure, a former Royal Engineer who had helped to survey the territory for Britain during the gold rush.
The origin of the name “Abbotsford,” accord-
ing to a 1924 letter from J.C. Maclure Jr. to the Abbotsford Board of Trade, is a combination of two ideas. The name commemorates a friend of the Maclure family, Harry Braithwaite Abbott. It is also a reference to Sir Walter Scott’s home,
Abbotsford Castle in Scotland.
The first, major indus-trial presence of the new village was the Abbotsford Lumber Company, owned by the Trethewey family. The company fuelled the growth and ethnic diversity of Abbotsford, attracting workers from China, Japan, Europe and India.
The first immigrants from India’s Punjab province ar-rived in the early 1900s.
In Abbotsford, the first gurdwara (temple) was con-structed in 1911 on South Fraser Way. The Trethewey family, the city’s largest employer of Sikhs at that time, donated free lumber to build the temple. That temple, now a national historic site, celebrated its 100th anniversary this year.
Today, Abbotsford is the third most ethnically di-
Abbotsford began as a small cluster of buildings surrounded by dense forests, which provided the resources for the town’s lumber company.
Gold rushThe first wave of European
settlers in the Fraser Valley arrived in the mid-1800s, drawn by the discovery of gold in the Fraser River.
Industrial startThe first major industrial pres-ence in the new village was the Abbotsford Lumber Company, owned by the Trethewey family.
Downtown Abbotsford was featuring strong development and retail activity
by the 1950s.
The first gurdwara (temple) was constructed in Abbotsford in 1911 on
South Fraser Way.
Continued on P6
Photo courtesy MSA Museum
Photo courtesy MSA Museum
Today, the city of Abbotsford encompasses the founding communities of Bradner, Clayburn, Clearbrook, Huntingdon, Matsqui, Mt. Lehman, Straiton and Sumas.
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verse city in Canada, after Toronto and Vancouver, and has the highest pro-portion of people of South Asian origin per capita of any Canadian city.
Abbotsford also has a strong Mennonite presence that dates back to the 1920s. Many members of Christian Anabaptist denominations migrated to Abbotsford from Russia and the Prairie provinces, and the first Mennonite church was built in the 1930s using lumber from the disman-tled mill at Mill Lake.
Agriculture has long been a driv-ing force in Abbotsford’s economy. The region’s agri-cultural potential was expanded in 1924, when drainage of Sumas Lake was completed to reclaim more than 30,000 acres of fertile land on the Canadian side of the border.
While being an important transporta-tion corridor, and major salmon-bear-ing waterway, the Fraser River has been an intermittent threat to Abbotsford. The first major flood after European settlement occurred in 1894, as rising water spilled into communities from Chilliwack downstream.
That disaster prompted the construc-
tion of a new dike system to limit the flood threat, but in 1948, the region was inundated with water once again. The numbers associated with the flood of ’48 are staggering. More than 200 square kilometres of territory was under water at the height of the flood; 16,000 people were evacuated; and dam-ages were estimated at $20 million.
Today, the communities spawned by the Fraser are protected from the river’s wrath by over 300 kilo-metres of dikes between Agassiz and Delta.
The political career of one of Abbotsford’s most influen-tial citizens began in 1969, when George Ferguson was elected as an alderman for the District
of Sumas. Ferguson went on to be-come one of Canada’s longest-serving civic leaders. His tenure as mayor of Abbotsford (1972-2002, 2005-08) spanned four decades.
Ferguson was mayor through two amalgamations. In 1972, the Village of Abbotsford and the District of Sumas joined to form the District of Abbotsford.
In 1995, the neighbouring districts of Abbotsford and Matsqui amalgamated to form the City of Abbotsford.
Spawned by a riverFrom P5
The flood of 1948 put more than 200 square kilometres of land underwater in the Valley.
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Commercial success
Major mall projects lead wave of development
High numbersThe High Street shopping mall project on Mt. Lehman Road covers 560,000 square feet, and is slated for completion in 2013.
Dedicated spaceDur ing the past decade, Abbotsford has annually added between 800,000 and two million square feet in commercial, industrial and institutional space.
Ken Baerg
...these developments mean fewer retail dollars will be leaking out of our community, which in turn means a more vibrant local economy...
“
”
Building valueAs of October 2011, building permit values sat at $238 million for 2011, well surpassing the 2010 total of $207 million and the 2009 total of $156 million.
Cross Developments has just completed 90,000 square feet of retail space
anchored by Save-On Foods in Sumas Mountain Village in east Abbotsford.
Shape Properties completed work last year on the first phase of Parallel
Marketplace in the Whatcom Road area.
Even by conservative projections, Abbotsford’s population is expected to grow by 40 per cent in the next 20 years.
It’s not a question of if – signifi cant growth is an inevitable reality.
The critical question is how that growth will be managed.Issues such as land use planning, transit, densifi cation
and affordability all become increasingly important as the population expands.
Many people don’t realize that Abbotsford, by land area, is the largest municipality in B.C. This too has a range of implications, including the way residents identify with their local community and neighbourhood; the planning around commercial and residential expansion; and the forethought that must go into the creation of city infrastructure.
“Ten years ago, if you were to ask people on the street where downtown Abbotsford is, you would have likely been told by a majority that it is South Fraser Way in and around Gladwin,” said Ken Baerg, Abbotsford’s director of economic development.
While there remains a plan to establish this particular area as “City Centre,” Baerg said Abbotsford’s growth is “nodal.”
Clusters of commercial and residential develop-ment are redefi ning the landscape.
Last year, Abbotsford attracted one of the largest shopping mall developments to take place in B.C. for more than three decades. And it happened in the aftermath of a world-wide economic slowdown.
Shape Properties’ 560,000-sq.-ft. mall project, called High Street, is being constructed on Mt. Lehman Road.
While the grand opening is not anticipated until the spring of 2013, the project, combined with Polygon’s 460-unit townhouse development in the same area, has created a commercial and residential anchor on the west end of town.
High Street is not Shape’s only investment
in Abbotsford.Last year, the Vancouver-based company, which also
purchased the Brentwood and Loughheed malls, completed work on Parallel Marketplace in the area of Whatcom Road. That 135,000-sq.-ft project on the south side of Sumas Moun-tain is anchored by Thrifty Foods. Now, conceptual plans are in place for phase two of Parallel Marketplace, which would include up to 35,000 square feet of space.
In the fall of 2011, Cross Developments completed another commercial development in this area – more than 90,000 square feet of retail space anchored by Save-On-Foods.
Such groupings of development are happening across the community.
Improvements in the historic downtown core and the “expansion of the railway district along Gladys create
another node with its own character and iden-tity,” said Baerg.
The long-term vision for the university-district will ultimately
create a commercial, residential and institutional hub around
the University of the Fraser Valley and the Abbotsford
Entertainment and Sports Centre, near the McCal-lum Road Highway 1 interchange.
This trend of commer-cial growth has been occurring for years. In the last few decades, much of Abbotsford’s retail began spreading west from the original downtown. When the big
box phenomenon took hold, many such stores
were built along South Fraser Way, and the sector
continues to grow south along Sumas Way.During the past decade, Abbots-
ford has annually added between 800,000 and two million square feet in
commercial, industrial and institutional space.
In the future, these nodal ‘communities within the community’ will become even
Continued on A9
The Fraser Valley Auto Mall, situated along Highway 1 in west Abbotsford, covers approximately 44 acres and
includes eight auto dealers.
Construction is well underway on the High Street shopping mall project, one of the largest developments of its kind in the province for the past three decades. It’s just one of several mall projects either underway or recently completed in the city.
JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
more established.Baerg said all of the aforementioned
commercial developments are good news for the residents of Abbotsford.
“Not only do these commercial ameni-ties provide for convenience and acces-sibility; these developments mean fewer retail dollars will be leaking out of our community, which in turn means a more vibrant local economy with more jobs being created.”
Other indicators the city keeps a watchful eye on include:
Gross domestic product (GDP) – The total value of the goods and services produced within Abbotsford continues to have a positive trajectory. The Confer-
ence Board of Canada anticipates that Abbotsford will have one of the most robust economies in the nation with a projected real GDP growth rate of 3.2 per cent.
“Given the global economic climate, this is a testament to the resilience, innovation and diversity that exists within our economy,” Baerg said.
Building permits – The construction value associated with building permits also continues to increase. As of October 2011, building permit values sat at $238 million for 2011, well surpassing the 2010 total of $207 million and the 2009 total of $156 million. Of that $238 million, $121 million was for new commercial permits.
Sevenoaks Shopping Centre on South Fraser Way is one of Abbotsford’s most established retail developments. It was built in 1975 and has grown to 562,328 square feet and more than 100 shops. Nearby is West Oaks Mall and 30 more stores.
File photo
Robust economyFrom A8
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 9Abbotsford News
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The core of growth
New residents streaming into the city
As more people look to Abbots-ford as a viable place to live,
developers are faced with the challenge of fi nding new residential space.
With three-quarters of the city’s 39,000 hectares of land protected by the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), build-ers are increasingly looking skyward.
Densifi cation is becoming a reality.
“In a community that has over 70 per cent of its land in the ALR, our future is going to require building up and not out,” said Ken Baerg, the city’s director of economic development.
Construction of a new 26-storey residential com-plex – Mahogany at Mill Lake – began last year. When completed, the tower will be the tallest structure in the city, and is a prime example of the residential initiatives beginning to take place.
It is estimated that the city could see a wave of 60,000 to 70,000 additional people in the next 25 to 30 years.
The increasing interest in the area may be due to the lower cost of owning a home here, compared to living in the Greater Vancouver area.
The average Vancouver-area home carries an asking price of close to $792,000, while the median price for an
Abbotsford home is about 56 per cent lower, at $424,000, as reported in August 2011.
The affordability factor has attracted newcomers and helped increase the number of local homes to 47,000, more than double the amount from just 20 years ago.
With residential develop-ments largely accomplished in areas like Sumas Moun-tain and the western border, the focus is to strengthen the city’s core. When land is available, it’s expensive, therefore developers and homebuyers are interested
in high-density projects.“The number of single-
family lots available in Abbotsford is fi nite. Our OCP (Official Community Plan) certainly contemplates densi-fi cation, which ties into tran-sit and creating commercial and residential nodes that will defi nitely be the future of the city,” said Baerg.
The Mahogany is a prime example.
Before the sales offi ce was opened in 2010, one-third of the planned 185 units had already been purchased, even though the building is
not projected to be fi nished until 2013.
The developer will then start on the second phase of the project, which includes another 87 low-rise units on the property.
A number of other tow-ers are in the approval pro-cess, but are awaiting fi nal consent from surrounding neighbourhoods.
Densification is a reflec-tion of Abbotsford’s continu-ing efforts to live within a smaller footprint.
In 1981, multi-family hous-ing made up 30 per cent of housing stock. By 2006 it was 41 per cent.
General manager of eco-nomic development Jay Teichroeb said legal second-ary suites make up approxi-mately 10 per cent of Abbots-ford’s urban housing stock. Estimates of unregistered units reported by the city in 2009 ranged from 900 to more than 2,000.
The city is dotted with developments that will expand the living room for residents but still preserve the city’s land.
In the east, Vicarro Ranch on Sumas Mountain is a planned residential develop-ment that will include 1,700 units of townhouses and apartments. Its six clusters of single-family, duplex, town-homes and condominium
Doubled in sizeAbbotsford has more than doubled in size since 1981, and remains above the provincial average of growth, with 7.2 per cent between 2001 and 2006, compared to 5.3 per cent province-wide.
Secondary suitesLegal secondary suites make up approximately 10 per cent of Abbotsford’s urban housing stock. Estimates of unregistered units reported by the city in 2009 ranged from 900 to more than 2,000.
Ken Baerg
... our future is going to require building up and not out.
“
”
Affordable pricesThe median pr ice for an Abbotsford home is about 56 per cent lower than a house in Greater Vancouver, which averages close to $792,000, as of August 2011.
It is anticipated Abbotsford could be home to 60,000 to 70,000 more people in the next 25 years, with an increasing number living in high-density towers.
The number of households in Abbotsford currently stands at
approximately 47,000.
Multi-family housing in Abbotsford has grown from about one-third of the total housing stock in 1981 to more than 40 per cent by 2006. Construction continues on this development by Quantum Properties at Gladwin Road and Maclure.
Development on Eagle Mountain in east Abbotsford has been among the major housing projects in the city in the past several years.JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
Continued on P11
JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
historic downtownABBOTSFORD
The Abbotsford Downtown Business AssociationFormed in 1989, Abbotsford Downtown Business Association members consist of property owners, merchants and community leaders. The ADBA Board of Directors works to identify the key factors that lead to successful heritage-led urban renewal and to translate these into clear guidelines that preserve history, while realizing the full potential of heritage as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the Downtown. This rejuvenation has led to an environment in the downtown area which fosters economic growth, prosperity and a sense of community. Through the rejuvenation of Historic Downtown Abbotsford, the community as a whole benefi ts through:
• Economic benefi ts - jobs, businesses and economic growth.• Area benefi ts - improved profi le, a safer environment.• Community benefi ts - A sense of local pride and increased community spirit.
Revitalized Historic Downtown AbbotsfordRevitalization Tax Exemption Programs have allowed for the continuous renewal of Abbotsford’s Historic District. By encouraging the rejuvenation of historic buildings and landmarks and maintaining a fresh, clean environment the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association (ADBA) has led the drive that has turned this area of Abbotsford into a lucrative, trendy shopping and service center.
Shopping in Downtown AbbotsfordHistoric Downtown Abbotsford attracts patrons from throughout the Fraser Valley. A pedestrian-oriented area of quality built, high density housing, restaurants and cafés, services for your family’s every need, and unique shops and boutiques offering
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units will be separated by open space and park land, and will encompass 395 acres.
The project is one of the largest planned in Abbots-ford since the Auguston development created in 1999, and will start con-struction within the next few years.
In the west, Blueridge Drive has had major devel-opment around surround-ing amenities like Rick Hansen Secondary and the Centre Ice complex.
Polygon developers are the masterminds behind the Westerleigh, a selec-tion of townhouses and apartments which went on sale in March and now have only six of 69 left for purchase.
Farther west, Pepin Brook Vineyard Estates is another housing initiative, located along the Alder-grove border.
By the end of October 2011, the city had pro-cessed $36.7 million worth of new residential build-ing permits.
In 2010, the city recorded a total of $55.8 million in building permit value.
Polygon’s recent Westerleigh project is among a wave of devel-opment in the west Abbotsford area. The collection of town-homes and apartments is now nearly sold out.
Expanding westFrom A10
JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
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The Abbotsford I n t e r n a t i o n a l Air port (YXX) has thrived in the
past decade, and now that a $30-million renovation proj-ect is complete, it stands ready to take the next step as a major economic genera-tor for the Fraser Valley.
Renovations began in May 2010 and included a new 9,600-foot parallel taxiway, expansion of the west apron and various electrical, light-ing and surface rehabilita-tion projects. It also fea-tured a major renovation of the terminal, including an improved departure lounge, security area, guest check-in counters, new washrooms, a new tourist information centre, and new flooring and fi nishes.
It was a joint project, paid for by the federal, provincial and local governments.
The improvements open more opportunity for the airport to attract new cus-tomers and tenants.
“There is no question we are set up well for the future,” said Dave Holm-berg, chair of the Abbots-ford Airport Authority.
“We are working with the city and certainly they are being very cooperative with any efforts that we come up with ... We have the neces-sary lands, we have any-thing that anybody who is in the business would want. It will be an exciting time for us in the next 18 to 24 months.”
It is expected that the upgrades will double the airport’s passenger capac-ity and allow YXX to attract more major aerospace com-panies and additional com-mercial air service.
The renovations have already received provincial accolades. In October, the airport was given the Wil-
liam Templeton Trophy by the British Columbia Aviation Council, which is awarded annually for outstanding initiative and achievement in the successful develop-ment of a commu-nity airport facility.
Holmberg said it may be Abbotsford’s airport, but its suc-cess is a benefit to the entire Fraser Valley.
People and busi-
nesses from Surrey, Mis-sion, Chilliwack, Hope and Maple Ridge are all poten-tial customers and word is spreading fast.
“People are so over-whelmed with what we have done to the airport, with the terminal building and so on, and the ease of parking and the access ... it’s made a
big difference and they are talking about it and offering referrals.”
Holmberg said the posi-tive reaction has already
increased traffic at the airport, which is up by two per cent so far in 2011.
Much has changed in 68 years.
Abbotsford’s air-port was constructed in 1943 as part of the Bri t ish Common-wealth Air Training
Plan, a joint World War II flight training program with the principal partners being the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The No. 24 Elemen-tary Flying Training School in Abbotsford was one of the largest of 100 schools built across Canada at that time.
An average of 3,000 trained personnel gradu-ated each month.
Following the war, the Royal Canadian Air Force closed its station in Abbots-ford, but maintained the facility on a caretaker basis. The airport was closed from 1952 to 1958, until the Department of Transport took over the site.
In 1997, ownership of the airport was transferred to the City of Abbotsford for the sum of $10, and YXX became a jet passenger air-port when WestJet Airlines took its inaugural fl ight on June 18 of that year.
Today, Abbotsford’s air-port is a bustling facility.
According to Statistics Canada, YXX was the 19th busiest airport in Canada in 2010 in terms of passenger traffi c (463,763), with 101,950 aircraft movements.
But it isn’t just about fl ights.
Cascade Aerospace, a company that specializes in aviation maintenance, overhaul, repair and prod-uct engineering, operates
Among top 20YXX was the 19th busiest airport in Canada in 2010 in terms of passenger traf c (463,763), with 101,950 aircraft movements.
Provincial accoladesThe airport has received the Wil-liam Templeton Trophy by the British Columbia Aviation Council, awarded for outstanding initiative and achievement in the success-ful development of a community airport facility.
Dave Holmberg
It will be an exciting time for us in the next 18 to 24 months.
“
”
Military historyAbbots fo rd ’s a i rpo r t was constructed in 1943 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, a joint World War II ight training program
WestJet Airlines flies out of Abbotsford Airport, taking its
inaugural flight on June 18, 1997.
The annual Abbotsford International Airshow is the largest
event of its kind in Canada.
An aircraft taxis out to the runway at Abbotsford International Airport, with the new parallel taxiway seen at the left. A $30-million upgrade project at the airport included the taxiway, expansion of the west apron and renovation of the terminal.
Renovations at the Abbotsford Airport included an improved departure lounge, security area, and check-in counters.
Abbotsford Airport Authority photo
HOLMBERG
Abbotsford Airport Authority photo
Continued on P15
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 15Abbotsford News
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a 250,000-square-foot facility on the airport property, while Conair Aviation occupies more than 100,000 sq.ft. of han-gar space to house its fl eet of fi refi ght-ing water bombers.
The airport hosts several flight schools, including Coastal Pacific Aviation and Chinook Helicopters, and issued approximately one-third of the helicopter licences in Canada in 2009.
The University of the Fraser Valley is also in the aviation training busi-ness, partnering with Coastal Pacifi c on a variety of diploma and degree
programs. The airport is renowned for hosting
its annual Abbotsford International Airshow, the largest event of its kind in Canada.
“For most of the residents in this community it’s still a little city in the country ... but when people see what we have and see what we can do, they get a little excited about it,” said Holmberg.
Approximately five per cent of Abbotsford’s aircraft movements in 2010 were passenger jets. The majority of local fl ights were associated with pri-vate aircraft and fl ight schools.
New check-in counters at YXX were part of major renovations.Abbotsford Airport Authority photo
Aviation trainingFrom P14
16 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
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November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 17Abbotsford News
Billion-dollar business
Agriculture in the Abbotsford area generates about $1.8 billion in economic activity, according to a survey conducted by the City of Abbotsford and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture.
The Fraser Valley produced over 40 million pounds of raspberries at one
time, most of it in Abbotsford, but that has now dropped to about 20-25 million
pounds. Blueberries have taken over.
Mike Makara
We are a major player.
“”
Berry bigThe province produces about 6.5 million pounds of strawberries in an average year, worth approxi-mately $13 million. There are about 38 strawberry producers in the Fraser Valley.
Fresh fruitAbout 60 per cent of the local blueberry crop is sold fresh in supermarkets, with much of it exported to the U.S. The remain-ing 40 per cent is frozen and sold for manufacturing, used in yogurt, jam and other food products.
Major berry processing facilities are located in Abbotsford, along with berry
producer associations.
Sweet success
When researchers found that blueberries have strong anti-cancer, anti-aging and heart-health properties, demand for the tasty berries took off, the price rocketed up, and ever since blueberry
bushes have continued to sprout in fi elds across Abbotsford.Blueberries have always been an important crop in the area,
but with the assistance of a health food campaign and opportunistic farmers, they have become number one.
Mike Makara grew up on a blueberry farm on Matsqui Prairie. He’s been a blueberry farmer for 35 years, and is the chairman of the Blueberry Council of B.C.
Makara has watched the industry take off.
“Three or four years ago the price went through the roof, and everyone jumped on the bandwagon.”
The amount of acreage devoted to blueberries has doubled twice in the past 10 years, and there are now approximately 4,000 acres of blue-berries in Abbotsford.
Makara said the Fraser Valley produced more than 40 million pounds of raspberries at one time, most of it in Abbotsford, but that has now decreased to about 20-25 million pounds, as blueberries have taken over.
B.C. produced 95 million pounds of blueberries last year – the best year ever – and almost all of it came from the Fraser Valley. About 40 million pounds were from Abbotsford
farms. About 30 per cent of all blueberries in North America are grown in the Valley.
“We are a major player,” said Makara.Still, he expects to see production increase further yet. The
past summer’s weather was actually hard on blueberry farm-ers, and Makara estimates that optimum conditions would have
resulted in up to 110 million pounds.As well, many of the plants are not yet mature,
and therefore not producing at peak effi ciency. It takes blueberry plants about seven years to
reach maturity. Some farmers are removing the fl owers from their plants, sacrifi cing
harvest this year to promote growth. “Thirty per cent of the acreage is
nowhere near maturity,” Makara estimates. “B.C.’s going to continue advancing.”
There is plenty of competition from farmers in the U.S., Europe, and particularly Argentina and Chile.
Mark Sweeney, berry industry specialist with the B.C. Ministry of
Agriculture, said blueberry producers still face high costs of manual picking,
and it’s a labour-intensive business.“The good news about blueberries is that
they’re so strongly linked to health benefi ts. The challenging news is – it’s a very competitive
world.”The key to maintaining healthy prices, which have been in
the range of $1.40 to $1.50 per pound this year, will be opening
Abbotsford is B.C.’s bread basket.The Fraser Valley produces over 70 per cent of B.C.’s
Farming is big business in Abbotsford, which is home to some of the most productive farms in Canada, and where more dollars are earned per acre than anywhere else in the country. A 2008 Chamber of
Commerce study pegged that productivity at $7,410 per acre.
Farming supports 11,300 jobs – one in four private sector jobs in the city – and generates $1.8 billion in annual economic activity.
Abbotsford is also the administrative hub of agriculture. There are 25 different producer associations headquartered in the city, as well as a large Ministry of Agriculture office.
Berries are an economic dynamo
Continued on P18
Mike Makara, chairman of the Blueberry Council of B.C., has been a blueberry farmer for 35 years, and has seen the industry boom. NEIL CORBETT Abbotsford News
18 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
Ideal conditions for berriesA field worker checks a ripening crop of strawberries. While B.C. produces about 6.5 million pounds of strawberries annually, with 38 producers in Abbotsford, the province is a net importer of the popular berry.
new markets – particularly in Asian coun-tries.
Sweeney said China in particular is a key market. Chinese blueberry growers were once viewed as challengers to the B.C. indus-try, but are now seen as an ally as they intro-duce the fruit to their massive consumer population.
“They cannot grow to meet their demand,” said Sweeney. “That’s a real good market for us.”
About 60 per cent of the local crop is sold fresh in supermarkets, with much of it exported to the U.S.
The remaining 40 per cent is frozen and sold for manufacturing, used in yogurt, jam
and other food products.Raspberries were the traditional crop of
Abbotsford, along with strawberries and some cranberries.
Raspberries require the right combina-tion of soils to be their most productive, and ideal conditions are found in Abbotsford, particularly south of Highway 1, where there is sandy soil on top of gravel. Of the 3,500 acres of raspberries in the Fraser Val-ley, 3,000 are here.
Local raspberry farms account for 80 per cent of the supply for North America, gener-ating 20 million pounds in a good year. That would be enough to load about 600 semi-trailer trucks.
The price has ranged from 45 cents to $1.85
per pound.Meanwhile, B.C. is a net importer of
strawberries. The province produces about 6.5 million pounds of strawberries in an average year, worth approximately $13 mil-lion.
There are about 38 strawberry producers in the Fraser Valley. However, exact num-bers are harder to pin down, because most strawberry producers are also growing other crops.
Companies such as Lucerne and Berry Hill have their berry processing facilities here, and the raspberry, blueberry and strawberry producers’ associations all run their organizations out of Abbotsford, creat-ing more employment.
From the fi eld to the market
From A17
A “centre for excellence” is in the works at the University of the Fraser Valley, in the form of a Pacific Berry Resource Centre partnership.
This fall, representatives of UFV’s agriculture and technology department signed a memorandum of understanding with a number of partners in the berry industry to move for-ward with the Pacific Berry Resource Centre.
The goal of the centre is to move the berry industry to the leading edge of research and education. UFV is collaborating with the British Columbia Blueberry Council, Raspberry Industry Development Council and the Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers Association to launch the centre.
The centre partnership has received $30,000 from the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, and approximately $80,000 in “innovations funding “ from the federal Growing Forward program.
The Pacific Berry Resource Centre will aim to develop the most environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable industry in North America.
Joining forces and creating a network will help research-ers at UFV tackle problems associated with topics such as variety development, plant husbandry, post-harvest management, and marketing.
Major co-operators will be the growers, the processing industry, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, pri-vate consultants, the Pacific Northwest berry groups, and the Sustainable Horticulture Institute in Langley.
The centre will be based in both Chilliwack and Abbotsford.
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November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 19Abbotsford News
Abbotsford
cit y in the countryProudly supporting a sustainable, vibrant business & development community
20 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
AGRICULTURE
Abbotsford is one of the most intensely and diversely farmed areas in Canada supporting a wide range of crop and livestock enterprises. Abbotsford farms generate more dollars per acre than any other municipality in Canada totalling 21 per cent of all agricultural revenues in the province of British Columbia. In fact, Abbotsford’s output is almost three times higher than the Niagara Region, Canada’s next most productive agricultural area.
It would be difficult to over-emphasize the economic impact of agriculture in Abbotsford. The local agricultural sector is the economic mainstay of the community, generating gross annual farm receipts of $558 million (est). Recent research has estimated that the indirect and induced expenditures from farming operations in Abbotsford create a further $1.35 billion, adding up to $1.8 billion of agriculturally-related economic activity.
Consulting and Serecon Management Consultants, 2009.
A Healthy, Diverse Economy While agriculture is one of the foundations of our city, Abbotsford has a healthy blend of economic drivers supporting the local economy from manufacturing and logistics to construction and health care. Recently named “Most Business Friendly” municipality by NAIOP, (National Association for Industrial and Office Properties). Abbotsford has made many strides to ensure that the business sector is well supported for growth and stability for years to come.
Abbotsford’s Official Community Plan (OCP) supports and guides development within the City. It ensures Abbotsford continues to support a compact urban area, complete with high density, diverse, distinctive and pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods and a range of housing options along with ample employment opportunities.
High Street is a 600,000 square foot regional shopping centre located in the Mt. Lehman area, and is currently the largest retail development in BC in more than 30 years. Anchor tenants include a Walmart Super Centre, London Drugs and Cineplex Odeon.
BUILDING PERMITS
Abbotsford has seen a steady increase in the number of building permits issued each year – a clear sign that Abbotsford’s business base is strong, and is continuing to grow. Business development in Abbotsford remained consistent throughout the economic slowdown of the past few years, and investment in our community continues to flourish. Some of the more recent developments in our City include: High Street, Cactus Club, Polygon’s Westerleigh, and the newly opened Sandman Hotel.
Abbotsford is the largest municipality by area in BC with approximately 74% of the land in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), a provincial designation of land reserved for farming.
Source: City of Abbotsford, Planning Services, November 2011.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
The Clearbrook and Peardonville industrial areas are primed and ready for business development. These new areas are an important catalyst for future business and industrial development and have the potential to support an estimated 5,000 jobs. Features include more than 200 acres of strategically located pre-serviced industrial lands with key access and proximity to:
• Metro Vancouver (45 minutes away via Hwy #1) • two US international border crossings • new high-flow traffic interchanges off Hwy #1 • the newly upgraded Abbotsford International Airport with
connecting flights worldwide • CP and Southern railway access • BC Interior corridor (3-4 hours)
Local landowners in both the Peardonville and Clearbrook Industrial Areas voted in resounding favour of an area tax which will provide the funding necessary for the servicing of the land in these zones.
Canada/USA Border
Trans Canada Highway #1
Abbotsford International Airport
Clearbrook Interchange
McCallum Interchange
Cle
arb
roo
k R
oad
Peardonville Road
Real GDP growth (per cent)2011 Forecast - 2014 Forecast
Oshawa ..................................................................3.7Kitchener ................................................................3.7Abbotsford....................................................3.2London ...................................................................3.2St. Catharines–Niagara ..........................................2.7Windsor...................................................................2.6Kingston .................................................................2.6St. John’s.................................................................2.5Sherbrooke ............................................................2.5Greater Sudbury ....................................................2.4.Saint John ..............................................................2.2Trois-Rivières .........................................................2.1Thunder Bay ..........................................................1.9Saguenay................................................................1.9
Source: Conference Board of Canada, 2009.
REAL GDP GROWTH FORECASTED TO BE AMONG TOP IN CANADA
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can be defined as the total value of goods and services produced by a region in a given year. Real GDP uses “constant dollars” and provides a more accurate look at the rate of economic growth in a region as it is not impacted by inflation. The following chart shows the forecasted growth in Abbotsford’s economy in the coming years and underscores the resilience and innovation that exists within our business community.
Sustainable economies are characterized by diversity, and while agriculture is without question foundational to Abbotsford’s economy, a deeper look reveals a healthy mix of economic drivers. This diversity helps the community to weather global or sectoral slowdowns and also positions Abbotsford to take advantage of economic opportunities as they arise.
Serving as a great example of agricultural innovation, Mt. Lehman Winery in Abbotsford recently won a BC Lieutenant Governor Award of Excellence for their wine. The local winery was started in 1991 with a 3 acre vineyard, which has now grown to be 16 acres.
U DISTRICT
The City of Abbotsford is creating a long-term development vision for the area around the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), known as the U District. The U District is a strategic location for the City and supports a vibrant community of UFV students and staff, as well as local residents and businesses, and this vision will support the future growth , economic development, and diversification of UFV and the surrounding area. For further information and updates on the visioning process, visit www.udistrict.ca.
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 21Abbotsford News
22 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
The City of Abbotsford has led the way in growth and development in Western Canada since 1995 and is home to a diverse and vibrant business community. Abbotsford’s robust economy is fuelled primarily by the manufacturing, aerospace and agriculture sectors, all of which continue to exceed industry expectations.
City Council is committed to supporting the ongoing development of business in our community. To ensure that agriculture remains a strong and prosperous industry in Abbotsford, an overarching Agriculture Strategy was developed to promote growth over the long-term. The Agriculture Strategy, which is essentially an ‘economic development plan’ for agriculture, aims to enhance the health and viability of the agricultural economy and respond to issues and challenges facing agriculture in Abbotsford.
The Abbotsford International Airport just recently completed more than $30 million in infrastructure and terminal improvements. These improvements will now pave the way for the next phase in the airport’s plan to become a major economic generator for the Fraser Valley, British Columbia and western Canada. In support of the airport expansion, a revitalization tax exemption for industrial development at the Abbotsford International Airport was approved. The Revitalization Tax Exemption is one of the few economic stimulus tools available to local governments in BC and by supporting this initiative we are ensuring that our airport continues to be one of the primary economic drivers within the City.
These investments, along with our City’s close proximity to Vancouver, affordable real estate, healthy economy and our unique blend of urban amenities and rural comfort continue to make it attractive to young families and working professionals.
We invite you to take a close look at Abbotsford and see what our City has to offer.
Sincerely,
Abbotsford City Council
Message from Abbotsford Council
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 23Abbotsford News
Country business
Abby dairy farms account for 21% of B.C.’s milk 142 million litresThe 101 dairy producers in Abbotsford shipped 142 million litres of milk last year.
Half a billion dollarsThe province produces about
700 million litres of milk, from some 70,000 cows. The dairy industry is worth $500 million in farm gate sales.
Leading suppliersSeventy-three per cent of the
dairy production for B.C. comes from the Fraser Valley, which has 362 farmers producing 478 million litres of milk.
An average Holstein dairy cow produces 30 litres of milk daily.
One Abbotsford dairy farm turns out 3,600 litres of milk daily, with the aid of
automated milking machines.
Some dairy farms are now using robotic feed-pushers, which sweep food back to the cows as they eat.
Dairy farming is big business in Abbotsford. The 101 producers in the city shipped 142 million litres of milk last year, which is more than 21 per cent of the total production in the province.
But it also represents small family enterprise.Dutch immigrants were the key players in the industry, and
that continues to this day.D.R. Vaandrager’s family has been farming here for 54 years.
His grandfather, Daniel, wanted to farm, but the eldest brother inherited the family farm in Holland, so his best opportunity was to come to Canada. He established an Abbotsford farm that is providing for generations of his family.
Almost four years ago, D.R. modernized. He put up a bright, airy, 20,000-sq.ft. barn.
“We took down eight old barns and lean-tos that were here,” he recalls.
He priced a new milking parlour, and decided robotic milking would be less expensive. With the state-of-the-art system, the cows head into the milker when they feel ready. The motivation is a serving of grain. The laser-guided robot cleans their teats with brushes, clamps on, and milks them, while analyzing the milk for contaminants.
“It’ll even phone me if there’s a problem, and tell me what the prob-lem is,” he said.
Advances in this technology have seen the equipment appearing in more barns in the Fraser Valley.
This is a prime place for them to be. The province produces approximately 700 million litres of milk, from some 70,000 cows. The dairy industry is worth $500 mil-lion in farm gate sales.
Seventy-three per cent of the dairy production for B.C. comes from the Fraser Valley, which has 362 farmers producing 478 million litres of milk.
Lely is the Dutch company that sold him the robotic milker. But they couldn’t initially sell him a robotic feed pusher – which pushes food back in front of cows as they spread it out of their reach. He didn’t think he could justify the cost for such a mundane task.
Using his barn for milker demonstrations, Lely set up the feed robot for a month for potential customers to view. The cows were curious, but the robot has a sensor to stop it before it runs into anything, and will even give the cows a slight shock if their persistent curiosity keeps the ’bot from doing its job.
Every hour it drives down the left side of the aisle in the barn, spinning and pushing hay back in front of the cows street-sweeper style. It moves back up the other side of the
aisle, then scoots outside to do the second barn. Soon Vaandrager noticed his cows on their feet more, and
eating more. More feeding means more milk. So now he has a dairy farmer’s version of Star Wars’ R2D2.
Combined with the robotic milker, which lets the animals eat and milk at their own pace, his production is up about 20 per cent.
He fi lls his milk quota with 100 cows. The typical family farm in Abbotsford keeps 130 to 140.
Canadian dairy farmers operate on a supply management system, and each farmer has a designated quota they can produce. How much they spend to fi ll the quota defi nes profi t margins.
“I’m driven a lot more by effi ciency and performance than I am by size (of herd),” he said.
His farm turns out 3,600 litres per day.Most Holsteins produce an average of 30 litres of milk per day, but that can vary
depending on the age of the animal, nutrition and other factors. About
ninety per cent of the dairy cattle in Canada are Holsteins, because of their food conversion ratio – their ability to turn food into milk.
Technology is rapidly changing the dairy business.
“The effi ciency now – there’s no comparison,” he said.
Abbotsford is home to a unique farm that is an example of innova-
tion and advancement in the dairy industry.The Bakerview EcoDairy is the fi rst
demonstration farm of its kind in Can-ada, designed to showcase for consumers
progressive and sustainable dairy practices while inviting them to share in the experience in
a fun and educational way. Operated by the Nutriva Group, the EcoDairy offers an interactive learning centre and the-atre, and an animal exhibit where visitors can get up close and personal with a variety of farm animals.
They can visit the Vitala cows and see a robotic milker at work. The Vitala cows produce milk that has been enriched with Omega-3, a fatty acid which is considered to be important in human health.
There are even mattresses for the cows – illustrating the belief that happier cows are more productive animals. And there are innovations such as the anaerobic digester – which uses the cow manure produced on the farm to create electric-ity – and a collection and storage system for rain water.
The farm is located at 1356 Sumas Way.
– Statistics provided by the BC Milk Marketing Board.
D.R. Vaandrager
I’m driven a lot more by efficiency and performance than I am by size. The efficiency now – there’s no comparison.
“
”
NEIL CORBETT Abbotsford News
D.R. Vaandrager’s family has been farming in Abbotsford for 54 years. His farm is among the most efficient dairy operations in the Valley.
24 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
There are 272 poultry farms in the Fraser Valley, each producing about 110,000 kilograms of meat every two months. Abbotsford’s poultry business makes up 42 per cent of the agricultural job market, providing 728 jobs out of 1,739 overall.
Millions of eggsFraser Valley farms produce close to 52 million dozen eggs per year, which supply major retailers and restaurant suppliers throughout B.C. and abroad.
About 80 per cent of B.C.’s registered egg producers are located in the Lower
Mainland and Fraser Valley.
Abbotsford is home to seven of the 10 hatcheries in the province.
Poultry power
A third of B.C. poultry industry in Abbotsford
The poultry industry has grown exponentially in the last 70 years, since its humble beginnings by Mennonite immigrants in the 1940s.
The chicken, turkey and egg business is a major component of agricultural economic activity in Abbotsford, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of the gross market, generating $247 million annually.
The industry includes hatcheries, egg producers, poultry farms, processing plants, and graders.
Among those divisions, Abbotsford’s production and pro-cessing numbers refl ect the city’s substantial role in the poultry business.
Government statistics indicate the Fraser Valley pro-duces 87 per cent of broilers (chicken meat) in the prov-ince, 98 per cent of the turkeys, 100 per cent of the broiler breeders (hatching eggs) and 79 per cent of the eggs.
Abbotsford accounts for about 50 per cent of those num-bers, with 44 per cent of the broilers, 53 per cent of turkeys, and 53 per cent of eggs being produced here.
It’s the city’s central location that makes it so well suited to this agricultural sector.
“When you’ve got a product, the less distance the better – for production to getting seed and chick and then to the processing plant,” said Katie Lowe, operations co-ordinator for the BC Chicken Marketing Board.
The processing stage of those products forms the bulk of Abbotsford’s poultry revenue.
According to a report conducted by the Abbotsford Cham-ber of Commerce and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture in 2008, the processing business employs approximately 440 FTEs (full-time employees), and generates close to $193 mil-lion a year.
There are 272 poultry farms in the Fraser Valley, each producing about 110,000 kilograms of meat every two months.
Each year, more than two million fresh and frozen turkeys are packaged at the Lilydale turkey plant on Marshall Road in west Abbotsford. The facility also processes chicken, along with Sun West Food Processors.
About 80 per cent of B.C.’s registered egg producers are located in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, and col-lectively produce close to 52 million dozen eggs per year, which are then sent to three separate grading stations – Frontier Farms Ltd., Golden Valley Foods Ltd. and Pine-grove Farms Ltd.
The largest of the three, Golden Valley Foods, grades more than 44 million dozen eggs per year. The facility sells those eggs – including free-range, free-run, omega-enhanced, organic and regular – to major retailers and wholesale restaurant suppliers within the province.
Frank Curtis, plant manager of Golden Valley Foods, estimates that between 60 to 70 per cent of those eggs stay within the Fraser Valley.
Continued on P25
Golden Valley employee Resham Singh uses a special lift to move eggs in the Abbotsford plant, which grades and sells more than 44 million dozen eggs per year. Abbotsford is home to a major portion of the poultry producers in the Fraser Valley.
JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 25Abbotsford News
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Abbotsford is also home to seven of the 10 hatcheries in the province, including Pacific Pride Chicks and Western Hatchery.
The birds raised in Abbotsford are among the best in food conversion rates – the amount that a bird is fed compared to how much meat it produces – in all of North America.
The poultry hatcheries and supply
business adds approximately $54 mil-lion to gross revenue per year, and staffs nearly 288 FTEs.
Companies that provide services such as hauling, cleaning and disinfect-ing are another signifi cant part of the industry.
In total, Abbotsford’s poultry business makes up 42 per cent of the agricultural job market, providing 728 jobs out of 1,739 overall.
Rossdown Farms and Natural Foods, based on Bradner Road, is among the largest turkey producers in the Fraser Valley, which accounts for 98 per cent of the turkeys in the province. Abbotsford contributes about half of the total.
Among the bestFrom P24
JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
26 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
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In the early 1900s, beef and dairy cattle production were common in the Fraser Valley. Ample land, rich soil and the new addition of
the Canadian Pacifi c Railway made it easy for farmers to transport their live-stock to markets across the country.
While the dairy sector has continued to thrive, the number of farmers raising cattle has decreased signifi cantly.
The decline can be seen across the province, with a 29 per cent decrease in cattle on farms in British Columbia, from 915,000 to 650,000 since 2005.
Beef production has slowed due to multiple factors, including low and fluctuating market prices, the rise in the Canadian dollar versus the U.S., incidents of mad cow disease and rising feed prices.
The Fraser Valley is more conducive to horticulture commodity groups, while beef producers are better to relocate to areas with lower land prices and greater range land for cattle.
Nonetheless, in the last year, a key local stockyard had 27,000 head of cattle come through its holding lot off Sumas Way near the border.
Jono Rushton, who runs McClary Stockyards along with brother Dave and mother Sheila, says that 80 per cent of their direct export cattle are sourced from outside the Fraser Valley, from areas such as Alberta and northern
parts of British Columbia.The stockyard is key to the livestock
hauling industry, trading and exporting livestock since it started operation 60 years ago.
The facility is the largest of its kind within the surrounding area.
Beef sales form the core of the busi-ness’s revenue.
The cattle are auctioned weekly to buy-ers in B.C., Alberta and the U.S. Roughly 90 per cent of mature cattle is exported across the border, with most young stock
going to Alberta.Dairy cows are largely traded within
the area, with 90 per cent of dairy replacement from the Fraser Valley.
While the number of dairy farms in the area has declined in the last 25 years, the Fraser Valley supplies more milk to the province now, given larger herds at existing establishments.
The 2001 Agricultural Census detailed the Fraser Valley as having the highest number of large farms with 146 (300 or more animals), up 88 from 1991 – the
largest increase in the 1991-2001 period. The Fraser Valley was also listed as
having the highest concentration of verylarge farms, with 30 for every 100 squarekilometres of farmland.
Supplying those farms and poultryproducers with quality feed is a multi-million dollar industry.
The feed business is estimated to beworth anywhere between $250 millionand $350 million.
One of the largest local supplier isAbbotsford’s Ritchie Smith Feeds, whichhas been serving the area for more than40 years.
In 1997 it became the fi rst local feedcompany to have two mills on one site.A second mill was constructed to ensureisolation of ruminant (cattle) and non-ruminant bulk feeds.
Raw material to create the feed isbrought in from the Prairies by truckand rail. The equivalent of 75 to 80 railcars roll in weekly.
Clearbrook Grain and Milling isanother long-time local feed companysupplying local farms, along with OtterCo-op and others.
Organic feed companies are alsobecoming more in demand, carving outa niche in the Fraser Valley.
Feed companies have to follow strictprovincial guidelines when creatingproduct to ensure quality and animalhealth.
Staying in stock
Jono Rushton of McClary Stockyards helps run an important local hub for the livestock industry.
MELISSA WELSH Abbotsford News
Farming livestock has changed, but shipping and feeding stay strong|
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 27Abbotsford News
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In 2010, hogs were ranked 19th on the list of B.C.’s top 25 commodities.
In previous years, that ranking might have been closer to the top, with the market for pork peaking around 25 years ago.
The industry has since declined to 24 licensed producers within B.C., whereas a year and a half ago, there were 32.
Within the Fraser Val-ley, there are 18 registered hog farmers.
Tom Droppo, a dairy
and pork specialist with Abbotsford’s Ministry of Agriculture, said produc-tion has slowed due to market conditions, citing fl uctuating profi ts in addi-tion to soft sale prices and high feed costs.
But the hog market still generates a substantial amount for the Fraser Val-ley and B.C.’s agricultural economic activity.
Hogs generated just over $30 million in revenue in B.C. in 2010.
Government statistics
indicate that nearly 80 per cent of market hogs are produced in the Fraser Valley, with the remainder produced in the North Okanagan (15 per cent), on Vancouver Island and the Peace River area.
Within the Fraser Val-ley, hog production was valued at close to $24 mil-lion in 2010.
Even with the slight decline over the years, the Fraser Valley will con-tinue to raise a variety of pork products.
Pork productionHog farming forms a segment of Abbotsford’s thriving agriculture scene, with 18 registered farmers in the area.
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Crop production has emerged as a competitive and successful sector in Abbotford’s agriculture economy.
The city has one of the mildest climates in the country, which is characterized by the longest frost-free period and growing season, intense summer sunshine, and temperatures to support a wide range of crops.
With its productive soils, the area has the capability to produce well over 200 different types of fi eld crops.
The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) in Abbotsford consists of 27,700 hectares, which makes up approximately 74 per cent of the municipal land base.
The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture esti-mates that fi eld vegetables and fl owers account for about seven per cent of the city’s primary land use.
Local consumption of produce is increasing, although most of the demand is located regionally in Metro Vancou-ver.
While berries remain the dominant crop in Abbotsford, the city is also pro-ducing signifi cant quantities of cole veg-etables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and caulifl ower.
Corn is also grown throughout the area, but used mostly for silage.
Yellow Barn Country Produce located at No. 3 Road between Abbotsford and Chilliwack is one of two parsnips pro-ducers in the Lower Mainland.
The region’s largest potato producer is Heppell’s Potato Corp, which plants 650 acres of potatoes on Sumas Prairie.
Greenhouse operations typically engage about 25 per cent of their land base for the production of fi eld crops, according to a recent study conducted by the City of Abbotsford and the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture.
Large-scale growers like Mt. Leh-man Greenhouses produce a signifi cant amount of peppers and cucumbers, while
smaller operations cater to fl owers. Mark Robbins, the ministry’s regional
agrologist, said many of these fl owers are sold at a growers’ auction in Burnaby.
Abbotsford, and Bradner in particu-lar, are also home to large bulb-growing enterprises, including the Van Noort Bulb Company and Flora Farms.
One estimate last year pegs Abbots-ford’s daffodils alone as being worth an estimated $3.5 million annually, and the overall bulb industry at $6.5 million.
Van Belle Nursery is a wholesale busi-ness that grows more than 500 varietiesof shrubs, vines, evergreens, broadleavesand perennials on 80 acres in Abbots-ford.
The company shipped more thanthree million plants throughout NorthAmerica in the last year and currentlyemploys about 100 people.
Abbotsford has also developed a natu-ral/organic sector, which includes theproduction of everything from fieldvegetables and cut fl owers to fruit andherbs. The city’s most recent countshows about 30 farms producing organicfruits, vegetables and greenhouse cropsin the area.
The Statistics Canada Census of Agri-culture in 2006 revealed what a promi-nent crop producer Abbotsford is on theprovincial scene.
Local farmers have 448 hectares ofsweet corn, which is 32 per cent of thecrop in the province. Similarly, produc-ers have 65 per cent of the brusselssprouts (179 ha), 40 per cent of the greenpeas (294 ha), 35 per cent of the peppers(45 ha) and 26 per cent of the cucumbers(32 ha).
Abbotsford producers have 106,000square metres of mushrooms in produc-tion, which is 47 per cent of the province’scrop, and greenhouse products amountto 704,000 square metres, which is 13 percent of the province’s 5.3 million.
Field crops a thriving sector
Greenhouses produce a significant amount of the area’s peppers and cucumbers.JOHN MORROW Abbotsford News
Rich harvest ranges from broccoli to bulbs
30 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
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While the chief industry that drives Abbotsford’s economy is agriculture, the industrial sector of the economy is grow-
ing at a rapid pace.The value of building permits the city has
issued for industries is up through October 2011, to $11.9 million. That compares to $8.2 million through the same period in 2010, and $4.7 million in 2009.
“Abbotsford remains a place of optimism for business,” said Jay Tei-chroeb, general manager of economic development and planning services.
Industries are attracted to Abbots-ford because it sits in a prime loca-tion for continued industrial growth, thanks to close proximity to key trans-portation infrastructure, including the Abbotsford International Airport, the U.S. border crossings and new improve-ments to two major Highway 1 interchanges.
The airport is an obvious hotbed for indus-try and technology, home to companies such as Cascade Aerospace. The specialty aero-space and defence contractor won a contract with Lockheed Martin to support Canada’s incoming fl eet of CC-130J Super Hercules tactical lift aircraft. Awarded in March 2010, that contract was worth $27 million for the fi rst fi ve years of a 20-year contract.
Cascade already had the Optimized Weap-ons Systems Management contract for fl eet management of Canada’s legacy fleet of 32 C130 Hercules aircraft. It received that contract in 2005, but in November 2010 the
Department of National Defence exercised its option to have Cascade continue service sup-port until 2016. Cascade also has contracts with world-leading Canadian aerospace man-ufacturers such as Bombardier and CAE Inc. and with operators such as WestJet, First Air and Lynden Air Cargo.
Chinook Helicopters has offered fl ight train-ing at the airport since 1982, and in September
2009 underwent a major expansion with a move to a 15,000-sq.ft. training facility.
On the natural resource front, Abbotsford’s geology, with some of the best sand and gravel deposits in the Lower Mainland, makes it a prime area for gravel extraction.
Brad Kohl, vice-president of Lafarge’s Vancouver Aggregate, says the gravel industry in its entirety (which includes other companies such
as Fraser Valley Aggregate, Mainland Gravel, and Pan Pacifi c Aggregates) is worth about $45 million per year. He also noted there is an estimated one to six ratio of spin-off jobs from gravel including mechanics, fuel sales, etc.
“You have to remember that gravel is the foundation for almost everything we build, whether it’s concrete or asphalt, everything.”
Transportation is also big business in Abbotsford.
Vedder Transport is a trucking fi rm which has grown from one cannery truck in 1956 to an operation that covers Western Canada, with 300 tractors, 800 trailers and a quarter-million Cascade Aerospace technicians work in the cockpit of a Super Hercules tactical airlift
aircraft at the company’s base at the Abbotsford Airport.
Modern, diverse industrial base
TEICHROEB
Photo courtesy Cascade Aerospace
Continued on P32
Prime location driving factor in attracting business
32 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
The City of Abbotsford is proud of Golden Valley
Foods new egg processing facility, which opened
in May of this year.
Golden Valley processes almost one million eggs
a week, and ships to most retail stores as well as
foodservice outlets in BC. The Abbotsford facility
Providing land for industry to growsquare feet of warehouse space.
Abbotsford’s industrial factories and manufacturing plants are concentrated in several areas.
The Riverside industrial area is located between Sumas Way and Riverside Road, and runs northward from the Canada/U.S. border to Highway 1. Two railway lines are located within this industrial area, making it well suited for industries requiring rail access and shipment of goods to and from trucks and railcars.
In total, these lands comprise approxi-mately 190 hectares (470 acres).
The McCallum industrial area is also suit-able for industries requiring rail service. This area offers access to the Abbotsford-Mission Highway and the Southern Railway of B.C.
The Clearbrook industrial area consists of two separate areas located south of Highway 1. The smaller site is adjacent to the Clearbrook Road interchange on High-way 1. A limited number of parcels remain undeveloped.
Industrial sites at the Abbotsford Inter-national Airport can be leased for aviation-related uses.
To meet the need for more space, the city is developing a new industrial park. The area west of Clearbrook Road and north of King is currently privately-owned agricul-tural land.
The area consists of 43 hectares. The area could carry up to a million square feet of new industrial fl oor space, create between 2,000 and 2,500 new jobs, and provide a boost to city coffers, creating about $6 million in industrial taxation each year, helping to lessen the burden on residential taxpayers.
Abbotsford also has its share of players in the technology sector.
Examples include Domain 7, a social media and marketing company that hosts and designs websites for companies. Shawn Neumann started the company as a home-based business in 1996, and now it has offi ces in Abbotsford, Vancouver and Washington, D.C.
Neumann has received business awards and accolades, and has done business with MTV, Kon-Tiki Travel, Envision Financial and the YMCA.
“They’re on the front edge of some new technologies and they’re growing and serving a very broad audience,” said Teichroeb.
Neova Technologies is a local company that grew out of John “Hugh” Wiebe’s egg processing business some 30 years ago, and it has become a leader in the develop-ment of “biologically active products that contribute to health and well being.”
The company also markets pancreatic enzymes extracted from pork pancreas – trypsin is used in the creation of infant formula in the U.S. and Europe.
Unique in Canada, Neova employs about 50 people, including 10 chemists and biolo-gists in research and development.
Bill Henderson is a Robert Bateman secondary technology teacher who started Offl oad Studios three years ago.
That technology company uses 3D print-ers that can take a three-dimensional dig-ital image, and output a solid fi gure made from a plaster of paris-type compound.
His clients are primarily in the video game and motion picture industry, and he has worked with the likes of Disney, Sony and WowWee Toys.
From A31
Gravel and aggregate extraction is a multi-million-dollar industry in Abbotsford, with largequarries located on Sumas Mountain.
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November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 33Abbotsford News
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University of the Fraser Valley brings major economic impact
Abbotsford is a university city.
While the University of the Fraser Valley has had a presence in the community
for more than 35 years since its commu-nity college days, and has offered degree programs since 1992, it’s only in the past three years that it has offi cially been a university.
With that status comes an enhanced image for the city. Professionals thinking about where to settle and businesses looking to relocate are drawn to places that can offer the benefi ts a university can provide.
These include a locally educated work-force, ongoing educational opportunities for employees and their families, and the enhanced cultural opportunities that a university brings to a community.
UFV annually brings guest speakers, athletic events, forums, workshops, and other special events to the city, and UFV administrators, faculty, students, and alumni work closely with a variety of corporate and public service partners to build and maintain a close relationship with the community.
And UFV is gaining a national reputa-tion for excellence in undergraduate education. In the Globe and Mail’s 2012 Canadian University Report, UFV earned A-level grades in class size, quality of teaching and learning, student-faculty interaction, and instructors’ teaching style.
UFV, along with the University of Northern British Columbia, earned the most A-level grades of any public univer-sity of any size in B.C.
UFV placed fi rst in B.C. in the catego-ries of quality of teaching and learning, instructors’ teaching style, and academic counselling. And UFV can count itself as among Canada’s best public universities, placing in the top 10 in terms of number of A-level grades out of more than 60 universities rated in this year’s survey.
There are also direct economic ben-efi ts to having a university in Abbotsford.
A workforce of 1,500 employees, many of whom live and shop locally, means a boost to the real estate and retail sec-tors. UFV’s annual operating budget for 2011/12 is approximately $100 million. That’s a lot of funding coming into the local economy in the form of wages, sup-ply procurement, and other contracts.
Add to that nearly 16,000 students, many of whom are staying home instead of leaving town for university, and others who are drawn to the community for their education.
Approximately 800 international stu-
dents study at UFV annually, from more than 50 countries around the world. They provide an additional boost to the local economy and a connection to the global one. Each spend an average of $40,000 a year when they are here – that’s a $30 mil-lion boost to Abbotsford’s economy from UFV’s international students alone.
All told, a conservative estimate of UFV’s overall economic impact on the Fraser Valley is half a billion dollars annually.
And once UFV’s graduates – more than 1,800 of them every year – hit the employ-ment market, they have an additional impact on the local economy.
UFV is now working with the City of Abbotsford to create a university district surrounding the Abbotsford campus.
This would encourage the developmentof university-friendly activities, such as student residences, technology-based businesses, recreation facilities, services and retail outlets in the surrounding area. The placement of the Abbotsford Sports and Entertainment Centre and adjacent entertainment and restaurant facilities is the beginning of the transfor-mation of this former industrial area.
Another development is UFV’s new Clearbrook Centre. UFV has leased the bottom fl oor of the Clearbrook Library building in Abbotsford’s civic square where it will base its Continuing Stud-ies and Applied Business Technology courses and programs.
A national reputation
The University of the Fraser Valley generates an estimated overall economic impact on the Fraser Valley of half a billion dollars annually.
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 35Abbotsford News
A growing, vibrant community requires a state-of-the-art health-care facility that can keep up with the demand.
The Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre (ARHCC) is such a place, serving 150,000 residents in the immediate area and a regional population of 330,000.
The 300-bed facility opened just over three years ago on Marshall Road, replacing the 55-year-old MSA Hospital and becoming the fi rst integrated hospital and cancer centre in Canada.
At about 660,000 square feet, ARHCC includes MRI services, general surgery, nuclear medicine, renal dialysis, specialized obstetrics and a special care nursery area, pediatric services and other specialized services.
The Abbotsford Cancer Centre is the fi fth of BC Cancer Agency’s cancer centres and provides treatment and care for the region, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, patient and family counselling, nutrition, genetic counselling, and pain and symptom management.
The project is the fi rst acute-care hospital and cancer centre to be built in B.C. using a public-private partnership model, at a cost of $355 million for construction and equip-ment and with an annual budget of $171 million.
The hospital is owned and operated by Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre Inc., which is jointly owned by
Fraser Health and the BC Cancer Agency – an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority – with facility management pro-vided by Access Health Abbotsford Ltd.
Program expansion includes housing the Abbotsford Youth Health Clinic, the Psychiatric Outpatient Day Care program, and a pro-vincial pilot program supporting stroke patients in the START (Stroke Assessment, Rehabilita-tion and T r a n s i -t i o n s ) clinic.
A l s o included is an expan-sion of the s e n i o r s ’ clinic and, most recently, the addition of the Breast Health Clinic that opened its doors in June 2011 and has already seen more than 800 patients.
In addition, clin-ical programs are also expanding,
including the emergency program with the introduction of expanded trauma services, and the critical care programs with the introduction of renal replacement therapy treatments for the critically ill and 24/7 intensivists (specialized ICU physicians).
“The expanding role of ARH will make it one of the three larg-
est centres of care delivery in Fraser Health, next
to Royal Columbian Hospital and Surrey
Memorial Hospi-tal,” said Fraser Health site direc-tor Mark Gouds-blom.
Abbotsford residents and hospital staff are fortunate to have access to the latest in health
care technology. When the hospital
was built, 11,000 new pieces of equipment
were added, including magnetic resonance imag-
ing (MRI), two computed tomography (CT) scan-ners that were better and faster than earlier models, and updated computer technology
to enable more effi cient access to patientrecords. The new hospital has also benefi tedthe community from an employment stand-point, including 400 additional nursing jobsand 400 extra support positions.
In total, about 1,800 people are employedat the hospital and 120 at the cancer centre.
This is in addition to about 300 employeeswith private partners including Sodexo,Johnson Controls Inc., Intercon andImpark.
The hospital and cancer centre is not theonly health care facility making an eco-nomic impact in the community.
Abbotsford’s new Campus of Care – to belocated on Marshall Road adjacent to thehospital – begins construction this year.
The project consists of three buildings –each offering separate, but related, services– on city-owned land, which is being leasedfor 99 years at an annual cost of $10.
Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, alreadyoperating in Vancouver, will be the fi rst ofthe three projects. The 20,000-sq.ft., $10-mil-lion facility will operate 10 beds for childrenunder the age of 19 who have life-threaten-ing illnesses.
The Abbotsford Hospice Society will builda 20,000-sq.ft. resource centre and adult hos-pice and is currently in the midst of a three-year, $7-million fundraising campaign. At4,000 sq.ft, Matthew’s House will require aninitial $2 million in funds. The agency willprovide respite care for children with severedisabilities.
Health care leader
The Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre is one of the three
largest centres of care delivery in the Valley.
36 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
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Abbotsford’s sports scene is second to none among Canadian cities its size.
Just 10 cities in the nation can boast a professional hockey team, and Abbots-ford is one of them. In the fall of 2009/10, the Abbotsford Heat began play in the American Hockey League, which serves as the primary developmental league for the NHL.
The Heat play out of the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre, a new rink on King Road that seats 7,000 fans for hockey. The AESC, which opened in the spring of 2009, has hosted a variety of sporting events including the Harlem Globetrotters, motocross, monster trucks, and pre-Olympic hockey games.
The AESC is the newest and largest among numerous local sports facilities. Exhibition Park is a 23,000-square-foot recreational area which features the 4,000-seat Rotary Stadium, along with facilities for baseball, football, soccer, rugby, rodeo, cricket and BMX. Rotary Stadium has hosted an abundance of major sporting events, including the B.C. Lions training camp, several national track and fi eld championships, the B.C. Summer Games, and the Abbotsford Rugby Sevens festival.
Other key city-operated facilities include MSA Arena, a 900-seat ice rink that hosts the Abbotsford Pilots junior B hockey team; Abbotsford Recreation Centre, which features an Olympic-sized ice sheet, an indoor pool, and two gymna-siums; and Matsqui Recreation Centre, home to a wave pool and ice rink.
Abbotsford boasts a vibrant university sports scene. The University of the
Fraser Valley’s basketball and soccer teams have been competing in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), the nation’s top post-secondary sports league, since 2006.
UFV’s volleyball and golf teams com-pete in the PACWest collegiate league, while Columbia Bible College provides a crosstown rivalry in volleyball. The CBC Bearcats also have a PACWest basketball program.
On the high school scene, Abbotsford is home to perennial powerhouse pro-grams in nearly every sport, including basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling,rugby, and track and fi eld. In 2010/11, the W.J. Mouat girls basketball team and the Rick Hansen boys wrestling team won provincial championships.
Ledgeview Golf and Country Club has proven to be fertile soil for golf luminaries, sending forth the likes of former PGA Tour pro Ray Stewart; 2005 NCAA champ James Lepp; Nick Taylor, the world’s No. 1-ranked amateur in 2009;and Adam Hadwin, Canada’s top-ranked male golfer who has been a contender at several PGA Tour events.
Among Abbotsford’s elite sports clubs, the Valley Royals track and fi eld program, Magnuson Ford Mariners FC, Matsqui Blades speed skating club and Twisters Gymnastics have all sent ath-letes to the Olympic Games over the past fi ve years.
Other high-calibre associations train athletes in hockey, rugby, baseball, fast-pitch, swimming, football, water ski, ropeskipping, fi gure skating, judo, cheerlead-ing and lacrosse – to name a few.
The Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League are the focal point of the city’s high-actionsports scene.
Sports action
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Top calibre teams, from pro to school
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 37Abbotsford News
38 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
Concerts and culture
A colourful and diverse community
Twenty years ago, the idea that Abbotsford could host big-name country stars like Reba McEntire or rock legends KISS would seem next to impossible. Today, the impossible has become reality.
The Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre, located on King Road, has hosted those stars and others. Capable of seat-ing up to 8,500 for concerts, almost any show business name can be attracted. Since opening in 2009, the venue has hosted the Tragically Hip, Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, as well as family-oriented shows such as the Harlem Globetrotters, Sesame Street Live and recently, Disney on Ice.
Abbotsford doesn’t just host stars, it has plenty of its own. Known for produc-ing a crop of top-10 fi nalists on the televi-sion program Canadian Idol, Abbotsford abounds with talent.
Charlene Hart performed on So You Think You Can Dance, and did the city proud by fi nishing in the top 10.
Country singer Stacey McKitrick released her fi rst album this year and was nominated as best new performer at the Canadian Country Music Awards.
Abbotsford also has another top-fl ight artistic facility. The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford opened its doors in the fall of 2008. Located on Veterans Way, the Reach is a 20,000-sq.ft. building containing an exhi-bition hall, archives, two multi-purpose studios, two community exhibition spaces, art collection storage and museum artifact collection storage.
And it isn’t alone.For years, Kariton Gallery was the main
outlet for artistic expression. The Ware Street gallery is operated by the Abbots-ford Arts Council and hosts as many as a dozen shows a year.
Other local venues include the Abbotsford Arts Centre and the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, which has showcased community theatre and concerts for years.
Fraser Valley Stage, a non-profi t theatre group with a mem-bership of about 65 performers, has been presenting musical theatre for almost four decades.
Another local theatrical group, Gallery 7 Theatre, presents its shows at the MEI Secondary school.
The Valley Concert Society brings classical music to life with a series of shows at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. Violinist
Calvin Dyck’s popular Songs Strings and Steps concert series combines music and the visual arts in an annual showcase of local talent.
Meanwhile, the MSA Museum Society/Trethewey House keeps Abbotsford’s rich history and culture alive.
Abbotsford’s diverse cultural makeup also offers festivals and events for all.
One of the biggest is the annual Abbyfest – Abbotsford Mul-ticultural Festival. Created three years ago by Musleh Hakki, the festival celebrates all cultures that make up the community and features entertainers, ethnic foods and information booths.
The fi fth annual Abbyfest is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2012.
The annual Sikh parade takes to Abbots-ford’s streets during the fi rst week of Sep-tember as thousands of people participate in the day-long celebration.
Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, is a fi ve-day festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November.
The Fraser Valley Ukrainian Cultural Society hosts an annual New Year’s Eve dinner and dance to celebrate the Ukrai-nian New Year in mid-January.
According to statistics gathered in the last census (2006), Abbotsford is home to 58 different ethnic and cultural groups, with one of the largest South Asian populations in the province.
Forty-two per cent of Abbotsford’s immigrant population is of South Asian descent.
A study, called Projections of the Diver-sity of the Canadian Population, compares 2006 statistics with projections for 2031. It
found the number of foreign-born residents in the Abbotsford/Mission area will rise from 24 per cent in 2006 to 29 per cent in 2031.
Both stats are higher than the Canadian average of 20 and 26 per cent respectively.
That will give Abbotsford/Mission the fifth largest per-centage of foreign-born residents in Canada, by 2031, behind Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary.
And with a median age of 36.6 years, Abbotsford is one of the youngest and most family-oriented communities in the Lower Mainland.
Ethnic mixAbbotsford is home to 58 different ethnic and cultural groups, with one of the largest South Asian populations in the province. Forty-two per cent of Abbotsford’s immigrant population is of South Asian descent.
Young communityWith a median age of 36.6 years, Abbotsford is one of the youngest and most family-oriented communities in the Lower Mainland.
Fifth in CanadaAbbotsford/Mission will have the fifth largest percentage of foreign-born residents in Canada by 2031.
The Fraser Valley Ukrainian Cultural Society holds an annual New Year’s Eve
celebration – just one of many ethnic events in the city.
The 20,000-sq.ft. Reach Gallery Museum is the newest addition to Abbotsford’s art-related facilities.
The flamboyant, famous rock band KISS was among top acts to perform in the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre in 2011.
The Abbotsford Multicultural Festival fea-tures a wide variety of ethnic performances.
File photo
File photo
November 2011 | ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION 39Abbotsford News
Achieving success is a challenge. Recognizing it is a pleasure. Congratulations!
KPMG is pleased to announce the appointments of Tim Holloway, CA and David Guthrie, CA to Partner in our Fraser Valley practice.
These individuals have displayed talent, dedication, and a commitment to excellence – qualities important to us and to the clients we serve.
Please join us in congratulating Tim and David. For more information on how KPMG’s professionals can assist your business, contact us at 604-854-2200. kpmg.ca
Fraser Valley Partners (l-r): Tim Holloway, CA; Steven Araki, CA; Rudy Paxian, CA; Kurt Bausenhaus, CA; Gordon L. Holloway, FCA; David Guthrie, CA; Sean Reid, CA; Scott Wyper, CA
40 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION | November 2011 Abbotsford News
ABBOTSFORD’S FAVOURITEFORD DEALERServing the Abbotsford area, Magnuson Ford is your premier retailer of new and used Ford vehicles. Our dedicated sales staff
and top-trained technicians are here to make your auto shopping experience fun, easy and fi nancially advantageous. Not only
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towards our dealership will always be given back:
Drive One for your CommunityVancouver All-Stars Cheer TeamChild Find B.C.Run for the CureMission Minor Football
Abbotsford Soccer AssociationAbbotsford Minor FootballAbbotsford AgrifairCops For CancerAbbotsford Food Bank
Along with these sponsorships, we’ve also teamed up with: Tourism Abbotsford, The Mightty Fraser Rodeo, Mission Folk Festival and the 35th Gathering of the Elders to name a few.
A number of times we’ve achieved the highest Customer Satisfaction scores in the country, beating out 450 Ford Dealers Canada wide. At Magnuson, your satisfaction is our #1 priority!
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Magnuson Ford Sales LTD. D30937
32562 SOUTH FRASER WAY / 604.857.1327 IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN ABBOTSFORD
