How did the City of Richmond and Agricultural Land Commission's collaboration to implement multifunctional agriculture in the peri-urban fringe fail in the No. 5 Road backlands policy?

This thesis delves into a locally specific case study of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) in the City of Richmond, British Columbia, providing a detailed exploration of the complex factors shaping the formulation and implementation of multifunctional agriculture policies in peri-urban areas. By examining perceptions of agricultural land use across provincial, municipal, and public levels, and by scrutinizing the collaboration gaps between the Agricultural Land Commission and the City of Richmond, this research illuminates crucial considerations for policymakers. The City of Richmond's No. 5 Road Backlands Policy, and the changes to this policy since inception in 1986 and 2021, highlights how the lack of cooperation and policy coordination across provincial and municipal scales of government results in policy failure. The lack of communication between different governing bodies stems from inherent challenges in the multi-jurisdictional nature of the Agricultural Land Reserve, with competing and conflicting interests between different government scales and the public. Looking ahead, there is a pressing need for collaborative efforts and effective communication between government bodies to ensure the successful implementation of multifunctional agriculture initiatives in peri-urban spaces. The use of multifunctional agricultural policies in peri-urban areas could assist in revaluing agricultural land use perceptions, resulting in increased protection of the agricultural land base.