Bear Hill Farm is a five-year pilot farm study program in the Foodlands Access Service at Bear Hill Regional Park. This five-acre site, located within Bear Hill Regional Park and designated as Agricultural Land Reserve, was previously used for farming, but is currently unused. Land and site preparation work began in November 2025 and will continue through the summer of 2026 with the construction of farm structures.
The Capital Regional District (CRD) has hired Haliburton Farms and Lifecycles Project Society as farm site operators who are responsible for operational management and farmer recruitment for the five-year pilot project. The farmer recruitment process is expected to open in fall 2026.
To support agriculture across the region, the CRD Board adopted Bylaw 4602 Regional Foodlands Access Service on February 12, 2025 following electoral approval. This is the CRD's first food and agriculture related service. The Foodlands Access Service aims to support local farmers, and address concerns over the rising cost of farmland by facilitating affordable access to productive land for new and expanding farmers.
