District of Sechelt (DOS) staff have been asked to explore some alternative plans for the Sechelt Farmers' and Artisans' Market and report back to council with some ideas regarding its future.
The market, which has been located in downtown Sechelt for 12 years, has been asked to find a new home for 2026. At a regular council meeting held Feb. 5, council passed a motion to renew the market’s licence for 2025. Coun. Darren Inkster then brought forward a second motion at the meeting, asking staff to report back to council with options for the market by July 1.
“Because when we talk about another year, it actually is October 2025, we know from being on this council for a term how quickly October comes,” said Inkster.
Market board president Jon Bell told council that last December, the board attended a virtual meeting with the DOS manager of community services to discuss their letter of agreement. Bell assumed the meeting would be to address topics such as garbage, barricades and the cost of their lease, but then was told the district would provide a letter of agreement for 2025, but not 2026, and that they should start looking for a new location for the market.
At issue is the construction of a rental apartment development at 5535 Shorncliffe Ave., which is approved to include 109 units. The farmers’ market cuts off the west end of Cowrie Street at Shorncliffe, as well as the northwest highway entrance to downtown from the Sunshine Coast Highway, though short detours are available.
“And the reason for the objections were from the planning department, transit and the fire department… Well, we have had absolutely zero consultation with planning, no one has approached us at all and said, we need to discuss this,” Bell told council. “So, we felt we'd been sort of, a bit sidelined.”
In a staff report to council regarding the development proposal, dated Sep. 7, 2022, one section reads, “The future of the farmers market in its current location will need to be reviewed in light of the proposed development. Additional residential traffic will be generated from Shorncliffe through the Cowrie Street intersection and the farmers market location would be problematic. Shifting it further east along Cowrie Street would allow the district to close a block off to traffic on the market day and more easily divert traffic around the area.”
In a presentation to council Feb. 5, Siobhan Smith, DOS manager of community services, described the market as more than just a place to shop.
“It fosters local business, tourism and food security. The market aligns with multiple policies in our [official community plan], our strategic plan and our sustainability plan and, ultimately, supporting the market aligns with our own long-term goals for a vibrant and economically diverse Sechelt that welcomes tourism,” said Smith.
She noted, according to a 2023 BC Farmers Market economic impact study, the Sechelt market generates an estimated $3.2 million for the local economy annually and many of the vendors who participate in the market use it as their primary source of income. As well, it supports food security through the BC Farmers Market Nutrition coupon program.
From comments made during the meeting, it was clear district council is supportive of the market and reluctant to force its move. In fact, Coun. Dianne McLauchlan opposed the motion to renew the market’s license for 2025, because she said it didn’t include any immediate options. She did vote in favour of Inkster’s second motion.
“Well, I live in the village area and I've noticed that Cowrie Street, the commercial area, has lost a lot of businesses. In fact, at least a dozen empty shops along there. And I'm just concerned if we take the market or say we're going to move the market or even suggest that it won’t be there next year, and we don't know where else it'll be, it'll be devastating,” said McLauchlan. “It could just take all the business away from the downtown and I think the idea of food security now is really critical. I'd like to see more food brought there, if possible, and work on that in the next two years of my tenure here.”
McLauchlan requested the original motion be reworded to ask staff look at some working solutions, including holding trial markets in different locations, but her suggestion was denied.
Coun. Donna Bell, said she is confident staff will put in the work to find an appropriate solution.
“So, looking forward to hearing more. There's no question that this market is a tremendous asset to the Sunshine Coast. But to the District of Sechelt and some of the numbers we're seeing in the report in terms of the economic impact, we really need everything right now in the District of Sechelt to bring dollars in and to bring tourism in,” said Bell. “So, I am completely supportive of doing everything we can to keep this going beyond a year…”
