TransLink and the British Columbia government are under scrutiny in a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday regarding the current state of the Westham Island Bridge.
A week has passed since a barge collided with and damaged the sole bridge providing access to Westham Island.
Delta Mayor George Harvie labeled the incident as a significant collision involving a large barge.
The full extent of the damage remains uncertain, leading TransLink, responsible for bridge management, to halt vehicle traffic on the structure.
A public open house meeting is planned by the transportation agency at a local farm on the island in the late afternoon.
Minister of Agriculture and Food for British Columbia, Lana Popham, expressed her commitment to attending the meeting to listen to the community’s concerns and advocate for farmers facing what she describes as a crisis.
Popham emphasized the vital role of Westham Island’s agricultural businesses in contributing to the province’s food security and economy, highlighting the challenging period faced by farmers on the island.
Efforts are underway to collaborate with the City of Delta and TransLink to explore solutions.
Cory Gerrard, the manager of Rod Swenson Farms on Westham Island, emphasized the urgency of finding resolutions to the transportation issues.
Gerrard mentioned the logistical difficulties in moving perishable products off the island efficiently, stressing the time-sensitive nature of the situation.
He expressed concerns over the financial strain on the farms if a prompt solution is not implemented.
Derek Mitchell, a seed producer and resident farmer, underlined the potential wider impact on farms in the region if the transportation challenges are not addressed promptly.
Mitchell emphasized the importance of government intervention to avoid severe consequences for the farming community.
Both Gerrard and Mitchell highlighted the deep-rooted history of farming on Westham Island and the significant impact of the bridge closure on the livelihoods of long-established farms in the area.
They urged the government to provide concrete timelines for resolving the transportation issues affecting the farms.