WHAT IS A POLICY LAB?
The policy lab is about having on-going discussions about agricultural land use planning. In fancier terms, a policy lab is a neutral, expert-centred space for analysing issues and designing solutions that address intractable policy problems. This definition serves to emphasise key elements that reflect who will be interested in a policy lab on AgLUP.
Expert-centred space
There are times and places where an open, widely inclusive approach is needed to identify issues and discuss priorities.At other times, it is better to limit the number of people involved and keep the scope of discussion narrow.The policy lab follows the latter approach; it is designed to bring together people who deal with AgLUP as part of their regular practice and is important to their areas of expertise.
Intractable policy problems
The focus of the policy lab is AgLUP to better protect farmland.Whether an intractable problem or pressing issue, the emphasis is on public policy, which includes provincial, regional, and local legislative responses to land use planning using legislation, regulations, enforceable and aspirational policy, statutory plans, and implementing by-laws.Related issues, such as food security and farm viability, which affect and are affected by AgLUP, are critically important, but not the focus of the policy lab.Ideally, the outcomes of the AgLUP policy lab discussions will inform these broader issues.
Analysing issues and designing solutions
The primary aim of the policy lab is to generate discussions to better understand issues and focus our attention on possible solutions.While AgLUP solutions appear as end goals, not every discussion needs to focus on or come up with definitive solutions.
The success of the policy lab will depend on working with a wide range of experts. It will draw upon leaders that help to protect farmland in Canada, including the provincial ministries, land commissions, local governments, agricultural advisory committees, First Nations, planners, agrologists and other professions, and academics, among others.
The policy lab is about having on-going discussions about agricultural land use planning. In fancier terms, a policy lab is a neutral, expert-centred space for analysing issues and designing solutions that address intractable policy problems. This definition serves to emphasise key elements that reflect who will be interested in a policy lab on AgLUP.
Expert-centred space
There are times and places where an open, widely inclusive approach is needed to identify issues and discuss priorities.At other times, it is better to limit the number of people involved and keep the scope of discussion narrow.The policy lab follows the latter approach; it is designed to bring together people who deal with AgLUP as part of their regular practice and is important to their areas of expertise.
Intractable policy problems
The focus of the policy lab is AgLUP to better protect farmland.Whether an intractable problem or pressing issue, the emphasis is on public policy, which includes provincial, regional, and local legislative responses to land use planning using legislation, regulations, enforceable and aspirational policy, statutory plans, and implementing by-laws.Related issues, such as food security and farm viability, which affect and are affected by AgLUP, are critically important, but not the focus of the policy lab.Ideally, the outcomes of the AgLUP policy lab discussions will inform these broader issues.
Analysing issues and designing solutions
The primary aim of the policy lab is to generate discussions to better understand issues and focus our attention on possible solutions.While AgLUP solutions appear as end goals, not every discussion needs to focus on or come up with definitive solutions.
The success of the policy lab will depend on working with a wide range of experts. It will draw upon leaders that help to protect farmland in Canada, including the provincial ministries, land commissions, local governments, agricultural advisory committees, First Nations, planners, agrologists and other professions, and academics, among others.
Policy Forum: AgLUP in the Lower Mainland
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Metro Vancouver Head Office
Metrotower III, 4730 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC
David Connell, Associate Professor, UNBC, and the Metro Vancouver Regional District co-hosted a policy forum on agricultural land use planning in the Lower Mainland. The forum was an opportunity to discuss pressing issues in the region with a small group of experts practising in the field of agricultural land use planning, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Land Commission, municipalities and regional districts, educational institutions, consulting firms, and others.
Proceedings of the forum will be posted here soon.
After the forum, attendees were asked to complete a survey about the future of an AgLUP Policy Lab in BC. The results of the survey are now available:
AgLUP Policy Lab Survey Results (19 04 26)
Metro Vancouver Head Office
Metrotower III, 4730 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC
David Connell, Associate Professor, UNBC, and the Metro Vancouver Regional District co-hosted a policy forum on agricultural land use planning in the Lower Mainland. The forum was an opportunity to discuss pressing issues in the region with a small group of experts practising in the field of agricultural land use planning, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Land Commission, municipalities and regional districts, educational institutions, consulting firms, and others.
Proceedings of the forum will be posted here soon.
After the forum, attendees were asked to complete a survey about the future of an AgLUP Policy Lab in BC. The results of the survey are now available:
AgLUP Policy Lab Survey Results (19 04 26)