Environment
How much garbage do we generate? What’s happening to our agricultural land? Where have all the trees gone?
Agricultural Land Reserve - In 2007, 82.1 hectares of land were taken out of the Capital Region’s Agricultural Land Reserve (land protected for agricultural use) and 83.2 hectares were put into it, for a net increase of 1.1 hectares. This compares with a net loss of 21 hectares in 2004/05 and 345 hectares in 2003/04.
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Food Producing Farm Land - Of the 13,563 hectares of farmland in the Capital Region, 64% of it is used to produce food for human and livestock consumption. Of this, 28% is used to grow fruits and vegetables.
Solid Waste Disposal - Solid waste disposal at the Hartland Landfill was 446 kilograms per person in 2006. For a family of four this is equal to 64 large cans of garbage. Disposal in 2006 is down slightly from 448 Kg in 2005, but up from 431 Kg in 2004.
Urban Forest - Greater Victoria’s urban forest (the treed landscapes found within our community that include old-growth trees, backyard fruit trees, urban parks, Garry oak meadows, and street trees) has decreased by 8.3% from 31,013 hectares in 1986 to 28,425 hectares in 2005.
Food Producing Ocean - In 2007, over 940 thousand lbs. of fish were off-loaded at Fisherman’s Wharf.
View Chart from Report
Air Quality in Canadian Cities Publishing Vital Signs, 2006
> Source: Environment Canada
View Chart from Report
Solid Waste Disposal at Hartland Landfill
> Source: Capital Regional District
