Editing Richmond, British Columbia (section)

==== Garden City Lands ====
[[File:GardenCityLands.jpg|thumb|right|The Garden City Lands]]
The {{Convert|55.2|ha|acre|adj=on}} parcel known as the Garden City Lands was leased by the federal government for decades and was formerly used as a transmitter site for program requirements of the [[Canadian Coast Guard]]. The property is bounded by Westminster Highway, Garden City Road, Alderbridge Way and No. 4 Road and has been within the Provincial Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) since 1973.<ref>{{cite web |title=Garden City Property Memorandum of Understanding |url=http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/release/bckgrnd/2005/bg005_e.htm |publisher=Fisheries and Oceans Canada |access-date=28 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050521233219/http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/release/bckgrnd/2005/bg005_e.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2005 |date=March 18, 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2005, the Federal Government of Canada deemed the land as "surplus" to its needs and sold the site to the Canada Lands Company, a federal Crown corporation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Matas |first=Robert |date=10 March 2010 |title=City Garden lands value soars from $9.5m to $59m in four years |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/city-garden-lands-value-soars-from-95m-to-59m-in-four-years/article1377914/ |access-date=24 August 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408062941/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/city-garden-lands-value-soars-from-95m-to-59m-in-four-years/article1377914/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The City of Richmond, [[Canada Lands Company]], and the Musqueam Indian Band entered a 2005 agreement with the federal government that included the intent to remove the land from the ALR for the purposes of high-density development.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/MOU19709.pdf |title=Memorandum of Understanding |access-date=21 July 2012 |archive-date=13 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213225356/http://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/MOU19709.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2008, an application to exclude the land from the [[Agricultural Land Reserve]] was made to the Agricultural Land Commission. The application was rejected on 10 February 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/application_Status/38099/38099_main.htm |title=Garden City Lands application status |publisher=Agricultural Land Commission |date=13 February 2009 |access-date=21 July 2012 |archive-date=16 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216232041/http://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/application_Status/38099/38099_main.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 8 March 2010, Richmond City Council announced a deal had been approved whereby the city would purchase the entire parcel of land from the Musqueam Band and Canada Lands Company for $59.2 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/86904027.html |author=Martin van den Hemel |publisher=Richmond Review |title=City to buy Garden City Lands for $60 million |access-date=11 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316222740/http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/86904027.html |archive-date=16 March 2010 }}</ref>

The Musqueam band has since brought a lawsuit against the City of Richmond, claiming they sold it under duress. The lawsuit remains dormant and it is the understanding of Coun. [[Harold Steves]] that the lawsuit will remain dormant unless the city wants to develop the lands into anything that is not related to ALR use.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.richmond-news.com/news/weekly-feature/bog-meets-farm-in-unique-design-for-richmond-s-garden-city-lands-1.2321971|title=Bog meets farm in unique design for Richmond's Garden City Lands|last=Wood|first=Graeme|newspaper=Richmond News|access-date=20 January 2017|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000653/http://www.richmond-news.com/news/weekly-feature/bog-meets-farm-in-unique-design-for-richmond-s-garden-city-lands-1.2321971|url-status=live}}</ref>