The Purchase

On March 24, 2004, a binding purchase agreement was reached that protects 2,042 hectares of Burns Bog as an Ecological Conservancy Area (ECA). This historic acquisition of a globally unique ecosystem was spearheaded by the people of Delta, and supported by an unprecedented collaboration between four levels of government. Here, we tell the story of this momentous event.

Purchasing Partners:

History

• Delta Nature Reserve

  In the 1970s, a young Alderman Lois E. Jackson (who later became Mayor Jackson) recommended the purchase of a 170-acre (69 ha) piece of Burns Bog that came to be known as the Delta Nature Reserve.

  “The Council of the day thought I was just a little bit off my trolley,” says Jackson, “Who would want that land? It’s right near the railway. It’s not a good piece of land, says they”.

  The Delta Nature Reserve has since become one of the most popular destination parks in Delta, allowing visitors to enjoy the lush beauty of the forest and exotic plants of a rare bog ecosystem without travelling far from home. 

Threats to the Bog

• Farming/ Peat Mining/ Industrialization

Over the next two decades, “progress” seemed poised to obliterate the massive wetland that once covered 12,000 acres (4,800 ha) of Delta.  Farms were being built as far as they could extend onto the shallow layers of peat at the bog’s edge, while industrial lands were chipping away at the bog from the north.  The peat mining industry stripped bare much of the surface of the bog.  Trains chugged along 22 miles (35 km) of track through the vast peatland, delivering their peaty bounty to two peat processing factories on the outskirts of the bog.  The last shovel of peat was removed in 1984, giving the bog a brief reprieve. 

• Development Proposals
  
  
  • Bog City
    Soon after the peat mining companies pulled their operations from the bog, development proposals began to surface.  In 1988, a deep sea port and massive industrial/residential development was proposed for 6,000-plus acres of the bog.  The concept was dubbed “Bog City” to the chagrin of those who would see the lands preserved. A 1-mile thoroughbred racetrack was considered.
  • Pacific National Exhibition
    Plans also emerged to relocate the Pacific National Exhibition to the bog.  Fortunately Council rejected these development proposals, representing the public’s determination to preserve this beloved wetland.
    
    The PNE proposal resulted in significant public protest that prompted the provincial government to request a comprehensive “ecosystem review” of the bog lands in 1999, with the goal of determining how much of the bog was required to preserve its environmental integrity.
    
    

Preserving or Saving the Bog – Ecosystem Review

In expectation that the bog would eventually be protected, Delta Council struck a deal with the City of Vancouver in 1996 to allow the landfill in the bog to grow taller, instead of filling further into the bog as originally planned.

“That was a good decision, hard fought”. (Mayor Lois E. Jackson)

At the same time, Delta residents took part in a referendum, in which 75% of the voters supported Delta Council’s request that the provincial government purchase Burns Bog in its entirety.

In 2000, the ecosystem review was completed.  The scientists concluded that 73% of Burns Bog (2,200 of 3,000 ha) must be protected to maintain its ecological integrity.

The morning after the ecosystem review was released, Mayor Lois E. Jackson was on the phone to arrange a meeting with regional, provincial, and federal governments to purchase the bog lands.  A meeting at Delta municipal hall was coordinated with the Minister of Environment, a representative of the federal government, and the Mayor of White Rock. 

“We all sat in the room upstairs, and I said, “Set your politics aside because, guess what, we’ve got a job to do. It took until 2004, and together we put together all of the documents, signing papers on ferries and on the front of trucks and all kinds of things. It took a tremendous amount of work to make that happen, through many years. We thought we’d lost it many, many times.” (Mayor Lois E. Jackson)

Even with two senior levels of government supporting the purchase and promising funds, “we were still short of money,” recalls Mayor Jackson.  Councilor Gentner, acting on the Mayor’s behalf, travelled to the Greater Vancouver Regional District head office and secured the required funds.  With several million dollars still outstanding, the people of Delta approved a special levy on their utility taxes to cover the balance of the funds.

“Little Delta,” Mayor Jackson reflects proudly. “100,000 people. We went to the polls and we got 5 dollars from every household for I don’t know how many years. The people said, 'Buy Burns Bog' and we did it. It was a gigantic undertaking.”

British Columbia assigned a team from Partnerships BC, lead by Darryl Soper, to manage the effort to purchase the bog.  Mayor Lois E. Jackson was a strong advocate for the preservation of Burns Bog, travelling to Victoria, attending countless meetings, and speaking to the media to highlight the value and importance of Delta’s unique wetland. 

Despite the efforts of Delta, Environment Canada, Ducks Unlimited, and strong public support, many offers of purchase were rejected by the owners over the years.  The best opportunity to purchase the bog eventually arose when the landowners of the day became entrenched in financial difficulties, causing a large portion of the bog lands to be put up for tax sale.  Several changes of ownership, debts, and foreclosures later, the new landowners finally consented to sell. 

2004 was Delta’s 125th anniversary, so it was fitting that the acquisition of this unique ecosystem occurred in this year.  Mayor Lois E. Jackson announced the following at her annual address in January of 2005:

“Government co-operation at an unprecedented level finally resulted in the saving of this ecological gem for all Canadians, after years and years of people saying that it could not be done”.

The final configuration of the purchased lands was based on the results of the Burns Bog Ecosystem Review, in which a map highlighted the parts of the bog that were critical to the integrity of the ecosystem.

Current Status

Since that time, several other parcels of land (see table below) have been added to the protected area and “we’re not done yet”, promises Mayor Lois E. Jackson.  Even after the successful purchase of the majority of Burns Bog, Delta Council continues to pursue the protection of the remaining parcels of bog lands.

At the October 4, 2004 regular meeting of Council, the following motion was put on notice:

“That The Corporation of Delta hereby give notice that it views all land areas in Burns Bog as possible candidates for future environmental protection.” The motion was carried by Council on November 29, 2004.

On February 8, 2010, Delta Council resolves “that any financial benefit realized from the future disposal or development of [bog lands orphaned by the new South Fraser Perimeter Road] be reserved for land purchases, improvements or alterations to the benefit of the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area”.

Parcels of Burns Bog that are currently owned by government agencies:

Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area:
Lands purchased in 2004	2,042 ha	(5,046 acres)
“Parcel D” transferred to Delta in 2009	217 ha	(536 acres)
“Lot 9” to be transferred to Delta in 2010	105 ha	(259 acres)
Delta-owned parcels south of SFPR to be added to ECA	26 ha	(64 acres)
Delta Nature Reserve	69 ha	(171 acres)
Other Delta-owned lands:
Northern section of western lagg forest	16 ha	(39 acres)
Parcel near railway	2 ha	(5 acres)
Total	2,477 ha	(6,120 acres)

The entire land area of Burns Bog is 2,821 hectares (6,971 acres), as defined by the “ecological boundary” presented in the Burns Bog Ecosystem Review. Total land ownership from the above table amounts to 2,477 hectares. Therefore, approximately 87% of Burns Bog is currently owned and protected by government.

Burns Bog Protected Lands.

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