Grant funding for seven projects approved through the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund

Peace River Regional District, B.C. – The BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund board of directors has approved nearly $150,000 for seven projects in the Peace Region that support agricultural production and agrifood economic activity. This was the last intake of 2025. The first intake of 2026 closes on January 16, and the last intake of 2026 closes on August 28, 2026.

Grant recipients include:

$20,054 for 1273031 B.C. Ltd.: The Lean-To Heated Greenhouse Expansion for Market Garden and Flower Farm project will allow the applicant to extend their growing season through the construction of a well-equipped greenhouse attached to their existing shop. An extended growing season will allow them to bring their produce and cut flowers to market a month earlier, increasing revenue generation and also the availability of fresh produce to customers in Dawson Creek and surrounding area.

$25,230 for Bar 4 Ranch Ltd.: The Goodlow Pasture project will convert a recently purchased half section into a sustainable grazing operation through perimeter and riparian fencing, along with the purchase of a solar water buggy to provide efficient off-stream watering for cattle. This project will efficiently utilize land that is not ideal for crop farming due to creeks and low-lying areas while also expanding the applicant’s existing rotational grazing practices.

$28,190 for Bear Mountain Grazing Association: The Perimeter Maintenance 2025 project will replace a three kilometre section of fencing on the south end of the reserve so cattle will be safely contained and no longer able to escape. In previous summers, during poor drought conditions, the cattle would escape from this section as they searched for new areas to feed. Overall, the Grazing Association has 20 members representing ten ranches in the South Peace region and supports over 1,000 cattle.

$8,460 for Charlie Clarke: The Rose Prairie Cattle Fencing project will result in the installation of barbwire perimeter fencing over 3.4 kilometres to allow the applicant to add cattle to their farm. The applicant is a multigenerational farmer in Rose Prairie that currently supplies local customers with eggs, pigs, fresh produce and hay.

$15,297 for E&C Weitzel Holdings Ltd.: The Winter Feeding and Water Infrastructure Development for Enhanced Forage and Manure Management project will improve livestock management, manure distribution and feed preservation for the Wonowon property. A significant part of the project is the construction of a new storage area dedicated to protecting feed from wildlife damage while improving feed distribution in the field. This project will help the mixed beef cattle enterprise reach their long-term goal of strengthening sustainability and efficiency by expanding infrastructure that enables winter feeding and watering further out in the fields where nutrients are needed.

$34,838 for Evans Cattle Company Inc.: The Hollingshead Improvement project will improve the conditions of a ½ section of land that has been under managed, with production expected to increase five-fold after the project is completed. Increased productivity will allow Evans Cattle Company to continue to grow their purebred Charolais herd. Increasing the herd size while protecting the purebred operation will result in more high-quality, well-marbled beef in the Peace Region.

$15,954 for InterraPlan Inc.: The Niwatame Eco-Homestead Berry Production and Processing Initiative project will expand InterraPlan’s current mixed berry operation by expanding fruit production and processing to enable strategic freeze-dried products. Beyond the benefits of fruit preservation and waste reduction through freeze-drying, new consumer markets will be accessed thanks in part to the significant ease of shipping beyond the Peace Region due to the light package weight.

In 2025, the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund approved 18 projects, resulting in $1,266,847 being invested into the Peace Region. Since the fund’s inception, nearly $4.9 million has been invested into 133 agriculture-related projects in the Peace – including $2 million through the Impacts and Opportunities Initiative.

Quotes

Rick Kantz, Chair, BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund
“Ending the year by approving investments into seven agricultural projects here in the Peace Region is an excellent way to transition to 2026. We’re thrilled to see people looking for ways to adapt or improve their property so they can increase operations, strengthening themselves and the broader agricultural industry in the Peace. We look forward to continuing to support crucial projects in 2026 through this fund.”

Sarah Griffith, owner, 1273031 B.C. o/a R&A Farms
“Increasing the size and ability for our market garden and flower farm will provide robust benefits to our community. From our market customers that will be able to purchase fresh, locally grown produce earlier in the year, to other small-scale farms who can observe what is possible with new infrastructure, we look forward to sharing the fruits of our labour with our community and continuing to grow together.”

Glyn Evans, Owner, Evans Cattle Company Inc.
“Over the past number of years, we have been significantly investing in growing our herd of purebred Charolais with top-quality stock. Receiving grant funding to better utilize the land while protecting the quality of our herd will have tangible long-term, positive impacts for our company and the region by increasing the value of product marketed off the farm.”