special features - abbotsford in action - 2015

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTUREStable residential and commercial growth, a robust industrial sector, key transportation services, and a thriving agricultural sector contribute to Abbotsford’s economic vitality. The city is not only the geographic and economic hub of the Fraser Valley, it features a major university, an innovative and dynamic public school district, and a wide range of private school choices. The News focuses on the importance of education in this 6th annual edition of Abbotsford in Action 2015.

2 ABBOTSFORD IN ACTION / December 2015

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SERVING OUR GROWINGCOMMUNITY

Michael de Jong, MLAAbbotsford West604.870.4586

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Helping Home Owners604.853.647133050 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford

www.careandshare.ca

The Salvation Army offers a wide and unique range of vital services and programs to the community. For more information about these services and about opportunities to help, please call The Centre of Hope at 604-852-9305 or visit out website at www.careandshare.ca.

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Abbotsford - Tomorrow’s Thinking TodayA message from the mayor

Abbotsford is a modern city with a vibrant

economy that combines the hospitality of a small town with the services of a large urban centre and an all-important diversi-fied business base.

In fact, The Confer-ence Board of Canada has identified the local

economy of Abbotsford as one of the most diverse in the country. Why is that?

Abbotsford is regionally and geographically positioned as a hub city for the Fraser Valley and boasts many compelling economic attractors including:

• Abbotsford International Airport

• Pre-serviced industrial lands; University of the Fraser Valley; border access

• Corridor to the Interior

• Rail access

• Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, as well as the Campus of Care

In July of 2015, Abbotsford city council en-

dorsed our new City of Abbotsford 2015-2018 strategic plan, establishing an exciting vision for the city and providing direction and guidance as our city develops. At the core of the strategic plan is council’s overall vision for the city: Ab-botsford is the Hub of the Fraser Valley.

As hub of the Fraser Valley, the City of Abbots-ford will reside as the regional centre for com-munities in the Fraser Valley. This vision sees Abbotsford as home to regionally centralized ser-vices and agencies including health care, courts, transportation, the university, airport, provincial and federal government, entertainment and cul-tural facilities, and commerce.

The need for cities to engage in robust, compre-hensive economic strategies has never been so imperative as it is today. Economic development of human capital, critical infrastructure, regional competitiveness, social inclusion, health, safety and literacy are recognized as vital components for towns and cities to reach their maximum potential.

As the City of Abbotsford continues to grow, city council looks forward to continuing to work with businesses and residents alike to ensure that the Abbotsford of tomorrow remains an ex-citing and exceptional place to live, work, learn and play.

BraunPublisher:Andrew Franklin

Editor:Andrew Holota

Contributors: Vikki Hopes Tyler OlsenBen LypkaLaura RodgersJohn Morrow

Design:SusanMcMurchy

Read aboutHistory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Residential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Airport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Campus of Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38


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Village of Abbotsford had its roots in the quest for gold

Abbotsford’s history was driven by the gold rush. In the mid-1800s, fortune-seeking European settlers arrived here after gold

was discovered along the banks of the Fraser River, just south of Yale.

The Sto:lo people were the area’s original in-habitants, whose traditional territory spanned the lower Fraser River, from Richmond to Yale.

By 1858, gold-rush fever had attracted nearly 30,000 new inhabitants, which included the early European pioneers and a contingent of miners who had migrated north from San Francisco.

That population boom would spur the develop-ment of towns in the Fraser Valley – including one dubbed the Village of Abbotsford. The new town would be situated on a 160-acre swath of land that was purchased in 1889 by John Cunningham Maclure, a former Royal Engineer who’d survey the area for Britain during the early days of the gold rush.

In a letter written with a dateline of 1924, Ma-clure explained to the Abbotsford Board of Trade how the name “Abbotsford” was decided upon.

It was combination of a pair of ideas: Partly an homage to a longtime friend of the Maclure family, Harry Braithwaite Abbott and partly a nod to the Scotland home of Sir Walter Scott – Abbotsford Castle.

While gold started the rush to Abbotsford, the logging and sawmill industry enabled the growth spurt to continue.

But in 1948 disaster struck. Although a new dike system had been started to limit any potential threat posed by the mighty Fraser River, a major flood occurred with more than 200 square kilome-tres of territory being submerged during the height of the flood. More than 16,000 residents had to be evacuated and $20 million in damages were suffered during the flood.

To prevent a similar disaster, there are now over 300 kilometres of dikes between Agassiz and Delta to protect the surrounding cities.

Of course, Abbotsford’s historical narrative is also filled with a large cast of community-mind-ed leaders, none of them more influential than

The Abbotsford Lumber Company, owned by the Trethewey family, was the new village’s first major industry, and it would have a significant influence on the burgeoning town – both in terms of its economic growth and ethnic diversity because it attracted workers from China, Japan, Europe and India.

Immigrants from India’s Punjab province first arrived in Abbotsford in the early 1900s and the first gurdwara (temple) was constructed in 1911 on South Fraser Way.

The temple was built with lumber donated by the Trethewey family – the largest employer of Sikhs in the city at that time.

Today, Abbotsford is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada with one of the highest proportion of people of South Asian origin per capita of any city in Canada. It also has a signif-icant Mennonite population, which dates back to the early 1920s when members of Christian Ana-baptist denominations migrated to Abbotsford from the Prairies and Russia. The first Menno-nite church was built in the 1930s using lumber from the dismantled mill at Mill Lake.

Abbotsford’s rich soil, mild climate and envi-able water resources have made it one of Cana-da’s agricultural capitals.

That agricultural might was helped along in mid-1920s when the Sumas Lake drainage proj-ect was completed to reclaim more than 30,000 acres of fertile land on the Canadian side of the border.

George Ferguson, who began his political career in 1969.

That year he was elected as an alderman for the District of Sumas. Ferguson would become of the longest-serving civic leaders in Canada, with his tenure as Abbotsford mayor spanning four decades (1972-2002 and 2005-08).

During his time as mayor, Ferguson went through a pair of amalgamations: In 1972, the Village of Abbotsford and the District of Sumas joined to form the District of Abbotsford.

Then in 1995, the neighbouring districts of Abbotsford and Matsqui amalgamated to form the City of Abbotsford.

THE REACH P200Steamships off ered an early form of mass transit in the 1890s. Pictured here: Orange Lodge, local 1450, picnic aboard the river boat “Transfer” at Mt. Lehman landing.


Residential growth in Abbotsford has shifted from single-family homes towards multi-family developments like La Galleria on Trethewey Street. JOHN MORROW

Density is the key as city growth continues

Availability of land, aff ordability of apartments and townhouses spurs multi-family projects

T he face of Abbotsford is changing, and so are the homes people are building and buying in the city.

As the city’s population continues to grow, a shrinking land base has seen a trend towards denser developments and more urban projects in recent years.

In what planners believe is a sign of things to come, more and more homes that are proposed or approved for building are in the multi-family housing sector, which includes townhomes and apartments. And many of those are in developments with a com-mercial component.

“There’s been a shift in the number of multi-fam-ily units compared to years past,” said Mark Neill, the city’s director of community planning. He added that “there’s a trend moving to more multi-family housing,” which he attributes to the dwindling supply of land and the affordability of town-houses and apartments.

There are several mixed-use condo projects currently under con-struction. They include La Galleria on Trethewey Street, which will include more than 200 units; and the Hudson’s Loft project on Gladwin Road, the first phase of which will have 67 units. Both are mixed-use develop-ments with retail space at street level.

Another large condo project is Mahogany at

Mill Lake, a 26-storey mixed use project still in the marketing phase. When built, the tower will be the tallest building in Abbotsford.

There are also several other apartment

buildings under development which, when complete, are slated to be rental buildings,

according to the city.

In the third quarter of 2015, Abbotsford had 874 apartment units and 296 townhouse units under review or approved in principle. That compares to 128 single family lots under review or approved.

With 54 new apartment units constructed in the third quarter, a total of 165 had been

constructed in 2015. It was projected the nine-year average of 224 units would

be surpassed by the end of the year. The city also projected it would

surpass the nine-year average of 98 townhouse units built by the

end of 2015.

Most of the apartment buildings that are proposed or under construction are in Abbotsford’s core, al-though there have also been apartments built in both west Abbotsford near Aldergrove, and on Sumas

Mountain. Many of the city’s townhouse and single-family

projects currently proposed or under development are located

in the east Abbotsford area on Sumas Mountain.

They include Vicarro Ranch, a Sumas Mountain development that in-

volves a 383-acre footprint. The project would allow for single-family and duplex lots, townhouses and apartments, with a total com-bined potential density of 1,400 residential units – 580 single-family, 120 duplexes, 260 townhouses and 440 apartment units.

CONTINUED ON 6

House prices climb.Single-family home prices increased in Abbotsford in 2014. Benchmark prices were up 10 per cent between October of 2014 and October of 2015, with an average home now costing $488,000. The benchmark price of a townhouse rose two per cent to $227,900, while the benchmark apartment unit increased in value by one per cent to $150,000.

Multi-family housingIn the third quarter of 2015, 874 apartment units and 296 townhouse units were under review or approved in principle. The city expected to surpass its nine-year average of townhouse and apartment units built by 2015. Multi-family developments are being built across the city, including in the city’s core, on Sumas Mountain, and in West Abbotsford.

The boomers are downsizing and the millenials are looking for a housing choice that doesn’t tie them down...”

Mark Neill


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Average home values on the rise

Another development, called Highline, would see up to 550 townhomes off of Lower Sumas Mountain Road. The first phase of the project, which is still in the development permit stage, will see 81 units built.

Increased mixed-use developments reflect changes in the city’s demographics. There are two large age cohorts among residents: baby boomers, and their millenial children.

“The boomers are downsizing and the mil-lenials are looking for a housing choice that doesn’t tie them down to a large mortgage,” Neill said.

The city’s new Official Community Plan, which is currently under development, and subsequent neighbourhood plans will shape where and how new homes are built in Abbots-ford, with the focus on higher-density develop-ments near amenities and transit. Development needs to be focused in the city’s established neighbourhoods, both to build a more cohesive community, and to provide services at a region-al cost, Mayor Henry Braun said.

“It has to make sense. We can’t drag our services all around the largest geographic footprint in B.C.”

Although mixed-use buildings are seen as the future, single-family homes continue to be built in Abbotsford. A total of 374 single-fam-ily homes went up in 2015, through the end of

the third-quarter. That total – which includes 58 building permits for a West Abbotsford subdivision – is already above the nine-year average of 258 units. There is also a 60-unit single-famly home subdivision under devel-opment on Townline Road.

Another stage of the Auguston development on Sumas Mountain is currently being mar-keted to buyers, and homes are being built on infill lots throughout the city.

The price of houses is also increasing quickly.

The benchmark price of a single-family home in Abbotsford increased 10 per cent over the past year, from $443,100 in October of 2014, to $488,800 in October of 2015, according to the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Meanwhile, the price of townhouses and apartments has remained mostly level over that same time period. The benchmark price of a townhouse in Abbotsford rose just two per cent from $221,600 to $227,900, and the benchmark price of apartment units rose one per cent from $148,500 to $150,000.

Compared to cities to the west, Abbotsford remains much more affordable, with bench-mark prices of single-family homes more than $150,000 lower here than in Langley, Surrey and North Delta. Townhomes and apartments are also substantially less expensive.

The benchmark price of a single-family home in Abbotsford increased about 10 per cent to $488,000 as of October 2015, while the price of townhouses has remained stable in the range of approximately $228,000. JOHN MORROW

FROM 5


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Commerical developmentAbbotsford has a range of shopping options, and the number of retail busi-nesses in the city continues to grow. Through the third quarter of 2015, the City of Abbotsford had issued building permits for 41,815 sq. m of commercial fl oor space.

A variety of commercial spaces continue to be built in Abbotsford as developers and businesses cater to a growing population and customer-base. Pictured is the future home of The Honda Way in the Fraser Valley Auto Mall. JOHN MORROW

Offi cial Community Plan to shape future of commercial development

Focus is to shape places where people live and work

D emand for commercial space in Ab-botsford has rarely been higher, as the city’s growing population means more

customers for new and existing businesses.

Harnessing that demand – and the desire of businessmen and women to set up shop in Ab-botsford – in a way that benefits the entire city is the challenge. That’s where the city’s new Official Community Plan (OCP) will come in.

The OCP, alongside subsequent neighbourhood plans, will help plot the city’s growth for de-cades to come. It will apply to all land use in the city, but planners say it will be par-ticularly useful in shaping the future of Abbotsford’s commercial spaces.

The OCP is like the foun-dation of a new house or a map for a road trip, says director of development Dar-ren Braun. It will shape the places residents live, work and shop. And for developers, it lays out where they can and can’t build.

“It will provide a lot of direction and certainty,” Braun said.

That is especially helpful when it comes to the retail sector, as haphazard development that may be good for individual business owners can hamstring the community as a whole.

The OCP and related neighbourhood plans aim to create a more organized, livable community.

“Everybody wants commercial everywhere,” Braun said said. “But that’s where the OCP can help us a lot to focus that.”

The idea is to build places where people both live and work. The city is already creating its first

neighbourhood plan, the U-District – a 365-acre plot of land that includes the University of the Fraser Valley and surrounding land – that could see its population grow from 3,200 people to around 5,650 people by 2040. The vision is that the area will become a commercial and research and development hub. The Abbotsford Centre – a

sports and entertainment facility – is also lo-cated in the vicinity.

Even though the OCP hasn’t been adopted, much of the commercial

development in Abbotsford is already reflecting new ways of

thinking. Mixed-use develop-ments that combine commer-cial and residential spaces in the same building are now the norm.

Of the hundreds of apart-ment units now under con-sideration by the city, two-thirds are in developments that also include some com-

mercial space. Of the 14,320 sq.m of commercial floor space

under review or approved in principle during the third quarter

of 2015, nearly three-quarters of that is in mixed-use developments in

Clearbrook Centre, the U-District, Mill Lake, and west Abbotsford.

So far this year, building permits for 41,815 sq.m of commercial floor space have been issued. The total is expected to reach the nine-year aver-age of 67,572 sq.m.

Similarly, when the city looks to improve retail conditions in existing commercial areas, like the

Everybody wants commercial...”

Darren Braun

CONTINUED ON 9

Cabela’s developmentCity council approved a major shopping complex on McCallum Road that will include a 6,500-sq.m. Cabela’s outdoor outfi tters store as its anchor tenant. Construction on the 12,077-sq.m centre is already underway. Mayor Henry Braun says the Cabela’s outlet will draw shoppers from around the region.


ATTRACTING PATRONS FROM THROUGHOUT THE FRASER VALLEY, Historic Downtown Abbotsford is a pedestrian-friendly people place offering free parking. A thriving neighbourhood alive with unique and eclectic shops: vintage, sporting goods, arts, gifts and clothing.

Events and Festivals: Downtown Abbotsford is home to many local events including the Saturday Farmer’s Market, Berrybeat Festival, Christmas Tree Lighting, Wine & Art Walk, a huge Car Show and so much more!

Food: You won’t fi nd a more diverse selection of eateries as Downtown Abbotsford boasts . . . tea and coffee shops, 50s diners, pubs, seafood bakeries, delis, dishes from all corners of the world, and the best “just like mom made it” you will ever taste.

Historic Downtown Abbotsford is a picturesque and engaging residential and shopping district that is the preferred location for retail, professional and service businesses. Our Downtown is a source of community pride and a desired destination for residents

and visitors alike.

www.downtownabbotsford.com

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A regional shopping hub

historic downtown, part of that includes building residential spaces nearby so that people can shop near where they live, and live near where they work.

The biggest commercial development approved recently in Abbotsford was a 12,077-sq.m shop-ping complex on McCallum Road that will feature a 6,500-sq.m Cabela’s outdoor outfitters store as the anchor tenant.

Mayor Henry Braun said the store is a regional retailer that will draw consumers to Abbotsford from across the Lower Mainland.

Beyond the Cabela’s development, which will also include some residential units, much of the commercial development taking place in Abbots-ford involves businesses upgrading and moderniz-ing their current locations.

Tradex, a major trade and exhibition centre at Abbotsford International Airport, is also a major commercial draw in the region. Thousands of peo-ple attend a range of commercial and trade shows in the facility’s 11,000-sq.m building.

Meanwhile, the city’s established businesses continue to draw consumers from across Abbots-ford and beyond. Shape Properties’ Highstreet shopping centre is a key example. The facility, which boasts main-street-syle shopping on top of covered parking, includes tenants like Walmart, London Drugs, Marshalls and Cineplex.

Other commercial centres are established around transportation corridors such as George Ferguson Way, Clearbrook Road, South Fraser Way, and Sumas Way.

The largest commercial development approved recently in Abbotsford is a 12,077-sq. m shopping complex on McCallum Road featuring a Cabela’s store. JOHN MORROW

FROM 8


Building on the riseAbbotsford was on pace to approve development of the largest amount of industrial space in the last decade. Through the fi rst three quarters of 2015, the city had 13,050 sq. m of proposed industrial fl oor space under review, and had approved in principle 38,045 sq. m.

Industrial landAbbotsford has seven main industrial areas, all of which are located near the city’s major transportation corridors, featuring key highway, railway and airport access. Much of that development is near the airport, near Clearbrook Road just south of Highway 1, and in the Peardonville and Mt. Lehman Road areas. There is also industrial land in several locations near Highway 11.

The Aerospace, Defence & Security Expo draws businesspeople from across North America and underscores the importance of aviation-related industries to Abbotsford’s economy. JOHN MORROW

Expanding businesses attracted to city

Abbotsford boasts one of country’s most diverse economies

Abbotsford has seen a major increase in the amount of industrial floor spaces under development in 2015, according

to city staff.

With approved floor space figures through the third quarter of 2015 already exceeding the 10-year average, the city may approve more industrial space for development in 2015 than at any time in the past decade.

That reflects increasing demand by businesses.

Wendy Dupley, the city’s direc-tor of economic development, said Abbotsford has seen more inquiries over the past year from companies looking to set up shop.

“There’s certainly a lot more interest in industrial lands that have been va-cant for some time around the city,” she said. “Some of those lands are getting multi-ple inquiries on them.”

Dupley says she has received many queries from Metro Vancou-ver businesses that are looking to expand, but which don’t have suitable land at, or near, their current location. She said that scarcity of land has con-vinced business owners to act sooner, rather than later, to find locations where their enterprises can thrive.

“I think businesses are feeling there is going to be a shortage of industrial lands in the Lower Mainland,” she said.

Abbotsford, though, has no such shortage. Several

years ago, the city ran services out to industrial

lands in the city’s west. Landowners were given

a three-year grace period from paying for those

services, but with that time now up, that land is

being placed on the market and developed by new

owners.

Abbotsford also has a wealth of transportation options that increases its appeal, including its own international airport, the Abbotsford-Huntingdon border crossing, and the Trans-Canada Highway, which bisects the city and connects it to the natural resource industries in the British Columbia Interior. The city also boasts connections to major rail lines

in both Canada and the United States through the Southern Railway of BC, which also

operates a rail yard in Abbotsford.

Abbotsford International Airport is an industrial hub and is home to

some of the city’s largest employ-ers, including Cascade Aero-space, which employs more than 650 workers at its main-tenance facility. The airport is also home to Marshall Aero-space, Chinook Helicopters and Conair Aerial Firefight-ing.

But the city doesn’t rely on a single sector for growth in jobs.

“Abbotsford has one of the most diverse industry sectors in

the country,” Dupley said. “The city has evolved in a very diverse way and

that’s what’s really going to stand us in good stead. We need to maintain that diversi-

ty because that’s what’s going to help you outride economic downturns in different sectors.”

And more businesses are being started here every day in a range of industries, from high tech and medical services to manufacturing and con-struction.

CONTINUED ON 12

Abbotsford has one of the most diverse industry sectors in the country.”

Wendy Dupley


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Growing businesses look east“We have an entrepreneur pool here that I think is

second to none,” Mayor Henry Braun said.

Workers are increasingly in demand in the Ab-botsford-Mission area, with the census metropolitan area’s unemployment rate dipping well below six per cent for much of 2015, its lowest rate in years.

As of the end of the third quarter of 2015, Ab-botsford had 13,050 sq. m of proposed industrial floor space under review. It has already approved in principle more than triple that amount: 38,405 sq. m.

Those developments are found in seven main in-

federal government investment to build and market German-designed wood window systems for ultra-low energy structures. The investment was expected to create 60 new jobs.

With Abbotsford boasting some of the most pro-ductive farmland in Canada, the city is also home to hundreds of farms and related agri-businesses, with Sunwest Food Processors and Lilydale ranking among the top employers.

The city’s natural resources are also an economic generator, with large sand and gravel deposits pro-viding the base for some of the largest quarries in the region.

dustrial areas, all of which have ready access to the city’s transportation corridors. The Clearbrook area just south of Highway 1, along with the airport, and the Peardonville and Mt. Lehman Road areas in-clude the bulk of Abbotsford’s industrial land ready for development. There is also industrial land along and near Highway 11 near the Canada/U.S. border and McCallum Road.

Other large industrial employers include Vedder Transportation Group, which specializes in food transportation and serves many local farms; and Dynamic Windows & Doors, which is North Amer-ica’s largest manufacturer of custom wood windows and doors. In July, Dynamic received a $900,000

Industrial development also has a trickle-down effect for other areas of Abbotsford. As more indus-trial land brings more people to work in Abbotsford, they look to live and shop in the region, creating de-mand for more homes, and more things to do locally.

Construction is also a major industry, and earlier this year, a Fraser Institute survey of 10 Lower Mainland cities named Abbotsford the least reg-ulated place to build a home. The survey found that while Abbotsford’s average approval timeline of 11.1 months for proposed homes was similar to other cities, developers ranked the city as the least obstructionist of the 10 municipalities with the most responses.

With available industrial land in several locations throughout the city, Abbotsford has been luring businesses that are looking to expand from other parts of the Lower Mainland. JOHN MORROW

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Airport gearing up for more passengers New fl ights and employers as YXX’s impact on economy continues to grow

A key economic engine for the city and its surrounding area, Abbotsford Interna-tional Airport (YXX) continues to grow

along with the region it serves.

Around half a million passengers are expected to pass through YXX in 2015, and the airport is also home to some of the city’s largest employers and most prominent businesses.

In 2015, Air Canada Rouge launched a seasonal non-stop daily service to Toronto, while WestJet introduced twice-weekly non-stop flights to Las Vegas beginning in late October. Combine those additions with WestJet flights departing for Cal-gary five times a day and Edmonton three times a day, and YXX – which also offers seasonal service to Puerto Vallarta – is predicting one of its busiest years ever for 2016, according to Parm Sidhu, the airport’s general manager.

He said the additional flights reflect YXX’s suc-cess at creating a streamlined model that results in low operating costs for airlines.

“We’re creating a platform that’s really competi-tive and that can compete on a local level and an international level,” he said. “We’re doing this by empowering the airlines; we’re building our brand through the airlines and giving them a cost-struc-ture that’s very favourable.”

Smaller operators also run regular flights to and from Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

The airport has also seen its status as a major industrial hub for the region grow.

Around 1,500 workers, many in well-paying jobs

their kids go to school here. This is what keeps the economy going.”

YXX is home to a diverse variety of companies, including: Cascade Aerospace, which services C-130 aircraft, and operates a maintenance cen-

requiring substantial education and technical expertise, are employed at the airport.

“It’s an asset that is integral to the south of the Fraser,” Sidhu said. “These people live and work in the Fraser Valley. They buy groceries here,

tre at YXX; Chinook Helicopters, which trains helicopter pilots; Conair, which supplies forest firefighting aircraft; Alpine Aerotech, a helicop-ter maintenance company; Westview Aviation, which provides aircraft storage hangars; Coastal Pacific Aviation, which partners with the Uni-versity of the Fraser Valley to offer pilot training; and Marshall Aerospace, an international com-pany that selected YXX in 2014 to be home to its Canadian head office. Other companies that call the airport home include Shell Aerocenter, Campbell Helicopters, Bakerview Aviation and Sequoia Helicopters.

YXX is also known as home to one of the world’s top airshows – the Abbotsford Interna-tional Airshow. The annual event draws tens of thousands of people to the airport each year. Its success has paved the way for other major events, including the Aerospace, Defence and Security Exposition, an industry trade show held at the same time as the airshow. The airport is also home to the Girls Fly Too! event, which looks to bring 15,000 people to YXX in March 2016 with the aim of increasing female partici-pation in the aviation industry.

And in October, it was announced that YXX would host the Canadian Business Aviation Association’s annual Convention and Exhibit in 2017 and 2019. The event is expected to attract as many as 1,000 delegates and features a roster of international and Canadian speakers, exhibitors, and Canada’s largest static display of private and corporate aircraft.

Abbotsford International Airport serves fl ights to a variety of destinations around North America. JOHN MORROW


A growing cityAbout 70 per cent of the land in Abbotsford is included in the Agriculture Land Reserve. The city also has about 700,000 square metres of growing space in local greenhouses. That fi gure represents about 13 per cent of the provincial total.

Major exportsBerry crops are among Abbotsford’s largest exports, with around 20 million pounds of raspberries and close to 50 million pounds of blueberries grown here every year. Local farmers also produce the bulk of the province’s dairy products, vegetables, poultry, eggs, pork, mushrooms, fl oriculture and nursery products.

Abbotsford farmers grow a range of products, from a variety of vegetables, to berries and feed crops. JOHN MORROW

Agriculture at the heart of Abby’s economy

From its early days into the 21st century, agriculture has always been a vital part of Abbotsford’s economy.

The Fraser Valley boasts some of the richest land in the province, and Abbotsford farms pro-duce a dizzying array of food and other goods for consumers in B.C. and beyond.

The Valley produces more than 70 per cent of B.C.’s dairy products, berries, vegetables, poultry, eggs, pork, mushrooms, floriculture and nurs-ery products.

The basis of Abbotsford’s productivi-ty is its fertile soil found on Matsqui Prairie in the historic Fraser River flood plain, and Sumas Prairie – which was mostly a lake bottom before Sumas Lake was drained in 1924 to create more farmland.

Modern producers contin-ue to work hard to build on and preserve the city’s ag-ricultural foundation while developing new ways to keep Abbotsford as the most productive farm community in the country.

A 2008 study by the Chamber of Commerce pegged the earnings at $7,410 per acre. It found that farming supports more than 11,000 jobs and generates $1.8 billion in annual economic activity.

One in four private-sector jobs in the city relies on agriculture.

Proximity to such agricultural resources has developed Abbotsford into a hub for B.C. agricul-ture’s office jobs. There are 25 different producer associations, which concern themselves with the promotion and marketing of these food products, located in Abbotsford.

The provincial government also houses a Minis-try of Agriculture office in the community, which employs more of this sector’s experts.

BerriesA drive through Abbotsford’s beautiful farmland

illustrates the dramatic rise in blueberry crops. Consumer demand has spiked after research-ers found they have anti-cancer, anti-aging and heart-health properties. There are now 25,000 acres of blueberry plants in the Fraser Valley. The B.C. Blueberry Council says B.C. produces around 120 million pounds and rising. An esti-mated 40 per cent of that is grown in Abbotsford – with a local farm gate value of about $91 million.

The Fraser Valley once produced more than 40 million pounds of raspberries – most of it from Abbotsford. However, that is slowly being replaced by more lucrative blueberry production, and has been reduced to about 25 million pounds – 20 million from Abbotsford.

PoultrySome of Abbotsford’s most important agricul-

tural endeavours don’t begin in the ground – they are found in barns and hatcheries stretched along Sumas and Matsqui prairies.

Abbotsford’s poultry industry supplies one-third of the province’s poultry business, and chicken, turkey and egg production generate about a quarter billion dollars every year.

According to government statistics, the Fraser Valley provides 87 per cent of the province’s broilers (chicken meat), 98 per cent of the turkeys, 100 per cent of the broiler breeders (hatching eggs) and 79 per cent of the eggs – and about half of that is coming directly out of Abbotsford.

This is due in part to Abbotsford’s central loca-tion and the producers’ close proximity to local processing plants and markets.

The city is home to hatcheries and supply businesses and companies that provide services such as hauling and cleaning. The net result is the poultry business makes up more than 40 per cent of the agricultural job market.

Dairy production Dairy is not just an important component of

many people’s diet, it’s a key economic generator in Abbotsford’s agricultural production.

There are about 100 dairy producers in Abbotsford, who ship approximately

145 million litres of milk per year – or 21 per cent of the province’s

production. They are part of a strong Fraser Valley milk busi-ness. The province as a whole has about 70,000 cows that produce almost 700 million litres of milk, and the Fraser Valley produces approximate-ly three-quarters of that.

On the growAbbotsford, which enjoys a

mild climate by Canadian stan-dards, gives farmers an opportunity

to grow a rich variety of field crops. There are significant quantities of broc-

coli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Hep-pell’s Potato Corp. plants 650 acres of potatoes on Sumas Prairie. Almost half of the province’s mushroom crop is grown in Abbotsford, with 106,000 square metres in production here.

There has also been a recent boom in the greenhouse industry, producing cucumbers and peppers. Greenhouses contain about 700,000 square metres of growing space in Abbotsford, which represents about 13 per cent of B.C.’s greenhouses.

Few crops in Abbotsford share the eye-catch-ing beauty of its famous daffodils.

The Bradner area has a rich heritage in the bulb-growing industry. Abbotsford’s daffodils alone are estimated at being worth $3.5 million per year, and the total bulb industry a blooming $6.5 million.

Poultry and livestock have to eat, and the feed business in Abbotsford is worth between $250 and $350 million per year, led by Ritchie Smith Feeds, the largest local supplier.

Agriculture is one of the economic pillars of the city.”

City of Abbotsford


Upper Fraser Valley 31877 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford

(the former MCC building) | 604-557-1020

Open: 9am-5pm Mon., Tues., Sat.; 9am-8pm Wed., Thurs., Fri.

habitatufv.ca

Th ere’s no place like home!What does Habitat for Humanity do?

What does the Restore do?

For a single mother of two working three jobs while putting herself through school, fi nding out that the apartment she rented was being sold was not welcome news. Finding a place where her daughter, Emily, who was born with Down syndrome, could live wasn’t easy.

“Th ere just weren’t a lot of options for a single mom with two kids, one who is in a wheelchair,” says Christina Ryan.

Financially stressed in one of Canada’s most unaff ordable housing markets, Christina turned to Habitat for Humanity Calgary. She attended a family information session, apply-ing for a home with a zero interest mortgage that would be geared to her income.

Several months later, Christina received the news that she’d been hoping for — Habitat for Humanity Calgary had matched her with a home they were planning to build.

In 2008, Habitat for Humanity Calgary had completed a fully accessible home for the Ryan family in the community of Evanston in Northwest Calgary.

Now, Christina no longer has to carry her daughter and wheelchair up and down stairs as she had to at their apartment building, a task she says she wouldn’t be able to do now that Emily is almost 12 years old. And the af-fordable mortgage payments allowed Chris-tina to purchase a vehicle with a wheelchair lift .

“We can now do more things and go more places as a family,” she says.

Christina has also found professional suc-cess, opening her own photography business and regularly lends her skills to her local Habitat for Humanity affi liate that made it all possible.

You can help families like Christina by volunteering, donating and advocating. For more information please call Alan Wil-son –Business Development Manager at 604.557.1020 ext. 114.

Th e ReStores is stocked with new and gently used renovation supplies, house-hold items, and lots of furniture. Every-thing is available to the public at deeply discounted prices.

New inventory is always arriving from a variety of generous support-ers, so every trip to the ReStore off ers a unique opportunity to discover a fantastic deal, a one-of-a-kind item, or the missing piece in your design inspiration.

Shopping and/or donating goods is a valuable way to help others and is

environmentally friendly as most of the goods we sell would have gone into our local landfi lls.

The impact of a safe, secure place to live

Habitats for Humanity does much more than just build houses. Working towards a world where every person has access to adequate hous-ing, we:

Provide low-cost house production…

by building and rehabilitating houses, mostly using volunteer labor. Habitat obtains donations from businesses, and individuals to reduce the costs of building

Offer housing-related technical

assistance…

by training families to build, maintain and pay for adequate housing. Th is includes fi nancial training, budgeting, home repairs, and building community.

Promote innovative housing fi nance

opportunities…

by promoting accessible fi nancial solutions for low-income families to improve their housing situations. Habitat believes that homeownership will help break the cycle of poverty facing many low-income working families.

Advocate for adequate housing for all…

by organizing public activities and infl uencing policies that result in easier access to adequate housing. Over 25% of British Columbians pay 50% or more of their income on rent alone. Many times they are making choices between rent or food — a choice we believe that no one should have to make.

Who does Habitat for Humanity help?Potential Habitat for Humanity partner families are lower in-come, working families living in inadequate housing, oft en pay-ing 40-50%+ of their income for rent and who are willing to put

in 500 hours of “sweat equity.”Th e Habitat model has home-owners making monthly pay-ments on interest-free mort-gages, which are approximately 25-30% of their family income

and includes taxes and insurance. Habitat believes that homeown-ership will help break the cycle of poverty facing many low-income working families.Habitat for Humanity does not

compete with other builders as Habitat services a clientele whocould never aff ord to buy a house or qualify for a conventional mortgage.

We will be announcing our Partner Family Application criteria

early in 2016!

Check in at the ReStore, visit our website www.habitatufv.ca or

our Facebook page for information on how and when to apply.

Who can qualify for a Habitat home?

WHAT CAN YOU FIND AT THE RESTORE:Kitchens | Windows | Hardware | Doors | Paint | Home Décor | Tiles

Light Fixtures | Appliances | Furniture | Bathrooms | Tools | Plumbing | Tables

Did you know?• Habitat had over 63,000 volunteers across Canada this

past year• That 60,000 tonnes of waste was saved from landfi lls

this year• That the ReStore concept was made by a 15 year old

boy in Winnipeg• That Canada’s ReStores sold over $58 million in goods

this year• That worldwide, ReStores sold over $590 million US

in goods• That Habitat for Humanity is one of the largest home

builders in North America• That Habitat has built or signifi cantly renovated over

1 million homes and counting• That a family moves into a Habitat home

approximately every 1 minute and 45 seconds

Habitat for Humanity Upper Fraser Valley provides “a hand up, not a hand out.”

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Management, Staff and Volunteers at Restore.

Habitat for Humanity home under construction.

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Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer CentreState-of-the art facility serves the region’s health-care needs

The Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre (ARHCC) serves a grow-ing, vibrant community with a state-of-

the-art health care facility.

The 300-bed facility, opened Aug. 24, 2008 on Marshall Road, replaced the 55-year-old MSA Hospital and was the first integrated hospital and cancer centre in Canada. ARHCC serves more than 150,000 residents in the immediate area and a regional population of around 330,000. At about 660,000 sq.ft., ARHCC includes MRI services, general surgery, nuclear medicine, renal dialysis, specialized obstetrics, a special care nursery area, pediatric services, critical care and cardiac care, regionalized psychiatry in- and out-patient care, and other services.

The Abbotsford Cancer Centre is the fifth full-service cancer centre to be built by the BC Cancer Agency. It provides treatment and care for the region, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, patient and family counselling, nutrition, genetic counselling, and pain and symptom man-agement.

The project was the first acute-care hospital built in B.C. using a public-private partnership model (P3), at a cost of $447 million for con-struction and equipment, including $71 million provided by the Fraser Valley Regional Hospital District. Today, the hospital has a $200-million operating budget.

ARHCC is owned by the Fraser Health Author-ity and the BC Cancer Agency, but many of the support services are provided under a 30-year P3 agreement with AHA Access Health Abbots-

was worth $1.85 million and is home to the Ab-botsford Breast Health Centre.

Renal services at ARH include a kidney care clinic, a peritoneal dialysis unit and a hemodial-ysis unit. In September 2015, a nocturnal hemo-dialysis program was introduced to offer patients hemodialysis at night while they are sleeping. Patients on this program no longer have to plan their daily activities around a daytime dialysis appointment, and they report an overall improve-ment in wellness.

ARH recently added clinical nurse specialists to the team, as well as nurse practitioners. These

ford. Those services include the help desk, plant maintenance, logistics, housekeeping, food services, portering, laundry/linen, security and parking.

The underlying debt of the P3 project is held by John Laing Infrastructure Fund (JLIF), a publicly held company that specializes in P3 projects and is traded on the London Stock Exchange.

This year, JLIF donated space previously al-located for its use at ARHCC back to Fraser Health where the JLIF Clinic was constructed and opened this past September. The donation

expanded nursing roles enhance the quality of care provided.

“The expanding role of ARH has made it part of the three largest centres for acute care service delivery in Fraser Health, next to Royal Colum-bian Hospital and Surrey Memorial Hospital,” said Valerie Spurrell, executive director for ARH at Fraser Health.

Abbotsford residents and hospital staff have ac-cess to the latest in health-care technology. When the hospital was built, 11,000 new pieces of equipment were added, including magnetic reso-nance imaging (MRI), two computed tomography (CT) scanners that were better and faster than earlier models, and updated computer technology to enable more efficient access to patient records.

In total, about 3,000 people are employed at the hospital, including 150 at the cancer centre and 400 under the P3 agreement with Sodexo, Johnson Controls, K-Bro Linen, GardaWorld and Impark.

Abbotsford is one of three communities in Fras-er Health which are creating a new and improved system of care for frail seniors living in the com-munity. Design work is underway with the expec-tation that staff will be hired early in 2016. Fam-ilies and patients will see an enhanced level and quality of service to help them live confidently at home and reduce the need for hospitalization.

At ARHCC, executive director Valerie Spurrell and site medical director Dr. Michael Newton provide leadership for Fraser Health services, while regional director Tammy Currie provides leadership for BC Cancer Agency services.

Abbotsford Regional Hospital serves a population of 330,000 in the region and provides the latest in health-care technology. JOHN MORROW


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Campus of careOne of the nation’s most innovative health projects

brings together three dynamic health-care partners on one site.

The Dave Lede Campus of Care – named for the project’s biggest donor – is located on Marshall Road adjacent to Abbotsford Regional Hospital.

It includes Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, the Abbotsford Hospice Society’s Holmberg House, and Matthew’s House, a respite facility for kids with com-plex health-care needs.

The City of Abbotsford contributed the land, and all three facilities have conducted extensive fundraising campaigns for capital and operating costs.

Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, which also has a location in Vancouver, completed construction in De-cember 2013 and began offering community-centred services in spring 2014.

The 20,000-sq.ft. $13-million facility is slated to have all its services fully operational – including 10 beds for children under the age of 19 who have life-threatening illnesses – by 2017.

The facility provides specialized pediatric palliative care and support for families, backed by a diverse group of health-care professionals, support staff and volunteers.

An individual program is designed for each child to best meet the needs of the family. Services include 24/7 doctor and nursing support; end-of-life care; pain and symptom management; respite care; school, music and play therapy; counselling services, and more. For information, visit canuckplace.org.

The Abbotsford Hospice Society (AHS) is building a 20,000-sq.ft. resource centre and adult hospice and is currently in the midst of a campaign to raise the funds needed to complete the facility.

The home-like facility will offer programs and ser-

vices to people 19 years and older who are dying, and to their families. It is named for David Holmberg Jr., who passed away in March 2011 at the age of 48. For more information, visit abbotsfordhospice.org.

Matthew’s House, a program of Communitas Sup-portive Care Society, opened in November 2013. The 4,000-sq.ft. state-of-the-art residence provides a home away from home for up to five kids at a time who have complex physical needs.

Medical necessities such as overhead tracking sys-tems for transferring and full wheelchair accessibil-ity are complemented by a multi-sensory playroom and an outdoor playground. Overnight guest suites allow family members to remain close while taking a step back to rest.

The home is funded completely through the gener-ous support of individuals and community.

Matthew’s House is named in memory of Matthew Froese, who had severe disabilities and died in Au-gust 2010 at the age of nine.

For more information, visit www.mattshouse.ca.

The Campus of Care includes Matthew’s House (left), Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (right) and Holmberg House (not pictured).

Gratitude

Bereaved parents Greg and Karen with son Kairo and daughter Stella Marie

Make a Legacy Gift to Canuck Place by calling Linda Ashton at 604.646.0611.

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The Vamps performed at Abbosford Centre in August as part of Family Channel’s Big Ticket Summer Concert. JOHN MORROW

Music, visual arts and more Plenty to see and do in the arts and culture scene

Abbotsford Centre regularly hosts top musical acts, such as top country group Emerson Drive, who visited the Valley in 2015. JOHN MORROW

With Abbotsford’s high-calibre music and art venues, the long list of local, national and international talents that have performed in

the city just keeps getting longer.

As the Abbotsford Centre continues to grow its rep-utation as a first-class facility, more big-name acts are adding this city to their concert tour schedule.

Ten years ago, the idea that Abbotsford could host country stars like Reba McEntire and Carrie Un-derwood or rock legends KISS and ZZ Top seemed next to impossible.

But now the centre located on King Road has hosted those stars and more. Capable of seating up to 8,500 for concerts, top show business names can be attracted. Since opening in 2009, the venue has hosted the Tragically Hip, Maroon 5, Mega-deth, Alan Jackson and the Trans-Siberi-an Orchestra, as well as family-oriented shows such as the Harlem Globe-trotters, Sesame Street Live and Disney on Ice.

Abbotsford Centre was also picked as one of only two Canadian stops on the latest tour of Cirque Musica – a circus accompanied by a 40-piece orches-tra.

While the performing arts have a top-notch local facility, Abbotsford also has an artistic gem in the community.

The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford opened its doors in the fall of 2008. Located on Veterans Way, The Reach is a 20,000-sq.ft. building containing an exhibition hall, archives, two multi-purpose studios, two community exhibition spaces, art collection storage and museum artifact collection storage. It is capable of hosting world-class travelling exhibits.

Another important cultural organization is the MSA Museum Society, which helps to preserve Abbotsford’s fascinating heritage. Based in the historic Trethewey House on Mill Lake, the museum’s archives include local history documents and an extensive reference

library. The museum offers a wide array of programs and educational presentations, both on-site and in the classroom.

The Reach and MSA Museum Society will merge into one arts and heritage organization, expected to take place in January 2016.

For years, the Kariton Art Gallery has displayed the region’s many talented artists. The Ware Street gallery

is operated by the Abbotsford Arts Council and hosts as many as a dozen shows a year.

Other local venues include the Abbotsford Arts Centre

and the Matsqui Cen-tennial Auditorium,

which have show-cased community theatre and con-certs for years.

Fraser Val-ley Stage, a non-profit the-atre group with a membership of

more than 60 per-formers, has been

presenting musical theatre for almost four

decades.

Another local theatrical group, Gallery 7 Theatre, has spent

25 years presenting thought-provoking plays and workshops for local actors at the Abbotsford Arts Centre.

The Valley Concert Society brings classical music to life with a series of shows at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, a site that also hosts the Fraser Valley Symphony performances.

For those looking for outdoor performances in the summer, the Envision Financial Concert in the Park Series hosts a variety of musical acts at Mill Lake Park. For intimate fall/winter performances, the Envision Financial Coffee House Concert Series brings the audience and performers together at local coffee shops.

Jam in Jubilee is another popular outdoor concert series, running in July and August at Jubilee Park.

Violinist Calvin Dyck’s popular Songs Strings and Steps concert series combines music and the visual arts, and the Valley Festival Singers present concerts in the fall, at Christmas and in the spring.


604.864.5596 [email protected]@AbbotsfordEcDev

The Hub of the Fraser Valley

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTCity of Abbotsford


Since its beginnings just over a year ago, the City of Abbotsford Economic Development Department (CAED) has been developing innovative programs and gathering vital information in order to attract new businesses and industries to Abbotsford as well as support the needs of existing businesses. A creative, energetic Economic Development team provides one-on-one support to businesses, connecting them with the contacts, resources and information they need to thrive and grow in Abbotsford.

“As ambassadors for economic growth, we’ve had a busy first year of establishing some forward-thinking and engaging tools, driven by 21st Century technology.”

- Wendy Dupley, Economic Development, Director

Economic Development: Tomorrow’s Thinking Today.

“As Hub of the Fraser Valley, the City of Abbotsford will reside as the regional centre for communities in the Fraser Valley. This vision sees Abbotsford as home to regionally centralized services and agencies including health care, courts, transportation, the university, airport, provincial and federal government, entertainment & cultural facilities, and commerce.” - Mayor Henry Braun

Abbotsford: A Global Destination

International investment is one of the keys to building a vibrant economy for Abbotsford. It provides jobs, creates economic growth and development and stimulates business growth.

Just recently, Economic Development launched the City of Abbotsford’s first ever International Business Attraction Strategy. The plan focuses on how to share Abbotsford’s story with the international community as the city positions itself to be a global destination in years to come. By leveraging Abbotsford’s key international assets and building on the strengths of three core industry sectors, the strategy defines Abbotsford’s competitive advantage for investment and doing business.

The plan also identifies markets and recommends new ways to bring investment into our growing city. Entitled “Flying Higher in Abbotsford,” the strategy document is available at http://caed.abbotsford.ca/locate-here/caed-resource-library/

Smart Tools

A new stand-alone website featuring Economic Development has gone live. Fresh, inviting and easy to use, the website is uniquely designed for businesses to access information, find resources and connect with Economic Development staff for any kind of support they may need. A key feature is the site’s live chat capability – the first of its kind for Economic Development departments in Canada – which connects clients directly to a team member for an immediate response.

Integrated into the website is an innovative Geographic Information System (GIS) planning tool that provides up-to-date real estate, demographic, and industry data to help businesses and site selection professionals choose optimal geographic locations through powerful online mapping analysis. With all of the critical data that is easily accessed, this interactive site simplifies the process of relocating or expanding a business. Abbotsford is the first city in BC to offer this resource to businesses looking to grow and expand.

Visit the new Economic Development website at www.caed.abbotsford.ca.

Why Abbotsford attracts global business:

• Abbotsford is the most strategically positioned community within Greater Vancouver

• Abbotsford’s transportation network provides affordable, highly efficient access to the whole of Canada, the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Asia Pacific

• Abbotsford is a diverse, livable community within one of the most desired global hubs in the world

University

Airport

Hospital

Key InternationalAssets

KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS• Manufacturing• Agriculture• Aviation/Aerospace

YOUNG, EDUCATED WORKFORCETotal population aged 15 yearsand over in the Labour Force:

70, 535Total population aged 15 years and over witha University certificate, diploma or degree at

bachelor level or above:

15,165

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATIONAccess and proximity to:• Hwy 1 and Interchanges• Metro Vancouver• US border crossings• Abbotsford International Airport (YXX)• Railway (CN, CP and Southern)


Hudson’s Loft This project by Canterra Developments (134 apartments) on Gladwin Road is a part of the larger Central Park Village mixed-use development (townhouses, low-rise and high-rise apartments and office/retail) and comprises the first phase of the development.

Current Development in Abbotsford

LaGalleria Phase one of a 312 unit mixed-use project by Quadra Homes is currently under construction within the City Centre on Trethewey Street.

The Mark Recent winner of a Fraser Valley Commercial Building Award, this 68,000 ft2 office/retail development by Diverse Properties is located within the City Centre; phase one of two is now complete.

Bradner-Mt Lehman Matsqui Prairie

Sumas Mountain

Sumas Prairie

South Poplar

Aberdeen

WestTownline

EastTownline

FairfieldOld

Clayburn

WhatcomMcMillanAbbotsfordCentreMill

Lake

BabichClearbrookCentre

SouthClearbrook

WestClearbrook

Industrial Growth

Industrial Development Permit (DP) applications currently in-stream (black dots) with a total

proposed floor space of 545,000 ft2 are shown to the left. DP approvals to-date in 2015 total

96,000 ft2 of industrial floor space. However, based upon the quantity of in-stream applications

we anticipate 2015 will likely be a banner year for Industrial Development Permit approvals in

Abbotsford. (Statistics are from January 2015 to end of September 2015)

During 2015, Economic Development created the City of Abbotsford Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) program, which focuses on building relationships with the existing 6000 licensed businesses in the community. As part of the program, staff led an inaugural business walk across three locations in Abbotsford to “take the temperature” of businesses in the community. Thirty-eight volunteers – from elected officials to representatives from business organizations – participated and connected with 143 businesses located in Historic Downtown, Clearbrook/South Fraser Way, and Peardonville Industrial area.

The purpose of Abbotsford Business Walks is to connect support agencies to business, share key challenges and opportunities with local decision makers, and identify businesses requiring more comprehensive follow up from Economic Development – all with the goal of fostering business growth in the community.

“Feedback and participation from local businesses has been fantastic,” says Wendy Dupley. “We look forward to future walks in 2016 and the opportunity to discover new ways to serve Abbotsford businesses.”

Economic Development Business Walks Program58%

of businesses rate ‘Location’ as #1 reason for doing business in Abbotsford

25% of businesses rate ‘Clientele’ as #2 reason

for doing business in Abbotsford

71%of businesses interviewed do NOT have a

succession plan

27% of businesses seek support

with Hiring/HR and are challenged with finding skilled workers

53%of businesses interviewed are looking to

hire 1/+ new employee(s)

Business Walk Program finds

93% of Abbotsford Businesses

indicated ‘Steady’ or ’Increasing’ business growth

OVER 70 BUSINESSES have been identified for

follow up support

Over the last 20 years, the City of Abbotsford has grown by more than 50 percent, and we are planning for a population of 200,000. With a significant number of improvements (84 and counting) regarding how development applications are processed, we are ready for this growth and the opportunities it will bring. Below is a snapshot of current development.


The City of Abbotsford is undertaking a once in a generation opportunity to shape the community through the Abbotsforward project, an update to the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP). The completion of the OCP will help shape the community as it grows and provides the certainty that investors are looking for.

Abbotsforward: The City’s Official Community Plan Update

A Four Stage Process

Abbotsforward was launched in the summer of 2014. In Stage 1, staff and a consultant, Dialog, began to study Abbotsford’s current conditions, because to create a vision for tomorrow, we had to understand how our city functions today.

In early 2015, Stage 2 focused on reaching out to all community members and hearing their vision for Abbotsford’s future. With various engagement activities, including an online survey, road show events and neighbourhood walks, we received over 4,000 interactions. These helped us create 7 Big Ideas that we showcased at a Big Ideas Fair in Historic Downtown on June 12 and 13.

Today, in Stage 3, we’re preparing a draft OCP and are back out in the community seeking input from residents and other stakeholders.

Stage 4, the final stage, will refine the draft OCP, obtain the necessary approvals from external government agencies and have it adopted as a bylaw by Council.

CREATE A CITY CENTRE

When asked where the heart of the city is located, all residents will point to the same recognizable place that is the centre of civic, public, economic, and cultural life. This City Centre will have a clear identity and sense of arrival, and will evolve into Abbotsford’s most vibrant area, scaled to pedestrians and rich with diverse destinations and activities.

ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL INTEGRITY

Abbotsford’s agricultural areas – which comprise a long-standing pillar of the local economy and form a vital part of Abbotsford’s character – will be protected as places for agricultural production and processing, and of thriving livelihoods.

MAKE IT WORK

This Plan will reflect a turning point for Abbotsford and will not sit on a shelf collecting dust. Much energy and passion will go into making the Plan real in the face of challenges and tough choices. Implementation, follow-through, consistent commitment, culture change, and capacity-building will all be necessary.

MAKE WALKING, BIKING AND TRANSIT DELIGHTFUL

Residents will choose to get around by foot, bike, and transit because they will be convenient and enjoyable options in Abbotsford. Along with wheelchair use, walking will be safe, accessible, interesting, and enriching, and it will be the first choice for residents for short trips.

DESIGN PLACES FOR PEOPLE

Abbotsford will have attractive and interesting public spaces. While pedestrian-friendly buildings will provide the frame for public life, streets and other open spaces such as parks and plazas will provide the stage. Many sidewalks will be filled with people going about their daily lives, walking, lounging, socializing, playing, eating, kissing, shopping, creating, dancing, exploring, and people-watching.

FOSTER NATURAL BEAUTY

Abbotsford will become both more “city” and more “country”, where the city becomes more urban and the integrity of the country becomes stronger. In the country, Abbotsford’s cherished natural areas will remain intact. Nature will also find its way into the city, with a growing tree canopy and other green and naturalized open spaces.

ESTABLISH DISTINCT NEIGHBOURHOODS

Abbotsford will be a city where neighbourhoods and smaller districts will be as complete and mixed use as possible, while also having their own diverse and distinct character and sense of place. Residents can work, and enjoy amenities and services such as cafés, shops, schools and parks, within walking distance of home.

7 Big Ideas


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A complex organization

The Abbotsford school district operates on a $193-million budget, most of which comes from the provincial government through per-student grants. More than three-quarters of the budget is spent on instruction. The district employs 1,141 teachers, 400 educational assistants and youth care workers, and 74 administrators.

Thousands of students The Abbotsford school district has 19,563 students in 46 schools, including 30 elementary, seven middle, two middle-secondary schools, and seven secondary schools.

Education in Abbotsford: early entry to career launch

From preschool to post-secondary, Abbotsford has many options

F rom a tiny schoolhouse to a thriving system serving thousands, education in Abbots-ford has seen a great deal of change over

the past century.

One of the first schools in the region was the Clayburn Village schoolhouse on Wright Street, which was built in 1908, and is now recognized as a British Columbia heritage site. Built for residents of the province’s first company town, the one-room building provided education for children of workers at the then-remote brick plant.

Area schools grew as settlement did, to eventually create today’s thriving education system. Abbotsford has a public school district featuring numerous spe-cialized programs, a panoply of independent schools offering faith-based instruction, and the largest cam-pus of the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV). It also has some of the most extensive public early childhood programs in the province, plus numerous private preschool options. The area also has multiple theological schools and a wide variety of career training institutions.

Abbotsford’s public school district has an extensive range of specialized options for elementary and secondary students – uni-form-wearing t r a d i t i o n a l schools, an i n t e g r a t e d arts academy, trades train-ing programs, d e d i c a t e d sports streams and even avia-tion and heavy equipment oper-ator courses.

Altogether, cur-rent enrolment is 19,563 students at 46 schools (30 elementary, seven middle, two second-ary-middle and seven second-ary) _ and that number is growing, unlike many other districts in the province.

More than 50 per cent of local public school students attend a high school of their choice, rather than the school in their catchment area. It’s a system that gives parents plenty of options, but has also created more challenges for the district to organize and place all the classes and programs, administrators say.

The district has a $193-million budget for 2015-2016, primarily provided by the province via per-student grants. Of that, $155M is spent on instruction, $4M on district administration, $29M for operations and maintenance and $3.5M on trans-portation and housing. The district employs 1,141 teachers, 400 educational assistants and youth care workers, and 74 administrators – and runs 43 school buses to take students where they need to go.

The local Board of Education is chaired by Cindy Schafer, and the trustees currently in office are Phil Anderson, Freddy Latham, Rhonda Pauls, Stan Pe-tersen, Preet Rai and Shirley Wilson. They’re serv-ing four-year terms which began in the fall of 2014.

Among the city’s leading-edge education initia-tives, Rick Hansen Secondary in west Abbotsford is becoming a specialized science and business

school, with programs tailored to teach students job-ready skills. The school has received an Innovation Partnership grant from the province, with funding for hands-on science projects and new program development. The district also has the Explozone, which will help teachers explore how to create a classroom community that engages students in authentic, real-world inquiry and discovery which connects directly to the new B.C. curriculum.

District superintendent Kevin Godden says en-rolment growth over the past few years has been a challenge, as it can be difficult to predict where in the city new students will come from.

“They don’t always move into neighbourhoods where we have space,” he said.

He said it can at times be a tough

process to match school capacity to enrolment needs in a city as geographically large as Abbotsford.

“It would be easy for me to … ask the government, ‘Give us more money to build new schools,’ but I think the public has some expectation that we find creative ways to find space in our existing schools for the kids,” he said.

The district also offers the Abbotsford Virtual School program, where students can take either on-line or paper-based classes on their own time, any-where. Abbotsford Virtaul School provides course materials, resources, reports, and support for par-ents. Participating students can opt to access clubs, events and class presentations at district schools, and face-to-face tutoring is also available.

Education doesn’t just start at kindergarten and finish at graduation – it’s a lifelong process, and Abbotsford reflects that. Early childhood programs are increasingly being recognized as important preparation for school and life, and the public school district runs parent-participation StrongStart

programs for kids up to five years old at 12 different sites. These popular programs are highly demanded by parents, and district data shows StrongStart participants do better than non-attendees once they start kindergarten.

A public BC Early Years Centre, which pro-vides parents of young children with educational resources, opened at the Sweeney Neighbourhood Centre this year. Abbotsford also has many private preschool programs available, including Montessori schools and arts-focused programs, throughout the city.

There’s also choice when it comes to private education. Abbotsford is a hub for faith-based independent schools. Christian options include mul-tiple large and academically rigorous programs: Mennonite Educational Institute; Abbotsford Chris-tian School, which is non-denominational; and the Catholic schools of St. James and St. Ann’s ele-

mentary and St. John Brebeuf secondary. There are also smaller, more specialized Christian

choices at Cornerstone Christian School, affiliated with HillCity church, and

Sterling Education North’s Abbots-ford campus, affiliated with the

Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. The highly-ranked

Dasmesh Punjabi School provides instruction in English, grounded in the Sikh faith, along with an accelerated Punjabi language program.

The University of the Fraser Valley, the ar-ea’s public university, currently has 15,000 students (including 900 international stu-dents from 45 coun-

tries), 34,000 alumni and 1,500 employees.

Between Abbotsford, its other campuses in the Fraser

Valley, and a satellite campus in Chandigarh, India, it offers

100 programs, including bache-lor’s and master’s degrees, diplomas

and certificates, trades training and ap-prenticeships, plus many continuing studies

courses. The university’s major research strengths lie in agriculture, where it has many partnerships with the local agriculture industry, and in criminal justice, where UFV works with police across B.C. to improve their work and find innovative ways to reduce crime.

As with other public universities in B.C., UFV is working to become a destination of choice for inter-national students. Currently, there are 900, from 45 different countries. The university also has nation-ally ranked varsity sports and plenty of community events and cultural programming.

While UFV is the largest, it’s not the only post-sec-ondary option in the region. The city is also home to Columbia Bible College, a Mennonite-affiliated theological institution which offers bachelor’s de-grees in fields such as Bible studies, counselling and intercultural studies, plus a wide variety of diploma and certificate options. There’s also Summit Pacific College, a Pentecostal-affiliated school with a popular one-year overseas missionary program as well as bachelor’s degrees in various topics.

There are also a number of private career training colleges in Abbotsford, which offer training in fields like legal and medical administration, practical nursing, and esthetics.

To shape the next generation of kids ... is a privilege that we shouldn’t take lightly.”

Kevin Godden


DISTRICT OF NORTH

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• Low construction costs – Most available land is fully serviced with excellent granular soil

• Competitive lease rates, flexible lease terms, and City tax incentives

• Abbotsford Shell Aerocentre FBO and world class flying schools including Coastal Pacific Aviation and Chinook Helicopters

• Excellent Airport infrastructure, including CAT 1 Instrument Landing System, on-site aircraft rescue and firefighting, and a full service Air Terminal Building with Customs and passenger screening facilities

YXX. The future of aerospace is here.

Building for the Future

Contact Us• Established aerospace community with

Cascade, Conair, University of the Fraser Valley Aerospace Centre and others

• Daily commercial flights with approximately 500,000 passengers annually

• High public visibility with Airshow, Aerospace EXPO, Tradex, and commercial jet traffic

• Close proximity to Highway 1, Vancouver, US border, and rail

• The Abbotsford/Lower Mainland region has a vibrant economy, growing population, and an established, highly-trained workforce

• Progressive Airport and City management team that is eager to make development happen at the Airport!

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Approximately 500,000 guests processed annually via daily jet serviced flights withdomestic/trans-border and international connections available, along with several daily Intra-BC flights.

Increasing graduation rates top priority for head school administrator

A bbotsford’s public school district leaders have shaped a vibrant, varied education system, with plenty of choices for students, and that philosophy is reaping dividends.

The district has a six-year completion rate of 89 per cent, as of 2014 – that’s the percentage of students who receive a high school diploma within six years of starting Grade 8. It’s higher than the province-wide average, which is 84 per cent. The local rates have been rising over the years, as have those throughout British Columbia.

District superintendent Kevin Godden says his number-one goal is to try and raise that number to 100 per cent.

“There are no throwaway kids,” he said. “Our ambitious goal is to get all of them there.

“ … that is the ultimate test of the education system. Those kids, you’ve got to be able to find a way to make them successful.”

Godden says one of Abbotsford’s key strengths is its diversity: according to a school district survey, over 60 different languages are spoken in students’ homes.

“One of the key parts of living in a multicultural society is that kids grow up and see their culture and language as part of the program of study,” said Godden. The province’s new curriculum has a strong emphasis on local aboriginal knowledge and on the contributions of British Columbians of all back-grounds, including the South Asian community.

“Supporting and encouraging school communities is something we value tremendously,” he said. “We need to ensure the manner in which we reach out to families and kids reflects our diversity.”

Cindy Schafer, the chair of the Abbotsford school board, said the area’s diverse population has been a strong influence on many

said. “Some schools are over-enrolled, and some schools are under-enrolled.”

He and the school district team are working creatively to maxi-mize use of existing school buildings, Godden added, saying that Abbotsford’s large geographical footprint adds to the challenge. But students and parents have responded positively to the vari-ety of choices in Abbotsford – from uniform-wearing traditional schools to dedicated sports academies, integrated arts classes to hands-on trades training.

Schafer said having a wide variety of choices is important to keep students interested in their education.

“Part of the logic with that has been ‘how do we engage students, and how do we keep them engaged?’ ” said Schafer.

Abbotsford has a reputation as a giving community, and she said that’s often reflected in local schools.

Parents give countless volunteer hours to help school events and fundraisers come together, and local business-es, organizations and charities frequently contribute to enhance local students’ experiences.

“The number of organizations and groups involved in a myriad of different ways in our schools … that’s another factor that’s very unique in Abbotsford.”

Along with the board, Schafer is working on a formal recogni-tion program for people and groups who give back to schools – something she’s excited to roll out soon.

“We can actually recognize, and just say thank you, to some of these organizations,” she said.

school board programs.

“We are constantly trying to adapt and accommodate every-one,” Schafer said. “It’s a challenge, and an opportunity.”

Over her 10 years on the board, Schafer said she’s sought out partnerships with a variety of community organizations — from Abbotsford Community Services to the Rotary Club — to help create and refine programs reflecting the area’s varied cultures and backgrounds.

The district is also diverse in the sheer variety of programs offered — something school leaders agree is great for students, though it can pose some logistical challenges.

“We have career programs that I think only two other districts can rival,” said Godden. Abbotsford is host to the only K-12 level heavy equipment operator program in the province, where students can obtain high school credit while also working towards job-ready tickets.

More than 50 per cent of Abbotsford students don’t attend their neighbourhood catchment high school; instead they opt

for a specialized academy, career training program or French immersion.

It’s created a wealth of opportunity for local kids to learn as they desire, but organizing it all is far from easy. Combined with growing enrolment in many areas, juggling students, classrooms and schools to make sure everything fits is a greater challenge here than in other districts.

“When you have 50 per cent of your student population on the move, they may not go where you want them to go,” Godden

Area’s diverse population an opportunity and a challenge, says school board chair

GODDEN SCHAFER


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New curriculum focuses on more than just memorization

B ritish Columbia schools are undergoing their largest single curriculum change in recent history.

It’s “out with the old, in with the new” on a grand scale: rather than changing what’s taught in classrooms grade by grade, the usual model, they’re swapping out ev-erything from kindergarten to Grade 9 next year.

Major changes include an in-creased focus on aboriginal knowledge and the immigrant exper ience, and an in-crease in les-sons that can include tech-nology in the classroom. The focus is also more on “big ideas” and less on memorization and rote practice.

Teachers throughout the prov-ince have been given 10 hours of non-instructional time to learn about the new cur-riculum, as well as funded local learning sessions.

District superintendent Kevin Godden praises the new curriculum for its flexibility and openness to new technology. He said the district is imple-menting the curriculum with the knowledge that schools, parents and employers all have higher ex-pectations for students than they did the last time

such a major change was adopted, in the 1970s.

“Any system that is faced with these kind of changes is going to have some bumps in the road as people need to unlearn and relearn some things,” he said.

The provincial teachers’ union has called into question the focus on

“individualized” learning, ar-guing that large class sizes

can make it difficult for teachers to tailor the

curriculum to each student’s interests and needs.

But Godden says a change was long-need-ed. With so much information

available instantly through the Internet,

tomorrow’s graduates will need to do more

than just memorize facts to be competitive in the job

market. Instead, the new material is focusing on higher-level skills like

critical thinking, problem solving and collabora-tive teamwork.

The new material reduces the number of “out-comes” asked for each grade, which Godden stresses is not the same as lowering the amount of information students learn. But by not pushing through reams of facts in each lesson, the whys and hows of complex topics can be more deeply explored, he explained.


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The impetus to make this move was the direct result of the popularity and growth of our Honda brand. Further to this, the dedicated team have earned and deserve the opportunity to grow as we prosper, as well as experience the best of the best in our future working environment.

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As a locally-owned Honda dealership, we recognize the importance of providing employment to the community and our expansion will increase the need for more employment opportunities. The more sales and service we provide, simply strengthens

the city’s tax base and infrastructure. It is our desire to foster a sense of community with our new facility.

Honda owners are some of the most loyal in the auto industry and they deserve a new dealership which will impress Honda owners and shoppers alike.

We are proud, thankful and looking forward to spring of 2016!

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THE ABBOTSFORD NEWS

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2015

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University of the Fraser Valley enters its fi fth decade

T he University of the Fraser Valley is the go-to source for post-secondary education in the Fraser Valley.

The university has been changing lives and building community for more than 40 years, and UFV is committed to fostering a strong relation-ship between “town and gown” as it enters its fifth decade.

The university is working with the City of Abbots-ford to encourage the development of the Universi-ty District in the area surrounding its Abbotsford campus on King Road.

Student life on the Abbotsford campus has grown with the 2015 opening of UFV’s first Student Union Building, a partnership among the Student Union Society, UFV, and Envision Financial. The 46,700-square-foot building features many student services, two eateries, an informal hang-out space, meeting and event rooms, and homes for the cam-pus radio station and newspaper.

The community enjoyed the new space when UFV hosted the inaugural “Town and Gown” fundraiser in November, which saw more than $40,000 raised to support student scholarships.

With 15,000 students (including 900 interna-tional students from 45 countries), 34,000 alumni, 1,500 employees, and countless community sup-porters, UFV’s greatest strength is its people.

The university has campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Hope, and Chandigarh, India, while offering 100 programs spanning master’s and

UFV opened its new Student Union Building in 2015, a partnership among UFV, the Student Union Society and Envision Financial.


Abbotsford Location108-2955 Gladwin Rd. | 604-854-8054

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Students fi nd successbachelor’s degrees, diplomas, certificates, apprenticeship and trades training, and continuing studies programs.

Research activity has faculty and students working together on partnerships with the local agriculture industry, the Fraser Valley Regional District, the Hakai Institute, the RCMP, and Natural Resources Canada. Faculty research projects attract provincial and federal funding further enhancing the local economy.

UFV Cascades athletics teams have won national medals, in-cluding gold in CCAA women’s volleyball, silver and bronze in CCAA men’s and women’s golf, and bronze in CIS women’s bas-ketball. UFV recently hosted the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s National Championships in golf, and Cascade Sarah Wierks was named one of just eight national academic all-Cana-dians in 2015 for her achievements in the classroom and on the basketball hardcourt.

The university contributes to the cultural fabric of the Abbotsford community. Last year, UFV produced a play based on the Ab-botsford and Indo-Canadian connections to the Komagata Maru incident. UFV also participated in a 12-hour art marathon at The Reach Gallery as part of the CreatiValley initiative, and was a partner in the Abbyfest multicultural celebration.

UFV’s workforce is an economic engine in the community. Employees live and spend locally, boosting the real estate and retail sectors. A conservative estimate of UFV’s overall economic impact on the Fraser Valley is half a billion dollars annually.

And once UFV’s graduates – more than 2,100 of them last year – hit the employment market, they have additional economic and social impacts. Every day, business people, teachers, nurses, farmers, social workers, tradespeople, childcare workers, and professionals with a UFV background touch the lives of people in Abbotsford and beyond.

UFV alumni find success everywhere. This year’s Distinguished Alumni, Dr. Mike Hildebrand, is a tenure-track professor of neuroscience at Ottawa’s Carleton University. The Young Distin-guished Alumni, Alex Reimer, is a leader in the electrical trade in the oil and gas industry in Fort St. John.

Information on programs can be found at ufv.ca.More than 2,100 UFV students graduated last year, entering the employment market in dozens of diff erent professions and trades.


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Helping the next generation of learners

District increases pre-K programs

T he Abbotsford school district has ventured beyond its traditional kindergarten-to-Grade 12 mandate in recent years to help give younger children some of the tools and skills they’ll need when they enter the classroom.

And the results have already been impressive, with enrolment at the district’s 12 StrongStart sites growing substantially in recent years.

StrongStart is a free program for kids up to five years of age accompanied by a caregiver.

Last year, a total of 1,212 children attended the programs. That’s a 15 per cent jump from the 2013-14 school year and a three-fold increase from just six years prior.

Funding for 10 of the sites comes from the provincial government, with the two other sites funded by the district.

With the program’s increasing success comes some challenges. Attendance at some sites has forced staffers to turn parents and children away some days because of occupancy regulations.

That has officials hoping that the province will increase funding to allow for more of the popular programs. Officials say much of the success is attributed to increasing awareness and word-of-mouth among parents.

The school district has also collected data showing StrongStart is helping children.

Students who were part of a 2009 StrongStart cohort have outperformed their peers in numeracy, reading and writing, according to the district.

More Abbotsford students are facing challenges, however, when they enter school. Just over one-third of students enter school with what the district deems to be some sort of “vulnerability.” Those can range from a lack of emotional maturity, to reading and comprehension difficulties, to physical health issues. A major issue has been social competencies and the ability for children to learn how to regulate their emotions in a controlled setting like a school.

To help incoming children learn such skills, teachers have been using “calm kits” – developed with assistance from the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre – to teach young students skills and tricks to calm themselves and maintain their composure.

Abbotsford also has an Early Years Centre, which is located at a StrongStart site and aims to con-nect parents with resources that promote health, well-being and development of young children.

For more information, visit sd34.bc.ca and look under the programs tab.Young children in the Abbotsford school district can benefi t from the free StrongStart program, which prepares them for kindergarten and beyond.


Home of the TIMBERWOLVESBateman Secondary School has a rich tradition of inspiring excellence in students.

Through collaboration we will continue to expand on opportunities and build programs to meet the needs of students so they may find their passion in life.

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Special needs education: serving students who face unique challenges

A s the general school population in Abbotsford grows, so does the number of students with special needs. There

were over 1,750 students in the Abbotsford pub-lic school system who needed extra support in 2014-2015, up from just over 1,600 in 2011-12.

The increase is largely driven by a growing number of students evaluated with physical dis-abilities, chronic health issues, hearing impair-ments and on the autism spectrum.

The six-year completion rates for students with learning disabilities, behaviour or mental health disabilities are rising in Abbotsford – from 53 per cent in 2009-2010 to 67 per cent in 2013-2014 – as they are throughout the province.

The province continues to move its programs toward an inclusion-based model, where stu-dents with special needs are placed in regular classrooms with extra support when possible. This model is touted as beneficial to designated students’ social development, and to their pre-paredness for the world post-graduation.

The district employs 400 permanent education-al assistants and youth care workers, as well as 150 in on-call casual positions.

Special needs designations span a wide range of situations. Some of the most common reasons for

students needing support are learning disabili-ties, like dyslexia, which don’t impact students’ overall intelligence but can reduce their suc-cess in school if they aren’t given specialized treatment. Other reasons for support include intellectual disabilities, mental illness, physical disability, visual or hearing impairment, and chronic health issues.

In all cases, there’s no one-size-fits-all solu-tion – instead, parents and educators consult to create an Individual Education Plan outlining each student’s unique challenges and goals for learning. Possible responses include sched-uled time in a learning-resource classroom, extra classroom assistance, adapted or modified course work (i.e. substituting out a drawing unit for a student with visual impairment, or offer-ing a low-distraction testing room for students with attention issues). It’s an approach that lets students, parents and teachers work together and continually re-evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.

The district also employs helping teachers, who are specially tasked with assisting students needing particular supports. For example, the hearing-helping teachers help deaf and hard of hearing students adapt course material to suit their unique needs.

Now in our 50th year of business serving the Fraser Valley, Unger’s offers a great selection of major home appliances and home furnishings that meet all budgets and needs. Customer custom orders are always welcome, as we offer a great selection of locally built living room, dining room and bedroom furniture available in a large selection of fabrics and finishes.

With a number of people downsizing and moving into condos and senior housing, we offer smaller sofas and chairs to meet all your needs. Drop by and check out our showroom located on 2 floors across from London Drugs on South Fraser Way in Abbotsford.

We also carry Whirlpool and Danby Major Home Appliances.

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Range of private school options in Abbotsford Faith-based schools provide specialized instruction

Abbotsford has a wide variety of private schools available for par-ents who want to opt for religious or culturally based instruction.

While there are many different programs offered, the area’s independent schools have much in common – all are faith-based day schools, most wear uniforms and all place strong emphasis on academic achievement and community involvement.

Parents choose private schools for a variety of reasons – some prefer their children attend a school that reinforces their religious beliefs, others choose them for their small class sizes compared to public schools, and some want their children to grow up in an environment with a strong sense of cultural identity.

In B.C., private schools receive half of the per-student grants given to public schools, and parents pay tuition costs for their children’s education, though many schools offer scholarship programs or tuition assistance for high-achieving students with financial need.

The largest private school in Abbotsford is Mennonite Educational Institute, with 1,362 students across elementary, middle and secondary schools. MEI offers instruction with a “Christian foundation as understood from an evangelical Anabaptist perspective.” The day school is highly ranked academically, placing in the top 15 per cent of B.C. high schools and the top 10 per cent of elementary schools, according to the Fraser Institute. Families attending one of the school’s supporting Mennonite or Mennonite Brethren churches receive a tuition discount and are given pri-ority in admissions. MEI students wear uniforms, and the school also con-tains a Hockey Canada-accredited hockey academy. The MEI elementary, middle and high schools share a campus in the North Clearbrook area.

The second-largest is Abbotsford Christian School, which has 947 students across its elementary, middle and secondary campuses. Students at Abby Christian can take Advance Placement courses, and the school has special education services and options for English language learners. The school is nondenominational and affiliated with a variety of Christian churches throughout the Abbotsford area. Students applying to ACS are given priority if they attend a Christian church and submit a reference from their pastor, but the school does not require students to be members

specific place of worship, and is ranked within the top 15 per cent of high schools and elementary schools province-wide. The school is on Matsqui Prairie.

The city’s Catholic independent school system has a combined 627 students between St. John Brebeuf high school and St. James and St. Ann’s elementaries, which are both on the same West Abbotsford cam-pus. James and St. Ann’s are in the top 10 per cent of elementary schools province-wide. Students whose families are practicing Catholics and members of local parishes are given priority in admissions.

There are also several smaller private schools in Abbotsford that offer specialized faith-based instruction.

of any specific congregation. Abby Christian is in the province’s top 15 per cent of high schools and the top 20 per cent of elementary schools, according to the Fraser Institute. The campus is in the Sumas Mountain area.

The third-largest private school in Abbotsford is Dasmesh Punjabi School, which combines highly ranked English-language instruction with Punjabi language lessons and classes on Sikh scripture, culture and heritage. The K-12 day school has 778 students. Students learn Indian classical music and tabla drumming, and the school’s acceler-ated Punjabi program allows them to take a Grade 12-level exam in Grade 10. Dasmesh Punjabi does not require students to attend any

Local independent schools such as MEI combine rigorous academics, arts and cultural learning within faith-based programming. JOHN MORROW


Easy Build Structures pre-engineered 2" x 3" galvanized steel framing system uses an unique “slip-fi t” design that simplifi es the installation process with the added strength and durability to withstand our Canadian winters. Whether you are looking for roof-coverage only to protect your fl eet and equipment or fully-enclosed garage packages for workspace or storage, Easy Build Structures has the building for you.

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Learning with an accent on sportsAbbotsford off ers

high-calibre academies

C ombining learning with sports is a strong option in Abbotsford, with five different sports being offered as academy programs.

Abbotsford Middle School can get soccer players ready early, offering extra time on the pitch for students in Grades 6 to 8.

The skill development program works on individual skills, and works with players’ understanding of the game. High-level coaches such as Rob Giesbrecht from the UFV Cascades, work with the children twice a week all year long during regularly scheduled PE blocks.

Past coaches of the academy include former Olympian Alan Errington, UNBC coach Alan Alderson, and Cana-dian men’s team coach Colin Miller.

Students from Grades 6 to 8 also have the chance to hit the ice at the Fraser Middle Hockey Academy. Students practise at least twice a week, and train out of the Ab-botsford Recreation Centre.

The academy specializes in high-performance training and elite skill development, and in-class work occurs at Willam A. Fraser Middle School. It runs from September to May, with 70 on-ice sessions lasting about 75 minutes each.

The next logical step for FMHA students is the Yale Hockey Academy at Yale Secondary. The academy runs from September to June and houses three teams: Bantam Prep, Elite 15 and U18 Prep. All three teams compete in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League for their regular season games.

Players can also sign up for the Skill Development program, which focuses on individual rather than team Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen is one of the highest-profi le

graduates of the Yale Hockey Academy. VANCOUVER CANUCKS PHOTOAnahiem Ducks fi rst round NHL pick Shea Theodore is another local alumni of the Yale Hockey Academy.

CONTINUED ON 37


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Whatcom Road Veterinary Hospital& Abbotsford Veterinary Hospital

are merging to create a 5000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital specifi cally designed to provide all

levels of treatment in a stress-reduced environment.

Most of us are well aware that pets have become important family members. Approximately 65%

of households have pets and 65% of those households view

their pets as family members. And it is not surprising why!

Study upon study has shown that people who own pets have reduced blood pressure, reduced

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improve your health,

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you?

Coastal Rivers Pet Hospital is proud to showcase one of the newest and most exciting animal hospital concepts in the Fraser Valley. The needs of our various pet friends have been carefully considered in the design of this hospi-tal to reduce their stress and anxiety when coming to a hospital for a health examination and possible hospitaliza-tion. The need for rapid diagnostics and treatment has also been taken into consideration.Just what does it take to reduce your pet’s stress at the hospital? Different pet species should be kept separate as much as possible so that they do not see, hear or smell each other. Coastal Rivers Pet Hospital has managed to do this by designing two distinct recep-tion areas (one for cats only), desig-nated species exam rooms, separately ventilated cat, dog and exotic wards and spatial separation of dogs from the other pets. Coastal Rivers Pet Hospital is also ex-cited to be able to offer state-of-the-art diagnostic tools for all the animal companions – including an in-house chemistry lab, the newest in radiology,

ultrasound, and endoscopy. We are the reference site for the brand new high-defi nition Logiq R6 NextGen ul-trasound.Coastal Rivers Pet Hospital offers a wide range of dental and surgery care – from the basics to the more com-plicated. It has two operating rooms, one of which is designed for involved orthopedic surgeries such as cruciate TPLOs and bone plating for fractures. And if your pet has injured them-selves, or is recovering from surgery, they can benefi t from Coastal Rivers Pet Hospital’s physiotherapy room. With class 4 therapeutic laser, an un-derwater treadmill and various other physiotherapy modalities, your pet is bound to feel better soon!Our staff is committed to ever im-proving the care your pet receives. All team members – the veterinarians, animal health technologists, veteri-nary assistants and receptionists – par-take in ongoing continuing education programs. That is because your pets are important! And we want to be the best we possibly can be – for both of you. Abbotsford deserves this!


District Career Programs

Discover Your Purpose: Create Your Future Now

www.abbotsfordcareerprograms.com

Need more information? Contact the District Career Programs Offi ce

604-504-4618 ext 18022606 Alliance Street , ABBOTSFORD

Studentsand parents

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›› Who Can Enrol in a District Career Program?

• any student registered in the Abbotsford School District who meets the entrance requirements

• students can stay registered in their home high schools and still participate in a District Career Program

›› Why enrol in a District Career Program while still in High School?

• early admission to post secondary studies• one year of tuition FREE university credit

• participate in supervised work experience in related career area

• earn dual credits — courses are reported to both the ministry of education and to the post secondary partner

• gain marketable job skills and secure real employment upon completion

›› What District Career Programs are available?

• Trades Programs: Automotive Service Technician (UFV), Carpenter - Green Building (Abby Sr.), Dairy Production Tech (UBC), Electrical (UFV), Hair Stylist (Abby Sr.), Heavy Equipment Operator (Yale), Horticulture (Kwantlen),

Cook (UFV), Welding (UFV)• Technology Programs: Applied Business Technology (UFV),

Architectural Drafting (UFV)• University Transition: Health & Human Services (UFV) and

Aviation Ground School (Coastal Pacifi c)

›› When to apply?• Currently accepting grade

10 and 11 applications for the 2016 / 2017school year

“THE BEST WAY TO PREDICTTHE FUTURE IS TO CREAT IT.”

– ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Schools specialize in hockey, ball and golf

skills. Yale has all the same instructors as the FMHA.

The Yale Academy sees students participate in 75 on-ice and 80 off-ice sessions per year. Some of the alumni include: Vancouver Ca-nucks forward Jake Virtanen, Anahiem Ducks first-round pick Shea Theodore, and Montreal Canadiens first-round pick Noah Juulsen.

Students wanting to join an academy earlier can do so at the MEI Hockey Academy. The academy offers instruction for students from Grades 1 to 12, with age-specific on-ice and dry-land curriculum.

The MEI Hockey Academy runs from Septem-ber to May, and offers about 60 on-ice sessions per year at Centre Ice Arena.

Hockey players can also play with the de-fending BC High School Hockey League Tier 2 champions, the Robert Bateman Timberwolves at the Robert Bateman Hockey Academy.

The academy is made up of Grade 10 to 12 students, and must be registered with a Midget minor hockey team to participate. Alumni for the program include: former Chilliwack Chiefs captain and University of Alaska Anchorage player Eric Roberts and Cameron State college player Chanel Tvergyak.

The academy runs out of Centre Ice Arena during the second semester, and students re-ceive approximately 40 on-ice and 40 off-ice sessions per year.

Yale also offers academies for the boys and

girls of summer.

The Yale Softball Academy runs from Sept. 1 to Jan. 23, and offers 72 training sessions oper-ating out of Exhibition Park and the Abbotsford Recreation Centre.

The academy is offered for Grade 9 to 12 stu-dents, and has classroom sessions on subjects such as sport nutrition, sport psychology, and SAT preparation.

The Yale Baseball Academy, for Grade 9 to 12 students, operates out of DeLair Park and the ARC, and runs from Sept. 1 to Jan. 20. There are approximately 72 sessions, lasting about two hours apiece. Students train either on field or in the classroom from Monday to Thursday, and have baseball specific dry-land training every Friday.

Baseball academy alumni include: Arizona Diamondbacks draft pick Kurtis Kostuk, UBC Thunderbirds product Tyler Dobos and Cloud County Community College players Steven Fed-erau, Matthew Forsythe and Coleton Besse.

Students also have the chance to learn and hit the links at the Bateman Golf Academy.

The program includes about 40 per cent of the time at the Ledgeview Golf Course and Fraser-glen Driving Range, and 60 per cent of the time involving golf specific training, mental training, etiquette, anatomy, rules, and nutrition.

The golf academy is open to students from Grades 9 to 12 and runs in the fall.

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Favourite Car Dealer

THE VALLEY’S #1 VOLUME FORD STORE

#1 IN CUSTOMER SERVICE • #1 INVENTORYTHE LARGEST INDOOR SHOWROOM

#1 IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Favourite Auto Repair

LAYNEMAGNUSON

PRESIDENT &GENERAL MANAGER

THE ABBOTSFORD NEWS

A-LISTFINALIST

2015

THE ABBOTSFORD NEWS

A-LISTFINALIST

2015

FROM 35


A city of sportsT he options are endless for sports fans in

Abbotsford.

The community boasts a rich history of passion and high achievement in athletics, and that continues today.

The University of the Fraser Valley hosts the highest level of sport in Abbotsford, with Canadian Interuniversity Studies teams in basketball, soc-cer, wrestling and rowing. UFV also has volleyball and golf programs in the Pacific Western Athletic Association. The UFV Cascades have proven themselves to be national competitors in a number of arenas, winning CIS bronze medals in women’s basketball (2014) and women’s soccer (2010), as well as earning fourth-place finishes in men’s basketball (2012) and women’s soccer (2014). The men’s soccer and basketball teams also earned Canada West bronze medals in 2015.

Directly across the street from the UFV campus is the Abbotsford Centre, which seats 7,000 for hockey and can expand up to 8,500 for other events. The facility opened in spring of 2009, and has hosted a variety of sporting events including the Harlem Globetrotters, AHL hockey, motocross, WWE wrestling, monster trucks and the Masters Grand Slam of Curling.

Other local sports facilities include MSA Arena, a 900-seat ice rink that hosts the Abbotsford Pilots PJHL junior B hockey team; the Abbotsford Rec-reation Centre, which features an Olympic-sized ice sheet, an indoor pool, and two gymnasiums; and Matsqui Recreation Centre, home to a wave pool and ice rink.

Columbia Bible College and its Bearcats ath-letic teams provide a crosstown rival for UFV in volleyball. CBC also field a basketball team in the Pacwest. The Bearcats won a CCAA men’s

volleyball title in 2011.

In the high school realm, Abbotsford is home to perennial powerhouse programs in nearly every sport, including basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling, rugby and track and field. Local high school teams include the Abbotsford Panthers, the Rick Hansen Hurricanes, the Robert Bateman Timberwolves, the W.J. Mouat Hawks, the Yale Lions, and the MEI Eagles.

Ledgeview Golf and Country Club has proven to be a continuous producer of golf excellence, sending forth the likes of former PGA Tour pro Ray Stewart, 2005 NCAA champion James Lepp, and current PGA Tour players Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. Taylor, the world’s former No. 1-ranked amateur, earned his first PGA Tour win at the Sanderson Farms Championship in November 2014.

Among Abbotsford’s elite sports clubs, the Valley Royals track and field program, Abbotsford Mag-nuson Ford Soccer Club, Matsqui Blades speed skating club and Twisters Gymnastics have all sent athletes to the Olympic Games. Other high-calibre sports associations train athletes in hockey, base-ball, fastpitch, swimming, football, rope skipping, figure skating, cheerleading, rugby and lacrosse.

Abbotsford Minor Hockey Association product Jake Virtanen made his NHL debut with the Van-couver Canucks in October 2015, and he joins a number of other NHLers such as Calgary Flames forward Derek Grant and Chicago Blackhawks forward Kyle Cumiskey.

Abbotsford also offers plenty of choices of rec-reational leagues for adults, with options ranging from curling to basketball to slo-pitch to touch football.W.J. Mouat fans cheer on the Hawks’ football team. JOHN MORROW


Butch and staff proudly offer a variety of services

Q What kind of auto repairsdo you offer at Butchs?

A We’re your one-stop auto maintenance and auto repair shop. When you need car care, take your car to the total car care experts, Butchs. With over 40 years experience we have the expertise to help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road. Don’t forget, your car is one of your biggest investments. Be sure to protect your investment with total car care at Butchs. Call today to schedule your appointment.

Butchs Brake & Muffl er Ltd. is family-owned and operated. Butchs opened in Surrey in November 1994 and opened their second location in Abbotsford in April 2009.

Living in Abbotsford, they thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to show the community that the business of repairing vehicles didn’t have to be a stressful experience. When customers are armed with knowledge

they need to make an informed decision about their repair, the stress disappears!

Butchs often supports local churches, agencies and associations that have members requiring help to get their broken vehicles back on the road, allowing them to get their life back to normal. Butch is grateful to have made these friends in the community.

Butchs mechanics

are regularly sent for training courses and have some of the most highly-trained professionals in the Lower Mainland. From diagnostic technicians to oil change technicians, all their staff are trained to the highest standards.

Referrals are always appreciated and are a large part of our success. Thank you to all our customers who have sent a friend or family member to see us.

BUTCHS BRAKE & MUFFLER LTD.Your Complete Auto Care Center Since 1994

OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY

South Fraser Way

Langd

on S

treet

Butchs

Brake &

Muffler

Co

urtH

ouse

City

Hall

BRAKE & MUFFLER LTD.Your Complete Auto Care Center Since 1994

• AirCare • Exhaust • Brakes • Timing Belts • Suspension• Tune-Ups • Check Engine • Water Pumps

• Transmissions and Alignments• Air Conditioning Services • Oil Changes & Much More!

FREETIMING BELTwith timing belt repair

Ask about when your vehiclemanufacturer suggests

replacement.(Failure to do this repair can result in a

major engine failure)

up to$50OFF

TUNEUPSPECIAL

BRAKEINSPECTION

OR

EXHAUSTINSPECTION

OIL CHANGEUp to 5L Standard Oil

Includes Filterand Tire Rotation

$4599off a basictuneup

$25off a majortuneup

$50

Enviro Levy & Taxes Extra

FREEPresent this Coupon.

Cannot be combinedwith any other offer.

Present this Coupon.


Call for details



ABBOTSFORD: 32240 South Fraser Way

604-746-2065 SURREY: 13433 King George Blvd.

604-583-0522

A customer once said to us: “I can go anywhere and be treated like a nobody but I come to Butchs because they treat me like a somebody.”

Butch

C O N S U M E R A DV I C E


Locally Owned and Operated

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20645 Langley BypassLangley

604-532-1167

1365 United Blvd.Coquitlam

604-777-1365

1425 Sumas WayAbbotsford

604-864-9062

THE ABBOTSFORD NEWS A-LIST

WINNER

2015

FAVOURITE FURNITURE STORE

special features - abbotsford in action - 2015

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