B.C. farmers markets restricted due to route closures, weather

The Riley Park Winter Market in Vancouver is missing some regular vendors after storms flooded farms and routes to the city.

Still, customers are showing up to shop in the pouring rain, even if their go-to vendors are unavailable.

An Abbotsford farmer who has been coming for a decade is collecting cash, warm clothing, and essentials for organizations that help farmers and migrant workers. Many of the people living in Abbotsford have been severely impacted by the flooding, evacuating their homes and struggling to get livestock to safety.

“The situation is very sad. My heart breaks for the people that are out there. It’s not good,” said Jasbir Mandair, whose farm is on high ground. “We’re safe, but those are our people. We’re all in it together.”

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Another vendor says most of their sales come from farmers markets. Without access, they lose a good chunk of their expected revenue.

“As long as we can get out here on Saturdays and Sundays, we go to Port Moody as well, where it doesn’t make too big of an impact,” said Travis Fortsbauer of Fortsbauer Family Natural Food Farm. “Customers are great. They’re being really, really supportive. A lot of them want to make sure they support local producers, especially at this time.”

Mark Simpson, a winemaker from Siren’s Call Wines in Whistler, missed last weekend’s farmers market. He spoke with CityNews after driving into Whistler to fulfill orders that were delayed by more than a week.

“I go back and forth between selling wine here in the Lower Mainland and being a primary producer at the winery, and when the big event last Sunday hit I was on my way up, so the road closed about two hours after I got there,” he said.

“There’s all this angst of not knowing when we can come home, what’s going on, who’s been hurt, and not enough information as well as uncertainty of when we can keep going.”

Customers came out in the pouring rain to support producers at @VanMarkets but there are some farmers who couldn’t make it because of flooding and highway closures. More coming up on @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/K2d27d8b9S

— Crystal Laderas (@CrisLaderas) November 28, 2021

As a precaution against more extreme weather events, the B.C. government closed several highways Saturday afternoon: Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet, and Highway 1 between Bridal Falls and Hope.

Vendors are hoping to return to their regular markets as soon as they can. In the meantime, they ask for continued support from customers and producers in the area.

“Come and supports us, because we’re going to be here no matter what — rain, snow, sleet, thunder, road closures, washouts — with our bundle of goods,” said Simpson.