The Capital Regional District has negotiated a massive deal with Western Forest Products to buy more than 2,300 hectares of high-profile waterfront and forest land, days before much of the southwest corner of Vancouver Island was set to go up for sale.

The agreement in principle, with a pricetag of $18.8 million, includes more than 3.5 kilometres of shoreline along Sandcut Beach and the Jordan River surfing beach and townsite. It also takes in land beside Sooke Potholes regional park and areas, such as Weeks Lake, that will add to the buffer around the Greater Victoria water supply’s catchment area and complete the Sea-to-Sea Greenbelt.

Under the deal, the CRD — with the help of The Land Conservancy and hopefully, the province — would buy 49 of the 61 parcels set to go up for sale. Most of the area will be protected as park, but some land on the inland side of the West Coast Road could be sold to help pay for the purchase.

The land being purchased was part of 12,000 hectares the province allowed Western Forest Products to pull out of a tree-farm licence in 2007 without demanding compensation or dedicated parkland. Tree-farm licences allow companies access to Crown timber in return for higher standards of logging on private land.

The decision and potential sale triggered three years of community outrage and protests, including a meeting Wednesday in Victoria that drew more than 400 people.

The CRD will pay its 65 per cent share over three years, the bulk of it from the parkland acquisition fund, which increased in January, and the rest — about $3 million — from the CRD’s water division. Thirty-five per cent of the total cost, or about $6.3 million, will be picked up by non-profits and possibly the province.

“This is a generational purchase,” said Christopher Causton, chairman of the CRD parks committee, who with Juan de Fuca electoral area director Mike Hicks is credited with helping shepherd the secret deal.

“This adds another jewel to the west coast and completes the acquisition plan we started 10 years ago.”

The forest company has agreed to clean up a contaminated site in Jordan River townsite before the land is handed over. Although the deal, which closes in August, will give the CRD the most valuable areas, it was not possible to buy all the parcels, Causton said.

Land around Jacob’s Creek has been left out, although there is an agreement for a right-of-way.

“And we didn’t have enough money to buy Muir Creek. We had to make some tough choices, but I think the public will very much support what we are doing,” Causton said.

“As far as parks are concerned, it really means we won’t be able to make any further acquisitions for five years.”

jlavoie@tc.canwest.com