Agricultural Land Reserve
Last updated on January 23, 2024The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is a provincial designation in which agriculture is recognized as the priority use. Farming is encouraged and non-agricultural uses are restricted. The ALR protects approximately 4.6 million hectares of agriculturally suitable land across British Columbia.
Agricultural Land Commission
The provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) is an independent administrative tribunal dedicated to preserving agricultural land and encouraging farming in British Columbia (B.C.)
The purposes of the ALC, as set out in Section 6 of the Agricultural Land Commission Act are:
6 (1) The following are the purposes of the commission:
(a) to preserve the agricultural land reserve
(b) to encourage farming of land within the agricultural land reserve in collaboration with other communities of interest
(c) to encourage local governments, first nations, the government and its agents to enable and accommodate farm use of land within the agricultural land reserve and uses compatible with agriculture in their plans, bylaws and policies
6(2) The commission, to fulfill its purposes under subsection (1), must give priority to protecting and enhancing all of the following in exercising its powers and performing its duties under this Act:
(a) the size, integrity and continuity of the land base of the agricultural land reserve
(b) the use of the agricultural land reserve for farm use
Deputy Ministers' Oil and Gas Task Force
After former Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham’s mandate commitment to revitalize the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) and Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), an independent advisory committee recommended that a deputy ministers task force be formed to address issues related to oil and gas exploration and agricultural interests in B.C.’s northeastern regions.
Read more about the work of the Deputy Ministers' Oil and Gas Task Force
Revitalization of the Agricultural Land Reserve
The Ministry of Agriculture works revitalize the ALR and the ALC with input from stakeholders, farmers, ranchers, and the general public.
The former ​Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham’s mandate letter commitment was to revitalize the ALR and ALC. To deliver on this commitment, in January 2018, the minister established an independent revitalization advisory committee for revitalizing the ALR and ALC to provide the Province with strategic advice and policy guidance.
Read the final report (PDF, 10.2MB)
Interim report to the minister (PDF, 1.1MB)
What the committee heard (PDF, 853KB)
A second engagement process was undertaken from September 19 to November 15, 2019, for:
- Supporting farmers and ranchers in the ALR to expand and diversify their business
- Helping new or young farmers become established on the land and in business
- Ensuring there is flexibility for residential options while prioritizing agriculture in the ALR
The input received during public consultations is used to prioritize policy work that addresses these challenges.
The outcomes of this consultation process were published in a “What We Heard” report (PDF, 350KB).
New ALR residential options
A change in rules came into effect during December 2021, which offers ALR landowners increased housing flexibility, with the aim to help both farmers and non-farmers support their families and businesses in their communities.
Options for an additional small secondary home have been added to the regulations, allowing farmers and ALR landowners to have both a principal residence and small secondary residence on their property with a streamlined approval process.
- Only permissions from local government or First Nation government are required
- There is no need to apply to the Agricultural Land Commission
- Filing a Notice of Intent for Soil/ Fill use with the commission continues to be required
- There is no longer a requirement that additional residences must be used by the landowner or immediate family members
- The additional residence can be used for anything from housing extended family to an agritourism accommodation, to housing for farm labour, to a rental property for supplemental income.
Examples of flexible housing options permitted under the regulation include:
- Garden suites, guest houses or carriage suites
- Accommodation above an existing building
- Manufactured homes
The changes respond to the feedback received in regional engagement sessions and in response to the ministry’s policy intentions paper where ALR landowners made it clear in the policy intentions paper (PDF, 85KB) that this type of residential flexibility was wanted.
The Order in Council (PDF, 719 KB) details the new residential flexibility options This guidance document (PDF, 320KB) contains additional information about the changes.
Grandfathering period
The residential flexibility policy did not come into effect until December 31, 2021. This meant that ALR landowners had until that date to obtain permits for a manufactured home, 9 metres width, for immediate family, from their local government or First Nation government.