Land use - residential

The Residential Program provides Crown land for permanent and seasonal residential use by individuals and private developers, as well as Crown land for ancillary residential purposes, including, but not limited to, erosion control, septic fields, and thermal loops. The program also includes land use for group and strata moorage.

On this page

• Application documents
• Who may apply?
• Types of tenure
• Fees and costs
• Additional requirements

In remote areas, where the need for residential land cannot be met by the private sector, Crown land may be available by application in support of an industrial or commercial activity.

Individual applications for new permanent and seasonal tenures will not be accepted except for residual survey lots within an existing subdivision. Applications for the replacement of existing tenures will be accepted.

For housing projects lead by local government or non-profits, refer to Land Use – Community Institutional Program.

Application documents

The following documents should be reviewed prior to submitting your application:

• Residential Policy (PDF, 223KB)
• Sample Site Maps

The following documents must be completed prior to submitting your application:

• Crown Land Application Form (including site map)
• Application Requirements Checklist/Management Plan (PDF, 168 KB)

Who may apply?

Eligibility for residential tenures is detailed in the Eligibility section of the operational policy (PDF, 223KB). There are restrictions on new tenures and obtaining more than one tenure per family unit. For more information or if you have questions please contact FrontCounter BC prior to submitting your application.

Types of tenure

Depending on the intended use, the services and access available, and the required tenure term, a lease or licence of occupation may be issued by the Province.

• Leases are issued where substantial improvements to the land are to be made, or where boundaries are necessary to avoid conflicts with adjacent parcels. A lease may be issued for up to 30 years.
• Licences of occupation are available for uses that are not permanent or where there are specific restrictions or management objectives.
• In the limited circumstances that Crown land is sold for residential purposes, it must meet Land Title Act standards of subdivision. The land will be offered at fair market value of the land.

Fees and costs

For licences of occupation, the rental charged is typically 4.5% of the BCA actual land value or appraised land value. Some exceptions apply for thermal loops, ancillary residential uses, and remote residential tenures. The annual rental for temporary or seasonal residential tenures, including those for remote residential, is 3% of BCA actual land value or appraised land value.

The annual rental for permanent residential tenures, including those for remote residential, is 3% of BCA actual land value or appraised land value for the first year of tenure. For subsequent years, rental will be the lesser of two values:

• The previous year’s rental plus the yearly allowable rent increase as determined by the Residential Tenancy Branch; or
• 3% of BCA actual land value or appraised land value.

For group and strata moorage, the amount of rent is dependent on the size of moorage facility and the number berths.

At no time will annual rent be less than $675 year.

For more details and all other residential uses, refer to the Pricing Policy.

Additional requirements

The most common reason for delay is submission of an incomplete application, which is then returned to the applicant.

If your application is accepted, you'll be notified if Advertising is required. Please wait for confirmation before advertising.