The province will allow landowners in the ALR to place a manufactured home for immediate family on their properties through July 31, 2021 pending the development of new policies. The province announced the extension on September 4 with the release of a summary of feedback to an intentions paper issued at the end of January. …
Bill 15
Changes to land commission kick in this fall
BURNABY – Changes to how the Agricultural Land Commission does business at the end of this month are raising questions about what the future holds. This summer has seen at least two municipalities move forward with exclusion applications in advance of new rules that take effect September 30. In the six weeks ended August 19, …
Secondary housing consultation
The province is asking for feedback on a proposal that would see landowners within the ALR given the right to have a second home if their local government approves. The idea, first announced by BC agriculture minister Lana Popham at the end of November, is fleshed out in an intentions paper released January 27. “Under …
Province blinks on ALR
VICTORIA—Growing criticism of the province’s efforts to tighten protection of the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve is prompting the province to backtrack on some of the new regulations. A late-night bulletin the BC Ministry of Agriculture posted on June 18 indicates that rules governing second homes in the ALR would allow a grandfathering period. “As the …
ALR changes face review
Recent changes to rules governing farm residences in the Agricultural Land Reserve meet the criteria for a “systemic investigation,” says the office of the BC Ombudsperson. This what the office has told Meghan McPherson, who owns a hobby farm in the Comox Valley. McPherson reported on her discussion with the office during a meeting District …
No changes to Bill 15
Opposition MLAs were unable to secure amendments to Bill 15, which passed third reading on May 30 after the BC NDP closed off debate in advance of the legislature’s summer recess. While the opposition felt there were enough issues with the bill to delay passage until this fall, the government had enough members to pass …