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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • JULY 2019


Farmers institute members discuss ALR changes Comox Valley farmer makes case to BC ombudsperson


by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER


NANOOSE BAY—Over 50 farmers and landowners concerned about changes to the Agricultural Land Commission Act met with Liberal agriculture co-critic Ian Paton, Parksville-Qualicum Liberal MLA Michelle Stilwell, regional district directors, municipal councillors and the Parksville Chamber of


Commerce in Nanoose Bay on June 17.


The meeting was


organized by District A Farmers' Institute president Janet Thony in response to requests from members throughout the catchment area of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and Gulf Islands. The focus included Bill 52, passed last fall, which (among other things) regulated residential


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construction on farmland. Residences under “substantial construction” by November 5, 2019 would be exempt from the rules, but the provisions were implemented on February 22 without warning, meaning many owners didn’t have all the required approvals. This created confusion for municipalities and applicants. Bill 15, which the


government pushed through just before the summer recess, was also discussed at the meeting. The new law prohibits landowners from filing applications to exclude land from Agricultural Land Reserve and eliminated the system of regional panels for deciding applications. “The actions of the


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government have far- reaching effects,” says Thony. “It no longer allows for farming families to live together on the same piece of land, and there are a whole bunch of impacts that come out of that.” Paton took up the theme in his comments. “The government is


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worrying more about farmland and not farmers,” says Paton, who represents Delta South in the legislature and still lives on the family farm where he grew up. “Having family members on the farm is important. They are not allowing young farmers to think outside the box.”


Several property owners at the meeting described situations where multiple generations pooled resources to purchase farmland. In some cases, seniors downsized to contribute to these purchases in order to provide support for each other. “This creates elder care in place for aging parents and


Liberal agriculture co-critic Ian Paton [BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER PHOTO]


childcare for parents working on the farm” says Thony. Many families were caught without the necessary approvals and permits to build second dwellings when the new regulations landed in February, leaving them in the lurch and looking for answers. Many local governments were not aware of the implications of Bill 52 or the impending deadline, and had advised property owners that they were compliant with local and provincial law.


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For some District A farmers, the first sign of trouble was a call from Larry Huston of Triple R Modular Homes in Merville. “A customer called us to stop delivery of their modular for their farm because they were turned down by the ALC. I called to tell customers


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planning to have second dwellings that they better look into this,” says Huston. “They have deposits on them and now we can't move them. The government needs to show some common sense with some feet on the ground.” Comox Valley resident


Meghan McPherson started a Facebook group, “Changes to Bill 52,” which has been collecting stories from affected families around the province. Her own situation led her to file a complaint with the Office of the BC Ombudsperson, which says the matter meets the criteria for a systemic investigation. Among the issues are the widespread impact of the regulation, the fact it was implemented with little notice and created significant financial hardship for those affected. McPherson also encourages people to contact the BC Seniors Advocacy Group if those affected by this are experiencing housing insecurity. Stilwell said the bills were pushed through and she didn't have an opportunity to voice her concerns, especially regarding the need for more discussion with farmers. Some farmers at the meeting did make the point that the Agricultural Land Reserve is not a housing land bank and adding houses increases the cost of farmland, making this a balancing act for all concerned. District A Farmers’ Institute notified the agriculture minister's office of the meeting and invited staff to attend, but a representative was not sent.


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