Agricultural Land Reserve

The Planning Department of the Regional District can tell you if your land is located within the Agricultural Land Reserve. Basic information about owning property in the RDCK and the Agricultural Land Reserve can be found here: Agricultural Land Information Package

Effective February 22, 2019 the Agriculture Land Commission Act has been amended and the Agriculture Land Reserve Use Regulation and Agriculture Land Reserve General Regulation have been created. Though many concepts contained in the ALCA and its regulations are unchanged from the past, there have been changes to the use of ALR land for residences.

 As of September 30, 2020 Individual landowners may no longer submit ALR exclusion applications to the ALC. The RDCK Board passed the Agricultural Land Reserve Land Exclusions policy. This policy guides the Board’s response to requests by landowners that the Regional District of Central Kootenay apply on their behalf to the ALC for exclusion from the ALR.

 

The ALR Use Regulation has been further amended, effective December 31, 2021, to permit the construction of one additional residence per parcel, subject to specific criteria and to end the prior permission under the ALR Use Regulation for manufactured homes for family members.

  • total floor area of a principal residence must be 500 m2 or less
  • total floor area of an additional residence must be 90 m2 or less if the parcel is 40 ha or less, and 186 m2 or less if the parcel is more than 40 ha
  • any additional housing requires an ALC Non Adhering Residential Use Application

Note that any new residences must also meet RDCK Zoning regulations, which may be more restrictive than ALC regulations.

Agricultural Land Commission application information page
https://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/application-and-notice-process/applications/

Agricultural Land Commission application portal page (requires a BCeID)
http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/oatsp/list?execution=e1s1

Agricultural Land Commission contacts information page
https://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/contact/

Agricultural Land Commission Policies and Bulletins
https://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/resources/alc-policies-and-bulletins/#procedural

It is still highly recommended that you first discuss your proposal with The Regional District Planning Department, to provide input on Bylaw or other relevant issues. 

The content on this page was last updated August 16 2023 at 6:43 AM