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Homes for B.C. farmers91Ƶ relatives get break from NDP government

Mobile homes on Agricultural Land Reserve 91Ƶgrandfathered91Ƶ for a year
17577396_web1_20190704-BPD-Lana-Popham-beef-day-May14.19.bcg
B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham speaks at Beef Day barbecue, B.C. legislature, May 14, 2019. (B.C. government)

Under pressure about restrictions on additional residences and non-farm uses in the Agricultural Land Reserve, the B.C. government has relaxed its new rules for additional homes on farmland.

The 91Ƶgrandfathering period91Ƶ for manufactured homes occupied by farmers91Ƶ immediate family members has been extended until Feb. 22, 2020, Agriculture Minister Lana Popham announced Thursday. That91Ƶs a one-year extension on the original deadline to have local government and Agricultural Land Commission approval.

The change comes after families bought modular or mobile homes for family members found out their installation was not approved under changes to ALR regulations that took effect in February.

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91ƵAs we91Ƶve worked to make long-overdue changes to help farmers farm, we heard from people living in the ALR, many who said they aren91Ƶt farming but purchased ALR land for residential use,91Ƶ Popham said in a statement issued by the ministry. 91ƵWe understand that some have been caught in the transition. We91Ƶve listened and have given people a bit more time to get their permits in place.91Ƶ

Legislation that took effect in February focused on protecting farmland from dumping of construction soil and debris, construction of oversized homes and non-farm uses. The NDP government also moved to eliminate the two-zone structure of the ALR, which the previous B.C. Liberal government put in place to ease restrictions on farmland outside the major production zones of the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Okanagan Valley and southern Vancouver Island.

The changes also eliminated the six regional panels of the land commission, replacing them with regional representatives on a provincial panel that oversees land use decisions.



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