The B.C. government last week passed amendments to strengthen the Agricultural Land Commission, which manages and protects B.C. farmland.
As a result of the legislation, the ALC is now able to:
- boost enforcement in the agricultural land reserve (ALR) by authorizing officials from other government agencies and levels of government to enforce ALC regulations;
- place a five-year moratorium on repeat exclusion applications to the ALC and focus resources on core functions, such as preserving farmland and encouraging farming; and
- charge new fees.
Victoria is also restoring $1.6 million in funding to the ALC.
Last year, Auditor General John Doyle issued a report saying the commission, after eight years of budget reductions, was no longer able to fulfil its duties to protect farmland.
Glen Korstrom
@GlenKorstrom