The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is BC’s provincial zone that preserves agricultural land for the future. The ALR is regulated by the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) under the ALC Act.
Agriculture is recognized as the priority land use within the ALR, and non-agricultural uses are restricted. If your land is in the ALR, any proposed land-use changes on your property may require obtaining prior approval from the ALC. The ALC requires applications for the following:
- Non-Adhering Residential Use
- Non-Farm Use
- Subdivision
- Inclusion
- Transportation, Utility and Recreational Trail Use
- Soil Use for Placement of Fill or Removal of Soil
- Land Exclusion (Provincial Government, Local or First Nation Governments, and Prescribed Public Bodies only)
All applications (except for Exclusion Applications), will be submitted through the ALC Portal and require a BCeID account.
Find more information on each application type and associated requirements here.
ALC and Local Governments
The ALC supports coordinated and collaborative planning with local governments to ensure agricultural lands are protected. Local governments are usually the first point of contact when someone makes an application to the ALC. Applications are received and reviewed by staff within the District of Saanich prior to Council deciding if the application should be forwarded to the ALC for final decision.
An objective in the District of Saanich's Official Community Plan is to protect agricultural land for current and future generations. Continuing to support the ALR is a means of achieving this. It is therefore important to align with regulations set by both the municipal government and the ALC.
In some circumstances, municipal governments are permitted to be more restrictive than the ALC. When deciding whether to forward an application to the ALC, the District of Saanich strives to align with ALC regulations. Therefore, it is important for applicants to familiarize themselves with the ALC Act, ALC Policies and any pertinent ALR Regulations before making an application.
Policies and guidelines related to common inquiries can be found below:
- Housing Legislation in the ALR
- Accessory Residential Use Structures in the ALR
- Non-Adhering Residential Use Applications
- Necessary Farm Use Structures in the ALR
- Soil or Fill Uses in the ALR
- Agri-Tourism Activities in the ALR
- Farm Retail Sales in the ALR
Residences in the ALR
The ALC permits one principal residence and one additional residence per ALR parcel.
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Parcels 40ha or smaller |
Parcels larger than 40ha |
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Primary Residence |
Maximum floor area of 500 m2 or less |
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Secondary Residence |
Total floor area of 90 m2 or less |
Total floor area of 186 m2 or less |
With regards to the number and size of dwellings that are permitted on ALR properties, the District of Saanich is more restrictive than the ALC.
On A-1 zoned properties outside of the Urban Containment Boundary, Saanich permits one principal residence, which may contain one secondary suite within the principal dwelling, with a cumulative total floor area no larger than 400 m2.