BC Government Will Allow a Secondary Home on ALR Land

BC Government Will Allow a Secondary Home on ALR Land

  • Real Estate
  • Redevelopment
  • Vancouver
August 18, 2021

After officially banning ‘mega mansions’ on farmlands back in 2019, the provincial government has altered several of its previous policies aimed to limit the growth of residential properties on agricultural land reserves (ALR).  ALR property owners (farmers and property owners alike) will be able to build a small secondary home in addition to their primary residence.

The approval process for the secondary homes is only requiring authorization from a municipal government or First Nations. Application to the provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) is not needed.

The size of the secondary home is determined by the size of the farmland and size of the first residence. If the existing primary residence has a total floor space of 5,400 sq ft or less, a secondary residence of 970 sq ft or fewer can be built on ALR properties of 100 acres or less. Secondary homes of non-farm use are not permitted if the primary residence is larger than 5,400 sq ft.

However larger farm properties of 100 acres of more are allowed to have a secondary home with a total floor area of up to 2,000 sq ft, regardless of the size of the primary residence.

The requirement that an additional residence can only be used by the property own or immediate family members has been removed by the provincial government. The policy revisions now allow secondary homes to be used for extended family housing, agritourism, tourist accommodation, housing for farm labour and rental property for additional income.

These revisions take effect on December 31, 2021.

Approximately 47,000 sq km, or 5% of BC's total land base, is currently set aside for agricultural purposes. This is the equivalent of an area over 17 times the size of Metro Vancouver, including the North Shore Mountain watersheds.

According to provincial data, one hectare (2.47 acres) produces roughly

  • 31,000 kg of potatoes,
  • 15,000 kg of spinach
  • 18,000 kg of cranberries
  • 6,000 kg of strawberries

on average in recent years.

Yoyoe Lu

Founder and managing principal
yoyoe@claridgeadvisors.com

Yoyoe is the founder and managing principal of Claridge. She was ranked one of Vancouver’s top real estate agents. Currently, Yoyoe is our strategic mind leading the team to success. Her affiliation with industry professionals put her ahead of our competitors. Yoyoe is also part of the Rotary Club of West Vancouver, Canadian Homebuilders Association, Urban Land Institute and Urban Development Institute.

Ashley Osborn

Development Site and Investment Specialist
ashley@claridgeadvisors.com

Ashely is our lead land and investment advisor. He has been consistently featured in the annual top 100 real estate deals of British Columbia ranking. With over $15 billion worth of domestic and international real estate investments under his belt, Ashley is one of the top agents in the province. His 20 years of real estate and financial experience make him a master in negotiation and acquisition.

Patricia Wong Chong

Investment and Leasing Specialist
patricia@claridgeadvisors.com

Patricia is our investment and retail leasing advisor. Her experience in brokerage and market research analysis has helped her comprise over $550 million in commercial real estate transactions. Patricia is responsible, detail-oriented, and professional. Her strong work ethic and positive attitude have led her to surpass all her competitors.

Schumann Li

Land Assembly & Residential Specialist
schumann@claridgeadvisors.com

Schumann is a top-producing realtor in the Lower Mainland with more than 30 years’ experience. Over the years, Schumann hasn’t just garnered awards, but the trust of countless customers. Her clients continually refer to her outstanding professionalism, work ethic and poise.

Wendy Kaip

Sales Associate
wendy@claridgeadvisors.com

Whether it’s decoding city policies, strategizing relocation plans, home sellers looking for a trustworthy advisor to unlock their property’s maximum potential- Wendy is here to help every step along the way.

Prior to real estate, Wendy spent over a decade in the mining industry with her attention to detail, keen negotiation skills, extensive network and strong reputation for getting the deal done, bringing endless value to her current real estate clients.

Whether you are thinking about selling to a developer, or have more questions about commercial real estate, Wendy invites you to connect, to see how she can utilize her expertise and team to help create value and maximize your real estate goals.

Simon Chan

Managing Broker
simon@claridgeadvisors.com

Simon is the managing broker of Claridge Real Estate Advisors Inc. His expertise has helped our agents resolve many difficulties. Not only is Simon knowledgeable with real estate legislation, but he is also very detail orientated. With Simon on our team, our agents are confident to conduct businesses and will always get the support they need to ensure they’re not walking on dirty water.

Frank Zhou

Analyst
frank@claridgeadvisors.com

As the analyst of the company, my key job is to help brokers to find marketable clients and locate feasible development sites by collecting and analyzing up-to-date market transaction data and conducting target market and property-level research. Meanwhile, I am also in charge of maintaining the company’s property database to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness and continuously upgrading the level of knowledge by staying up to date with hot topics, and market trends, and incorporating findings into everyday work. Before joining the company, I worked for CR Group as a real estate investment manager, focusing on capital raising, equity and debt financing, acquisition and renovation. I hold 2 master’s degrees, one in Housing Management and the other in Economics.

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