Strategic Context

The Commission will continue to play the lead role in agricultural land preservation and in doing so, will make a positive contribution towards achieving one of government’s Five Great Goals of leading the world in sustainable environmental management. The Commission’s continuing efforts to work with stakeholders to encourage and enable farming and farm businesses in the ALR will also contribute positively to another of government’s Five Great Goals of creating more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada.

The Agricultural Land Commission operates within a dynamic environment influenced by diverse and often competing interests as well as broader agricultural, land use, environmental, economic and societal trends. To achieve its mandate, the Commission must be cognizant of how these interests and trends impact on its activities and must be prepared to respond to the associated risks and opportunities.

A Commission interacts with a number of key stakeholders and partners, including other government ministries and agencies, local governments, land owners and First Nations. Key relationship issues include the following:

• The BC Treaty Consultation Process seeks to resolve the outstanding claims of First Nations through negotiated settlements. Land offered as treaty settlement land will in some cases include an unknown amount of ALR, placing pressure on the Commission to exclude agricultural land to facilitate treaty settlements. Treaty settlements also present the opportunity for the Commission to develop partnerships with First Nations for the management of agricultural resources on lands within First Nations’ jurisdiction. The Agricultural Land Commission Act provides First Nations with authorities and responsibilities similar to local governments under the Act, including the ability to file applications with the Commission.
• The recent reorganization of the B.C. government placed the Commission within the purview of the Minister of Agriculture and Lands. The alignment of the Commission with the ministry presents an opportunity to enhance the existing working relationship with the ministry and with other partners with a view to maximizing its effectiveness and contribution to the mandates of both organizations.

Significant trends and strategic issues that impact the Commission include the following:

• Population growth, demographic changes and housing trends such as a declining household size will fuel demand for land to meet housing requirements and non residential development. These pressures will be most evident in the Lower Mainland, southern Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley, which together account for 80 per cent of farm cash receipts. The Commission must work vigorously with local governments and others to preserve agricultural lands in the face of mounting pressure for non-agricultural development.
• Population growth within B.C. and within potential export markets, together with changing consumer preferences, will create an expanding potential market for B.C. agricultural products. The Commission must ensure that the ALR provides B.C. farmers with a secure and flexible land base on which to do business so that they are in a position to capitalize on emerging market opportunities.