Following up on the commitment announced by Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick at the annual convention of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, consultation with local governments has begun on the development of a minister’s bylaw standard regarding agri-tourism in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).

As farmers throughout the province are looking for options to increase their economic viability, the draft bylaw standard aims to provide flexibility for local governments to shape agri-tourism in their communities, while following ALR guidelines and minimizing the impact and risk of land being used for non-farming purposes. The bylaw standard will assist local government bylaw development regulating agri-tourism, accommodation and farm retail sales in the ALR.

The consultation includes sharing the draft bylaw standard with all local governments in British Columbia for their input on developing criteria that will work for B.C. communities. The draft bylaw standard reflects previous consultations with some local governments, the Agricultural Land Commission and B.C.’s farmers.

The consultation will be open until Nov. 30, 2015. When the process is complete, the Ministry of Agriculture will review the feedback and submit a final draft for the minister’s approval.

Quotes:

Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick –

“I encourage all local governments to take the time to provide input and be a part of shaping the bylaw standard. Local governments will be able to use the standard to develop their bylaws and give farmers in their communities concise guidelines for agri-tourism uses in the ALR.”

Learn More:

The Ministry of Agriculture discussion paper on proposed minister's bylaw standard:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/agriculture-and-seafood/agricultural-land-and-environment/strengthening-farming/local-government-bylaw-standards/2015_09_14_agri-tourism_discussion_paper.pdf