PlaceDossier / Questions

Is my property in the Agricultural Land Reserve?

The ALR is the province's farmland zone. On land in it, farming comes first and the Agricultural Land Commission's rules apply on top of local zoning.

The report opens at this answer, with the lot drawn on the map and every other check alongside. A PID (on the tax notice or title) always finds the lot; an address works when it's an exact match.

What the answer means

Homes
Most ALR properties may have one principal residence of up to 500 m² total floor area without applying to the ALC. A secondary suite is allowed only inside that house, where local bylaws allow it.
A second home
One detached additional residence may be allowed without an application: up to 90 m² on properties of 40 ha or less, up to 186 m² on larger ones, if only one residence exists when building starts. Local zoning can restrict it further.
Fill and soil
Placing fill or removing soil may need a Notice of Intent to the ALC unless an exemption applies. Building the principal residence may use no more than 1,000 m² of fill.
Subdividing
Land in the ALR can be subdivided only where the regulation allows it or the ALC approves it. A minimum lot size in the zoning bylaw doesn't mean you may subdivide.
Zoning
Local zoning doesn't override the ALR. A use allowed by zoning still needs to be allowed by the ALR rules, and local governments can be stricter.
Part in, part out
If only part of a lot is in the reserve, the ALR rules apply to that part.

The ALR notation on a land title isn't a reliable check by itself: the ALC says titles have been found both ways. The ALC's GIS and mapping staff can confirm a parcel's status. Confirm with the Agricultural Land Commission and the local government before you buy or build.

Source: Agricultural Land Reserve polygons, Agricultural Land Commission (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Housing in the ALR, Agricultural Land Commission (rules summarised in our words, read 2026-10-01); Buying and owning ALR land, Agricultural Land Commission (summarised in our words, read 2026-10-01).

Across BC

Measured by us across BC's municipalities and electoral areas, 4.8% of the land (about 44,825 km²) is in the reserve, in 267 of the places.

50°N52°N54°N56°N58°N60°N135°W130°W125°W120°W115°WVancouver: 2.2%Surrey: 29%Burnaby: 2.6%Richmond: 39%Abbotsford: 70%Coquitlam: 6.3%Kelowna: 32%Langley: 74%Saanich: 17%Delta: 51%Nanaimo: 5.4%Kamloops: 41%Chilliwack: 57%Victoria: –Maple Ridge: 13%North Vancouver: –New Westminster: –Prince George: 24%Port Coquitlam: 16%North Vancouver: –Langford: 2.7%Vernon: 21%West Vancouver: –Mission: 5.7%Penticton: 18%West Kelowna: 7.1%Campbell River: 32%Port Moody: –North Cowichan: 31%Langley: 4.0%Courtenay: 26%Squamish: 5.6%White Rock: –Fort St. John: 20%Cranbrook: 12%Salmon Arm: 30%Pitt Meadows: 71%Colwood: 4.2%Metro Vancouver, Electoral Area A: 0.6%Port Alberni: 4.4%Oak Bay: 8.4%Esquimalt: 8.4%Central Saanich: 61%Lake Country: 30%Sooke: 9.3%Comox: 4.7%Whistler: –Powell River: 13%Parksville: 7.2%Dawson Creek: 18%Sidney: 7.3%Prince Rupert: –North Saanich: 37%Summerland: 36%Terrace: 18%Saltspring Island: 16%View Royal: 1.2%Coldstream: 54%Nelson: –Williams Lake: 9.1%Sechelt: 23%Quesnel: 16%Qualicum Beach: 29%Comox Valley, Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek): 13%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area B: 4.1%Ladysmith: 16%Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area C: 14%Castlegar: 0.3%Revelstoke: 0.3%Kitimat: 2.0%Nanaimo, Electoral Area F: 21%Kimberley: 0.5%Nanaimo, Electoral Area G: 41%Comox Valley, Electoral Area A: 10%Trail: 4.0%Nanaimo, Electoral Area A: 45%Comox Valley, Electoral Area B (Lazo North): 56%Merritt: 31%Nanaimo, Electoral Area E: 14%Hope: 7.8%East Kootenay, Electoral Area C: 10%Fernie: 0.5%Kent: 23%Cariboo, Electoral Area A: 39%Southern Gulf Islands: 12%Peace River, Electoral Area C: 69%Peachland: 7.2%Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area A: 19%Creston: 5.2%Osoyoos: 29%Peace River, Electoral Area B: 7.8%Smithers: 25%Armstrong: 29%Cariboo, Electoral Area G: 31%Spallumcheen: 55%Juan de Fuca (Part 1): 2.5%Oliver: 21%Metchosin: 15%Duncan: –Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area C: 60%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area H: 1.4%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area A: 14%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area B: 4.2%Peace River, Electoral Area D: 20%Cariboo, Electoral Area F: 13%Cariboo, Electoral Area L: 19%Gibsons: 4.7%North Okanagan, Electoral Area C: 3.9%Nanaimo, Electoral Area B: 17%Cumberland: 0.3%Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area D: 14%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area D: 39%North Okanagan, Electoral Area F: 6.8%Vanderhoof: 60%Nanaimo, Electoral Area H: 12%Central Okanagan: 3.5%Bowen Island: 3.6%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area E: 22%Strathcona, Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake): 2.8%Sparwood: 3.0%Rossland: 0.4%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area F: –Cariboo, Electoral Area E: 68%Grand Forks: 18%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area P (Rivers and the Peaks): 15%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area D: 7.9%Golden: 0.5%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area C: 15%Northern Rockies: 0.5%Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area E: 20%Invermere: 12%Port Hardy: –Central Kootenay, Electoral Area E: 1.2%Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area E: 15%Cariboo, Electoral Area B: 27%Lantzville: 5.2%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area C: 20%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area D: 62%Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area D: 3.8%East Kootenay, Electoral Area F: 8.5%Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area F: 22%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area J: 0.4%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area A: 39%Pemberton: 7.6%Nanaimo, Electoral Area C: 1.5%Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area A: 0.7%Lake Cowichan: 1.1%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area L (Grasslands): 26%Mackenzie: 0.3%North Okanagan, Electoral Area B: 8.5%Kootenay Boundary D / Rural Grand Forks: 4.2%Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area F: 1.2%Houston: 49%Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area A: 0.3%Enderby: 15%Kootenay Boundary E / West Boundary: 8.9%Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area C (Part 1): 2.0%Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area B: 0.7%Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area E: 57%North Okanagan, Electoral Area D: 9.6%Central Okanagan West: 5.7%Princeton: 15%Cariboo, Electoral Area D: 68%Elkford: 0.4%Strathcona, Electoral Area C: under 0.1%Peace River, Electoral Area E: 17%Sicamous: 23%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area I: 11%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area H: 20%Tofino: –Highlands: –Fraser Valley, Electoral Area H: 12%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area G: 1.0%Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area F: 1.8%Chase: 8.3%Tumbler Ridge: –Clearwater: 28%Anmore: –Port McNeill: –Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area I: 13%Chetwynd: 5.0%Lillooet: 13%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area G: 1.8%Logan Lake: 0.7%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area A: 0.3%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area H: 5.5%qathet, Electoral Area C: 3.4%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area A: 24%Fraser Valley, Electoral Area D: 2.8%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area F: 15%Ucluelet: –Lumby: 9.4%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area E: 1.4%East Kootenay, Electoral Area B: 22%Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area C: 1.1%Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area F: 4.1%Fruitvale: 0.6%One Hundred Mile House: 60%Harrison Hot Springs: 19%Cariboo, Electoral Area H: 15%East Kootenay, Electoral Area A: 2.8%Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area D: 1.4%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area F: 0.6%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area J (Copper Desert Country): 19%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area K: 4.9%Barriere: 19%Warfield: –Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area B: 2.2%Fraser Valley, Electoral Area G: 45%East Kootenay, Electoral Area E: 11%Ashcroft: 74%qathet, Electoral Area B: 6.2%Burns Lake: –East Kootenay, Electoral Area G: 5.0%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area G: 1.6%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area M (Beautiful Nicola Valley - North): 25%Kootenay Boundary C / Christina Lake: 2.2%Kootenay Boundary, Electoral Area A: 7.5%Keremeos: 23%Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area D: 7.6%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area H: 4.2%Nakusp: 20%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area A (Wells Gray Country): 0.5%Fraser Valley, Electoral Area E: 1.9%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area O (Lower North Thompson): 2.1%Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area E: 3.2%Cariboo, Electoral Area I: 4.0%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area C: 19%Telkwa: 20%Central Kootenay, Electoral Area D: 1.3%Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area B: 4.9%Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area I: –Kootenay Boundary B / Lower Columbia-Old-Glory: 3.4%Sun Peaks Mountain: –Lions Bay: –Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area E: 1.7%Fort St. James: 1.2%Fraser Valley, Electoral Area F: 1.1%Radium Hot Springs: 14%Taylor: 43%Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area C: 1.4%qathet, Electoral Area A: 0.2%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area F: 12%Gold River: –Cariboo, Electoral Area C: 1.2%Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area E (Bonaparte Plateau): 26%Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area B: 17%Salmo: 7.2%Fraser Valley, Electoral Area C: 0.1%qathet, Electoral Area D: 12%North Okanagan, Electoral Area E: 2.8%Strathcona, Electoral Area B: 6.9%Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area D: 0.7%Valemount: 1.3%Kaslo: –Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area I (Blue Sky Country): 9.5%Montrose: –Cache Creek: 13%Fraser Lake: 8.3%Queen Charlotte: –Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area C: –Fraser Valley, Electoral Area B: 1.5%Strathcona, Electoral Area A: 1.0%Hudson's Hope: 42%Masset: 27%Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area G: 1.8%Canal Flats: 27%Mount Waddington, Electoral Area C: –Pouce Coupe: 11%Port Alice: –Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area N (Beautiful Nicola Valley - South): 11%Greenwood: –Mount Waddington, Electoral Area A: –Belcarra: –Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area B: 1.0%Central Coast, Electoral Area C: 0.7%Midway: 61%Cariboo, Electoral Area J: 0.2%New Hazelton: 40%McBride: 35%North Coast, Electoral Area D: 5.0%Clinton: 18%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area E: 22%Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area B: 34%Stewart: –qathet, Electoral Area E: 9.4%Fraser Valley, Electoral Area A: 0.2%New Denver: –Port Edward: –Alert Bay: –Cariboo, Electoral Area K: 23%Stikine Region: –Central Coast, Electoral Area D: 4.0%Juan de Fuca (Part 2): 1.8%Tahsis: –Slocan: –Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area B: 3.2%Mount Waddington, Electoral Area D: 0.6%Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area G: 0.7%Port Clements: 20%Granisle: –Sayward: 11%Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area F: –North Coast, Electoral Area E: 2.0%Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area A: 0.2%Hazelton: under 0.1%Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area A: –Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area B (Thompson Headwaters): 0.2%Wells: –Lytton: –Central Coast, Electoral Area E: –Central Coast, Electoral Area A: –Silverton: –Zeballos: –Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area D: under 0.1%Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area A: –North Coast, Electoral Area A: 0.2%Mount Waddington, Electoral Area B: –North Coast, Electoral Area C: 0.3%

Colour: Share of the land in the Agricultural Land ReserveDot size: population

under 0.1%74%

Most land in the farmland reserve

  1. 1Ashcroft74%
  2. 2Langley74%
  3. 3Pitt Meadows71%
  4. 4Abbotsford70%
  5. 5Peace River, Electoral Area C69%
  6. 6Cariboo, Electoral Area D68%
  7. 7Cariboo, Electoral Area E68%
  8. 8Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area D62%

All 267 places, ranked →

Source: Agricultural Land Reserve polygons, Agricultural Land Commission (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

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