ALR stands for Agricultural Land Reserve and is a type of zoning that is found in rural areas. The intent of ALR is to encourage land protection for agricultural production. Only 5% of land in BC is preserved for agricultural use.

What are the restrictions?

Some parcels of ALR may have exceptions to certain prohibited activities and uses but here are some that are usually restricted:

• Subdividing the land

• Secondary suites: You may only have one

• Multiple dwellings: You may have one secondary residence as long as it is under 968 sqft

• Certain commercial business

Another thing to keep in mind is that there may be additional restrictions registered on the title. Some examples are covenants, easements, and riparian areas. It’s a good idea to ask your real estate agent to review the title if they haven’t already.

Who oversees ALR?

The Agricultural Land Commission makes decisions based on the provincial legislation, the Agricultural Land Commission Act, and associated regulations. In Powell River, we have 4 districts outside of the City limits that help govern ALR. These are the qathet Regional Districts A, B, C, and D.

What is permitted in ALR?

Keep in mind that while these are permitted by the ALC, the local government may restrict certain activities.

• Agroforestry

• Grapes

• Mushrooms

• Berries

• Tree Fruits

• Vegetables (field, greenhouse)

• Nuts

• Grains and oilseeds

• Forage crops

• Ornamentals (floriculture, horticultural, nursery crops)

• Green housing

• Wineries & Cideries

• Storage, packing & processing of farm products

• Timber production, harvesting and silviculture

• Equestrian facilities

• Application of soil amendments

• Farm retail sales

• Temporary or seasonal agri-tourism activities

• Agroforestry

• Production of compost with conditions

• Land development works for farm purposes

This information is not to be relied on, it is to be used as general guidelines. It’s always recommended to double check the restrictions for each property as they are not always the same.

This information was gathered from:

www.alc.gov.bc.ca

www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca

Here are the most common misconceptions of real estate agents:

They only care about selling you a home

We go above and beyond for our clients. It’s about the process leading up to the transaction. Getting to know you, your timeline, and what’s important to you. We strive to achieve the results you want while protecting your interests along the way by being fully transparent, avoiding conflicts, and most importantly, keeping all your information protected.

Once the transaction is complete, you won’t hear from your agent again

Your agent spent the time getting to know you and helping you through the process, they may not connect with you as frequently but you are not forgotten! You may even get perks like client appreciation events and quarterly or yearly updates of market changes. 

Real estate agents will do anything to make a sale

While some agents may have this reputation, many are incentivized to hold themselves to a certain ethical standard with their clients. Agents build their brand on their reputation and hope to obtain referrals through their past and current clients. 

All agents are the same

Real estate agents have unfortunately gotten put under the umbrella of greedy sales people. The media definitely likes to gravitate towards the disgraceful stories that make it seem all agents are untrustworthy or sly. Even though there are agents out there who do fall under that umbrella, we are not all the same! Times have changed and so have REALTORS®.

It’s understandable that when someone has had one or multiple bad experiences with a real estate agent that they won’t want to deal with another one. If this is the case, it doesn’t hurt to have a conversation with a few different agents to find one that works best for you. Buying or selling is a big decision and you want to make sure you are taken care of throughout the whole process.

If you are looking to buy or sell in Powell River, feel free to reach out and let’s have a chat about the market and your next move.

kindrebo@460realty.com