Can Foreigners Buy Farmland in BC? Fraser Valley Rules

Rules accurate as of October 18, 2026, and they can change. This is general information only, not legal or tax advice. Please speak to a BC real estate lawyer and an accountant before you buy.

Can people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents buy farmland in BC? Yes. BC does not limit who can own farmland, including land in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). But other rules can still apply to a farm or acreage with a house on it, and some of them depend on where the property is. Here is how they fit together for buyers in the Fraser Valley.

The short answer

BC has no rule that stops a non-Canadian from owning farmland. In its response to a 2024 municipal resolution, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food said BC protects farmland through the Agricultural Land Commission Act and the ALR, “rather than through controlling ownership” (UBCM resolution EB71).

That is not the whole story for a farm with a house. Four sets of rules can matter, and each one works differently.

The four sets of rules at a glance

• Federal home-buying ban. Set by the Government of Canada. It can stop a purchase of a covered home in a census area. Breaking it can mean a fine of up to $10,000. Under current law it ends January 1, 2027, unless Ottawa acts.
• 20% foreign buyer tax. Set by BC. It cannot stop a purchase. It adds 20% of the value of the residential part. BC lists no end date.
• Speculation and Vacancy Tax. Set by BC. It cannot stop a purchase. It is a yearly tax: 3% in 2026 and 4% from 2027 for foreign owners. It does not end in 2027, and the foreign-owner rate rises.
• ALR rules. Set by BC (Agricultural Land Commission). They limit how land is used, not who owns it, so they cannot stop a purchase. Applications may be needed for some uses. They do not end in 2027.

1. The federal home-buying ban: what it covers on a farm

The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act has been in force since January 1, 2023. It applies to anyone who is not a Canadian citizen, a person registered under the Indian Act, or a permanent resident. It also applies to foreign corporations and to some Canadian corporations that a non-Canadian controls.

• It covers houses. That means a detached house or similar building with no more than three dwelling units, plus the land “reasonably necessary” for living in it. Semi-detached homes, rowhouses and condo units are covered too.

• It only applies in census areas. A census area is Statistics Canada’s term for a larger city and its surrounding communities. Property outside every census metropolitan area and census agglomeration is not covered (Regulations, s. 3).

• Vacant land is not covered. CMHC says that has been the case since March 27, 2023 (CMHC FAQ).

• Buying for development is exempt. CMHC says ordinary repairs, renovations and remodels are not “development.”

• Some people are exempt. Examples are a non-Canadian buying with a spouse or common-law partner who is a citizen or permanent resident, and some work-permit and student-permit holders who meet set conditions.

A non-Canadian who breaks the rule can be fined up to $10,000, and so can anyone who knowingly helps. A court can also order the home sold, and the non-Canadian would receive no more than the purchase price. The sale itself stays valid.

How much land counts? The Act covers the house and the land “reasonably necessary” for using it as a home. Whether that reaches a whole large farm parcel is a question for your lawyer, so please do not assume.

2. BC’s 20% foreign buyer tax: what it is charged on

BC charges an additional property transfer tax of 20% on foreign nationals, foreign corporations and taxable trustees who buy residential property in the Capital, Fraser Valley, Metro Vancouver, Central Okanagan and Nanaimo regional districts. It is charged on the fair market value of the buyer’s share of the property.

On a farm, the tax applies only to the residential part. BC’s page sets out three cases:

• If the whole property is classed as residential (class 1) by BC Assessment, the tax applies to the entire value.

• If BC Assessment classes it as farm land because of an owner’s dwelling or a farmer’s dwelling, the tax applies to the value of the house plus 0.5 hectares (about 1.2 acres) of land.

• If it is a mixed-class property, the tax applies to the residential part only.

Some exemptions exist, for example for a confirmed BC Provincial Nominee buying a principal residence (it can be claimed once). This tax is separate from the federal ban, and the BC page lists no end date. Ask for the property’s BC Assessment class before you write an offer.

3. The Speculation and Vacancy Tax on a farm house

The Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT) is a yearly tax on residential property in listed areas. Those areas include the municipalities in Metro Vancouver (including both Langleys, Surrey, Delta, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows), plus Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission (BC taxable areas).

The rates are charged on the property’s assessed value. For 2026 the rate is 3% for foreign owners and untaxed worldwide earners, and 1% for Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are not untaxed worldwide earners. From January 1, 2027 the rates are 4% and 1%. Owners in taxable areas file a declaration each year by March 31, and exemptions such as a principal residence can apply.

Farms are treated differently. Under the Act, “residential property” is defined by BC Assessment class. Farm land (class 9) is not included. A house classed as residential on farm land is included, other than farm outbuildings, and property assessed at $150,000 or less is excluded. That is my plain-language reading, so ask your accountant how it applies to a specific property.

4. The ALR and non-resident ownership: rules about use, not owners

The ALR protects land for farming, and the ALC’s rules on buying and owning ALR land apply to every owner. Nothing in them depends on where the owner lives. For a buyer who plans to live on the land, the limits on housing matter most (ALC: Housing in the ALR):

• One principal residence. Most ALR properties can have one, up to 500 m² (about 5,400 sq ft) of total floor area, without applying to the ALC. The ALC measures floor area its own way, so confirm it with your designer or local government.

• One additional home, in some cases. It must be detached, the property can have only one home when construction starts, the main home must be within the ALC’s size limit, and it can be up to 90 m² (about 970 sq ft) on parcels of 40 hectares or less. Any fill needs a Notice of Intent to the ALC.

• Anything larger or more needs a Non-Adhering Residential Use application, and approval is not guaranteed.

• Local rules can be stricter. Local governments can limit the number, size and siting of homes.

• Check the boundary. Use the ALC’s ALR map, since a title’s ALR notation is not definitive. If only part of a property is in the ALR, the rules apply to that part.

For more on how these limits work in practice, see my Langley farmland and ALR guide and my post on buying an acreage in Langley Township.

Who owns the land: BC’s transparency registry

BC also keeps a public Land Owner Transparency Registry. It records the people who own or control land indirectly, through a corporation, partnership or trust. A transparency declaration must be filed whenever an interest in land is registered, and anyone can search the registry for free.

What changes on January 1, 2027?

Under current law, the federal ban is repealed automatically on January 1, 2027. Parliament set that date in 2024 when it extended the original two-year ban (Budget Implementation Act, 2024, s. 149).

As of October 18, 2026, no decision on what comes next has been announced. In early October, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters, “We’re looking at all the options that we have in front of us” (Global News, October 13, 2026).

What does not change on that date: BC’s 20% tax, the Speculation and Vacancy Tax (which rises to 4% for foreign owners in 2027) and the ALR rules.

BC held a provincial election on October 24, 2026 (Elections BC). Farmland ownership came up during the campaign, and one party proposed limiting non-resident ownership of larger farm parcels. As of October 26, 2026, no such limit exists or has been announced, but rules may change, so check the current rules before you make an offer.

Fraser Valley area by area

• Langley (City and Township), Surrey, Delta (including Ladner), Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows: in the Vancouver census area for the federal ban, in the Metro Vancouver 20% tax region, and in an SVT area.
• Abbotsford and Mission: in the Abbotsford–Mission census area, in the Fraser Valley 20% tax region, and in an SVT area.
• Chilliwack: in the Chilliwack census area, in the Fraser Valley 20% tax region, and in an SVT area.
• Kent and Harrison Hot Springs: in the Chilliwack census area and the Fraser Valley 20% tax region, but not on the SVT list.
• Hope and rural Fraser Valley areas outside the cities: the census area varies, so check the address. They are in the Fraser Valley 20% tax region and not on the SVT list.

Based on Statistics Canada’s 2021 census areas (Vancouver, Abbotsford–Mission, Chilliwack), the BC list of 20% tax areas, which includes the six Fraser Valley Regional District municipalities and its electoral areas, and the SVT taxable areas above. Reserve, treaty and self-governing Nation lands are treated differently, and census boundaries can be tricky for rural parcels. Check each property’s address. CMHC’s FAQ links to its address lookup.

If you are buying farmland or acreage

• Talk to a BC real estate lawyer first about your own status and which rules apply to you.

• Check whether the address is in a census area, using CMHC’s lookup.

• Ask for the BC Assessment class (farm or residential). It affects the 20% tax and the SVT.

• Check the ALR map, the home-size limits, the additional-home rules and local bylaws.

• Ask your accountant about the SVT declaration and any other tax that could apply.

If you are selling a farm or acreage

None of these rules changes how the ALR applies to your land. Price it for the buyers who are in the market today, and keep your lawyer involved when an offer comes with questions about the buyer’s legal status or financing.

FAQ

Can foreigners buy farmland in BC? Yes. BC does not limit who can own farmland, including ALR land. But the federal ban can apply to a house in a census area, the 20% tax and the SVT can apply, and ALR use rules apply to everyone.

Does the foreign buyer ban in BC apply to vacant farm land? No. The federal ban has not covered vacant land since March 27, 2023. A house on the land can be covered if the property is in a census area.

Is the federal foreign buyer ban ending? Under current law it is repealed on January 1, 2027. As of October 26, 2026, Ottawa has not announced a decision. BC’s 20% tax and the SVT are separate and do not end on that date.

Are there ALR non-resident ownership limits? No. The ALR regulates how land is used, not who owns it. Limits such as the home-size rules apply to every owner.

Does the 20% foreign buyer tax apply to a whole farm? Only to the residential part. On land classed as farm because of an owner’s or farmer’s dwelling, it applies to the house plus 0.5 hectares of land.

Looking at farms or acreages in the Fraser Valley?

Browse my pages for Fraser Valley acreages, farms and acreages, Langley farms, Surrey farms, Abbotsford farms, Chilliwack farms, Mission farms, Maple Ridge farms and Ladner farms. Questions? Please contact me, or call or text me at 604-928-1361.

Disclaimer: This post is general information only and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and every property and buyer is different. Confirm details with a BC real estate lawyer, an accountant and the government sources below before you buy.

Update log: October 18, 2026 – first published.

About me: I’m Jared Gibbons, a REALTOR® since 2015 with Royal LePage Little Oak Realty in Langley, and I’m in the Top 1% of all Realtors in the Fraser Valley.

Sources

1. Government of Canada, Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act (current to September 30, 2026): laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

2. Government of Canada, Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Regulations, SOR/2022-250: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

3. Government of Canada, Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No. 1, consolidation (ss. 236–237, repeal and coming into force): laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

4. Government of Canada, Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1, s. 149: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

5. CMHC, Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act: frequently asked questions (March 3, 2023): cmhc-schl.gc.ca

6. Statistics Canada, 2021 Census, Vancouver census metropolitan area: www12.statcan.gc.ca

7. Statistics Canada, 2021 Census, Abbotsford–Mission census metropolitan area: www12.statcan.gc.ca

8. Statistics Canada, 2021 Census, Chilliwack census metropolitan area: www12.statcan.gc.ca

9. Province of BC, Additional property transfer tax for foreign entities and taxable trustees (last updated June 20, 2025): www2.gov.bc.ca

10. Province of BC, B.C. areas for the additional property transfer tax: www2.gov.bc.ca

11. Province of BC, Speculation and vacancy tax: www2.gov.bc.ca

12. Province of BC, Tax rates for the speculation and vacancy tax (last updated July 3, 2026): www2.gov.bc.ca

13. Province of BC, Taxable areas for the speculation and vacancy tax (last updated December 8, 2025): www2.gov.bc.ca

14. Province of BC, Speculation and Vacancy Tax Act: bclaws.gov.bc.ca

15. Province of BC, Land Owner Transparency Registry (last updated May 12, 2025): www2.gov.bc.ca

16. Agricultural Land Commission, Buying and Owning ALR Land: alc.gov.bc.ca

17. Agricultural Land Commission, Housing in the ALR: alc.gov.bc.ca

18. Agricultural Land Commission, ALR maps: alc.gov.bc.ca

19. Union of BC Municipalities, Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Lands (resolution EB71, 2024, with the provincial response): ubcm.ca

20. Fraser Valley Regional District, Member municipalities: fvrd.ca

21. Global News, “What could happen to home prices if the foreign buyers ban expires?” (October 13, 2026): globalnews.ca

22. Elections BC, 2026 Provincial Election: elections.bc.ca