BC Greens publish farmland ownership plan, pledging to block foreign buyers
The BC Green Party published a plan on October 2 to restrict foreign and corporate ownership of farmland, set up a public land bank for farmers, and let local governments tax land that is not being farmed.
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The BC Green Party published a farmland policy on its website on October 2, saying the party would restrict foreign and corporate ownership of agricultural land, create a public land bank to help farmers access affordable land, and let local governments tax farmland that is not being farmed. The party says farmland prices in BC rose 11.3% in 2024, and these are the party's own figures.
Emily Lowan, the BC Greens leader and candidate for Saanich North and the Islands, announced the plan alongside other candidates. The party's website says the BC Agricultural Land Reserve protects the five per cent of the province with the greatest farming capacity, but places no restrictions on who can own that land.
"BC's food security is becoming increasingly vulnerable," Lowan said on the party's website. "Under the current Agricultural Land Reserve system, there is no restriction of foreign or corporate ownership, and no requirement to farm productive land, leading to the rapid accumulation of B.C.'s farmland by American billionaires."
The party points to the town of Dunster, in the Robson Valley, as an example of what it says is happening. According to the party's website, US-based buyers have purchased 3,500 acres there, pushing up land and home prices. The party says such purchases drive out working farmers and leave farmland idle.
The three commitments in the plan, as the BC Greens state them:
Restrict ownership. The party says it would prevent non-residents and investment firms from buying land in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Create a public land bank. An Agricultural Public Land Bank would acquire farmland and make it available to working farmers at affordable prices, according to the party's website.
Tax unused farmland. Local governments would have the power to impose a tax on farmland that is not being actively farmed, the party says.
The party does not publish cost estimates for these commitments, and the figures cited, including the 11.3% price increase and the 3,500 acres in Dunster, are the party's own numbers and have not been independently checked.
To read the BC Greens' full platform, visit /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party. Nominations in the election close October 3 at 1 p.m. Pacific time. Voting day is October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. Confirm your registration at elections.bc.ca.
Questions this story answers
What did the BC Greens announce about farmland on October 2?
The BC Green Party published a plan on its website on October 2, 2026, outlining three main commitments: restricting foreign and corporate ownership of land in BC's Agricultural Land Reserve, creating an Agricultural Public Land Bank to connect farmers with affordable land, and giving local governments the power to tax farmland that sits unused. These are the party's own stated commitments, and the party has not published independent cost estimates for the plan.
What is the Agricultural Land Reserve and why does the party say it needs reform?
The Agricultural Land Reserve protects land with the highest farming capacity, which the BC Greens say is about five per cent of the province. The party says on its website that while the reserve protects the land from development, it does not limit who can own it. The party argues this has allowed foreign investors and corporations to buy farmland without any requirement to actually farm it, driving up land prices and making it harder for working farmers to afford land.
What is the Agricultural Public Land Bank the BC Greens are proposing?
According to the BC Green Party's website, an Agricultural Public Land Bank would acquire farmland and make it available to farmers at affordable rates. The party says the goal is to connect people who want to farm with land they can actually afford, as rising land prices have put ownership out of reach for many new farmers. The party has not published details on how much the land bank would cost or how it would be funded.
How much have farmland prices risen in BC?
According to the BC Green Party's website, farmland prices in BC rose 11.3% in 2024. The party also points to Dunster, a small town in the Robson Valley, as an example: the party says US-based buyers have purchased 3,500 acres there, driving up prices and displacing local residents and farmers. These figures and descriptions are the party's own claims and have not been independently verified.
What has the BC NDP done about foreign farmland ownership, according to the Greens?
The BC Green Party says on its website that the NDP has not addressed foreign ownership of farmland since the party came to power. The party says on its website that 'the NDP have consistently ignored' this issue since 2017. The NDP has not responded to this claim in the BC Green Party's published material, and this site has not sought a separate response.
Who is Emily Lowan and where is she running?
Emily Lowan is the leader of the BC Green Party and a candidate for the Saanich North and the Islands district in the October 24 provincial election. She announced the farmland plan at a press event on October 2, according to the party's website. You can read her candidate page at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/emily-lowan.
Does the BC Greens plan include any specific dollar figures?
The BC Green Party's October 2 publication does not include specific cost estimates for the land bank, the foreign ownership restrictions, or the farmland tax powers. The 11.3% price increase figure and the 3,500 acres in Dunster are the party's own figures, cited on the party website. No independent body has confirmed these numbers.
Where can voters compare the parties' positions on farming and food?
You can review the BC Greens' platform at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-green-party. To see how other parties have addressed food costs and agriculture, check each party's page under /bc/provincial-2026/parties. The election is October 24, 2026, and advance voting runs October 16 to 21. To find your voting place and confirm your registration, visit elections.bc.ca.
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