Report an ALR Violation or Contravention

Unauthorized uses may include, but are not limited to:

• Fill placement or removal of soil on ALR land;
• Operating a commercial business unrelated to farming;
• Parking or storage of commercial or industrial vehicles;
• Aggregate extraction;
• Construction and use of buildings and residences; and
• Breach of conditions of an ALC decision.

Report a Violation

The ALC responds to information brought to its attention that may involve activity that contravenes the ALC Act. If you witness, are aware of, or have concerns over any activity on ALR land that appears to be unauthorized, please consider submitting the Online Violation Report Form.

The Violation Report Form must be completed and submitted for all complaints from the public or referrals from other agencies. Generally, each complaint/referral is responded to on a first come basis.  In certain cases where impact to agricultural land is increasing, the file may be prioritized based on available resources.

How the C&E Team Responds

The Agricultural Land Commission’s (ALC) Compliance and Enforcement Program’s objective is to gain compliance with the Agricultural Land Commission Act (ALC Act) by working cooperatively with landowners, local governments, and other government agencies. Although every effort is made to encourage voluntary compliance prior to any enforcement or legal action, ALC Compliance and Enforcement (C&E) Officers have the authority to resolve matters of non-compliance by:

• Contacting and educating land owners,
• Compliance Notices,
• Notice of Contravention and
• Direction letters

The officers can issue stop work orders and make recommendations to the ALC Chief Executive Officer to issue remediation orders and penalties. The ALC can also apply to the Supreme Court of British Columbia to assist in enforcing orders.

After a Complaint has Been Submitted

C&E staff will contact the complainant if additional information or clarification of the complaint/referral is required. However, due to the significant volume of complaints/referrals received by the Commission, it is unlikely C&E staff will be able to provide regular updates to complainants. The Commission assures that all complaints/referrals will be logged into the ALC database, reviewed and followed-up.

Thank you for your efforts to help preserve British Columbia’s farm land.

Search for Inspection Records and Orders

ALC C&E inspection records and orders relating to private or public organizations can be reviewed at the Natural Resource Compliance and Enforcement Database (NRCED).