B.C. Land Matching Program

The current land title system we work within in so-called B.C. and Canada does not acknowledge Indigenous rights to land and title. The current system treats land as a commodity, rather than a relationship. We acknowledge that it is extremely difficult to reconcile Indigenous rights and title within a system with these values. We need systems change.

As an organization working to get new and young farmers onto the land, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, we acknowledge these contradictions, and are doing what we can within systems that are failing so many.

At the same time, we are working on projects to move the needle in a good direction. Visit our blog to see what initiatives we are up to to educate farmers about Reconciliation, and foster relationships and collaborations among settler farmers and Indigenous folks.

Whether you are a landholder or land seeker, there are many factors that impact how long it takes to find a match through the BCLMP. The BCLMP cannot guarantee that you will find a suitable match. 

One factor is whether there is already a potential match for your vision and needs in the BCLMP’s existing land seeker or landholder inventory. If not, the BCLMP will support with outreach to attract potential land seekers or landholders. You can also participate in this by spreading the word in your community.

Another factor is how much time and energy you are able to contribute to the process. Land seekers and landholders who invest in the process are more likely to find a match. This includes spending time developing your vision or business plan, providing information to Land Matchers, being available for site visits and meetings and working through research about relevant regulations or considerations, such as insurance.

For landholders, additional factors may include: 

• How ready-to-farm your land is. For example, if there is livestock fencing already in place and/or the land has been cultivated recently, it may be easier to find a match. Properties that require a lot of upfront time and investment, such as forested parcels, may be more difficult to match.
• What kind of term you are open to committing to. Longer-term opportunities may be more desirable.
• What amenities the land has, such as housing, farm infrastructure, water access and proximity to markets.
• What types of production you are open to. 
• What your expectations are of the farmer, such as rent.

For land seekers, additional factors may include:

• How much experience you have farming and how complete your business planning is.
• What amenities you require on the land, such as infrastructure.
• Your geographic search radius – if you have a very narrow or wide search area, it will be more difficult to find a match.
• Your production type and plans for on-farm activities.

The BCLMP is focused on facilitating land sharing agreements for farming beyond household self-sufficiency. Land seekers may farm (or be planning to farm) full-time or part-time, as a main source of income or on the side, as long as they are producing agricultural products beyond household self-sufficiency. 

We ask that all land seekers:

• Have some agricultural experience (working on farms, operating their own farm, etc.)
• Provide a business plan, or commit to working on a business plan. 

The BCLMP provides support with business planning through self-paced online courses and 1:1 coaching.

There are no age requirements for participating as a land seeker! In fact, the first land seeker to ever register for the program was in his 60s. Many people come to farming as a second or third career and we are excited to support you, whether you are young, young at heart, or young in your farming journey.

Some of the activities that are outside the scope of the BCLMP are:

• Homesteading or growing food for yourself and your family
• Equine stables and other equine-focused training or rehabilitation businesses (except for breeding)
• Forestry and eco-forestry
• Animal boarding facilities
• Animal rescue facilities
• Dog training
• Eco-tourism (if primary business is not food production)
• Native habitat restoration

Land sharing is an accessible way for new and existing farmers seeking land when purchasing land is not an option. Landholders also benefit in many ways from sharing land.

Benefits for landholders may include:

• Rent payments (note: farmland lease rates are often not very high, and not tied to assessed property value).
• Reduced property tax through BC Farm Classification.
• Savings in property maintenance costs.
• Increased property value from land development.
• Ensuring the land is being maintained in a state of agricultural production.
• Supporting farming in your community.
• Mentorship for new and young farmers (match-dependent).

There isn’t a ‘market rate’ for leasing farmland, as the rate depends on a multitude of factors, including but not limited to the quality of soil, water source, historical use and productive potential of the land, infrastructure, type of farm operation, housing, goals and visions of the landholder, etc. 

Generally speaking, the lease rate will be relative to agricultural production value, rather than the real estate value of the land. Rent may be in the form of cash, profit-share, or another form agreed upon by the parties. Each situation is unique, and the fair rate is ultimately between each landholder and tenant farmer. 

We have supported lease agreements for $1 per year to several thousands of dollars per month, depending on what is involved. Get in touch with your regional Land Matcher to discuss your unique situation!

If a landholder wants to obtain Farm Tax Classification, it will be their responsibility to apply for farm classification through BC Assessment before the annual deadline of Oct. 31, and the responsibility of the farmer to provide proof of farm revenue on leased land. A copy of your lease agreement needs to be submitted as part of the application. Rent payments for leasing do not count towards farm income; rather, it is the leasing farmer’s revenue that counts. 

Qualifying for Farm Classification should always be discussed during agreement negotiations, and both landholders and land seekers are encouraged to contact BC Assessment prior to signing a lease agreement to understand the process and determine if the proposed project will meet the landholder’s expectations for Farm Classification. The BCLMP cannot guarantee that program participants will receive Farm Tax Classification.

Please visit the BC Assessment page on Farm Classification for more information: https://info.bcassessment.ca/Services-products/property-classes-and-exemptions/farm-land-assessment/farm-classification-in-british-columbia/Apply-for-farm-classification

The average lease term for matches made through the BCLMP is five years. This includes leases of less than a year and leases of 25 years or more. Many factors go into determining how long a lease should be; most importantly, the needs of both parties. 

Certain production types, such as tree fruits, require longer terms, especially if the farmer is establishing new orchards and investing a lot of capital. Market gardeners generally need five years to see a return on their investment in building soil and setting up infrastructure, and are sometimes open to starting with a shorter-term agreement to ensure it is a good fit before investing into infrastructure. Farmers doing seasonal livestock grazing, haying, or beekeeping may be open to shorter-term agreements.

There is no cost to participate! 

Participants in the BCLMP receive extensive support to find matches and develop legal agreements, including review by a lawyer, at no cost. Similar services provided by a lawyer range in the thousands of dollars (as of 2024), depending on the complexity of your scenario.

The BCLMP is publicly funded through grants and donations. Young Agrarians is a national charity. If you would like to support our work to grow the next generation of farmers, we are always grateful for donations.

Young Agrarians does not provide grants or funding. Check out YA’s Funding blogs, especially the Wage Subsidy and How to Apply for Farm Grants blogs to learn about new funding opportunities and to get some great tips on how to apply for grants. 

While grants can be an opportunity to fund particular projects on your farm, we encourage all land seekers to carry out business planning and assess start up costs and cash flow prior to starting their farm. Grants can be rare, difficult to obtain and generally require that the farmer contribute matching funds. It is uncommon for grants to make up the majority of revenue or start-up cash flow for new farm businesses. Please reach out with questions about business planning for your farm – the BCLMP can support you!

The BCLMP is excited to work with newcomers to Canada who are planning to establish farm businesses. We are not able to provide support for immigration such as work permit and permanent residency applications. All land seekers are asked to meet the same eligibility criteria to participate in the BCLMP, including legal status to live and work in Canada. The BCLMP provides information about regulations and market information for production in British Columbia.

The BCLMP is intended for land sharing agreements where one or more parties are operating separate businesses. Lease and license agreements are the most common form of agreements supported by the BCLMP.

The BCLMP is not able to support employment agreements, sales or purchases of land, or business partnership contracts. We may be able to refer you to relevant professionals. If you are seeking or offering employment, please visit our job board.

The BCLMP can also support farm transitions, including family and non-family transitions, especially where a lease agreement is required to facilitate the transition. This can include transition of the land, farm business, or both. 

Many land seekers are interested in a pathway to land ownership. The BCLMP can support lease-to-own agreements when that is the goal of both parties; that said, entering into a lease-to-own agreement generally requires a high level of trust and relationship building between the parties. They are often formed between parties who start with a simpler land-sharing agreement, which then evolves into a transition opportunity.

If you are interested in pathways to ownership and non-family transition, we recommend you start by reading the BC Transition Toolkit for Non-Family Farm Transfer, and watching our Non-Family Farm Transition Webinar. Successful non-family transitions all start with a relationship, whether that is through a lease, employment or friendship. Over time it is then possible to negotiate pathways to ownership.

The BCLMP has a diverse selection of farmers who are seeking land. Land seekers represent all types of food, flower, forage and fibre production and are at varying levels of experience, from new farmers just getting started to seasoned farmers looking to expand their farm operations. Land Matchers work with farmers to determine suitable matches based on several factors, including but not limited to the type of production they are planning, their geographic scope of search and proximity to customers.

In most cases, the leasing farmer will be operating an independent farm business. This means that they will assume full responsibility for the day-to-day operations of their farm, and are liable for all activities related to their farm. Land Matchers will discuss insurance considerations with landholders and land seekers during initial conversations, as well as during agreement negotiations.

Although land-sharing is often a wonderful experience, it is not risk-free. Completing your own risk assessment and management is an essential part of the land matching process.

Ways to minimize risk in your agreement:

• Know your comfort level and risk tolerance.
• Spend time developing your visions and plans.
• Spend time developing your relationship and agreement.
• Focus on developing your collaborative communication skills.

The long-term success of the match depends on you! A land sharing agreement requires all parties to work collaboratively to build and maintain a strong relationship so that everyone can contribute to farming in mutually beneficial ways. Like any other relationship, this takes work and is not always easy. Minor conflicts, disagreements, and unforeseen circumstances are normal parts of land use agreements. What matters is how everyone can come together to find resolution. Communication is the key to a successful relationship.

By following the land matching process, you can help increase your chance of success by:

• Working with a Land Matcher to find the most suitable match for your vision and needs.
• Doing your due diligence to ensure that the land/land seeker is the right match for you.
• Having a Land Matcher act as a neutral third party facilitator to ensure thorough negotiations.
• Developing a written agreement with clear expectations through the BCLMP.
• Forming a mutual understanding about communication strategies and dispute resolution process for when things go wrong.

Once the agreement is signed, it is yours to nurture. Land Matchers offer continual support if you need help navigating unexpected situations, but they are not able to solve problems for you. The BCLMP counts on each participant to use collaborative communication skills to make a match successful.

The BCLMP can offer some support for agreement renewals, including facilitating conversations and updating documents, depending on capacity. However, the BCLMP cannot provide legal reviews for agreement renewals.

Our land/land seeker inventories are dynamic and always changing. The Young Agrarians Land blog and U-Map are great places to start looking, but we encourage you to reach out to your regional Land Matcher and start a conversation. 

There are farmers and landholders who wish to work through the Land Matchers privately rather than post their opportunity publicly. As well, Land Matchers can access YA’s network and other communities to raise awareness about your land opportunity or land search. Even if you don’t see something posted that would be a good fit for you, we encourage you to connect with us.