April marked the 52nd anniversary of the adoption of the Land Commission Act, which created British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Reserve. The legislation, which came into being under a BC New Democratic Party government, established a provincial designation that protected approximately 4.6 million hectares of agriculturally suitable land across the province.
The ALR legislation was immediately and decidedly controversial. Opposition Social Credit politicians criticized its scope and reach. For most of the five decades since, governments of a centre-right bent (whether Social Credit or BC Liberal) sought and sometimes implemented changes that had been championed by NDP administrations.
The province has been governed by the New Democrats since 2017. During this time, discussions about the ALR centred primarily on the construction of mansions in land that should have been used for agriculture production. The issue was still contentious, but not something that captured much attention from policy makers.
That was before the start of 2025. Fewer than six months have passed since the second presidency of Donald Trump in the United States began. The reaction from Canadians to efforts—real or perceived—related to establishing a new way of doing business has been positive. We have seen a steady proportion of consumers who are looking at labels more closely and trying their best to purchase produce that is not American.
When we asked British Columbians if it is time to maximize the food production use of ALR land, including land of poor soil quality that is currently not farmable, unfarmed, or used for agricultural purposes, 73 per cent believe the provincial government should “definitely” or “probably” take this course of action.
In legislative terms past, there has often been a disconnect on the future of the ALR from the two main political forces in the province. In 2025, this is not the case. Support for this new way of enhancing food production is backed by sizeable proportions of British Columbians who voted for the Conservative Party of BC (74 per cent), the governing NDP (76 per cent) and the BC Green Party (79 per cent).
The notion of maximizing the food production use of ALR land is popular across all regions, including Northern B.C. (83 per cent), Metro Vancouver (74 per cent), Vancouver Island (71 per cent), the Fraser Valley (70 per cent) and Southern B.C. (67 per cent).
A change of this magnitude comes with challenges. Some believe that allowing food processing facilities on ALR land could increase local value-added food production and diversify farmer incomes, while others are concerned about the effect of allowing too much manufacturing activity.
After pondering each of these arguments, seven in ten British Columbians support allowing food processing facilities on ALR land. Once again, sizeable majorities of voters who cast ballots for New Democrats (73 per cent), Conservatives (also 73 per cent) and Greens (72 per cent) are in agreement.
Aside from any benefits that an increase in local food production may bring to the provincial economy, the situation in the United States is clearly in the minds of British Columbians. There is always the threat of a presidential social media post resulting in tariffs, or a policy change that would wreak havoc for American producers and exporters of the fruits and vegetables that British Columbians consume.
In our survey, almost four in five British Columbians (78 per cent) feel that our food security is threatened, and that the province should take immediate steps to increase the amount of food grown, processed and packaged on the ALR.
For the past few decades, efforts to modify the ALR have rarely united British Columbians. There was no consensus, and the changes that were envisaged by governing parties were summarily rejected by the opposition. This time around, with Trump in the White House, the positive perceptions of British Columbians on a transformation of the ALR span across party lines.
Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.
Results are based on an online survey conducted from August 17-19, 2025, among 802 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
