Move to stop mega-mansions on swaths of ALR land isn't enough, locals say

The leader of B.C.'s Green Party moved to ban foreign buyers from purchasing big chunks of agricultural land earlier this week a good step, according to locals, but not enough.

On Thursday, party leader Andrew Weaver reintroduced a bill that would bar investors from buying ALR land more than two hectares in size. Weaver initially brought the bill forward in February 2016.

"By allowing ALR land to be subject to international real estate speculation, we are limiting their opportunities to get into this vital, sustainable industry," Weaver said in a statement.

Richmond resident JohnBainessaysmega-mansionshave been cropping up inhis neighbourhood, not far from ALR land, for quite some time leaving him worried that valuable farmland is out of reach for workers.

It's not knownif thesehomes have beenpurchased by foreignbuyers.

"As you can see, it's approximately 23,000 to 24,000 square feet ...it's built on five or six acres [about twohectares] of farm land," he said Friday, pointing to an unfinished homegoing up nearhis own.

"I would suggest to you that a farm worker will never see the inside of this building."

Laura Gillanders works with Richmond Farm Watch, a group of residents who want to preserve farmland in the city. She said Weaver's bill won't stop thatproblem.

"Alot of our farm land is under fiveacres and a lot of our vegetable farms are under fiveacres, so that will not help us alone," she said. "We need more than that."

In May, the City of Richmond saidnew homes on ALRland must be limited to 11,000 square feet in size but properties listed in the fall show bigger homes, built before the new rules came into effect.

Those like Gillandersand Baines have called on the provincial government to make municipalities follow guidelines set out by the Ministry of Agriculture. Those ruleslimithouse sizes to the equivalent of nearby residentialneighbourhoods.

"There'sno reason why the local municipalities shouldn't be following these guidelines," Gillanders said.

Agriculture Minister LanaPopham said she is meeting with membersof the Richmond Farm Watch group in coming weeks to discuss the idea.

With files from Tina Lovgreen