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Compliance & Enforcement

The Agricultural Land Commission has established its first ever dedicated compliance and enforcement section. The ALC welcomes Ron MacLeod and Thomas Loo as field officers. These individuals will conduct compliance, enforcement and monitoring activities to ensure land in the Agricultural Land Reserve is not used inappropriately. The ALC’s compliance and enforcement section will work closely with its local government partners as well as with government ministries to ensure the preservation of ALR land.

The ALC has a legislative mandate to ensure activities occurring in the ALR are consistent with the Agricultural Land Commission Act, regulation and orders of the Commission. ALR lands are situated throughout British Columbia and total approximately 4.7 million hectares.


Practice Directive of the Agricultural Land Commission relating to appeals of compliance and enforcement orders issued under the Agricultural Land Commission Act
[Jan. 27, 2005]

This practice directive is issued under Section 12 of the Administrative Tribunals Act. It sets out the usual time periods and procedural steps for filing an appeal under Section 55 of the Agricultural Land Commission Act (the Act) of an official’s or the chief executive officer’s determination, decision, order or penalty issued under Section 50, 52 or 54(1) of the Act. It also sets out the usual time period for release of the Commission’s final decision on the appeal and its reasons.

1.Timeline for filing a notice of appeal
1.1 A notice of an appeal of a determination, decision, order or penalty made under Section 55 of the Agricultural Land Commission Act must be delivered to the Commission not more than 60 calendar days after the written determination, decision, order or penalty is personally served on the person.
1.2 It is the responsibility of the appellant to make sure that the notice of appeal is fully and properly completed, including the grounds for the appeal and the relief requested, by any filing deadline.
2.Acknowledging receipt of a notice of appeal
2.1 The Commission will acknowledge receipt of a notice of appeal by sending the appellant a written confirmation, within 10 business days after receiving the appeal and that confirmation will be sent by ordinary mail, fax or email to the location, number, or address set out in the appeal.
2.2 Confirmation of receipt of the notice of appeal does not mean that the notice has been filed within the specified time limit or that all the requirements of the appeal have been met.
3.3. Notifying other parties of receipt of a notice of appeal
3.1 The Commission will send a written confirmation of receipt and a copy of the notice of appeal to the other parties, including any persons the Commission considers are affected by the appeal, within 10 business days after receiving the notice of appeal.
3.2 Persons the Commission considers are affected by the appeal are intervenors to the appeal and may participate in the appeal hearing.
3.3 That confirmation and a copy of the notice of appeal will be sent by ordinary mail, fax or email to the other parties’ and intervenors’ location(s), number(s), or address(es).
4.Determining if all preliminary filing requirements have been met
 The Commission will review the notice of appeal within 10 business days after receiving the appeal to determine if it appears to have been filed within the applicable time limit and if it appears to meet any other filing conditions or requirements.
5.Notice of defect in an appeal
5.1 If the notice of appeal appears to not be filed within the applicable time limit or to not meet any other filing condition or requirement, the Commission will send a written notice to the appellant within 10 business days of its review.
5.2 The notice will be sent by ordinary mail, fax or email to the location, number, or address set out in the notice of appeal and a copy of the notice will also be sent to any other parties to the appeal.
5.3 The notice may also set out any steps the appellant may be able or required to take to properly complete the appeal, and any time limit for that to be done.
6.Appellant and parties to submit summaries of the evidence and submissions, prior to the appeal hearing
 Unless the Commission sets different requirements in an appeal, the appellant and all parties, including intervenors, are required to send to the Commission and to any other parties specified by the Commission:
  • a brief written statement of what the appellant or the party intends to submit to the Commission about the appeal,
  • a list of the names of any persons the appellant or the party may ask to give evidence to the Commission,
  • a brief written summary of what they expect that person will have to say about the appeal,
  • copies of any documents they may be referring to at the hearing,
at least 15 business days before the appeal hearing.
7.Hearing to be scheduled
7.1 The Commission will make its best efforts to set a date for hearing the appeal within 20 business days of the notice of appeal being filed.
7.2 The Commission will decide if the hearing will be in person, by telephone or by other means acceptable to all the parties and will advise the appellant and each party of when, where and how they can participate in the hearing, at least 15 business days before the hearing.
7.3 Notice of the hearing will be sent to the appellant and each party by ordinary mail, fax or email to the location(s), number(s), or address(es) set out in the appeal or as the appellant or the parties may advise.
8.Final decision to be made and sent
8.1 The Commission will make its best effort to make its final decision within 20 business days after the hearing is completed and will give written reasons for the decision.
8.2 Written notice of the decision will be sent to the appellant and each party within 10 business days of the decision being made, by ordinary mail, fax or email to the location, number, or address set out in the appeal or as the appellant or the parties may advise.