Should Alberta Simplify Foreign Land Ownership Rules?

Official title: Foreign ownership of land regulations (FOLR) engagement

Closed Regulations & Permits Agriculture & Food Economy & Jobs
Alberta asked whether to cut red tape around foreign ownership of land. Right now, foreign buyers face strict rules when purchasing agricultural or recreational land. The government wanted input on exempting commercially zoned lands and simplifying family estate transfers.

Why This Matters

Own farmland in Alberta? These rules affect who can buy it from you. If you're a foreign national with family here, estate planning just got complicated. The changes could also affect land prices in rural communities.

What Could Change

Commercially or industrially zoned lands could be exempted from foreign ownership restrictions. Family estate transfers between foreign relatives might no longer need Cabinet approval. This would reduce paperwork for lawyers and municipalities handling these requests.

Key Issues

  • Should commercially or industrially zoned lands be exempt from foreign ownership restrictions?
  • Should estate transfers between foreign family members skip Cabinet approval?

How to Participate

  1. This consultation has concluded. Stakeholders including municipalities, counties, and lawyers dealing with FOLR requests were invited to provide input.

What Happened

Feedback was received from stakeholders including Alberta municipalities, counties, and lawyers. The input will help inform government policy on modernizing FOLR application and reducing administrative burdens while keeping private rural lands primarily in Canadian hands.