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  • 20 (1) A person must not use agricultural land for a non-farm use unless permitted under section 25 or 45 or the regulations.
  • (2) A person may apply to the commission for permission under section 25 for a non-farm use of agricultural land if the person
  • (a) is an owner of the agricultural land, or
  • (b) has a right of entry, granted under an enactment, to the agricultural land.

2018-56-12, effective February 22, 2019 (B.C. Reg. 30/2019).

CASE LAW

“Interjurisdictional immunity” doctrine prevents court from enforcing provincial statute in face of federal legislative authority

In February 2007, an easement registered on title to the petitioners’ land in favour of the respondent Nanaimo Airport Commission (“NAC”) granted it “full, free and uninterrupted right” to install and maintain navigational lighting for airport-related uses, in perpetuity. The petitioners purchased the property, on which they operated an organic berry farm, in 2011. In November 2023, the NAC informed the petitioners that the NAC intended to exercise its right under the easement to install two navigational lights on the property to comply with Transport Canada’s latest standard practices. Opposing the installation, the petitioners sought an order under s. 35 of the Property Law Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 377 cancelling the easement and an injunction to prevent the NAC from proceeding with the project. They argued as well that the easement was contrary to s. 20(1) of the Agricultural Land Commission Act, because the property, which was within British Columbia’s ALR, was used by the NAC for non-farm purposes. Held, petition dismissed. The court said the argument about non-farm use of ALR land was flawed because of the constitutional doctrine of interjurisdictional immunity, as interpreted and applied in Quebec (Attorney General) v. Canadian Owners and Pilots Assn., 2010 SCC 39, whereby provincial legislation cannot impede the ability of a federally regulated airport authority to build and operate an “aerodrome” as defined in federal legislation (Zhang v. Nanaimo Airport Commission, 2024 BCSC 2061 (Chambers)).