Investment in Farmland and Timberland
Since over 35 years, FIAN is helping Canadian and foreign investors to invest in farmland and forests in Canada and manage their investments locally, with “boots on the ground”.
Canadian residents and citizens can purchase farmland and forests without restrictions in most provinces. Rules for investments in Canadian land by foreign individuals and corporations vary from province to province since regulation of land ownership falls under provincial regulation. As a consequence, in some provinces foreign investment in agricultural and timberland is not impossible.
That’s why most of the properties that FIAN has helped to acquire and manage are based in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. These provinces have no restrictions regarding foreign ownership.
Overview of Foreign Ownership Restrictions
in Canada
| British Columbia | No restriction on foreign ownership. Uses of land in the Agricultural Land Reserve are regulated by the Agricultural Land Commission. |
| Alberta | Subject to certain exceptions for commercial ventures (including limited natural resource extraction or processing and residential development), non-residents and foreign-controlled corporations can own up to 20 acres of agricultural land. Foreign Ownership of Land Regulations, Alta Reg 160/1979 |
| Saskatchewan | Non-residents and foreign entities can own up to 10 acres of Saskatchewan farmland. Entities that are partially foreign-owned but controlled by Saskatchewan residents or their farming corporations can own up to 320 acres.The Saskatchewan Farm Security Act, SS 1988-89, c S-17.1, The Saskatchewan Farm Security Regulations, RRS c S-17.1 Reg 1 |
| Manitoba | Non-residents and foreign entities can own up to 40 acres of farmland. The Farm Lands Ownership Act, CCSM c F-35 |
| Ontario | No restriction on foreign ownership. Uses of prime agricultural areas are regulated by planning authorities acting pursuant to the 2005 Provincial Policy Statement. |
| Québec |
Non-residents and foreign-controlled entities must get permission to buy more than 4 hectares (or about 10 acres) of agricultural land from the Commission de la protection du territoire agricole du Québec. |
| New Brunswick | No restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land and timberland. |
| Nova Scotia | No restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land and timberland. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land. |
| Prince Edward Island | Individuals and corporations, including foreign entities, can own up to 1,000 and 3,000 acres of agricultural land respectively. |
| Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut | Ownership of agricultural land is subject to a separate regulatory framework under the Territorial Land Act. |
Source: Gowling WLG
In this context, FIAN has tuned its investment services specifically to non-Canadians to guide them through the process of acquiring land in Canada and then managing it. Here’s what we do:
Develop your investment strategy
- Clarify your objectives in Canada,
- Define the type of Canadian investment best fitted for your overall investment portfolio,
- Identify the ideal province/region/community corresponding to your investment profile.
Identify an investment object
- Screen opportunities for land and forest purchases in the selected geographic areas,
- Identify insider deals,
- Grasp the opportunity when land or forests come up for sale.
Evaluate an investment opportunity
- Inspect property for quality of ground, possible improvements, potential returns,
- Obtain price comparables,
- Contact our network for insider information about deal conditions.
Accompany you during the purchase process
Once we have a “go” from an investor, we execute the deal for our clients throughout the complete bidding & purchase process.
Once the purchasing process has been completed, our Farm Management or Forest Management services ensure that your investment will be efficiently managed to achieve the targeted returns.
