Bill M246 - Small Farms Act

Yesterday, I introduced Bill M246 - Small Farms Act -- A bill designed to help small farms remain financially sustained while protecting the agricultural land they steward.

Across British Columbia, small farms are family livelihoods, local food producers, community anchors, and important contributors to food security. Despite their important place in our province, the current rules governing agriculture land make diversification for small operations challenging and at times impossible.

This bill gives small farms and small farming cooperatives clear practical tools to remain viable while keeping the primary use of agricultural land focused on farming.

The bill defines a small farm as one with annual gross revenues not exceeding $750,000 derived from primary production or onsite processing. It also recognizes small farming cooperatives, allowing small producers to work together on production, processing, and marketing.

A key purpose of this bill is to support value added agriculture.

A key purpose of this bill is to support value added agriculture. Many small farms cannot survive on primary production alone. They need the ability to make jam from berries, cheese from milk, cider from apples, or other farm based products that help them earn a sustainable income.

This bill also recognizes limited agri-tourism as a permitted use, provided the primary use remain farming and the agri-tourism activity is directly connected to the farm products or processes. This would allow for things such as farm tours, educational visits, tastings, workshops, and similar activities, that help connect British Columbians with the people and places who produce their food.

At the same time the bill protects our agricultural land. For farms venturing into agri-tourism accommodations, they would be restricted to 3 sleeping units and limited to seasonal or short-term use only. The intent is farm support, not turning the agricultural land into commercial accommodations.

The intent is farm support, not turning the agricultural land into commercial accommodations.

Finally, this bill would require the minister to publish an annual food production report, outlining progress towards increasing B.C. grown food, and strategies to strengthen provincial food production capacity.

Small farms already operate under extensive regulations.

Today, small farms in B.C. already operate under extensive regulations. Those hoping to expand into agri-tourism, value-added processing, educational experiences or events, face the added challenge of further narrow conditions/regulations, and approval, licensing, compliance, or oversight from multiple separate governing bodies simultaneously.

Depending on their goals, these farmers could face the scrutiny of:

-              Agricultural Land Commission

-              Ministry of Agriculture and Food

-              Regional Health Authorities

-              Local Governments / Regional Districts / Municipalities

-              BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulations Branch

-              BC Assessment

-              WorkSafeBC

-              Technical Safety BC

-              Canadian Food Inspection Agency

For many small farms in British Columbia, diversification is not blocked by a single regulation, but by the cumulative burden of navigating multiple ministries, commissions, regulators, health authorities, and local governments, each with separate rules, approval processes, and the power to deny a project independently.

Diversification is not blocked by a single regulation, but by the cumulative burden of navigating multiple ministries.

Bill M246 does not aim to remove agricultural protections, but instead create a clearer framework that recognizes the economic realities facing modern small farms. The bill attempts to support farms that remain agriculture-first while allowing them additional ways to generate sustainable income from the land they actively steward.

Let’s give our farmers room to innovate while keeping farming at the centre.

May 22, 2026 – The Bill has currently passed its First Reading. It will see its Second Reading take place sometime in Fall 2026.