Saskatchewan has reintroduced a program to encourage the sale of eligible agricultural Crown land to current leaseholders.
The incentive program will provide a 15-percent discount on sales until March 31, 2016. That drops to 10 percent on April 1 and then five percent on Jan. 1, 2017.
This is similar to a program from November 2008 to December 2014 that saw 500,000 acres sold.
The land can be cultivated, grazing or hay land that is deemed to provide low environmental benefits. The province expects 600,000 acres could be sold.
Lessees who don’t purchase land may continue leasing but rental rates on cultivated land will go up about 15 percent next year and 30 percent in 2017.
Agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said the government doesn’t need to own land. More details are available at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crown-land-sale.
