Sask. changes land rules

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Published: July 11, 2002

A British Columbia man is expected to drop his challenge of

Saskatchewan’s farmland ownership legislation after changes were made

to the law last week.

David Dutcyvich challenged the Farm Security Act under the Canadian

Charter of Rights and Freedoms, saying its restrictions on Canadian

citizens were unconstitutional.

Amendments passed July 3 removed the 320-acre limit on Canadians who do

not live in the province.

Joel Hesje, Dutcyvich’s Saskatoon lawyer, said July 8 he had not spoken

to his client, but expected the changes would satisfy him.

“It does appear it will be abandoned,” he said.

Under the amended law, there are no restrictions placed on the amount

of Saskatchewan farmland Canadians can own.

There are also no restrictions on agricultural corporations engaged in

farming and owned by a majority of Canadian resident farmers, or

Canadian-owned entities such as syndicates, joint ventures and

co-operatives that are not publicly traded.

The law retains a 10-acre limit on individual and corporate foreign

owners even though the all-party agriculture committee had recommended

that limit be increased.

About the author

Karen Briere

Karen Briere

Karen Briere grew up in Canora, Sask. where her family had a grain and cattle operation. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Regina and has spent more than 30 years covering agriculture from the Western Producer’s Regina bureau.

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