Foreign ownership of farmland a hot topic at Sask. Legislature

The issue of foreign ownership of farm land rose to the surface again at the Saskatchewan Legislature.

During Question Period on Thursday, NDP Leader, and Agriculture Shadow Minister, Carla Beck accused the Sask. Party government of not taking the issue seriously. 

"Mr. Speaker, the (Provincial) Auditor and SARM (Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities) have both sounded the alarm when it comes to the wide gaps in the system that supposed to ensure that only Canadians can buy Saskatchewan farmland. Will the Premier finally admit what most people on coffee row already understand, and that is that his government has failed to ensure that...those foreign interests can't buy up Saskatchewan farmland." Beck asked.

In response, Moe noted "increases in the stringency on ownership in this province" and ensured that "there is an ongoing discussion and a committee that is going to be engaging with (land) owners to ensure that we have this right all the time in this province." 

The provincial government's response to the issue thus far includes amendments made to the Saskatchewan Farm Security Regulations last month, to give the Farm Land Security Board greater clarity of when it can give fines of up to $10,000 for each violation of the Saskatchewan Farm Security Act. 

Situations include "a non-Canadian resident or corporation who acquires more than 10 acres of farm land in the province; a Canadian-owned corporation that becomes non-Canadian owned and does not divest itself of holdings over the 10-acre threshold; a person who acquires farm land on behalf of a non-Canadian resident or a non-Canadian owned corporation where that purchase would be in violation of the Act; and a person who has been granted an Exemption to the Act and fails to comply with a term or condition of the exemption order."