The short answer

Farm due diligence means verifying the legal, physical and operational condition of the property before you commit. The highest-priority items are usually water rights and access, ALR status and zoning, and soil capability — because these determine what the land can actually produce.

Title & legal

  • Confirm clear title and review any charges, covenants or easements.
  • Check legal description, parcel size and boundaries.
  • Identify any rights-of-way, access issues or shared infrastructure agreements.

Land use: ALR & zoning

  • Confirm whether the property is in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
  • Review local zoning for permitted uses, setbacks and density.
  • Check for any previous ALC applications, orders or conditions on the land.

Water — often the most important asset

  • Verify water licences (surface water) and their priority dates.
  • Check well records, capacity and water-quality tests.
  • Confirm irrigation infrastructure and any water-district or ditch agreements.
  • Understand drought and water-allocation risk for the region.

Soil & land capability

  • Review Canada Land Inventory soil capability classes for the parcel.
  • Look for drainage, flooding or erosion concerns.
  • Consider whether the soil suits your intended crop or use.

Operations, leases & quotas

  • Identify any existing leases, tenancies or grazing agreements.
  • If the operation includes supply-managed quota (e.g. dairy, poultry), understand transfer rules.
  • Check for environmental permits, nutrient-management plans or farm-status requirements.

Buildings & infrastructure

  • Inspect barns, outbuildings, fencing and farm infrastructure.
  • Review septic, power, fuel storage and any waste-management systems.
  • Look for environmental contamination or storage-tank concerns.

Important: This information is educational only and is not legal, tax, financial or regulatory advice. ALR rules, water licensing, zoning and farm-classification requirements can change and depend on your specific property and circumstances. Always verify with the relevant BC authorities and qualified professionals before making decisions.