Foreign land buyers hollow out Dunster, BC

DUNSTER – Purchases of swathes of farmland in the Robson Valley by wealthy American businessmen have some in BC demanding restrictions on foreign and corporate ownership of agricultural land.

The issue centres on the small, remote community of Dunster, where Fraser River Landholdings Ltd. has purchased approximately 3,850 acres – much of it agricultural land – since the late 2000s.

Loretta Simpson is a long-time resident of the valley and president of the Dunster Community Association. She says her community is struggling to attract new residents.

“The main concern is no new people are moving in because the corporate interests are buying up the farms,” she says.

Parcel by parcel, Fraser River Landholdings has accumulated acreages in the Dunster area, and many of these lots now have gates and “no trespassing” signs.

Taylor says her community has seen intense population decline, much of which she attributes to the land buy-up.

“The population has decreased by a third to a half … it’s noticeable,” she says.

Read the full article from Country Life Magazine