I have taken the plunge and recently moved to Saskatchewan, Canada and I am looking to buy an acreage so I can ship my horses over. I am being told that as I am not a Canadian Citizen I am restricted to 10 acres. Does anyone know if this is correct or how I can get around it?
I have a permanent job with a 1 year work permit and I am planning on applying for permanent residency as soon as I can. Thanks.

Nonsense. Apart from anything else, no one ever asks for evidence of nationality when land is purchased.

Okay thanks dbd33 - I don't want to get all the way to signing and then have them question it!
looking around I can see that there may be an option to get an exemption from the farmland security board?
I feel uneasy about risking it without some sort of official confirmation - I imagine I would have to seek advice from a real estate lawyer?

Ive never heard of any such restriction either.

Thanks iaink - wow I didn't expect to get responses this quick - pleased I have signed up to BE.

This info was given to me by the realtor showing me the acreage for sale - so thought I had better check it out before going any further.

A quick google suggests that it's non-residents who are limited to 10 acres.

It appears to be a provincial restriction... I did find this googing... Im afraid that on a TWP it applies to you. As a PR it wont.

http://www.mlt.com/resources/foreign...ewan_farmland/

So you need permission.
http://www.farmland.gov.sk.ca/

Live and learn. Im glad you signed up too

just found this http://www.oocities.org/tigerjojo98/landownership.html this says it all!

For anyone else looking at this, I also found the following;


On Prince Edward Island, non-resident buyers must apply to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission for land over 5 acres in size, or land with a shore frontage greater than 165 feet.

In Manitoba, non-residents are prevented from owning farmland unless they actually plan to move there within 2 years.

Non-residents may not own land over 10 acres in size in Saskatchewan

In Alberta they may only own up to 2 plots of land not exceeding 20 acres in total.

http://www.assignmentscanada.ca/buyingincanada.html


Dbd and I should know better than to take Ontario experience, and expect it to apply universally...

Looking at the site I made a link to http://www.oocities.org/tigerjojo98/landownership.html it appears that you can be resident for for 183 days then the law doesn't apply.

quote from website;

"Restrictions on land ownership only applies to persons NOT RESIDING in Saskatchewan.
A foreigner, a tourist, a visitor,-who resides in Canada for at least 183 days of the year can legally own land".

Interesting. From a legal perspective what happens to the land once you've bought it if your TWP is not renewed and you have to leave the country? You are definitely then not resident...


It doesnt seem clear cut. If its hard to get a credit card on a TWP because its a non resident status, it seems odd that you wouldnt run into the same issue with buying land under the circumstances.

Credit card - I have no problem getting bank account or credit card or mortgage pre approval! my biggest headache thus far is getting drivers license change from UK to SK!!
Ref acreage - me thinks I had better seek legal advice - time to part with more of my $CA!

What would legal advise gain you other than confirming the rules and parting with cash ?

Loads of Canadian provinces seem to restrict pretty basic things on the basis of 'Canadian residence'. For example, in most provices, a certain %age of directors have to be residents. That's not something I've ever encountered anywhere in Europe or the US. I do know that in Europe these sort of restrictions would be illegal.

All this is a nice little racket - if a forriner wants to create a Canadian subsidiary or buy some land, he'll have to find a Canadian and pay him/her for the favour...

hoping to clarification on if I can or cannot buy acreage above 10 acres in my particular personal circumstances - the rules seem vague about what is considered a resident.