A brief History
In the spring of 1998, Sooke rural landowners were faced with proposed legislation that would downzone over 10,000 acres of land designated Rural 'A'. In spite of overwhelming opposition by the landowners, the local director proceeded to third reading on a land-use bylaw that would allow only one home on a rural property regardless of the acreage involved. Many of these properties were in excess of 50 acres and purchased specifically to provide homes for family, friends or retirement, and often had more than one name on title already. Approximately 450 families saw their hopes for the future judicious use of their lands destroyed.
As a result, a grassroots uprising of rural and other landowners came together to form The Sooke Landowners Association (renamed in 1999 when Sooke Incorporated). We fought against this abuse of our property rights through court action, letter writing, demonstrations, petitions and pamphlets, attendance at Municipal and Provincial board meetings, appeals to government and the local media. Eventually, part of the affected land was incorporated creating a Municipality that understood it was important to end the dissent. A committee was formed to review rural land-use, compromises were made and the issue resolved to everyone's satisfaction. The remaining land still falls under the jurisdiction of the Capital Regional District and as you can see above in 'News' or 'Letters', the CRD Director is again attempting to downzone rural land.
We are not alone. In the course of researching our opposition to the downzoning we realized that there is a continuing erosion of property rights across the province in the form of "regional growth strategies". These 'strategies', by way of local area plans and land-use bylaws, provide a platform for extreme environmentalists who have found a means to appropriate the use of private property without consideration, or compensation, to the landowners. Our request to participate in the formation of a Regional Growth Strategy was refused, but we continue the effort to have our voices heard.
Similar difficulties are occurring in the United States where landowners are much more organized than here in Canada. Be vigilant. Pay attention to what your local and provincial governments are doing to your property rights. Be prepared to speak up when your own, or your neighbours rights are threatened by zoning zealots. We were helped by our local MLA (Rick Kasper) and throughout by our MP Keith Martin: we hope that eventually property rights will be enshrined in the Canadian Constitution by our federal government. If you support this objective, and want to help all landowners, then please consider writing to your MP to amend our Canadian Constitution.
We are, landowners united against repressive zoning. If you can help us, or we can help you, contact:
Association of B.C. Landowners
Box 1001,
Sooke, B.C.,
Canada. V9Z 1J1
Email: info@bclandowners.org