CARLA BECK’S TEAM INTRODUCES BILL TO GET TOUGH ON ILLEGAL FOREIGN FARMLAND OWNERSHIP

REGINA – Carla Beck’s Team is introducing new legislation to crackdown on foreign land ownership and hike fines for illegal foreign farmland ownership.

“We owe it to our future generations to give them a bright future by protecting Saskatchewan and Canadian producers, and that's exactly what this bill is designed to do,” said Carla Beck, Saskatchewan NDP Leader.

The bill, titled The Saskatchewan Farm Security (Foreign Farmland Ownership) Amendment Act, includes a clause that would allow for a court to order that the net proceeds of the forced divestiture of illegally held farmland be forfeited to the government.

In addition, it increases fines that are currently as low as $1,000 and $50,000 to a maximum of $1 million for individuals and from a current maximum of $500,000 to a maximum of $10 million for corporations involved in the illegal foreign ownership of Saskatchewan farmland.

“Our team is committed to working with producers, agricultural and producer organizations and people to ensure proper oversight of farmland transactions, and to putting an immediate stop to foreign land ownership in Saskatchewan,” said Beck.

The bill also removes the limitations that prevent the board from investigating older transactions.

“We expect that Scott Moe and the Sask. Party will do the right thing by getting tough on illegal foreign acquisition of farmland and support this bill," said Trent Wotherspoon, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Agriculture, who introduced the bill Tuesday.

In 2024, the Provincial Auditor identified glaring holes in the process for land transactions and ownership declarations — namely, that reviews typically occurred five months after sales had closed and, in 50 per cent of cases, the Farmland Security Board didn’t request the legally required ownership declarations from corporations registered outside Saskatchewan.

“Farming is the backbone of Saskatchewan’s economy, and this government should be committed to ensuring fairness and opportunity for producers and that the money grown at home stays at home,” Wotherspoon said.

“Clearly, it's time for change.”

-30-

Latest posts

CARLA BECK’S TEAM LAUNCHES TOUR FOCUSED ON KEEPING RURAL EMERGENCY ROOMS OPEN, BEING TRANSPARENT WHEN THEY’RE NOT

Summer Tour Comes As Part Of Ongoing Your Care, Your Say Project
BALGONIE – Carla Beck's team will be hitting the road this summer to talk to people in dozens of rural Saskatchewan communities about the need to deliver big, bold change in healthcare to keep hospital emergency rooms open — and to, at least, provide lifesaving information when they’re closed.

MOE SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY HIS MINISTERS THINK $10,000 FLIGHTS ARE OK WHILE EVER DAY SASKATCHEWAN PEOPLE PILE ON DEBT, GO WITHOUT FOOD

SASKATOON – Perhaps, when he goes before the media this morning, Premier Scott Moe himself can explain to the people of Saskatchewan today why he believe his Ministers should be allowed to spend $10,000 per plane ticket to wine and dine at 30,000 feet while Saskatchewan people on the ground below stack on debt and scrape together pocket change to afford food.

CARLA BECK'S TEAM CALLS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ADVANCE CRITICAL NORTHERN ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

Scott Moe, Sask. Party Getting Left Behind In Push For National, Game Changing Projects
REGINA – Carla Beck's team is calling on the federal government to help advance construction of a long-discussed all-season road connecting the Cigar Lake and McArthur River uranium mines, while criticizing the Sask. Party for failing to deliver critical infrastructure projects despite nearly two decades in government.

WELL-KNOWN CONTENT CREATOR SPARKS RUSH OF HORROR STORIES FROM OVERRUN SASKATCHEWAN HOSPITALS

Scott Moe, Jeremy Cockrill Can Hold All The Photo Ops They Want, Patients Know The Reality On Hospital Frontlines
REGINA – Carla Beck's team is shining a light on the reality facing patients after 20 years of Sask. Party failures after a flurry of social media posts emerged over the weekend in the wake of a well-known Saskatoon social media personality going public with her own dire experience at the long-overrun Royal University Hospital.

NDP Caucus Office