Land Use Contracts

As of June 30, 2024, per Local Government Act s. 547, all Land Use Contracts across the Province have been terminated. The following information is provided as an archival reference only, as Land Use Contracts and their provisions are no longer in effect.

Land use contracts (LUCs) – site-specific legal agreements between local governments and landowners – were allowed in B.C. between 1971 and 1978. The intent was to allow more flexibility than traditional zoning, and so these contracts often included a number of elements such as development permits, controls to form and character of buildings, landscaping requirements, subdivision layouts, and servicing agreements.

When B.C.’s land use contract legislation was repealed in 1978, no new contracts could be created but existing contracts remained in place.

In 2014, the Local Government Act was changed to terminate all land use contracts by June 30, 2024, giving local governments time to ensure that zoning and other bylaws are in place for affected properties. Municipalities may initiate early termination of LUCs to ensure that appropriate zoning is in place by the provincial deadline.

There are 21 areas in Port Moody where LUCs remain in place, and these contracts affect approximately 2,236 fee simple and strata properties. Appropriate zoning is already in place for 487 of these properties; the remaining 1,749 will need to be rezoned. Council has endorsed a process for the termination of LUCs in Port Moody – read the March 12, 2019 report.