Can an American buy land in Canada?

[Joy in Eastern WA]

If so, do any of our Canadian posters here have any good websites that I can visit to find land north of the border? Would like to find farm/recreational ground in BC or Alberta.

Thanks!

[uyk7]

Not from Canada but I do have a website: http://www.dignam.com/



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[Common Tator]

Jackie Clay, who writes for Backwoods Home magazine, tried and had a very bad experience. Here is her story about it.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/clay65.html

They tried to do everything by the book, and were turned away with all of their posessions, livestock in trailers. What a nightmare!

[kitaye]

Originally Posted by Joy in Eastern WA

If so, do any of our Canadian posters here have any good websites that I can visit to find land north of the border? Would like to find farm/recreational ground in BC or Alberta.

Thanks!

You can buy land here but you are only allowed to stay for a few months every year UNLESS you go through the immigration process. It is long and can be very frustrating so make sure you do everything they say and ask all the right questions. Dignam lands is the best place I've found for finding bare land at decent prices, most of the time. Land in BC and Alberta are premium land and costs quite a bit more than land in Northern Ontario.

[sheepish]

You can buy land, but you won't be allowed to live on it unless you have immigration clearance. That usually takes more than a year.

[Rondah]

It is so sad to me that, while OUR country is being purchased by non Americans every *** day, OTHER countries usually won't allow us to buy their land. You can't buy land in Mexico (you can only lease it for 99 years as far as I know) but THEY come here in droves, and can buy whatever they like. ::mad face::

[Ramblin Wreck]

I think the process of buying land is more difficult the further West you go in Canada (seem to remember that Saskatchewan had some very strict laws about non-Canadians buying land there...but don't quote me on it); however, I found that buying land in New Brunswick on the east coast was very easy. The province even guarantees your title if the property has been surveyed/registered. I can't really say that it was any different than buying land in the states (at least in the states where I have bought land).

Now if you want to immigrate, that's another topic altogether. You can stay for up to six months without any paper work being filed, and until the new passport laws went into effect, I doubt that anyone would have said anything/checked up on me had I chosen to stay longer than six months. In the old days, they would basically just look at your license on the way in and make sure you weren't carrying fireworks!

It is permissable to carry personal items, including tools/household items/etc., into Canada. As best I can remember (but please check and don't count on my memory) I think you have to list/declare it ahead of time and indicate where you will enter the country. They then check what you are bringing in against your previously forwarded list when you get to the entry point.

Here is a site that you may find of interest:

http://www.homesteadsforsale.com/

Best wishes, whatever you choose to do.

[majik]

I know nothing about the legalities, but there is a national website: www.mls.com

[frazzlehead]

Here's the link to the official blurb & contact people for Alberta:
http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/586.cfm

And here's the text of the law itself:
http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/documents/Ac...sbn=0779700023

And a related law:
http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/documents/Re...sbn=0779705793

[adamtheha]

When we purchased our land in Alberta (we live here already), we had to swear that we were citizens, and I asked why. I was told that non-citizens are not allowed to buy more than 20 acres of farmland.
I can't believe that we're turning Americans away, but we're letting all of India and China into our major cities without even seeing if they speak English!!! I'm not a racist, but I do not want non-English people here, unless they are willing to FULLY assimilate!

[palani]

Originally Posted by adamtheha

When we purchased our land in Alberta (we live here already), we had to swear that we were citizens, and I asked why.

How did you know you are citizens? Was a declaration of allegiance filed somewhere? Did you kneel in front of noble while taking his right hand in both of yours while swearing fealty?

I know Iowa code has a provision that only U.S. citizens can own agricultural land. I can't ague with them so I don't own any agricultural land.

It must be some other kind of land.

[The Paw]

Originally Posted by adamtheha

I can't believe that we're turning Americans away, but we're letting all of India and China into our major cities without even seeing if they speak English!!! I'm not a racist, but I do not want non-English people here, unless they are willing to FULLY assimilate!

Actually, that is the definition of racist. I am sure you don't mean it in a malicious sense, but it is what it is...

[homesteadforty]

Originally Posted by The Paw

Actually, that is the definition of racist. I am sure you don't mean it in a malicious sense, but it is what it is...

Actually it's not... it's not even close. The definition of racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

For thousands of years an immigrant has expected to assimilate into the culture that they were moving into... that's immigration.

Migration is the movement of people into previous unpopulated areas in order to set up their own society/culture.

To move into another culture and establish your own culture there has most often been called invasion.

Being from (as in a citizen of) China, India or America establishes nationality not anything to do with race. To want immigrants to your society to assimilate into your culture (at least on a basic level - accepting laws, language, etc.) is not racist in the least... for millenia it's been the basic way to maintain a society.

[texican]

Didn't I read a few years back Canada had a 'fast track' program for citizenship, if you brought along several million, opened a business and hired 'x' amount of people each year?

If so, it sounds like a good policy... better than letting in people that aren't going to be as productive.

[tn_junk]

I tried to move to Canada back in 2000. Had a very, very good job waiting. I could have gotten a six month visa to work, but no immigration. Main reason for denial was some of my long term health issues.
And how much do we each spend to take care of the health of millions of immigrants (with our "almost" socialised medicine) each year here in the US? Maybe Canada got this one right.

alan

[Common Tator]

Originally Posted by The Paw

Actually, that is the definition of racist. I am sure you don't mean it in a malicious sense, but it is what it is...

Baloney! Save your sanctimonious judgmentalism for General Chat, where everyone there knows you and can offer up gentle corrections to this as needed. The poster was speaking of poeple who refuse to learn the language to assimilate in society. Not the color of their skins.

Immigrants can and should be able to enjoy their culture and religion. However they need to learn the language of their new home so that they can engage in commerce, so that their children learn the language and they can get good jobs, as opposed to the jobs they get when they don't learn the language.

[OntarioMan]

Yup - although its somewhat more involved, you're basically correct. If you have money (no idea how much) and/or an in-demand skill (a doctor for example), you can be fast-tracked to being a Canadian citizen.

Make no mistake, Canada LOVES folks coming to Canada and becoming citizens - without them, our population would dwindle. Our culture is now very diverse, especially in the cities.

Ironically, there are parts of Northern Ontario which, although not perfect, would be very good for homesteading. Lots of dirt cheap land and cheap taxs, clean water, trees, game and even some farmland. Ontario is about the size of Texas, yet the vast majority of the people are in the extreme south. Population in the north is dwindling fast (kids leave for big cities). There was also talk a few years ago to put some programs in place to try to encourage folks (including new immigrants) to move to these rural areas - no idea what has happened with that.

Originally Posted by texican

Didn't I read a few years back Canada had a 'fast track' program for citizenship, if you brought along several million, opened a business and hired 'x' amount of people each year?

If so, it sounds like a good policy... better than letting in people that aren't going to be as productive.

[Itilley]

I believe they can buy land up there. My cousin and I own 18 acres in Newfoundland that we are going to sell. We inherited as our fathers were from there. But on buying land keep in mind our US dollar is worth less up there now and that will bring the cost up.

RenieB

[painterswife]

Buying land and living there are two different things. It is really no different than a Canadian buying here. To live here or there you need to be an immigrant or only stay for short periods of time.

I as a Canadian had to jump all the hoops to move here.

[wr]

Things have changed a lot since the article in BWH or at least they have in Alberta. We have such a severe labour shortage that the government has incorporated a program to fast track immigration and visa documents. If you have a skill that will satisfy our job market, you can be processed fairly quickly. Before purchasing land in Canada, a person must check with the province and the federal government because each province has their own foreign ownership laws.

Texican, you are correct in the assumption that you can immigrate with a certain amount of cash and a business plan.