Layla4:
  The  BC ALR in concept appears identical to the Quebec rules that you state, but some investors have always been willing to gamble that the ALR might get repealed or their particular properties exempted, sometimes for a land swap.  The other thing that has long since gone on, is that some people ( myself included) just like living on a large parcel of land and many ALR properties become mini estates. I hadn't heard of the clandestine hotels until the G&M brought that up.  Consider also that many, probably most, newcomers to Canada are not used to cold weather in their home countries, so they gravitate to the Vancouver and maybe Victoria areas and this puts pressure on the land base to use it for homes, retail and industry rather than low value farming. The Port Authority also wants a large chunk of Richmond ALR land  to use for their purposes.