BC Shuts Down Luxury Heli-Ski Resort Over Unauthorized Farm Land Use

TERRACE, B.C. A high-end heli-skiing operation in British Columbia has been ordered shut down after regulators found it was operating on land designated as agricultural a move critics say undermines farmland protection. 

The target of the ban is a tourism company that had been offering luxury heli-ski packages from a property near Terrace. The application to continue using the property for heliskiing was denied by the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), which determined that the land qualifies as farmland and is not approved for commercial tourism use. 

Why the ALC Denied the Operation

• The property in question is within protected agricultural land, reserved under provincial land-use rules, which prohibit non-farm commercial activities on such land.
  
• The resort’s bid to continue operations was effectively treated as a case of “unauthorized use,” making its heliskiing business legally untenable once evaluated under the ALC guidelines.
  

Impact and Reactions

The shutdown has garnered mixed reactions:

• Supporters of farmland conservation and local agriculture praised the decision, arguing it preserves the integrity of protected farmland and prevents land-use creep.
  
• Some in the tourism and heliski-industry circles expressed frustration, noting that B.C.’s heliski sector has faced repeated regulatory and environmental headwinds in recent years. Similar heliski-lodge proposals have been rejected elsewhere in B.C. due to rezoning and wildlife-habitat concerns.
  

Broader Implications

This decision underlines a growing tension between land-use protection (particularly for farmland and resource lands) and the pressure to develop tourism infrastructure especially luxury or adventure tourism. Experts say such cases highlight the need for clear, enforceable land-use planning and stronger oversight of tourism ventures on farmland or environmentally sensitive areas.

What’s Next

The operator has not announced any immediate legal challenge. For now, the facility must cease all heliski-related activities on the land. Local authorities and conservation groups are watching closely, as this case may set precedent for future tourism-versus-agriculture land-use disputes in B.C.