Agricultural Land Tenure Systems: Implications for Farmland Succession, Access, Governance, and Food Systems Transformation

Abstract

Farmland in Canada is undergoing significant transformation as rising land values, farmland consolidation, financialization, and barriers to farm succession increasingly challenge access to land for new and young farmers. These challenges are rooted within longer histories of colonial land dispossession and the imposition of private property systems. In response, a growing number of people and organizations are developing Agricultural Land Tenure Systems (ALTS) that seek to reimagine relationships of land ownership, access, governance, and stewardship. However, despite increasing interest in these models, little empirical research has documented their prevalence, diversity, and potential contributions within the Canadian context. The overall objective of this research is to better understand the emergence and potential of ALTS in Canada as responses to contemporary challenges of farmland access, tenure security, and food systems transformation. This research addresses two key questions: (1) what ALTS currently exist in Canada, how are they defined and implemented, and how do they differ from conventional private ownership in terms of structure, governance, and goals?; and (2) what motivations, opportunities, and challenges shape the development and implementation of ALTS in Canada, and how do those involved in creating and managing these initiatives understand their potential contributions to farmland protection, succession, governance and access for new and young farmers? This paper investigates these questions through two complementary research components in collaboration with the National Farmers Foundation. First, it develops an online national database of ALTS to identify and characterize the diversity of alternative farmland tenure arrangements currently operating across Canada. Second, this research examines the motivations, experiences, benefits, and challenges of organizations involved in ALTS through semi-structured interviews. By documenting the emerging landscape of ALTS in Canada and examining the experiences of those building these models, this research contributes to broader conversations about farmland futures, food sovereignty, and alternative property relations. While ALTS alone cannot resolve the structural challenges facing Canadian agriculture, they provide important examples of how farmland can be governed differently. This research highlights the need for continued experimentation, institutional support, and policy innovation to strengthen more equitable and sustainable pathways for farmland access and food systems transformation.