The amendment to the Agricultural Crown Lands Leases and Permits Regulation, M.R. 91/2025, introduces several changes affecting lease and permit holders under the Crown Lands Act in Manitoba. The regulation updates Manitoba Regulation 152/2017, primarily extending deadlines and formalizing provisions to accommodate changes in land use and circumstances beyond a lessee’s control.

A new provision is introduced through section 10.3, which establishes a mechanism for adjusting annual rent or fees in cases where the government initiates a change in land use or access that impacts forage capacity. Specifically, subsection 10.3(1) allows the director to decrease the annual rent or fee for agricultural leases and permits, with the exception of cropping leases or permits, in proportion to any reduction in forage capacity caused by governmental actions. This provision recognizes the potential financial impact of government-initiated changes on leaseholders and ensures that rents or fees are adjusted fairly to reflect the altered productive capacity of the land.

The regulation also addresses the treatment of improvements made by former lease or permit holders. Subsection 19(2) is modified to reference new provisions allowing for extensions, and subsections 19(2.1) and 19(2.2) establish a process for former holders who are unable, due to circumstances beyond their control, to remove improvements within the standard 30-day period after lease expiry or cancellation. Former holders may now apply to the director for an extension, provided the request is made in an acceptable form before the lease or permit expires and includes a rationale for the extension. Subsection 19(3) is amended to ensure that these extensions are explicitly included in the scope of related provisions.

Lastly, subsection 27.5(1) is updated to clarify that any adjustments made by the director under section 10.3 will be taken into account. This ensures consistency across the regulation by explicitly linking rent or fee adjustments to other regulatory requirements.

By extending deadlines, formalizing adjustment mechanisms for changes in land use, and providing a structured process for addressing improvements left by former holders, the regulation aims to support sustainable management of Crown lands while protecting the interests of leaseholders. These amendments attempt to recognize both the operational realities of agricultural land management and the need for government policies that are responsive to changing circumstances, providing a balanced framework for lease and permit administration in Manitoba.

Manitoba (91/2025) October 28, 2025
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