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# BC Farm Groups Seek Election Commitments on Water Storage and Licensing
- URL: https://bcgroundwaterwire.ca/bc-farm-groups-water-commitments/
- Published: 2026-10-08T17:52:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T18:35:44.000Z
- Description: Before the October 24 vote, the BC Agriculture Council asked the parties for written commitments on farm water. What it asked, and what hasn’t changed.
- Author: Colleen Roberts
- Tags: Agriculture, #who-farm, #who-lender

The BC Agriculture Council is asking provincial parties to commit to water storage, a stronger agricultural voice in watershed planning, and continued work on groundwater licensing reforms ahead of the October 24 election.

In [letters to party leaders, announced October 1](https://bcac.ca/2026/10/01/bc-agriculture-council-calls-on-all-parties-to-demonstrate-their-commitment-to-address-farm-profitability-food-affordability-and-self-reliance/?ref=bcgroundwaterwire.ca), the council requested written commitments before voters go to the polls. Its member associations represent about 96 percent of BC’s farm gate sales.

Water is one of five priorities. The council wants farmers and ranchers involved from the start of watershed planning, alongside investment in storage that supports agriculture throughout the year as well as during seasonal peaks.

It also wants each party to commit to continuing work on the 32 recommendations of the [Premier’s Task Force on Agriculture and Food Economy](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/premier-s-task-force-on-agriculture-and-food-economy?ref=bcgroundwaterwire.ca), which BCAC co-chaired.

Eight recommendations concern water. Two directly address groundwater licensing: automatically converting existing-use applications submitted by the 2022 deadline into authorizations without further review and exploring whether holding a water licence should be a condition of eligibility for programs. The backlog recommendation also calls for streamlined processing of new groundwater applications. These are recommendations to the government, not authorizations for water users.

The council says it will publish every party’s answer. Its [response tracker dated October 7](https://bcac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Last-Updated-2026-10-07-Response-Tracker.pdf?ref=bcgroundwaterwire.ca) lists five parties and six questions, with no answers entered.

**What hasn’t changed:** Neither the council’s requests nor the task force recommendations change the licensing rules. BCAC [says implementation of the recommendations is on hold during the campaign](https://bcac.ca/2026/09/22/a-statement-from-bc-agriculture-council-what-a-snap-election-means-for-b-c-s-agriculture-sector/?ref=bcgroundwaterwire.ca).

Non-domestic groundwater use still requires a licence or other authorization unless an exemption applies. Qualifying existing users who applied on or before March 1, 2022, may continue their existing use while awaiting a decision, subject to applicable restrictions and orders. A pending application does not guarantee that a licence will be issued.

**The Note:** A campaign commitment is a promise. A task force recommendation is advice. Neither authorizes water use. If your farm relies on the existing-user transition rules, keep proof of your timely application and records of when the use began, and respond to any requests for information. Those details will still matter after election day.

**Who should pay attention:** Farms and ranches awaiting groundwater licensing decisions, anyone planning a dugout, dam, or reservoir, and lenders assessing a property or project that depends on a pending licence.

**What to do next:** Read the [parties’ answers as the council posts them](https://bcac.ca/what-b-c-agriculture-needs-from-the-next-government/?ref=bcgroundwaterwire.ca#party-responses). Base your water-use decisions on current requirements and the authorizations that apply to your operation. A late application does not itself authorize continued use. If you missed the deadline, begin by considering [what the 2022 BC groundwater licensing deadline means now](https://bcgroundwaterwire.ca/missed-the-2022-deadline-what-it-really-means-now/).