The Kamloops Chamber of Commerce is working on prospective policy for zoning changes to encourage development.

President Joshua Knaak says right now, the amount of ALR land in the Kamloops area is limiting growth.

“I wou;ld say within the last three years, lot prices have gone up $80,000 to $100,000 dollars,” Knaak says. “And we’re at a situation right now where there’s not the next Juniper or a next Dufferin on the radar, because basically anything that’s in those areas would coming out of ALR.”

Knaak says the province needs to look at its “one size fits all” approach to protecting ALR land, saying that those issues are centered in the Lower Mainland.

“But we’re not necessarily dealing with the same kind of land in a Delta or Langley as we are with some of the ALR up here. And we need to get that land out again to deal with housing affordability issues. So that’s something we’re working on as well,” he says.

“If it’s essential and it’s producing and it’s key to production of food, to production of resources, that’s one thing. But if it’s a barren hillside, perhaps we could look at creating some housing options out of that.”

Knaak says he thinks local governments should have more say in what land is included in the ALR.