Land Trusts and the Protection and Stewardship of Land in Canada: Exploring Non-Governmental Land Trust Practices and the Role of Urban Community Land Trusts

Abstract

This paper explores the mandates of non-government land trust organizations in Canada, the role of urban land in current land trust practices, and possibilities for the inclusion of land protection and stewardship in Canadian cities through a discussion of the community land trust (CLT) model. Through the creation of an inventory of Canadian non-governmental land trust organizations, we demonstrate that the majority of historical and contemporary land trust organizations focus on the protection and conservation of wilderness and rural lands, with limited focus on the protection and stewardship of existing urban lands. Additionally, we suggest that the CLT model, already in existence in several Canadian cities, offers a way to re-frame this emphasis and to encourage non-governmental and community-based urban land protection and stewardship in order to resist increasing land values and provide necessary community benefits that foster equitable access and affordability.