The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has introduced a new policy to guide the sale of surplus government-owned land and buildings. The policy establishes a fair, open and transparent process while helping ensure the best value for taxpayers.

Under the new policy, surplus properties will generally be sold through a public solicitation process. Before a property is declared surplus, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will consult with relevant Provincial Government departments to confirm it is no longer needed for operational purposes.

As public assets, surplus land and buildings will be offered for sale through an open and competitive process and are expected to achieve fair market value. This approach helps ensure all interested parties are treated equitably, protects the interests of taxpayers, and supports responsible stewardship of public property.

The new disposal policy also outlines how previous owners of land will be treated when a sale is being considered. Reasonable efforts will be made to notify previous owners of the Provincial Government’s intention to sell surplus land. However, previous owners will not receive preferential treatment, a first right of refusal, or advance notice of any public solicitation process. When land is purchased or expropriated by the Provincial Government, owners are compensated for their property at the time of acquisition and ownership is transferred to the Provincial Government. As a result, all interested purchasers will have the same opportunity to acquire surplus property through a fair and open public process.

To help ensure value for taxpayers, the Provincial Government may also establish minimum bid requirements for public sales and may recover costs associated with surveys, appraisals, title searches, environmental assessments and other evaluations related to the sale.

By establishing clear and consistent rules for the disposal of surplus properties, the new disposal policy will help ensure government-owned land and buildings are managed in a fair, open and transparent manner.

A copy of the policy can be found here.

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“Provincially owned land and buildings are public assets, and decisions about their sale must be made in a fair, open and transparent way. This new policy establishes a consistent process for disposing of surplus properties, ensures all interested parties have an equal opportunity to participate, and helps maximize value for taxpayers while supporting projects that deliver public benefits to communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Barry Petten
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs

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