Province introduces new policy for sale of surplus government property

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has introduced a new policy outlining how surplus government-owned land and buildings will be sold.

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 government departments to confirm the property is no longer required for operational purposes.

The properties will then be offered through an open and competitive process, with the expectation that they will achieve fair market value.

The policy also outlines how previous owners of land will be treated when a sale is being considered. The Provincial Government will make reasonable efforts to notify previous owners of its intention to sell surplus land.

However, previous owners will not receive preferential treatment, a first right of refusal or advance notice of a public solicitation process.

The government says landowners are compensated when property is purchased or expropriated and ownership is transferred to the Provincial Government. As a result, all interested purchasers will have the same opportunity to acquire surplus property through the public process.

The policy also allows the Provincial Government to establish minimum bid requirements for public sales. Costs associated with surveys, appraisals, title searches, environmental assessments and other evaluations related to a sale may also be recovered.