Transaction Approval Limits and Conditions for the Acquisition or Disposition of Real Property

Under the Federal Real Property and Federal Immovables Regulations, a minister who has the authority for real property may transact in real property without seeking Treasury Board approval when the market value consideration paid or received does not exceed the limits and conditions set out below. Unless specifically mentioned or otherwise previously approved, the general limits apply. Departments seeking to undertake real property transactions under legislation that require Treasury Board and/or Governor-in-council approval must seek these approvals even when the value of the property is less than the limits below.

Custody transfers do not require Treasury Board approval for the real property transaction because they are effected at nominal value.

Value-added taxes (such as the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and the Goods and Services Tax (GST)) should be excluded for the purposes of the approval levels. All lease payments made to the landlord are included in the calculation of annual consideration and total consideration.

Organizations that have special limits and conditions for the acquisition and/or disposition of real property are as follows:

Canada Security Intelligence Service
Global Affairs Canada
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
National Defence
National Research Council Canada
Parks Canada Agency
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Public Services and Procurement Canada

This repository is managed by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to capture authority limits that have been requested by departments and agencies and approved by the Treasury Board. This repository is not an approval mechanism and is maintained for reference purposes only. In the case of an inconsistency between this repository and the limits and conditions approved by the Treasury Board, the Treasury Board submission proposals and approvals prevail.

General Limits for Acquisitions and Dispositions

These limits apply to all departments or agencies unless replaced by special limits or conditions as specified below.

**General Limits: Acquisition**
Purchase, Gift, Bequest, Transfer of Administration and Control	Exchange	Option to Purchase Land	Lease, Licence, Transfer of Administration and Control for a Specified Term ^{See Table 1 – Note 1}		Transfer of Administration
	Exchange	Option to Purchase Land	Annual Consideration	Total Consideration	Transfer of Administration
Explanatory notes on acquisition conditions: Table 1 – Note 1 The total consideration limit also applies to the acceptance by the Crown of a surrender or resiliation of a lease of federal real property or federal immovable, or acceptance of the relinquishment of a licence. Treasury Board approval is required when the additional gross nominal amount the Crown would have received, had the tenant stayed for the duration of the lease or licence, exceeds the limit. The market rent at the time of the acceptance or surrender, resiliation or relinquishment should be part of the justification for the consideration received. Return to Table 1 – Footnote 1 referrer Table 1 – Note 2 Also includes the transfer of administration of a lease and transfer of administrative responsibility for a licence. Return to Table 1 – Footnote 2 referrer
$500,000	$500,000	$20,000	$40,000	$400,000	The greater of $500,000 or Net Book Value ^{See Table 1 – Note 2}

**General Limits: Disposition**
Sale / Option to Sell, Transfer of Administration and Control ^{See Table 2 – Note 1}	Exchange	Lease, Licence, Transfer of Administration and Control for a Specified Term ^{See Table 2 – Note 2}		Transfer of Administration
	Exchange	Annual Consideration	Total Consideration	Transfer of Administration
Explanatory notes on disposition conditions: Table 2 – Note 1 The option to sell must expire within six months. Return to Table 2 – Footnote 1 referrer Table 2 – Note 2 The total consideration limit also applies to the acceptance by the Crown of a surrender or resiliation of a lease of federal real property or federal immovable, or acceptance of the relinquishment of a licence. Treasury Board approval is required when the additional gross nominal amount the Crown would have received, had the tenant stayed for the duration of the lease or licence, exceeds the limit. The market rent at the time of the acceptance or surrender, resiliation or relinquishment should be part of the justification for the consideration received. Return to Table 2 – Footnote 2 referrer Table 2 – Note 3 Sale to Canada Lands Company Limited. Return to Table 2 – Footnote 3 referrer Table 2 – Note 4 Sale or transfer to any other party. Return to Table 2 – Footnote 4 referrer Table 2 – Note 5 Also includes the transfer of administration of a lease and transfer of administrative responsibility for a licence. Return to Table 2 – Footnote 5 referrer Table 2 – Note 6 Where the transfer is to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for settlements under negotiation of treaties, self-government and other constructive arrangements. Return to Table 2 – Footnote 6 referrer
$15,000,000 ^{See Table 2 – Note 3} $500,000 ^{See Table 2 – Note 4}	$500,000	$200,000	$2,000,000	The greater of $500,000 or Net Book Value ^{See Table 2 – Note 5} $1,000,000 ^{See Table 2 – Note 6}

Special Limits for Acquisitions and Dispositions

These special limits for acquisitions and dispositions apply as specified below. For other situations, please consult the general limits for acquisition and disposition.

Dollar-based Special Limits

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

**Special Acquisition Limits**
Transfer of Administration ^{See Table 3 – Note 1}
Table 3 Notes Table 3 – Note 1 For the acquisition of surplus federal real property for the purpose of negotiation of treaties, self-government and other constructive arrangements. Return to Table 3 – Footnote 1 referrer
$1,000,000

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

**Special Acquisition Limits**
Purchase, Gift, Bequest, Transfer of Administration and Control ^{See Table 3B – Note 1}	Lease, Licence, Transfer of Administration and Control for a Specified Term ^{See Table 3B – Note 1}
Table 3B Notes Table 3B – Note 1 For acquisitions made to pursue security investigations only that the minister determines require a special degree of confidentiality. Return to Table 3B – Footnote 1 referrer
$700,000	Unlimited

**Special Disposition Limits**
Sale / Option to Sell, Transfer of Administration and Control ^{See Table 4 – Note 1}
Table 4 Notes Table 4 – Note 1 For dispositions of property acquired to pursue security investigations that the minister determines require a special degree of confidentiality. Return to Table 4 – Footnote 1 referrer
$700,000

Global Affairs Canada

**Special Acquisition Limits ^{See Table 5 – Note 1}, ^{See Table 5 – Note 2}**
Purchase	Exchange	Lease or Licence ^{See Table 5 – Note 3}
Purchase	Exchange	Annual Consideration	Total Consideration
Table 5 Notes Table 5 – Note 1 The transaction limits expire May 19, 2026 . Return to Table 5 – Footnote 1 referrer Table 5 – Note 2 For property outside Canada. Return to Table 5 – Footnote 2 referrer Table 5 – Note 3 The total consideration limit also applies to the acceptance by the Crown of a surrender or resiliation of a lease of federal real property or federal immovable, or acceptance of the relinquishment of a licence. Treasury Board approval is required when the additional gross nominal amount the Crown would have received, had the tenant stayed for the duration of the lease or licence, exceeds the limit. The market rent at the time of acceptance or surrender, resiliation or relinquishment should be part of the justification for the consideration received. Return to Table 5 – Footnote 3 referrer Table 5 – Note 4 For staff quarters. Return to Table 5 – Footnote 4 referrer Table 5 – Note 5 For official residences. Return to Table 5 – Footnote 5 referrer Table 5 – Note 6 For staff quarters and official residences (residential accommodation). Return to Table 5 – Footnote 6 referrer Table 5 – Note 7 For chanceries and for multiple-unit facilities, i.e., official residences, staff quarters, other real property (portion attributable to each unit does not exceed the transaction approval limit for the individual accommodation units). Return to Table 5 – Footnote 7 referrer Table 5 – Note 8 For emergency or national security transactions. Return to Table 5 – Footnote 8 referrer Table 5 – Note 9 For freehold and leasehold staff quarter interests in London, United Kingdom. No annual consideration limit. Return to Table 5 – Footnote 9 referrer
$5,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 4} $10,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 5} $15,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 7}	$1,000,000	$450,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 4} $650,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 5} $5,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 7} $6,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 8}	$4,500,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 4} $6,500,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 6} $35,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 7} $30,000,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 8} $3,200,000 ^{See Table 5 – Note 9}

**Special Disposition Limits ^{See Table 6 – Note 1}, ^{See Table 6 – Note 2}**
Sale / Option to Sell	Exchange	Lease, Licence and Sublease ^{See Table 6 – Note 3}
Sale / Option to Sell	Exchange	Annual Consideration	Total Consideration
Table 6 Notes Table 6 – Note 1 The transaction limits expire May 19, 2026. Return to Table 6 – Footnote 1 referrer Table 6 – Note 2 For property outside Canada. Return to Table 6 – Footnote 2 referrer Table 6 – Note 3 The total consideration limit also applies to the surrender or resiliation by the Crown of a lease of real property or immovable, or the relinquishment of a licence. Treasury Board approval is required when the additional gross nominal amount the Crown would have paid, had the Crown stayed for the duration of the lease or licence, exceeds the limit. The market rent at the time of the surrender, resiliation or relinquishment should be part of the justification for the consideration received. Return to Table 6 – Footnote 3 referrer
$25,000,000	$1,000,000	$1,000,000	$10,000,000

National Research Council

**Special Acquisition Limits**
Lease
Annual Consideration	Total Consideration
$500,000	$2,500,000

**Special Disposition Limits**
Licence
Annual Consideration	Total Consideration
$400,000	$2,000,000

Parks Canada Agency

**Special Acquisition Limits**
Purchase, Gift or Bequest	Pre-Paid Lease (total consideration) ^{See Table 11 – Note 1}
Table 11 Notes Table 11 – Note 1 Acquisitions by pre-paid lease are limited to transactions involving territorial, municipal and Aboriginal organizations or not-for-profit organizations whose objectives are to advance Aboriginal priorities. Return to Table 11 – Footnote 1 referrer
$3,800,000	$4,000,000

**Special Disposition Limits**
Lease or Licence
Table 12 Notes Table 12 – Note 1 $8,400,000 total consideration for dispositions by lease or licence, and an exemption from the general limit of $150,000 annual consideration. Return to Table 12 – Footnote 1 referrer
$8,400,000 total consideration ^{See Table 12 – Note 1}

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

**Special Acquisition Limits**
Purchase, Gift, Bequest, Transfer of Administration, and Transfer of Administration and Control	Exchange	Lease and Licence: Transfer of Administration and Control
	Exchange	Annual Consideration	Total Consideration
Table 15 Notes Table 15 – Note 1 For acquisitions made to pursue security or criminal investigations that the minister determines require a special degree of confidentiality. These limits do not expire. Return to Table 15 – Footnote 1 referrer Table 15 – Note 2 For leases and licences with provinces, municipalities and local airport authorities. Return to Table 15 – Footnote 2 referrer Table 15 – Note 3 For leases and licences with the private sector. Return to Table 15 – Footnote 3 referrer
$2,000,000	$2,000,000	Unlimited ^{See Table 15 – Note 1} $1,200,000 ^{See Table 15 – Note 2} $1,000,000 ^{See Table 15 – Note 3}	Unlimited ^{See Table 15 – Note 1} $12,000,000 ^{See Table 15 – Note 2} $10,000,000 ^{See Table 15 – Note 3}

**Special Disposition Limits**
Sale / Option to Sell, Transfer of Administration, and Transfer of Administration and Control	Exchange
$2,000,000	$2,000,000

Risk and Capacity-based Special Limits

A department with an assessed level of capacity has the authority to transact real property based on the assessed risk of the transaction. The following departments have capacity and risk-based Special Limits:

Department of National Defence

Under the Minister of National Defence’s authority – the Department of National Defence may execute real property transactions (acquisitions, disposals):
1. Up to $10 million dollars
2. All lease renewals, replacements and extensions
For real property transactions exceeding $10 million, the Department must assess the risk and complexity using the methodology established by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. The Minister of National Defence may only exercise authority to manage transactions whose risk and complexity assessment falls within the assessed organisational maturity and capacity.

Public Services and Procurement Canada

Under Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement’s authority – Public Services and Procurement Canada may execute real property transactions (acquisitions, disposals):

Up to $10 million dollars
All lease renewals, replacements and extensions

For real property transactions exceeding $10 million, the Department must assess the risk and complexity using the methodology established by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. The Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement may only exercise authority to manage transactions whose risk and complexity assessment falls within the assessed organisational maturity and capacity.

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2025-12-02

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Transaction Approval Limits and Conditions for the Acquisition or Disposition of Real Property

General Limits for Acquisitions and Dispositions

Explanatory notes on acquisition conditions:

Explanatory notes on disposition conditions:

Special Limits for Acquisitions and Dispositions

Dollar-based Special Limits

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Table 3 Notes

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Table 3B Notes

Table 4 Notes

Global Affairs Canada

Table 5 Notes

Table 6 Notes