Amendments to the Real Property Policy Suite - Policy Notice

DATE:  October 2002

This notice provides information on amendments made to the real property policy suite to incorporate Treasury Board approvals related to the management of federal real property and to ensure harmony with the new Treasury Board Policy on the Disposal of Surplus Real Property.

Summary:

1. Treasury Board approved:
   
   
   • Revisions to the Treasury Board Real Property Transaction Processes and Authorities Policy to reflect an increase in the approval levels for both the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada and the Minister of the National Research Council of Canada;
   • Revisions to the Treasury Board Real Property Revenue Policy to include requirements for determining the market value of heritage buildings;
   • Consequential revisions to the existing real property policy suite to reflect the requirements of the Policy on the Disposal of Surplus Real Property. More specifically, these amendments include:
   • Removal of the requirements related to priority purchase through the sale or transfer of real property from the Treasury Board Real Property Revenue Policy;
   • Reinforcement of the market value principle in the Policy on the Disposal of Surplus Real Property policy objective. This is required to ensure harmony with the Revenue Policy and to make it clear that the approval of the Disposal Policy did not, in any way, change this fundamental policy requirement;
   • Removal of references to the responsibilities of Natural Resources Canada and Public Works and Government Services Canada with respect to disposals from the Real Property Revenue Policy; and
   • An increase from $75,000 to $250,000 in the approval levels for "Exchange – general rule" in the Real Property Transaction Processes and Authorities Policy to reflect increased disposal authorities approved under the new Policy on the Disposal of Surplus Federal Real Property.
     
     
2. While undertaking the amendments to harmonize the policy suite with the Disposal of Surplus Real Property Policy, other appropriate administrative revisions were identified and have been made throughout the policy suite, including:
   
   
   • Revisions to each policy to reflect the new name of the Federal Real Property Act, now called the Federal Real Property and Federal Immovables Act;
   • Revisions to each policy to reflect the new organizational structure of the Comptrollership Branch of the Treasury Board Secretariat and updated contact information for the Real Property and Materiel Policy Directorate;
   • Revisions to the Accessibility, Administration, Environment, Heritage Buildings, Investment, Open and Fair Transactions, Revenue, Transaction Processes and Authorities and the Use of Facilities real property policies to more accurately reflect the specific policy making authority for each policy;
   • Revisions in the Real Property Administration Policy, the Heritage Buildings Policy, and the Real Property Transaction Processes and Authorities Policy to clarify responsibilities of departments; and
   • Revision to the Transaction Processes and Authorities Policy to clarify the applicability of approval limits for "Transfers of administration - general rule."

Effective Date:

The effective date of these amendments is reflected in the applicable policy.

Monitoring:

The TBS in consultation with departments will actively monitor the implementation of all real property policies to ensure compliance with their requirements.

Publication of Amendments:

All Treasury Board policies can be found at www.tbs-sct.gc.ca.

These amendments have been published on the web site along with this notice.

Enquiries:

Real Property and Materiel Policy Directorate
Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat
L'Esplanade Laurier
140 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G5

Telephone: (613) 941-7173
Facsimile: (613) 957-2405
E-mail: rpmpd@tbs-sct.gc.ca

Blair M. James
Executive Director
Real Property and Materiel Policy Directorate