The Department of Natural Resources encourages land donations that help the department fulfill its mission or achieve one of its strategic objectives. For example, the department welcomes land donations that:

• complement the diversity of the Province’s natural environment;
• provide stewardship and sustainable resource potential;
• enhance the quality of life for Nova Scotians;
• help the province meet its land conservation goals;
• consolidate with existing Crown parcels;
• generally, the department will pay costs associated with completing a donation of land to the Province.

Donation Process:

1. An offer to donate land to the Province of Nova Scotia must be submitted in writing by the landowner or their legally authorized representative. The offer, including a copy of the deed of title, a property survey or sketch map that shows the location and number of acres of the land, and any other information about the parcel that the landowner feels might be of interest, should be sent to the attention of the Manager Acquisitions & Leases Section, at the Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 698, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2T9.

2. Each potential gift of land is reviewed by an Integrated Resource Management team, made up of departmental staff with expertise in geology/minerals, forestry, parks/recreation, wildlife, biology, land surveying, etc. The integrated resource management review evaluates the potential donation in terms of the overall benefit to the province and considers how it supports departmental values.

3. If the land is considered a valuable addition to the province’s land base, the department will have the property appraised by an appraiser, holding an Accredited Appraiser Canadian Institute designation, to establish the fair market value of the property.

4. The department will also conduct a standard title search of the lands to be donated and prepare necessary documentation. It is important that the landowner have marketable title in fee simple and that the property be free and clear of all legal encumbrances at the time of a formal offer of donation. The province does not accept responsibility for resolving any outstanding title issues.

5. The department prefers land donations that are not subject to restrictive or limiting conditions.

6. The department may require that a gift of land be subject to an independent environmental audit, at the donor’s expense, to ensure that the subject property is free from toxic and/or hazardous substances.

7. All land transactions, including donations of land, are subject to approval by the Minister or Cabinet. Approval is at Cabinet’s discretion.

8. Click here to down load a copy of the application form or to access the fillable PDF of the form.

Costs:

Although the department pays most of the costs associated with a donation of land, there may be legal or income tax/capital gains implications, associated with a donation. Anyone considering donating land to the province should consult a lawyer or financial advisor. The province cannot advise the landowner with respect to personal financial situations.

Benefits:

Upon completion of the donation, if requested by the donor, the province will issue a tax receipt to the donor for the Appraised Fair Market Value of the lands.

Time:

A land donation to the Province of Nova Scotia may take more time to complete than a similar transaction involving a private sector conservation organization. In most cases, a donation can be completed within one year.

If you require additional information, please contact the Manager, Acquisitions & Leases Section at (902) 424-4061.