Buyer due-diligence checklist

Title and legal

• Current land title certificate for every parcel involved.
• Full copy of every registered instrument (easements, caveats, mortgages, agreements for sale, options).
• Confirmation of legal access for every parcel.
• Zoning, subdivision, land-use bylaw compliance.
• Confined feeding operation approvals and setbacks if applicable.
• Compliance with provincial farmland ownership restrictions.

Environmental

• Historical land-use search; Phase I environmental assessment where warranted.
• Location of fuel tanks (above and below ground), chemical storage and waste disposal areas.
• Wetland inventory, riparian setbacks, species-at-risk considerations.
• Wells: registration, drilling records, water quality tests.
• Any spills, orders or compliance history on file with the province.

Physical

• Soil survey review and, where relevant, targeted on-site sampling.
• Drainage assessment, including tile drawings and licensed works.
• Building inspections for yardsite, shop, storage and livestock facilities.
• Grain storage capacity, aeration and drying infrastructure.
• Fencing, corrals, waterers and shelterbelts if livestock is contemplated.
• Electrical service and communications.

Water rights

• Copies of every provincial water licence attached to the land.
• Confirmation of transfer procedure and standing with the water authority.
• Irrigation district membership, allocated acres and delivery agreement.

Agronomic

• Multi-year crop history with herbicide groups and residual risk.
• Soil test results for major nutrients, pH, EC, organic matter.
• Known disease or pest history (clubroot, aphanomyces, verticillium, nematodes, others).
• Manure application history and any nutrient management plans.

Financial and closing

• Lender pre-approval and appraisal timing.
• Tax considerations reviewed with an accountant (GST/HST, capital gains, rollover eligibility, intergenerational transfer).
• Existing leases, rental agreements and possession dates.
• Prepaid property taxes, utilities and share of standing crop or fall work.
• Insurance binding: property, liability, environmental where relevant.

The list above is a starting point, not an exhaustive one. Every parcel introduces items that are not on any generic list. Serious purchases warrant serious professional support.