What Is a Real Property Report? Why It Matters When You Buy in Alberta

A Real Property Report (RPR) is a legal document prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor that shows a property's boundaries and where the house, garage, deck, shed and fences sit in relation to them. In a standard Alberta resale, the seller is expected to provide a current RPR with the municipality's compliance confirmation, and in Calgary that confirmation is a Certificate of Compliance, which costs $189 for a house and usually takes 1 to 2 days for the City's initial review. That $189 is only the City's fee: the survey itself is a separate cost from the Alberta Land Surveyor, which the Alberta Land Surveyors' Association says varies with the property's size and complexity.

This guide explains what an RPR shows, who provides it and when, what makes one current, what Calgary's Certificate of Compliance does and does not cover, whether condo buyers need one, what happens when an RPR shows a problem, and why title insurance is not a substitute.

1. What Does a Real Property Report Show?

According to the Alberta Land Surveyors' Association (ALSA), an RPR is a legal document prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor that shows the boundaries of a property and the location of visible improvements such as buildings, fences and decks. The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) lists what it typically includes:

In a CREB article on RPRs, an ALSA representative described the report as having two parts: a sketch of the property showing boundaries and improvements, and the surveyor's certification noting any encroachments or other issues.

2. Who Provides the RPR, and When?

In most Alberta resales, the seller does. RECA says most standard residential purchase contracts require the seller to provide the buyer with a current RPR showing evidence of municipal compliance or non-compliance. The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) explains that the standard purchase contract has the seller warrant that they already have a current RPR with compliance, or will have one by closing.

Timing is where deals run into trouble. AREA notes that producing an RPR with compliance can take longer than ten days, and RECA advises sellers without a current RPR to get one as soon as possible, preferably before a purchase contract is written. If you are a buyer, ask early whether a current RPR with compliance already exists. If you are a seller, order one when you decide to list. Our guide to deciding whether to sell now or wait includes this in its pre listing steps.

3. What Makes an RPR "Current"?

ALSA says an RPR technically does not expire, but it becomes outdated when improvements are added or changed, such as a new fence, deck or garage. AREA is blunter: if there is any change at all between the RPR and the property, no matter how small, the RPR is no longer current.

If nothing has changed, RECA says a seller with an existing RPR may sign a statutory declaration or affidavit stating that the property is in the same state as on the date of the RPR. If something has changed, only an updated RPR with municipal compliance confirms that the property complies.

Sellers should take that declaration seriously. It is a sworn statement, and by AREA's standard any change at all, including a new shed, a replaced fence in a different spot or a poured concrete pad, means the RPR is no longer current. If you are not sure, ask a surveyor or your lawyer before you sign.

4. What Does Calgary's Certificate of Compliance Cover?

The City of Calgary's Certificate of Compliance page describes it as confirmation that the locations of structures on a property comply with the Land Use Bylaw, based on an RPR prepared by an Alberta land surveyor. It is not a legislative requirement, but lenders and lawyers usually require it, and the City advises buyers to ask for a current RPR with a Certificate of Compliance.

You apply online at apply.calgary.ca/compliance with a myID account, or in person at the Planning Services Centre on the third floor of 800 Macleod Trail SE. The City currently notes higher than seasonal application volumes and possible delays.

Two practical rules from the same page: the City does not accept altered RPRs, unclear plans or plot plans, since only an Alberta land surveyor can update an RPR, and the City cannot provide copies of previous surveys because of copyright. A certificate also does not confirm that permits were taken out, so ask the seller separately about permits for basements, additions and garages. Our guide to reading a home inspection report explains what inspectors look for.

5. Do Condo Buyers Need a Real Property Report?

It depends on the type of condo. According to AREA, conventional condominiums do not require an RPR with compliance, but bare land condominiums with improvements do. For more on condo purchases, see our guide to condo fees, reserve funds and estoppel certificates.

6. What Happens If the RPR Shows a Problem?

Utility rights of way and encroachments on City land

Many Calgary lots have a utility right of way, which the City's utility rights of way page describes as an easement giving utility providers a place for their infrastructure, usually starting at the property line and extending inward. You can check for one on the City's myProperty map or your certificate of title. The City's encroachments page treats any building, fence, driveway or retaining wall that extends from private land onto City lands or interests, including a utility right of way, as an encroachment.

If the City approves an encroachment, the owner signs an encroachment agreement, which lets the structure stay for its life but gives the City the right to request removal on 30 days' notice. The City can also refuse, in which case the encroachment must be removed. The City lists application fees of $50 to $300 and encroachment fees of $0 to $1,700, and fines of $750 to $10,000 upon conviction for unpermitted encroachments.

RECA notes that the seller is typically responsible for resolving these issues, and that a buyer or lender may require a holdback of part of the purchase price or mortgage funds until the problem is fixed. The City lists decks too close to side or rear property lines, and sheds, gazebos or garages too close to the house, among the common reasons it refuses compliance. If a resubmitted RPR is updated within one year, the City says you can resubmit at no cost.

7. Is Title Insurance a Substitute for a Real Property Report?

No. AREA states plainly that title insurance is not a replacement for an RPR with compliance and simply moves the requirement for a compliant RPR down the road, since a policy cannot tell you whether your fences mark the true property boundary. RECA agrees that title insurance does not take the place of an RPR, although it may allow a sale to close on time and assumes the liability and cost of correction as set out in the policy.

If a deal does close on title insurance because the RPR is late, ask your lawyer whether a holdback of part of the funds until the seller delivers the RPR should be part of the arrangement. Title insurance can still be useful when an RPR cannot be produced before closing, or at all. AREA gives a judicial sale as an example. If you plan to sell the home one day, though, expect your own buyer to ask you for a current RPR with compliance.

8. A Buyer's RPR Checklist

• Ask for the RPR early, ideally before you write an offer, and check its date.
• Compare it to the property. Look for any structure added, changed or removed since the RPR was drawn.
• Check for the City's compliance. In Calgary, look for the Certificate of Compliance, or a note of non-compliance.
• Read the surveyor's certification for encroachments onto neighbours, easements or City land.
• Ask about permits separately, since compliance does not confirm permit history.
• Build it into your conditions. Our guide to conditional offers in Calgary explains how conditions protect you while you review documents.
• Budget for closing. See our guide to Calgary closing costs in 2026 for the full list of what buyers pay.