Table of contents

Overview

In November 2011, the Government of Alberta commissioned the Property Rights Task Force in response to an intense public discussion about property rights in the province. The Task Force’s responsibility was to listen to Albertans and bring their concerns and suggestions about property rights back to government.

One of the concerns highlighted in the Property Rights Task Force Report was the need for an independent office to promote and protect the interests of landowners. In February of 2012, in response to the Report, the Government of Alberta committed to the creation of a Property Rights Advocate Office (PRAO). The Property Rights Advocate Act was passed by the Legislature that spring, and proclaimed on December 18, 2012.

In 2019, the PRAO merged with Farmers Advocate Office to form the Farmers’ and Property Rights Advocate Offices.

Responsibilities

Contact us to voice your concerns about property rights. Our legislation does not permit the PRAO to provide direct assistance or legal advice involving property rights disputes. The PRAO will help you find support through information, resources and services regarding property rights associated with owning land.

Where systemic issues are identified, we will bring those issues to our colleagues in government to discuss possible resolutions.

The Property Rights Advocate submits an Annual Report to the Alberta Legislature containing recommendations on certain systemic issues. For legal advice or representation, see our Supports directory page.

Property Rights Advocate

Meet Peter J. Dobbie, Q.C., the current Property Rights Advocate.

Working together

Your calls, emails and faxes are important factors in initiating change to property rights in Alberta. We take the documentation we accumulate and work with stakeholders to address those causes with the knowledge that change takes time.

One of the recommendations made in 2014 was to abolish Adverse Possession. At the time, the Standing Committee did not endorse that recommendation. The Office helped to keep the issue alive because we continued to hear about it. So in 2017, the Standing Committee revisited that recommendation and made their own recommendation that government abolish Adverse Possession. In 2019 the Alberta Law Reform Institute published a preliminary report supporting abolishment of this common-law doctrine. On March 22, 2021, the Select Special Committee on Real Property Rights was established through a Government Motion. One of its mandates is consideration as to whether Adverse Possession should be abolished. The Committee is also tasked with reviewing Bill 206, Property Rights Statutes Amendment Act, 2020.

Publications and resources

Annual reports

The annual report is submitted to the Alberta legislature where it is referred to a Standing Committee for review. The Committee discusses the recommendations made by the PRAO and government lawmakers make decisions on what actions should be taken by government in order to make life better when it comes to property rights.

See all PRAO Annual Reports

Committee reviews of annual reports:

Legislation

Supports

Consult our Supports directory for assistance on issues related to agriculture, environment, municipalities, dispute resolution, energy, utilities, and home and tenancy.

Contact

Connect with the Property Rights Advocate Office:

Hours: 8 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 780-638-3265
Fax: 780-440-8724

Address
Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
Main Floor, J.G. O’Donoghue Building
7000 113 Street
Edmonton, Alberta  T6H 5T6

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