A Canadian Letter of Intent to Purchase Real Estate (LOI) is a preliminary written proposal that outlines the principal terms under which a prospective buyer intends to acquire a specific property, establishing a framework for negotiation before the parties proceed to a formal Agreement of Purchase and Sale. In Canadian commercial real estate practice, the LOI is a standard step between property identification and contract execution, allowing both parties to confirm alignment on material terms such as price, deposit, closing date, and conditions before investing in legal documentation, title searches at the provincial Land Titles Office, and environmental assessments.

The binding nature of a Canadian real estate LOI has been the subject of significant judicial consideration. The Ontario Court of Appeal in Bawitko Investments Ltd. v. Kernels Popcorn Ltd., [1991] 79 D.L.R. (4th) 97, established the framework for determining when preliminary agreements create binding obligations. The court held that where parties have agreed on all essential terms and intend to be bound, a preliminary agreement may be enforceable even if a more formal document is contemplated. To avoid unintended binding effect, the LOI must contain explicit language stating that it is not a binding agreement and that neither party has any obligation until a definitive Agreement of Purchase and Sale is executed. However, certain provisions such as confidentiality and exclusivity are commonly made binding regardless of the overall non-binding nature of the document.

In residential real estate, an LOI may precede a formal offer in competitive markets, particularly in major Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal where multiple-offer situations are common. However, in most residential transactions, the standard practice is to submit a formal offer using provincial standard forms, such as the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) Form 100 for residential properties or Form 500 for commercial properties. The LOI is therefore most commonly used in commercial and investment property transactions, land assembly projects, and complex multi-party acquisitions where the preliminary negotiation phase requires documented alignment before incurring significant professional costs.

Commercial property investors evaluating acquisition targets in Canada use LOIs to present proposed terms to the seller before committing to the expense of Phase I environmental site assessments, Ontario Land Titles Act compliance reviews, ALTA/NSPS land title surveys, and legal due diligence that can exceed $50,000 in complex transactions. The LOI allows the buyer to gauge the seller’s receptiveness to the proposed price and terms before investing in professional fees and disbursements.

Developers assembling land for residential or commercial development projects in Canadian municipalities submit LOIs to multiple property owners simultaneously, negotiating acquisition terms in parallel. Under the Planning Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13) in Ontario, or the Agricultural Land Commission Act (S.B.C. 2002, c. 36) in British Columbia, developers must navigate complex zoning, subdivision, and land use requirements. The LOI serves as a planning tool that enables the developer to assess the financial feasibility of the overall project before committing to purchase individual parcels.

Tenants negotiating to purchase the commercial property they currently occupy use LOIs to formalize purchase discussions with their landlord. The LOI should address whether the existing lease remains in effect during negotiations and what happens to lease obligations under the Commercial Tenancies Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. L.7 in Ontario) or equivalent provincial legislation if the purchase closes or fails to close.

Buyers contemplating the acquisition of income-producing properties, such as apartment buildings or office complexes, use LOIs to establish the framework for the transaction before conducting detailed financial due diligence, including review of the property’s operating statements, tenant leases, and compliance with municipal property standards bylaws. The LOI allows the parties to agree on the valuation methodology (income capitalization, comparable sales, or replacement cost) before proceeding to negotiate the definitive Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

The property description must identify the real estate by legal description as recorded at the provincial Land Titles Office, municipal address, and Property Identification Number (PIN) in Ontario or Parcel Identifier (PID) in British Columbia. In commercial transactions, the LOI should also identify whether the purchase includes personal property, fixtures, or intangible assets such as licences, permits, or tenant leases in place. The legal description must match the registered title exactly, as discrepancies can delay registration through the provincial electronic land registration system (Teraview in Ontario, LTSA in BC, or SPIN2 in Alberta).

The purchase price provision must state the proposed price in Canadian dollars and the basis for the valuation, whether based on comparable sales, income capitalization, replacement cost, or a combination. The LOI should specify whether the price is subject to adjustment based on the results of appraisal, survey, or environmental assessment. In provinces that charge Land Transfer Tax, such as Ontario under the Land Transfer Tax Act (R.S.O. 1990, c. L.6) or British Columbia under the Property Transfer Tax Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 378), the LOI should clarify which party bears responsibility for these costs.

Good-faith deposit provisions should specify the amount the buyer will deliver upon acceptance of the LOI or execution of the definitive agreement, the payment method (certified cheque, bank draft, or wire transfer), and where the deposit will be held. In Canada, deposits are typically held in a lawyer’s trust account or in the trust account of the listing brokerage, governed by provincial trust account regulations and the rules of the applicable law society.

Due diligence provisions should outline the investigation period during which the buyer may examine the property’s physical condition, environmental status, title encumbrances, zoning compliance with municipal planning bylaws, and financial performance for income-producing properties. The LOI should specify the buyer’s right to terminate without penalty during the due diligence period. Confidentiality and exclusivity provisions protect both parties during negotiations and are typically made binding even if the rest of the LOI is expressly non-binding. The governing law clause must reference the province where the property is located, and the acceptance deadline establishes the timeframe within which the other party must respond.