Fee Simple Estate

Fee simple is the highest form of private land ownership because it has the most ownership rights. After the rights of the Crown (government), fee simple is the closest to absolute ownership. Fee simple gives certain rights or interests to the owner who controls the land so long as the property taxes and other assessments are paid. The individual owns the property now and in future until he or she sells the property or passes away. The fee simple owner can also control who gets the property through a Will. ‘Fee’ means the land can be inherited and ‘simple’ means the inheritance is unqualified as to who can inherit it. Fee simple may also be referred to as freehold ownership. In Alberta, the fee simple title of a property reverts to the province if an individual dies with no heirs or the land is not willed to another. Forfeiture of the land to the Crown (government) on this basis is extremely rare. If the fee simple owner transfers the property before death, the transferee (recipient) gets the fee simple interest in the property.