An office lease commits the organization to a premises, cost structure and delivery path. The tenant should connect workplace strategy to legal premises, area, approved activities, building systems, service standards, complete occupancy cost, improvements and future flexibility. A landlord's permission to use the premises does not create municipal or safety-code approval.
This is general information, not legal, tax, environmental, engineering, accounting or investment advice. Obtain advice specific to the property and transaction.
1. Define the workplace requirement
Record peak headcount, attendance patterns, work settings, meeting and privacy needs, visitors, accessibility, parking, transit, technology, security, storage, hours and growth. Rank criteria as mandatory, preferred or adaptable.
Translate the requirement into a testable room and systems schedule. A generic square-footage ratio cannot prove operational fit.
2. Compare legal premises and area consistently
Obtain premises plans and state rentable, usable, common and storage area sources. Compare layout efficiency, floor plate, columns, windows, circulation, shared facilities and measurement assumptions.
A quoted area is not automatically usable workplace capacity. Confirm which area drives rent and other charges and how remeasurement or expansion is treated in the proposed lease.
3. Verify activities and occupancy before commitment
Give the municipality an accurate description of professional, administrative, public-facing, regulated and accessory activities. Confirm the current use and required development, building, trade, fire, sign and business approvals for the suite.
Calgary states that location approval depends on the location, proposed activities and prior use and that building review can be required even without construction. Prior office occupation is not the incoming tenant's opening approval.
4. Test workplace systems and service levels
Verify HVAC zones and normal hours, after-hours service, ventilation, electrical, data pathways, telecom providers, backup power, elevators, washrooms, accessibility, security, loading, cleaning and building access.
A building brochure or current tenant experience does not prove address-specific capacity or contractual service. Put critical standards, costs and remedies into the negotiated record.
5. Model the complete occupancy cost
Calculate base rent, additional rent, administration, utilities, after-hours HVAC, parking, storage, cleaning, security, insurance, GST, deposits, guarantees, furniture, technology, tenant work, moving and restoration across the term.
A net, gross or semi-gross label does not define the lease economics. Review actual area, expense, base-year, gross-up, management, capital, estimate and reconciliation language with counsel and accounting advisors.
6. Define landlord work, tenant work and delivery
Attach plans and scopes for base-building condition, landlord work, tenant improvements, permits, professionals, allowances, access, changes, delays, inspections, deficiencies and commissioning.
An allowance is not proof of budget sufficiency or immediate cash. Possession, fixturing, rent commencement and authorization to occupy are separate milestones.
7. Protect flexibility and business continuity
Review renewal, expansion, contraction, termination, relocation, redevelopment, assignment, sublease, change of control, signage, parking, surrender and restoration. Align notice dates with workforce and capital planning.
An option has limited value if notice, conditions, rent-setting or landlord discretion makes it impractical. Model the cost of growth, contraction and early exit rather than treating flexibility as a label.
8. Use evidence-based conditions and outside dates
Coordinate legal review, municipal response, design, construction pricing, financing, insurance, corporate approval and technology delivery. Define evidence, access, deadlines and consequences.
Commercially can coordinate the office search and brokerage negotiation; it does not certify lease legal effect, area, use, code, systems, fit-up, business continuity or permission to occupy.
Primary sources
Verify the current rules.
Government and regulator pages can change. These links were reviewed on August 26, 2026.
RECA: Real Estate Act Rules↗Alberta: Find land titles, documents or plans↗CRA: Commercial real property—sales and rentals↗Alberta: Building codes and standards↗Alberta: Fire codes and standards↗Alberta: Permits and the safety-code system↗Calgary: Opening a business↗Calgary: Changes to existing buildings↗Edmonton: Zoning approval for a business↗Edmonton: Changes to existing buildings and sites↗A real property decision?
Provide the organization, market, headcount, area, parking, systems, cost ceiling and occupancy date for a tenant-side search.Who, how and why
Who: Commercially Research & Editorial.
How: Primary-source research and AI-assisted drafting were used to organize this guide around a practical commercial real estate decision. Source links, factual claims and material limitations were checked against Commercially's editorial standards on the review date.
Why: To help owners, buyers and tenants identify the records, questions and professional advice that belong in a real transaction work plan.
Editorial owner: Commercially Research & Editorial.
Commercial review: Slav Loban, Commercial Real Estate Division Leader.
Questions or corrections: hello@commercially.ca
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