Land Title and Survey

The land title and survey system is a cornerstone of the Province’s economy. The combination of the Torrens system of assured land titles and an accurate survey cadastre establish the basis for all real property ownership in B.C.

The Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA) operates the province's land title and survey systems, and has four main service areas of responsibility:

• Land Titles: ensures the integrity of BC’s Torrens-based land title system for registering land titles, and interests in titles such as mortgages and other charges
• Land Surveys (Surveyor General): maintains the quality of the Province’s land survey structure
• Crown Grants: issues Crown grant documents that transfer Crown land into private ownership, to support government’s Crown land allocation programs
• Land Owner Transparency Registry: administers the Land Owner Transparency Registry, a public, searchable database containing information about individuals who are deemed to have an indirect interest in land.

On behalf of the Province, the Ministry of Forests is responsible for the development and implementation of policy and legislation to govern the land titles and survey systems. In this capacity the Ministry oversees the following legislation:

• Land Title and Survey Authority Act
• Land Title Act
• Land Survey Act
• Land Surveyors Act
• Boundary Act
• Land Title Inquiry Act
• Land (Spouse Protection) Act
• Land Transfer Form Act