2023-01 Plan Filing Update

Bulletin information

Issue date: March 20, 2023
Legislation: Land Titles Act, Registry Act

Bulletin content

1. ePlans

Electronic submission of survey plans (ePlans) is available for Land Titles reference plans in all land registry offices. Land surveyors have found that digital submission of their plans through Teraview is faster, easier, and more convenient. Surveyors are strongly encouraged to use the ePlans service for submitting plans to the land registration system whenever possible.

To file plans through Teraview, a surveyor needs to obtain a Teraview licence and receive authorization from the Director of Land Registration for electronic registration of documents. Information on the sign-up process is available on the Teraview.ca website. Questions regarding the submission of ePlans or the authorization process may be sent to the Examiner of Surveys at examiner_of_surveys@ontario.ca.

2. Filing Hardcopy Plans in Remote Expedited Deposit (RED) in Land Registry Offices

Effective April 3, 2023, the number of land registry offices participating in the Remote Expedited Deposit (RED) process will increase to thirty-seven (37). The participating offices are set out in Appendix ‘A’.

The RED process for plan deposit only applies to the following plan types:

• All hard copy Registry Reference Plans (includes Strata Plans)
• All hard copy Land Titles reference plans (includes Strata Plans and No PIN Plans) - except plans supporting a Land Titles Conversion Qualified to Land Titles Absolute Plus Application (LTCQ to LT Plus)

Under the RED process, a land surveyor is required to submit their pre-approved hard copy reference plan for deposit by mail or courier to the designated Support Centre. The support centre will process the plan on behalf of the RED office.

The plan package must include a transmittal or covering letter from the land surveyor or land survey firm submitting the plan. The transmittal must include an up-to-date email address for the land surveyor or survey firm. In addition, the plan package must include a copy of the pre-approval with the required number of paper prints and the deposit fee. Note that a separate cheque is required for each plan when submitting a group of plans. Submission of a surveyor’s duplicate plan is not required under this process.

Upon filing, a PDF image of the deposited plan will be returned to the land surveyor at the email address provided in the transmittal/covering letter.

3. Filing Hardcopy Plans in Plans Processing Land Registry Offices & Centres

Reference Plans

Approved hardcopy reference plans intended for Land Registry Offices listed in ‘Appendix B’, are to be sent by mail or courier to the Land Registry Office in which the land included in the plan of survey is situated.

The plan package must include a transmittal or covering letter which includes the mailing address for the land surveyor or survey firm. In addition, the plan package must include a copy of the pre-approval with the required number of paper prints and the deposit fee. Note that a separate cheque is required for each plan when submitting a group of plans. Upon filing, the surveyor’s duplicate will be sent by courier to the address provided in the transmittal/covering letter.

Surveyors submitting reference plans for filing where the subject lands are noted as a ‘Plans Processing Centre’ in ‘Appendix B’, have the option to either provide a surveyor’s hardcopy duplicate that will be returned by courier to the address provided in the transmittal/covering letter or request that a PDF image of the deposited plan be returned to the email address provided in the transmittal/covering letter. Only one format (PDF or hardcopy) of deposited plan will be returned to the land surveyor.

Condominium Registrations and Subdivision Plans

For both subdivision and condominium registrations, the final signed hardcopy plans should be sent by mail or courier to the applicable Land Registry Office noted in the approval for registration received from the land registrar. Upon certification of the subdivision plan or condominium declaration and description, duplicate copies of the plans will be sent by courier or email to the surveyor and emailed to the lower tier municipality and upper tier municipality, if any.

Expropriation Plans

Similar to Reference plans, Expropriation Plans of land in RED land registry offices must be mailed or couriered to the appropriate RED Support Centre listed in ‘Appendix A’ for registration.

Expropriation plans of land in a ‘plan processing’ land registry office or centre can continue to be delivered to the appropriate land registry office or centre as set out in ‘Appendix B’.

Upon registration, duplicate copies of expropriation plans will be sent by courier or email to the surveyor or party identified in the cover letter and emailed to the lower tier municipality and upper tier municipality, if any.

Original signed by

Ken Wilkinson
Examiner of Surveys
Land Registration Services Branch

Dan Petoran
Director of Land Registration
Land Registration Services Branch

Appendix A

Remote Expedited Deposit (RED) Support Centres

Appendix B

Plans Processing Land Registry Offices & Centres