What is the difference between township survey information and township patenting

information in regards to the survey of property located within a geographic township lot?
Was Ontario's land registration system possible under the Registry Act without a township
system of surveying having been performed first? If so, how do you account for the
recording of many interests in land, the boundaries of which are not known or laid out on
the ground but only theoretically capable of determination? If not, how else would you
propose a Registry system of recording deeds should have been organized at the outset?

1 answer

Township survey information refers to the physical survey of property boundaries and other geographical features within a specific geographic township lot. This survey provides accurate and detailed information about the size, shape, and location of individual lots within the township.

On the other hand, township patenting information refers to the process of granting legal ownership of land by the government. This information includes the records of land patents issued for specific lots within the township, indicating the legal ownership and rights associated with the land.

In Ontario, the land registration system under the Registry Act was possible without a township system of surveying having been performed first. This was because the registration system focused on recording the legal interests and transactions related to the land, rather than the physical surveying of the property boundaries. The boundaries of the properties were not required to be known or laid out on the ground at the time of registration.

The recording of many interests in land with unknown or theoretically determinable boundaries was done based on legal descriptions and references to adjoining properties or landmarks. This allowed for the registration of deeds and other land transactions without the need for a complete and accurate survey of the property boundaries.

If a township system of surveying had been organized at the beginning, it would have been necessary to perform a comprehensive survey of all the lots within the township before any land registration could be done. This would have been time-consuming and costly. Instead, the focus was on the legal aspects of land ownership and transactions, allowing for more efficient and accessible land registration.