Land Registration Act (LRA) 

The government of Nova Scotia has enacted new legislation and acquired new technology to modernize our 250-year-old Registry of Deeds system. The Lands Registration Act moves Nova Scotia from and antiquated, name-based system, to a system that guarantees ownership and provides access to land related information for subscribers through an internet browser.

Basically, this system is indexed to the land parcel with a number instead of to a person’s name. Conversion to the new system will eliminate the requirement to search historic title records, removing a significant cost and time delay for future property transactions.

The government is guaranteeing ownership to the land but boundaries and location information are not guaranteed by the system.

Surveyors and lawyers will certify the description to the parcel of land and an authorized lawyer to oversee the review of the historic records( 40 years ) to certify title and register the parcel which will trigger the conversion of the parcel to the new system.

For owners of property contemplating selling, they would usually be responsible to have this migration done as part of the Purchase and Sales Agreement, if it has not already been done.

For further information and a host of pamphlets on the subject, you can contact Service Nova Scotia at 1-800-518-4640 or web page at

 www.servicens.ca/property/landreg