More Improvements to Nova Scotia's Land Registration System

Nova Scotia's new land registration system will soon be better and faster.

Starting Tuesday, April 18, authorized lawyers across the province will be able to submit more than 70 per cent of all land-related documents directly from their desks to one of the 18 land registration offices for recording or registration.

Since March 2003, the province has been rolling out a new land registration system that is modernizing Nova Scotia's 250-year-old property-based system.

"Nova Scotia is a world leader with this unique electronic system," Richard Hurlburt, Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, said today, April 13. "This innovative and accessible system provides easy and timely access to land information and registration."

By the end of the year, it is expected that all land-related documents will be able to be transmitted in this way.

The province is also converting at least 60 years of historic paper records at the land registries so that scanned images are available online from anywhere around world. By 2007, the Halifax Land Registration Office will make documents and plans dating back to 1749 available online.

The new land registration system removes many of the constraints that delayed property transactions. As red tape, travel and title searching time is reduced, consumers should see faster closings, with lower legal bills for transactions involving properties that have been converted to the new system.

For more information about land registration, call toll free 1-866-518-4640 or see the website at www.servicens.ca/property/landreg/.