Certification of Titles Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6
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| January 1, 2004 – December 14, 2009 |
| O. Reg. 514/93 | GENERAL |
Certification of Titles Act
R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER C.6
Note: This Act was repealed on December 15, 2009. See: 2009, c. 33, Sched. 17, ss. 2 (1), 14.
Last amendment: 2009, c. 33, Sched. 17, s. 2 (1).
CONTENTS
Definitions | |
Administration | |
Where Act not to apply | |
PART I | |
Application for certification | |
Service of notice | |
Adverse claim | |
Copies to be sent to interested parties | |
Payment of costs | |
Disposition of application | |
PART II | |
Definition | |
Certification of plans | |
Disposition | |
PART III | |
Registration of certificate | |
Effects of certificate of title | |
Indemnification of assurance fund | |
Claim against fund | |
Notice of possible error | |
Amendment of certificates | |
Where death or change of interest occurs | |
Minister’s orders | |
Regulations | |
Definitions
“assurance fund” means The Land Titles Assurance Fund formed under section 54 of the Land Titles Act; (“Caisse d’assurance”)
“Director” means the Director of Titles appointed under the Land Titles Act; (“directeur”)
“land registrar” means a land registrar appointed under the Registry Act; (“registrateur”)
“prescribed” means prescribed by the regulations. (“prescrit”) R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 1.
Administration
2. The Minister of Consumer and Business Services is responsible for the administration of this Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 2; 1993, c. 27, Sched.; 2001, c. 9, Sched. D, s. 13.
Where Act not to apply
3. This Act does not apply to land registered under the Land Titles Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 3.
PART I
CERTIFICATION ON APPLICATION
Application for certification
4. (1) An owner of or any person claiming an estate in fee simple in land, whether or not the land is encumbered, may apply in the prescribed manner to the Director to have the title to the land certified in the name of the applicant. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 4 (1).
Idem
(2) A person whose claim to land is based on length of adverse possession may apply to the Director to have the title to the land certified in the name of the applicant. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 4 (2).
Application deemed action for recovery of land
(3) An application under subsection (1) shall be deemed to be an action for the recovery of land within the meaning of the Real Property Limitations Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 4 (3); 2002, c. 24, Sched. B, s. 28.
Service of notice
5. (1) A notice of an application under section 4 shall be served on every person or person of a class designated by regulation and the notice is sufficiently served if it is sent by registered mail addressed to that person at the address furnished under section 168 of the Land Titles Act or section 42 of the Registry Act, or where no such address has been furnished, addressed to the solicitor whose name appears on the registered instrument by which that person appears to have an interest. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 5 (1).
Where consent
(2) Where a person to whom notice is required to be given under subsection (1) consents, in writing, to the application, no notice is required to be sent to that person. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 5 (2).
Adverse claim
6. (1) A person having a claim adverse to or inconsistent with an application under section 4 may file a statement of claim, verified by affidavit, with the Director at any time before the certificate of title is registered. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 6 (1).
Hearing
(2) Where a statement of claim is filed, the Director shall afford an opportunity for a hearing to determine the validity of the claim. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 6 (2).
Parties
(3) The applicant, every person who has filed a statement of claim and such other persons as the Director may specify, are parties to the proceedings in which a hearing is held under this section. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 6 (3).
Reference to a judge
(4) The Director, instead of holding a hearing under subsection (2), may refer the matter to a judge of the Superior Court of Justice sitting in the county or district in which the land is situate, or sitting in such other county or district as the parties agree to, who shall hear and determine the claim on the evidence before him or her or may direct the trial of an issue. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 6 (4); 1993, c. 27, Sched.; 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (1).
Copies to be sent to interested parties
7. (1) Where the Director makes a decision, a copy of the decision shall be sent by first class mail or delivered by the Director to the applicant and to every person who has filed a statement of claim under section 6. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 7 (1).
Appeal
(2) Any party aggrieved by a decision of the Director may appeal, within 30 days after the date of the decision, to a judge of the Superior Court of Justice sitting in the county or district in which the land to which the decision relates is situate, or sitting in such other county or district as the parties agree to, and the appeal shall be by way of a new trial. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 7 (2); 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 42; 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (1).
Appeal to Divisional Court
(3) An appeal lies from a decision of a judge of the Superior Court of Justice under subsection (2) to the Divisional Court. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 7 (3); 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (1).
Notice of appeal
(4) Notice of any appeal under this section shall be served on the Director. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 7 (4).
Payment of costs
8. (1) Unless the Director makes an order under subsection (2), an applicant under this Act is liable to pay all costs, charges and expenses incurred as a result of the application, except where parties whose rights are sufficiently secured without their appearance object or where any costs, charges or expenses are incurred unnecessarily or improperly. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 8 (1); 1993, c. 27, Sched.
Scale of costs
(2) The Director may order costs, either as between party and party or as between solicitor and client, to be paid by or to any person who is party to a proceeding under this Act, and may give directions as to the fund out of which the costs shall be paid, regard being had to subsection (1). R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 8 (2).
Appeal from Director’s order
(3) Any person aggrieved by an order of the Director made under this section may appeal, within 30 days after the date of the order, to a judge of the Superior Court of Justice who may annul or, with or without modification, confirm the order. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 8 (3); 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 43; 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (1).
Enforcement of order
(4) If a person disobeys an order of the Director made under this section, the Director may certify the disobedience to a judge of the Superior Court of Justice, and thereupon, subject to the right of appeal, the order may be enforced in the like manner and by the like proceedings as if it were an order of the judge. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 8 (4); 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (1).
Cost of application by trustee, etc.
(5) The amount of all costs, charges and expenses properly incurred by a trustee, mortgagee or other person having a power of selling land that are incidental to an application for a certificate of title shall be ascertained and declared by the Director, and shall be deemed to be costs, charges and expenses properly incurred by that person in the execution of the trust or in pursuance of the power, and the amount may be retained by or reimbursed to the person out of any money coming to the person under the trust or power, and the person is not liable to account in respect thereof. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 8 (5).
Disposition of application
9. When the Director has completed his or her examination under this Part and any matter referred to a judge is finally disposed of, or where a hearing has been held and the Director has made his or her decision and any appeal therefrom has been disposed of, or where the time for appeal has elapsed and no appeal has been taken, the Director may issue a certificate of title to all or part of the land or dismiss the application, as the case may be. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 9.
PART II
CERTIFICATION OF EXISTING PLANS
Definition
“plan” means a plan of subdivision registered under the Registry Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 10.
Certification of plans
11. (1) The Director may, of the Director’s own initiative and without holding a hearing, certify the title of the owner of land included in a plan, as of the date of registration of the plan. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (1).
Duty of Director
(2) Before certifying the title of any land under this Part, the Director shall examine the title to the land and satisfy himself or herself that the person to be named in the certificate of title as owner was the owner of the land for which the certificate of title is to be issued, as of the date of registration of the plan. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (2).
Hearings authorized
(3) Despite subsection (1), the Director may, for the purposes of complying with subsection (2), hold such hearings as the Director considers necessary, including hearings to determine the validity of any interest in the land of any person that appears to conflict with that of the person who signed the plan as owner, and, where the Director holds a hearing, the parties to the proceeding shall be such persons as are named in the notice of hearing. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (3).
Notice
(4) A notice of a hearing under subsection (3) shall be served on the persons named in the notice and on every person or person of a class designated by the regulations and where the hearing is to determine the validity of an interest in the land of a person that appears to conflict with that of the person who signed the plan as owner, the notice is sufficiently served if it is sent by registered mail addressed to the person at the address furnished under section 168 of the Land Titles Act or section 42 of the Registry Act, or where no such address has been furnished, addressed to the solicitor whose name appears on the registered instrument by which that person appears to have an interest. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (4).
Reference to a judge
(5) The Director, instead of holding a hearing under subsection (3), may refer the matter to a judge of the Superior Court of Justice sitting in the county or district in which the land is situate, or sitting in such other county or district as the parties agree to, who shall hear and determine the matter referred on the evidence before him or her or may direct the trial of an issue. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (5); 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (1).
Copies to be sent to interested parties
(6) Where the Director makes a decision under subsection (3), a copy of the decision shall be sent by first class mail or delivered by the Director to the parties to the proceeding and to every person who received notice of the hearing and appeared at the hearing. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (6).
Appeals
(7) Subsections 7(2), (3) and (4) apply to a decision of the Director made under subsection (3). R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 11 (7).
Disposition
12. (1) When the Director has complied with subsection 11 (2) and any matter referred to a judge is finally disposed of, or where a hearing has been held and the Director has made a decision and any appeal therefrom has been disposed of, or where the time for appeal has elapsed and no appeal has been taken, the Director may issue a certificate of title to all or part of the land included in the plan. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 12 (1).
Omission of discharged claims
(2) Where the Director is satisfied that a claim or interest that existed on the day the plan was registered has expired or has been discharged or for any other reason no longer affects the land, the Director may omit the claim or interest from the certificate of title. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 12 (2).
Registration of certificate
13. A certificate of title shall be registered by the Director in the land registry office for the registry division in which the land is situate. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 13.
Effects of certificate of title
14. Upon registration under section 13, a certificate of title is conclusive as of the day, hour and minute stated therein that the title of the person named as owner of the land described therein was absolute and indefeasible as regards the Crown and all persons whomsoever, subject only to the exceptions, limitations, qualifications, reservations and conditions, covenants, restrictions, charges, mortgages, liens and other encumbrances mentioned therein, and is conclusive that every application, notice, publication, proceeding and act that ought to have been made, given or done, has been made, given or done in accordance with this Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 14.
Indemnification of assurance fund
15. (1) The Director may require an applicant under Part I to indemnify the assurance fund against loss by a bond or covenant in the prescribed form, either with or without sureties or by such other security as the Director considers proper. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 15 (1).
Previous bonds and covenants
(2) Every bond and convenant to indemnify The Certification of Titles Assurance Fund given under a predecessor of subsection (1) shall be deemed to be a bond or covenant, as the case may be, to indemnify the assurance fund. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 15 (2).
Claim against fund
16. (1) Where, as a result of section 14, a person is wrongfully deprived of any interest in land, the person is entitled to recover what is just by way of compensation out of the assurance fund, so far as it is sufficient for that purpose having reference to other charges thereon, if the application is made within six years from the time of having been so deprived, or in the case of a person under the disability of infancy, mental incompetency or unsoundness of mind, within six years from the date at which the disability ceased. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 16 (1).
Where no compensation
(2) A person is not entitled to compensation from the assurance fund in respect of an interest in land existing before the effective date of the certificate of title unless that interest is registered under the Registry Act against the title to the land or notice of it is given to the Director before the certificate is registered. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 16 (2).
Applications for compensation
(3) Section 26, subsections 57 (6) to (13), section 58 and subsection 162 (3) of the Land Titles Act apply with necessary modifications to claims for compensation under this section. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 16 (3).
Notice of possible error
17. Where the Director becomes aware of a possible error in a certificate of title, the Director may give notice of the possible error by registering a notice in the prescribed form and the notice gives notice of the possible error to all persons until the notice is deleted from the abstract index by the Director. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 17.
Amendment of certificates
18. (1) Subject to the regulations, the Director of the Director’s own initiative or on the application of any interested person may, before the receipt of any conflicting instruments or after notifying all persons interested, upon such evidence as appears to the Director sufficient, correct errors and omissions in any certificate of title by issuing an amendment to the certificate of title. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (1).
Idem
(2) The Director shall, in correcting a certificate of title, correct it in the manner that the Director considers will do the least possible injury to any person affected by the correction. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (2).
Copies of decision
(3) Where the Director makes a decision under subsection (1),
(a) on the application of an interested person; or
(b) after notifying the interested persons,
a copy of the decision shall be sent by first class mail or delivered by the Director to the applicant and the persons who received the notice. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (3).
Appeals
(4) Subsections 7 (2), (3) and (4) apply to a decision of the Director made under subsection (1). R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (4).
Registration of amendment
(5) An amendment to a certificate of title shall be registered by the Director in the land registry office for the registry division in which the land is situate. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (5).
Effect of registration
(6) Upon registration under subsection (5), an amendment to a certificate of title takes effect in accordance with the terms set out in the amendment and is conclusive that every notice, publication, proceeding and act that ought to have been made, given or done has been made, given or done in accordance with this Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (6).
Claim against fund
(7) A person injuriously affected by an amendment to a certificate of title is entitled to recover what is just by way of compensation out of the assurance fund under section 16, as if the person were one wrongfully deprived of an interest in land. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 18 (7).
Where death or change of interest occurs
19. Proceedings under this Act shall not abate or be suspended by any death or change of interest, but in any such event the Director may require notice to be given to persons becoming interested, or may make an order for discontinuing, suspending or carrying on the proceedings or otherwise as the Director considers proper. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 19.
Minister’s orders
19.1 The Minister responsible for the administration of this Act may by order,
(a) require the payment of fees under this Act and specify the amounts of the fees;
(b) specify administrative procedures for the purposes of this Act;
(c) specify the procedures for land registrars to follow with respect to matters under this Act. 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 44.
Regulations
20. (1) The Minister responsible for the administration of this Act may make regulations,
(a) designating persons or classes of persons to whom notice of an application under section 4 shall be given and specifying the manner in which notice may be given;
(b) designating persons or classes of persons to whom notice of a hearing under subsection 11 (3) shall be given and specifying the manner in which notice may be given;
(c) Repealed: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (2).
(d) Repealed: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (2).
(e) prescribing the manner of making an application for certification of title and the material to be submitted with the application;
(f) governing standards and procedures for surveys and plans made for the purposes of this Act;
(g) Repealed: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (2).
(h) Repealed: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (2).
(i) governing the correction of errors in certificates of title. R.S.O. 1990, c. C.6, s. 20; 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (1, 2).
Note: The Lieutenant Governor in Council may by regulation revoke regulations made under clause 20 (1) (a), (b), (e), (f) or (i), as those clauses read immediately before December 18, 1998, if the Minister makes a regulation under subsection 20 (1), as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1998, chapter 18, Schedule E, subsection 45 (1), that is inconsistent with those regulations. See: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (4).
Note: Regulations made under clause 20 (1) (c), (g) or (h), as those clauses read immediately before December 18, 1998, continue until the Minister makes an order under section 19.1, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1998, chapter 18, Schedule E, section 44, that is inconsistent with those regulations. See: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (5).
Note: The Lieutenant Governor in Council may by regulation revoke regulations made under clause 20 (1) (c), (g) or (h), as those clauses read immediately before December 18, 1998, if the Minister makes an order under section 19.1, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1998, chapter 18, Schedule E, section 44, that is inconsistent with those regulations. See: 1998, c. 18, Sched. E, s. 45 (6).
Note: Despite subsection 45 (2) of Schedule E of the Statutes of Ontario, 1998, chapter 18, the Lieutenant Governor in Council may by regulation revoke regulations made under clause 20 (1) (d) of the Act, as that clause read immediately before December 18, 1998, if,
(a) the Director of Land Registration makes a regulation under subsection 20 (2) of the Act, as enacted by subsection 45 (3) of Schedule E of the Red Tape Reduction Act, 1998, that is inconsistent with those regulations; or
(b) the Director makes a regulation under subsection 20 (2) of the Act, as re-enacted by subsection 4 (2) of Schedule B of the Red Tape Reduction Act, 2000, that is inconsistent with those regulations. See: 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (3).
Forms
(2) The Director may make regulations prescribing forms and providing for their use. 2000, c. 26, Sched. B, s. 4 (2).
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