Land Registry Office – Ottawa, ON

Official Property Records for Ottawa-Carleton

Real Estate and Land Titles

• Title Searching: This office (LRO 04) maintains the official register of land ownership for the Ottawa region. It provides access to the Parcel Register, which details the current owner, legal description, and any registered encumbrances such as mortgages, liens, or construction easements essential for real estate transactions.
• OnLand Digital Access: While physical services have been modernized, this office supports the OnLand web portal. This system allows the public and legal professionals to search historical abstract books and current property records remotely, moving away from paper-based manual searches.
• Document Registration: The office oversees the registration of vital legal documents affecting land, including transfers of title (deeds), charge/mortgage registrations, and discharges. These registrations provide the government-guaranteed certainty of title required by the Land Titles Act.

Professional and Public Services

• Survey Plans: The registry holds deposited Reference Plans (R-Plans) and Plans of Subdivision. These documents are critical for determining exact property boundaries, resolving neighbor disputes, and planning new developments or severances in the city.
• Electronic Registration: The Ottawa Land Registry is part of the Teraview electronic registration system. Lawyers and conveyancers submit documents digitally, ensuring that property closings can occur efficiently and securely without the need for in-person attendance at the counter.
• Writs of Execution: The office also plays a role in the enforcement of judgments. Writs of Execution filed with the Sheriff can be searched here to ensure a property is free of judgment debts before it is sold or refinanced.