Land Surveying FAQ

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any artificial feature relative to a property boundary for the purpose of certifying its location is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Furthermore, an agreement with the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC confirms that only a BCLS is qualified to certify the true location of an improvement relative to a boundary.

Yes. thorough research is conducted through the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia, and the resulting plan will accurately plot the location of any right of ways, restrictive covenants, and easements that burden the parcel.

No. Certificates of Location are considered "non-statutory plans," meaning they are not filed or deposited in public registries like the Land Title Office or Crown Land Registry. They are prepared specifically to satisfy municipal building permit requirements, real estate transfers, or mortgage approvals.

No. While the plan accurately maps buildings relative to your boundaries, it does not establish new boundaries or redefine lost corners in the public record. In fact, professional guidelines dictate that the plan must contain a statement explicitly warning that the document shall not be used to define property lines or property corners. If your boundaries need to be formally re-established, a statutory Posting Plan or Reference Plan is required instead.

A plan of topography is a specialized plan prepared by a British Columbia Land Surveyor that shows details and information gathered during a field survey. It may include existing structures, contours, boundaries, as-built utility records, and design information for proposed features.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any natural or artificial feature on land or in airspace relative to a property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to legally map these features relative to your property lines.

No. Plans of topography and site plans are considered "non-statutory plans," meaning they are not filed or deposited in public registries like the Land Title Office. They are typically prepared specifically to accompany development-related applications to local governments.

Our surveys establish elevations using a precisely specified vertical datum, such as the CGVD28 or CGVD2013, which are based on federal reference standards. We utilize direct GNSS observations, precise point positioning, or systematic ties to established local benchmarks to ensure accurate and repeatable geodetic elevations.

Yes, a plan of topography may contain details of underground features. This information is typically gathered from various sources, such as historical as-built records, service location records, or physical surface locates conducted by ground disturbance specialists prior to our survey.

A RAPR survey involves mapping the natural features of a stream, lake, or wetland—such as the high water mark and the top of a ravine bank—relative to a property's legal boundaries. This survey allows a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) to calculate the Streamside Protection and Enhancement Area (SPEA), ensuring that your proposed development avoids harmful alteration to protected fish habitat.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any natural feature (such as a river bank or habitat limit) relative to a legal boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and professional liability insurance to legally map these features, protecting you from boundary encroachments and municipal rejections.

Environmental Management Act impact my development site? If your land has been used for specified industrial or commercial purposes, the Environmental Management Act may require you to submit a Site Disclosure Statement to the approving officer during a subdivision or zoning application. Our surveys provide the precise spatial baseline required for preliminary site investigations, detailed site investigations, and remediation plans, ensuring all contaminated zones are accurately mapped.

Yes. Under Section 219 of the Land Title Act, a covenant can be registered against your title to mandate that land or a specified amenity—including any natural, historical, environmental, wildlife, or plant life value—be protected, preserved, and maintained in its natural state. A BCLS prepares the required Reference Plan to legally define the boundaries of this protected area.

We prioritize non-invasive data collection techniques to protect sensitive ecosystems. While traditional surveying requires cutting lines through vegetation, we heavily leverage Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) equipped with Aerial Drone LiDAR, as well as Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanning. These advanced technologies allow us to capture millions of highly precise data points through the forest canopy and across wetlands without physically disturbing the soil, flora, or fauna.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any artificial feature (such as an excavation limit or building foundation) on land relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and professional liability insurance to certify these critical locations.

Conducting boundary-sensitive construction layout surveys near un-posted property boundaries incurs massive financial and professional liabilities. Professional standards dictate that if the legal monuments are missing, the BCLS should formally post the subject boundaries and file a posting or reference plan in the Land Title Office prior to commencing the layout.

We strictly require copies of the complete set of construction drawings explicitly marked "Approved for Construction" or "Issued for Construction" well in advance of the field work. This allows our professionals to pre-compute the layout, identify any plan misclosures, and ensure our field layout accurately matches the finalized, permitted design.

We establish recoverable local benchmarks at permanent and secure locations outside the immediate construction zone, avoiding unstable features like utility poles. To ensure absolute vertical precision, we derive our elevations from ties to two established geodetic benchmarks and strictly adhere to the vertical datums required by the local municipality.

While the land surveyor plays a vital role in mapping known utilities, the contractor is legally required to identify and locate existing underground services prior to excavation. A BC 1 Call ticket must be placed and the site cleared by ground disturbance specialists; our survey crews must ensure these safety certificates and locates are available on site before our layout work commences.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any artificial feature (such as a poured foundation or concrete form) relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and professional liability insurance to issue this certification.

At the time of a form location survey, the features located are essentially a temporary hole in the ground containing wood, which could easily move by accident or design before the concrete is actually poured. Because these forms have virtually no mortgageable value yet, professional standards dictate that the Certificate of Location must carry this warning to protect financial institutions and the public.

We establish local site benchmarks at permanent, secure locations near the parcel under survey, strictly avoiding unstable objects like utility poles. Whenever practical, our professionals derive elevations from precise ties to two independent geodetic benchmarks to ensure absolute vertical accuracy.

No. A Certificate of Location is designed exclusively to show the relative location of structures to the boundaries, not to re-establish the boundary itself. Professional guidelines legally mandate that the document contains a clear warning stating it "shall not be used to define property lines or property corners". A formal statutory Posting Plan is required to legally mark boundaries for fencing.

To ensure accurate execution, we require your architectural and engineering plans that are explicitly marked "Issued for Construction" or "Approved for Construction". We also require confirmation that all underground utilities have been cleared by ground disturbance specialists through BC 1 Call to prevent dangerous and costly strikes to buried facilities.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any artificial feature, such as a building gridline or structural foundation, relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and liability insurance to issue this critical certification.

Performing complex layout calculations in the field is a recipe for serious mistakes. We require your "Issued for Construction" CAD drawings well in advance so our digital experts can pre-compute the entire layout in a controlled environment, identify any architectural misclosures, and guarantee our field placement is accurate.

Conducting boundary-sensitive construction layouts on un-posted boundaries carries immense financial and legal liability. Professional standards dictate that we must first formally post the subject boundaries and file a Posting Plan or Reference Plan in the Land Title Office prior to commencing the layout work.

Establishing a rigid grid utilizing 90-degree angles is vastly superior to radial layouts for high-precision construction. The higher the level of accuracy required for your structural steel or concrete, the more important the grid method becomes, as it allows our surveyors and your contractors to easily double-check diagonals and adjust points on-site.

We employ a systematic quality control framework. We double-check all reference points from two independent locations or measure them in two different units to compare results. Additionally, we establish redundant horizontal and vertical control points throughout the site so we can verify positions continuously.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any artificial feature (such as a bridge abutment, roadway, or drainage structure) relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and professional liability insurance to legally position and certify these critical features.

Performing complex layout calculations in the field or on the hood of a truck is a proven recipe for mistakes. Professional standards mandate that we receive the "Approved for Construction" drawings well in advance so we can pre-compute the layout in a controlled environment and clarify any discrepancies with your design team prior to the site layout.

Conducting boundary-sensitive construction layout surveys near un-posted property boundaries incurs significant financial and professional liabilities. If monuments are missing, it is considered good practice for the BCLS to formally post the subject boundaries and file a posting plan or reference plan in the Land Title Office before the layout commences.

On most layout projects, establishing a grid utilizing 90-degree angles is preferable to radial layouts. The higher the level of accuracy required for the infrastructure, the more important the grid method becomes, as it facilitates rapid onsite checking, measurement of diagonals, and adjustment of points by both the surveyor and the contractor.

Yes. Prior to any ground disturbance or excavation, the contractor or owner must contact BC 1 Call. Furthermore, if you are working near energy infrastructure, the BC Pipeline Crossing Regulation dictates that no ground activity can occur within 30 metres of a pipeline without notifying BC 1 Call and receiving approval from the facility owner. Our surveyors will use this utility data to ensure safe layout operations.

A "public road" is defined under the Land Act as a portion of Crown land designated or indicated as a road on a plan of survey made under that Act, whether or not a road is physically constructed. A "highway" is defined under the Transportation Act and encompasses any public street, road, or trail that has become a highway through the deposit of a land title plan, the expenditure of public money, common law dedication, a Gazette Notice, or by specific designation on a Crown grant.

Yes. Under Section 42 of the Transportation Act, if public money is spent on a travelled road that is not otherwise a highway, the travelled road is deemed and declared to be a highway. However, establishing the legal certainty of a Section 42 highway generally requires an order from a court of law, which will evaluate factors like the significance of travel and the lawfulness of the expenditure.

No. Highways created by historical Gazette Notices or by the expenditure of public funds under Section 42 of the Transportation Act are not always removed from or noted as exceptions on the Certificate of Title. An indefeasible title is legally subject to a highway or public right of way even if it is not explicitly registered as a charge.

Under Part 6 of the ABCLS Survey and Plan Rules, if the boundary system is used, survey monuments (such as Type 1, 2, or 4 posts) must be set on one side of the highway at the start, at the end, at points of curve or deflection, and at intermediate points on tangents so that the maximum distance between posts is no greater than 1 kilometre.

Determining, establishing, and certifying legal boundaries, including the dedication of a highway under Section 107 of the Land Title Act or the establishment of a road under the Land Act, is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying" under the Land Surveyors Act. Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to place legal survey monuments and certify the plans required by the Surveyor General and the Land Title Office.

A block outline survey is a statutory method of deferred monumentation authorized under Section 69 of the Land Title Act. It allows a BCLS to reference a survey using secure control monuments before construction, and defer the setting of the final property corner posts until a later date.

In standard surveys, property corners are highly likely to be destroyed during the installation of utilities and site grading. By deferring the final posting until after construction is complete, you preserve the survey monuments, protect the integrity of the survey fabric, and avoid the cost of having a surveyor repeatedly replace destroyed posts.

Yes. Before the survey is made, an application must be submitted to the Surveyor General, who may allow the block outline posting subject to any conditions they consider necessary to ensure compliance.

If the application is approved, the Surveyor General generally provides a period of one year after the registration of the initial plan to complete the final posting. If construction is delayed, the BCLS can submit a request to the Surveyor General for an extension of time.

No. Section 69(6) of the Land Title Act mandates that the surveyor who made the initial block outline survey must be the exact same person to make the final posting. The only exception is in the event of the death or inability of that surveyor, in which case the Surveyor General may officially appoint another BCLS to carry out the final posting.

"Staking" is a common industry term for physically marking property lines on the ground. In British Columbia, when an angle of a parcel is redefined by placing a legal survey monument, the Land Title Act legally defines this process as a posting survey, which requires the BCLS to formally certify and file a Posting Plan in the Land Title Office.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, locating, and establishing property boundaries is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority, professional liability insurance, and technical expertise required to legally stake your property lines.

If original posts cannot be found, the Land Survey Act mandates that the BCLS must obtain the best evidence available to re-establish the boundary. We apply the common law "Hierarchy of Evidence"—prioritizing natural boundaries, followed by original undisturbed monuments, evidence of historical possession (like old fences), and mathematical plan measurements—to formally restore the true and unalterable boundary.

No. A Posting Plan simply creates a permanent public record of the survey evidence found and the new monuments set on the ground. It redefines the existing boundaries but does not alter your registered title. If our survey reveals significant discrepancies that require altering the registered boundaries, a Reference Plan under Section 100(1)(a) of the Land Title Act is required instead.

While marking a boundary without filing a plan is sometimes requested to save costs, it carries significant liability and contravenes professional statutes. Section 68 of the Land Title Act legally mandates that if a parcel corner is redefined by a post or monument, a posting plan must be certified and filed within two months. Filing the plan protects your investment by formally documenting the boundary in the public registry.

A lot consolidation is the legal process of combining two or more adjoining surveyed parcels into a single new parcel, resulting in the issuance of one new indefeasible title and the cancellation of the previous dividing boundary lines.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, establishing, or re-establishing boundaries to create a new parcel is defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the exclusive statutory authority to prepare and certify the Reference or Explanatory Plan required by the Land Title Office for a consolidation.

Under Section 100(5) of the Land Title Act, when you consolidate surveyed parcels, it operates to extend the mortgage registered against the original title so that it coincides with the boundaries of the new, consolidated parcel.

Generally, no. While a consolidation is a form of redefining land, Section 510(3)(c) of the Local Government Act explicitly states that the requirements to provide parkland or pay cash-in-lieu do not apply to a consolidation of existing parcels.

Yes. Section 259 of the Strata Property Act allows for the consolidation of two or more strata lots, provided they are owned by the same person and the holders of registered charges (like mortgages) have dealt with the priority of their interests to the satisfaction of the Registrar.

A covenant under Section 219 of the Land Title Act is a registrable legal agreement that can mandate whether land can be subdivided, whether buildings can be constructed, or whether specific land or amenities must be protected, preserved, or kept in their natural state.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, defining, and establishing boundaries to create a legal interest in land is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to prepare and certify the legal plan required by the Land Title Office to register your covenant boundaries.

Typically, covenants are held by the Crown, a municipality, or a regional district. However, a private person or organization can hold a covenant if they have been specifically designated by the Minister or the Surveyor General under Section 219(3)(c) of the Land Title Act.

Under the Electronic Land Title Plan Requirements, the boundaries of existing rights of way, easements, and restrictive covenants must be shown as broken (dashed) lines on the survey plan if they are registered as a charge on the title. Additionally, if a new parcel intersects a surveyed covenant that is wider than 6.5 metres, the intersections must be physically marked with survey posts.

If your property is located within the Agricultural Land Reserve, Section 22 of the Agricultural Land Commission Act explicitly states that any covenant that restricts or prohibits the use of agricultural land for farm purposes has no effect until it is formally approved by the Agricultural Land Commission.

An easement requires both a "dominant tenement" (a property that benefits from the right) and a "servient tenement" (the property that is burdened by the right). A statutory right of way is a specialized easement that does not require a dominant tenement, and it is typically granted to governments, municipalities, or public utilities under Section 218 of the Land Title Act for the operation and maintenance of public infrastructure.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, defining, and establishing boundaries to create a legal interest in land is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority, professional liability insurance, and technical expertise required to prepare and certify the legal plan required by the Land Title Office to register your easement.

Under Section 223 of the Land Title Act, if a dominant tenement is subdivided, the benefit of the registered appurtenant easement is automatically annexed to each of the new parcels shown on the subdivision plan, unless the subdivider specifically designates on the plan that the benefit does not attach to a certain parcel.

Under Section 69 of the Strata Property Act, implied easements exist in favour of the common property and the strata lot owners for vertical and sideways support, for the passage of utilities, and for shelter. These easements exist without the need for registration in the land title office; however, the easements for shelter and support do not apply to strata lots in a bare land strata plan.

Yes, but it requires a formal legal process. Under Section 35 of the Property Law Act, a person may apply to the Supreme Court to modify or cancel an easement if changes in the character of the land or neighbourhood make the charge obsolete, or if the reasonable use of the land will be impeded without practical benefit to others.

Land Act survey and a Land Title Act survey? A Land Act survey deals with unalienated Provincial Crown land; the resulting survey plan must be confirmed by the Surveyor General and is filed in the Crown Land Registry. A Land Title Act survey typically deals with privately owned, fee-simple land, and the plan is deposited in the Land Title Register to create indefeasible titles.

Yes. Under Rule 8-2 of the Survey and Plan Rules and the Surveyor General's Directions, a BCLS must submit an application to the Surveyor General to obtain specific survey instructions and a unique parcel designation before any field work can begin.

Under Rule 8-4 of the Survey and Plan Rules, the boundaries of district lots or blocks established by a Land Act survey must be marked so they are identifiable by the public. This is achieved either by setting boundary marker posts approximately 100 metres apart and blazing the line, or by cutting and clearing the boundary to a width of one metre and blazing the trees.

A Crown grant tracing is a coloured map attached to an original historical disposition (Crown grant) that graphically illustrates the land being transferred. Land or features shown in a colour other than red (such as blue for water bodies or brown for roads) were typically excluded from the grant and retained by the provincial Crown.

Land Act survey? Under the Land Surveyors Act, the measurement of land to establish or re-establish boundaries is defined exclusively as the "practice of land surveying". Additionally, Section 74 of the Land Act strictly requires that any survey of Crown land must be carried out by an authorized land surveyor.

Under the Land Act, a natural boundary is the visible high water mark of any lake, river, stream, or other body of water where the presence and action of the water are so common and usual as to mark on the soil a character distinct from its banks, both in vegetation and in the nature of the soil itself.

Accretion is the gradual, imperceptible, and natural deposition of land to an upland parcel. Under common law, lawful accretion belongs to the upland property owner to which it attaches. To secure this newly formed land, a BCLS must prepare a Reference Plan and submit an application to the Surveyor General under Section 94 of the Land Title Act.

No. Fill artificially placed on the foreshore is not lawful accretion. The legal natural boundary remains in the exact location it was immediately prior to the placement of the fill or the construction of the retaining wall.

No. A sudden and perceptible change in the location of a body of water due to cataclysmic events is called an avulsion. When an avulsive event occurs, the extent of ownership remains unchanged, and the legal boundary remains where it was located prior to the sudden event.

Defining, locating, and certifying a natural boundary constitutes the "practice of land surveying" under the Land Surveyors Act. Only a commissioned BCLS holds the exclusive statutory authority to determine the legal boundary, differentiate between lawful accretion and illegal fill, and prepare the statutory plan required by the Surveyor General and the Land Title Office to officially update your property rights.

A Statutory Right of Way is a specialized type of easement created under Section 218 of the Land Title Act. Unlike a traditional easement, it does not require a "dominant tenement" (a benefiting property) and is granted for any purpose necessary for the operation and maintenance of the grantee's undertaking, such as pipelines, powerlines, or municipal utilities.

Under Section 218 of the Land Title Act, SRWs can be held by the Crown, a Crown corporation, a municipality, a regional district, or a person or corporation specifically designated by the Minister or the Surveyor General.

No. Under Rule 5-3 of the Survey and Plan Rules, public roads and highways must be explicitly excluded from a statutory right of way survey. If the SRW is divided by a highway, the plan must show ties across the road in fine broken lines and provide a mathematical link across the corridor.

Generally, yes. If the right of way has a width greater than 6 metres, Rule 5-4 dictates that survey posts must be set on both sides at the beginning, end, at each angle, and at intersections with existing surveyed boundaries. If the width is 6 metres or less, it may be posted on one boundary only to maximize monument preservation.

Under Section 24 of the Energy Resource Activities General Regulation, a statutory right of way plan over Crown land must be submitted to the BC Energy Regulator, and a plan over private land must be submitted to the Land Title Office, within 16 months of the pipeline's completion (Leave to Open). Plans over Crown land must subsequently be submitted to the Surveyor General within 30 days of receiving BCER approval.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, only a commissioned BCLS holds the exclusive statutory authority to determine, establish, and certify legal property boundaries. A subdivision creates permanent legal titles, meaning only a licensed BCLS can legally prepare and certify the required Subdivision Plan for deposit in the Land Title Office.

An Approving Officer is a statutory official appointed by a municipality, regional district, or the Province under the Land Title Act. Their role is to review your subdivision application to ensure it complies with local zoning bylaws, environmental regulations, and infrastructure requirements (such as highway access and utility servicing) before the plan can be registered.

Yes. Under Section 73 of the Land Title Act, leasing a portion of an unsubdivided parcel of land for a term exceeding three years is legally considered a subdivision and is strictly prohibited unless it complies with the subdivision requirements of the Act. The only exception is if you are leasing a building or a part of a building.

Under Section 107 of the Land Title Act, the deposit of a subdivision plan that designates a portion of the land as a highway operates as an immediate and conclusive dedication to the public. Upon registration of the plan, the title to that road allowance is automatically vested in the Crown (or the municipality), without the need for a separate transfer document.

Subdividing waterfront property triggers specific statutory requirements. Under Section 75 of the Land Title Act, you may be required to provide public highway access to the water body at specified intervals. Additionally, the BCLS must survey the present natural boundary of the water; if the boundary has moved due to natural accretion or erosion, formal approval from the Surveyor General under Section 94 of the Land Title Act is required before the subdivision plan can be deposited.

While both are 3D parcels, an air space parcel is a completely independent fee-simple title created under the Land Title Act that has no statutory implied easements for support, shelter, or servicing, nor any legislated governance structure. A strata lot, created under the Strata Property Act, includes communal ownership of common property, implied statutory easements, and mandatory governance through a strata corporation.

Under the Land Title Act, an air space parcel cannot be further subdivided using conventional subdivision methods. The only permitted method to subdivide an existing air space parcel is by depositing a strata plan in accordance with the Strata Property Act.

Because the Land Title Act explicitly states that an air space plan does not imply any covenants or easements between the newly created parcels and the remainder parcel, your lawyer must draft an Air Space Agreement. This critical contract contains a suite of registered easements and equitable charges to ensure each parcel has the legal right to structural support, shelter, utilities, access, and shared maintenance.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, locating, and certifying the 3D boundaries of an interest in land is defined exclusively as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to perform this work and certify the Air Space Plan required by the Land Title Office.

Yes. Although an air space plan is exempt from many of the traditional subdivision requirements set out in Part 7 of the Land Title Act, Section 144(2)(f) mandates that every air space plan tendered for deposit must be approved by the proper Approving Officer for your municipality or regional district.

A plan of topography is a specialized plan prepared by a British Columbia Land Surveyor that shows details and information gathered during a field survey. It may include existing structures, contours, boundaries, as-built utility records, and design information for proposed features.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any natural or artificial feature on land or in airspace relative to a property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to legally map these features relative to your property lines.

No. Plans of topography and site plans are considered "non-statutory plans," meaning they are not filed or deposited in public registries like the Land Title Office. They are typically prepared specifically to accompany development-related applications to local governments.

Our surveys establish elevations using a precisely specified vertical datum, such as the CGVD28 or CGVD2013, which are based on federal reference standards. We utilize direct GNSS observations, precise point positioning, or systematic ties to established local benchmarks to ensure accurate and repeatable geodetic elevations.

Yes, a plan of topography may contain details of underground features. This information is typically gathered from various sources, such as historical as-built records, service location records, or physical surface locates conducted by ground disturbance specialists prior to our survey.

A "base" surface represents the top of a particular material prior to any excavation taking place, such as the original ground or the top of a solid rock layer. A "comparison" surface represents the current state of the excavation within that material, measured by the surveyor at specific intervals (usually monthly) to calculate the quantity of material removed for contractor payment.

An Isopach surface is a specialized 3D net surface generated during a volume calculation. It contains positive and negative elevations that represent the exact depth of fill or cut at any given point across the site. We use Isopach surfaces to verify the planimetric limits of the volume calculation and to provide a clear visual quality assurance check.

Earthwork volumes are directly tied to your project's budget through invoicing pay items. If survey point density is insufficient or breaklines are ignored, the resulting surface triangulation will be flawed, leading to massive discrepancies in calculated materials. Highly precise surveys guarantee that you only pay the contractor for the exact volume of dirt or rock removed within the design limits.

Volumes are calculated using a highly accurate "surface-to-surface" methodology within our geomatics software. We compare the 3D model of the initial pre-excavation surface against the 3D model of the current excavated surface. To eliminate vertical cut-offs and ensure the highest accuracy, we include daylight (catch) lines that project the slope accurately to the horizon surface.

Ideally, we survey the pit base before any gravel piles are crushed and placed to establish a perfect baseline. However, if the base of the pile is totally inaccessible due to prior material placement, our professionals will survey the surrounding ground and provide a logical, mathematical interpolation of the hidden base to accurately compute the pile's volume.

Monitoring surveys are specialized, highly precise surveys required to identify the movement of construction elements over time. They are commonly used to track slope stability, the settlement of preload materials, and the deformation of nearby structures during deep excavations.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any natural or artificial feature relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". A BCLS provides the statutory authority and professional liability insurance required to legally execute these boundary-sensitive measurements.

We utilize a combination of total stations, GPS (GNSS) receivers, and terrestrial 3D laser scanners depending on the tolerances and site conditions. Terrestrial laser scanning is particularly effective for monitoring topography, complex structures, and inaccessible terrain.

Unless specified otherwise, the results are provided as a representation of the data along with a detailed spreadsheet. This often includes graphs showing the precise movement over time, or a 3D deformation model showing the differences between the current surface and the baseline surface.

A survey methodology is required to ensure reliable results. We place attention on the accuracy and stability of our control points, instrument calibration, the timing of measurements, and ensuring redundancy in our measurements to isolate sources of error.

Terrestrial LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), or 3D laser scanning, is an advanced surveying technology that uses laser beams to measure the distance to physical objects. It captures hundreds of thousands of points per second, creating a highly accurate, dense 3D "point cloud" of a structure or landscape, often overlaid with full-colour panoramic imagery.

While anyone can operate a scanner, determining the location of any natural or artificial feature relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying" under the Land Surveyors Act. Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and professional liability insurance to legally map these features relative to your property lines.

Terrestrial LiDAR is exceptionally useful for mapping complex heritage facades, indoor building footprints, intricate industrial piping, and active construction sites. It is also the ideal tool for monitoring topography, conducting rockface geometric analysis, determining structural clearances, and surveying busy or dangerous areas where it is unsafe for a surveyor to walk.

While Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) equipped with Aerial Drone LiDAR are fantastic for efficiently mapping expansive corridors and penetrating tree canopies, they capture data from above. Terrestrial LiDAR is required to capture the intricate vertical details of building facades, the undersides of bridges, complex indoor environments, and areas requiring sub-centimeter structural precision that a drone cannot safely reach.

Alongside certified 2D or 3D CAD plans, we can deliver the full raw or processed point cloud data, typically in an industry-standard LAS or E57 format that includes both laser intensity and RGB colour values. We meticulously clean the data to remove noise and overhanging artifacts so it can be efficiently imported directly into your team's design software, such as Civil 3D or Revit.

Photogrammetry uses overlapping, high-resolution photographs to calculate 3D measurements and create visual surface models; however, it generally only maps the top visible surface (the canopy or roof). LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is an active sensor that emits laser pulses. These pulses can penetrate small gaps in dense vegetation to record multiple returns, allowing us to map the "bare earth" ground beneath a forest canopy.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining the location of any natural or artificial feature relative to a legal property boundary for the purpose of certifying it in writing is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority and professional liability insurance to legally map these features relative to your property lines.

No. The airspace in Canada is strictly regulated by Transport Canada under CARs Part IX. Flying near airports, heliports, or within controlled airspace requires specific pilot certifications (Advanced Operations), properly registered drones, and explicit authorization from air navigation service providers (like NAV CANADA) prior to takeoff.

When executed by professional land surveyors, drone mapping is exceptionally accurate. However, aerial data is only as reliable as the ground control it is tied to. We achieve absolute survey-grade accuracy by physically placing ground control points (GCPs) and measuring them with RTK GNSS and Robotic Total Stations, ensuring the drone data seamlessly aligns with our rigid terrestrial measurements.

Yes. Under Transport Canada regulations, flying over bystanders or conducting Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) operations carries significantly higher risk. These operations require the drone to have a manufacturer safety assurance declaration for that specific environment, and BVLOS flights legally require a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) approved by Transport Canada.

A "base" surface represents the top of a particular material prior to any excavation taking place, such as the original ground or the top of a solid rock layer. A "comparison" surface represents the current state of the excavation within that material, measured by the surveyor at specific intervals (usually monthly) to calculate the quantity of material removed for contractor payment.

An Isopach surface is a specialized 3D net surface generated during a volume calculation. It contains positive and negative elevations that represent the exact depth of fill or cut at any given point across the site. We use Isopach surfaces to verify the planimetric limits of the volume calculation and to provide a clear visual quality assurance check.

Earthwork volumes are directly tied to your project's budget through invoicing pay items. If survey point density is insufficient or breaklines are ignored, the resulting surface triangulation will be flawed, leading to massive discrepancies in calculated materials. Highly precise surveys guarantee that you only pay the contractor for the exact volume of dirt or rock removed within the design limits.

Volumes are calculated using a highly accurate "surface-to-surface" methodology within our geomatics software. We compare the 3D model of the initial pre-excavation surface against the 3D model of the current excavated surface. To eliminate vertical cut-offs and ensure the highest accuracy, we include daylight (catch) lines that project the slope accurately to the horizon surface.

Ideally, we survey the pit base before any gravel piles are crushed and placed to establish a perfect baseline. However, if the base of the pile is totally inaccessible due to prior material placement, our professionals will survey the surrounding ground and provide a logical, mathematical interpolation of the hidden base to accurately compute the pile's volume.

While both are 3D parcels, an air space parcel is a completely independent fee-simple title created under the Land Title Act that has no statutory implied easements for support, shelter, or servicing, nor any legislated governance structure. A strata lot, created under the Strata Property Act, includes communal ownership of common property, implied statutory easements, and mandatory governance through a strata corporation.

Under the Land Title Act, an air space parcel cannot be further subdivided using conventional subdivision methods. The only permitted method to subdivide an existing air space parcel is by depositing a strata plan in accordance with the Strata Property Act.

Because the Land Title Act explicitly states that an air space plan does not imply any covenants or easements between the newly created parcels and the remainder parcel, your lawyer must draft an Air Space Agreement. This critical contract contains a suite of registered easements and equitable charges to ensure each parcel has the legal right to structural support, shelter, utilities, access, and shared maintenance.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, locating, and certifying the 3D boundaries of an interest in land is defined exclusively as the "practice of land surveying". Only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to perform this work and certify the Air Space Plan required by the Land Title Office.

Yes. Although an air space plan is exempt from many of the traditional subdivision requirements set out in Part 7 of the Land Title Act, Section 144(2)(f) mandates that every air space plan tendered for deposit must be approved by the proper Approving Officer for your municipality or regional district.

A bare land strata defines strata lot boundaries on a horizontal plane by reference to physical survey markers (posts) driven into the ground, functioning very much like a traditional subdivision, but with shared common property like private roads. A building strata defines strata lot boundaries by reference to the physical floors, walls, or ceilings of a structure.

Yes. Unlike most building stratas, Section 243 of the Strata Property Act legally requires that a bare land strata plan be approved by a municipal or provincial Approving Officer prior to deposit, ensuring the development complies with access, utility servicing, and zoning requirements set out in the Bare Land Strata Regulations.

Density averaging is a planning principle permitted under the Bare Land Strata Regulations that allows developers to cluster strata lots closer together than traditional zoning minimums might allow, creating larger common property areas. The overall density of the parent parcel determines the total number of permitted lots, while the area for private access roads is excluded from the calculation.

Under Section 246(6) of the Strata Property Act, the unit entitlement of a strata lot in a bare land strata plan must be a whole number that is the exact same for all strata lots in the plan, or an alternative number approved by the Superintendent of Real Estate as allocating a fair portion of the common expenses to the owner.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, determining, locating, and certifying legal boundaries to create new titles is exclusively defined as the "practice of land surveying". Because a bare land strata legally subdivides property and creates permanent boundaries, only a commissioned BCLS holds the statutory authority to place the survey markers and certify the plan for deposit in the Land Title Office.

Under Section 68 of the Strata Property Act, unless otherwise shown on the strata plan, if a strata lot is separated from another lot or common property by a wall, floor, or ceiling, the boundary is exactly midway between the surfaces of the structural portion of those walls, floors, or ceilings.

Under Section 244(1)(f) of the Strata Property Act, the BCLS must formally certify that all buildings are within the external boundaries of the parent parcel. If an encroachment exists, we must confirm that appropriate and necessary easements or other registered interests are in place to legally provide for the encroachment, and we must meticulously document these as common assets on the strata plan.

Generally, a new building strata does not require the approval of a municipal Approving Officer, as health and zoning concerns are handled during the building permit process. However, if any building within the strata plan has been previously occupied (converted), Section 242 of the Strata Property Act mandates that the strata plan be approved by the local approving authority via a Form T endorsement.

Common property includes any part of the land or buildings not designated as a strata lot, and it is owned collectively by all strata lot owners as tenants in common. Limited Common Property is a specialized designation of common property that has been allocated for the exclusive use of one or more specific strata lots.

For residential strata lots, unit entitlement is typically based on the "habitable area" in square metres as determined and certified by a British Columbia Land Surveyor. Habitable area is defined as the area of a residential strata lot that can be lived in, explicitly excluding patios, balconies, garages, parking stalls, or storage areas other than closet space.

Governed by Part 13 of the Strata Property Act, a phased strata plan allows a developer to construct and register a single strata development in successive stages over time, ultimately resulting in one unified strata corporation.

A Form P is a statutory declaration approved by an Approving Officer that must be filed with the first phase. It sets out the schedule for the development, the unit entitlements, the maximum number of units per phase, the election to proceed dates, and the common facilities to be constructed.

No. Under ABCLS Survey and Plan Rules 7-6(1), the internal phase boundaries do not require physical posting because they will dissolve upon the registration of subsequent phases.

If a developer formally elects not to proceed with the next phase, they must file a notice with the Registrar, which must be accompanied by a reference plan prepared by a BCLS under Section 100(1)(a) of the Land Title Act to redefine the remainder parcel.

Generally, no. A phased strata plan of a remainder parcel that excludes an air space parcel is not permitted. This is because if a subsequent phase does not proceed, the Strata Property Act requires a reference plan to be filed for the remainder, and the Land Title Office will not permit a reference plan on a remainder that has had an air space parcel excepted from it.

A Proposed Strata Plan is a specialized plan prepared by a land surveyor to accompany a Disclosure Statement filed with the Superintendent of Real Estate. It illustrates the layout, dimensions, and areas of future strata lots and common property based on architectural designs, allowing developers to legally market and pre-sell units before construction is complete.

Professional standards mandate the use of the word "Proposed" to prevent purchasers from misinterpreting the document as a finalized or registered strata plan. Furthermore, the plan must contain explicit disclaimers and must never include an EPS (strata plan) number, ensuring clarity and protecting the developer from liability.

If the area of the final constructed strata lot varies significantly from the area promised in the Disclosure Statement (often defined as a variance of more than 3% to 5%), it may be considered a "material change" under REDMA. This could grant the purchaser the legal right to cancel their pre-sale agreement without penalty.

Parking and storage areas must be carefully planned during the disclosure phase. They can be designated as part of the strata lot, as common property, or as Limited Common Property (LCP). Designating them as LCP on the Proposed Strata Plan is a highly effective strategy that allows developers to allocate specific stalls to specific purchasers while maintaining marketing flexibility.

While the proposed plan is based on architectural designs, it creates a form of preliminary title that dictates unit entitlements, legal boundary definitions, and binding pre-sale contracts. Only a BCLS has the statutory expertise to accurately translate architectural intent into a legally sound strata framework, identify habitable vs. non-habitable areas, and ensure the proposed plan will seamlessly match the final registered strata plan.

Under Part 15 of the Strata Property Act, most strata plan amendments require a unanimous vote at an annual or special general meeting. This includes designating or removing Limited Common Property under Section 257, subdividing or consolidating strata lots under Section 259, and adding a strata lot to common property under Section 263. Certain specific actions, such as making land held by the strata corporation into a new strata lot, may only require a 3/4 vote depending on how unit entitlement is affected.

The Land Title Office requires that amendments be processed by filing "amending sheets" to the original strata plan. The BCLS prepares an amended sheet that contains all the information from the original sheet, with the new amendment explicitly highlighted inside a bold outline. The registrar then adds this amended sheet to the original strata plan file.

Yes. Enclosing a balcony typically converts non-habitable space into habitable area. Under Section 70(4) of the Strata Property Act, making a non-habitable part of the strata lot habitable requires a unanimous vote of the strata corporation, an amendment to the strata plan, and a new Schedule of Unit Entitlement (Form V) to formally reflect the change in the public registry.

Yes, Section 259 of the Strata Property Act allows strata lots to be consolidated. However, they must be owned by the exact same person, and the holders of any registered charges (such as mortgages) must have dealt with the priority of their interests to the satisfaction of the registrar. A BCLS must prepare the amending sheet to legally dissolve the boundary between them.

Section 257 formally amends the registered strata plan itself and legally requires a unanimous vote of the strata corporation. Section 74 allows common property to be designated as LCP by a 3/4 vote accompanied by a sketch plan; this does not amend the strata plan, but is instead noted by the Registrar on the strata corporation's common property record.

Under the Land Surveyors Act, only a commissioned BCLS holds the exclusive statutory authority to determine, establish, and certify the legal boundaries of a strata lot. Because a strata plan legally subdivides property and creates permanent titles, only a licensed professional acting in the public interest can certify the strata plan for deposit in the Land Title Office.

A building strata defines strata lot boundaries by reference to the physical floors, walls, or ceilings of a structure. A bare land strata defines strata lot boundaries on a horizontal plane by reference to physical survey markers (posts) driven into the ground, functioning very much like a traditional subdivision, but with shared common property like private roads.

Governed by Part 13 of the Strata Property Act, a phased strata plan allows a developer to construct and register a single strata development in successive stages over time. It requires the approval of a Phased Strata Plan Declaration (Form P) by an Approving Officer, which outlines the schedule, unit entitlements, and common facilities for the entire multi-phase project.

Yes, but it is an intensely complex legal process governed by Part 15 of the Strata Property Act. Depending on the goal—such as redefining limited common property, consolidating units, or adding land to the common property—the strata corporation must pass specific resolutions (often requiring a unanimous or 3/4 vote) and the BCLS must prepare highly regulated amending sheets to update the original registered plan.

Under Section 66 of the Strata Property Act, each owner of a strata lot owns the common property and common assets of the strata corporation as a tenant in common. The ownership share is directly proportional, calculated as the unit entitlement of the owner's strata lot divided by the total unit entitlement of all strata lots in the development.