Land Registration Systems Flashcards
6 cards from real OREA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Land Registration Systems flashcards as text
What are the two land registration systems that have historically operated in Ontario?
Answer: The Registry system and the Land Titles system
Ontario has historically operated two parallel land registration systems: the Registry system (based on recording documents) and the Land Titles system (based on government-guaranteed title). The province has been converting all properties to the Land Titles system.
What is the fundamental principle of the Land Titles system in Ontario?
Answer: The government guarantees the accuracy of the title as shown in the register, providing certainty of ownership
The Land Titles system is based on the 'mirror' and 'curtain' principles — the register mirrors the current state of title, and the curtain principle means you do not need to look behind the register. The government guarantees the accuracy of the registered title.
How does the Registry system differ from the Land Titles system in Ontario?
Answer: The Registry system records documents affecting title without guaranteeing ownership; the Land Titles system guarantees title
Under the Registry system, documents affecting title are recorded chronologically, but the government does not guarantee who owns the property. The buyer must search the chain of title to verify ownership. The Land Titles system provides government-guaranteed title.
What is a 'chain of title' and why is it important in the Registry system?
Answer: The sequential history of all documents and transfers affecting ownership of a property, which must be searched to verify good title
The chain of title is the complete chronological history of documents (deeds, mortgages, easements) affecting a property. In the Registry system, a buyer must search the chain of title for a minimum period to verify that the seller has good and marketable title.
In Ontario's Land Titles system, what is the 'Land Titles Assurance Fund'?
Answer: A government fund that compensates persons who suffer loss due to errors or omissions in the Land Titles register
The Land Titles Assurance Fund provides compensation to persons who suffer financial loss because of an error, omission, or misdescription in the Land Titles register. It supports the government's guarantee of title accuracy.
What is the 'POLARIS' system in Ontario?
Answer: The Province of Ontario Land Registration Information System — the automated electronic database for property records
POLARIS (Province of Ontario Land Registration Information System) is the electronic database that stores and provides access to property records in Ontario. It supports both title searching and electronic document registration.