Resolutions

Whereas municipalities in Saskatchewan have a difficult and expensive time dealing with unwanted, vacant, abandoned, derelict properties; and

Whereas owners of unwanted, vacant, abandoned, derelict properties may transfer the title of these properties to the Municipality without consent; and

Whereas owning these unwanted, vacant, abandoned, derelict properties is often expensive and time-consuming for the municipality.

Therefore be it resolved that SUMA advocate the Government of Saskatchewan to amend existing legislation and regulations or pass new legislation and regulations requiring the consent of a Municipality before having property transferred into its name.

Acts affected: The Land Titles Act; Land Titles Regulations, 2001;

Regions/sectors: ALL

Dear Ms. Goulden:

Thank you for your email of May 11, 2023, seeking a response to the resolution adopted by SUMA at its Annual Convention to advocate for a legislative change that would require the consent of a Municipality before property could be transferred to it. I apologize for the delay in responding.

As you are aware, the Saskatchewan Land Registry does not currently require consent from any transferee before a title is registered in the transferee's name, including transfers to the Crown. This approach is consistent with land registries across Canada.

To introduce this requirement, a legislative change would be required. Review and consultation on this issue could be incorporated into a future, general review of the legislation, in order to gain feedback from stakeholders, including SUMA, as to the benefits and costs for all or a limited group of transferees, the Registry, and/or Government.

I would welcome you to speak to my officials regarding your suggested changes in further detail. Please contact: Karen Banks, Registrar of Titles, at publicregistryadmin@gov.sk.ca.

      Yours very truly,

      Bronwyn Eyre

Minister of Justice and Attorney General