GATOR Glossary

Provides definitions for many words you will find in the Government Access Tool for Online Retrieval (GATOR) application.

A

Absolute Date

This is the date a reversion has been absolutely been forfeited to the Crown, with no possibility of redemption.

Acquisition Date

This field indicates the date a property was acquired by the Crown.

Acquisition Type

The various acquisition types include donation, exchange, managed by housing, purchase, raised title, reversion or return, transfer, or unknown.

Address

This field shows the client's address associated to a parcel or interest.

Admin Areas

This field indicates the name of a specific administrative area.

Admin Area Types

This field indicates the designations for various types of administrative areas. These areas include:

• ALR for Agricultutural Land Reserve
• AS for Assessment area
• EL for Electoral District (Provincial)
• IR for Indian Reserve
• LD for Land district
• LANDSREG for Land management region
• LT for Land title district
• MU for Municipality
• NP for National park
• OI for OIC Ecological reserve
• PP for Provincial park
• RD for Regional district
• ST for School district

Alternate Filing Location

This field refers to a field book filing location that is not the field book's land district. Sometimes a field book contains several surveys, in different land districts, but the book is filed in just one spot. Therefore, a field book for a parcel of land that is located within the Cariboo District, may actually be filed with other Coast Land District field books. When searching the plans vault for a field book with an alternate filing location noted, check for that field book number in the alternately listed filing location.

Area Calculation Method

This field shows the area in hectares and the method by which the area was calculated. These include:

• AUTO - automatically calculated (from the registry access tool, when available)
• CONV - area came from conversion of old data
• ESTM - estimated area (manually derived/entered)
• NO VAL - no value
• NOEX - no explanation of calculation method
• SURV- surveyed area

B

BCGS Mapsheet Number

This is a designation for the British Columbia Geographic System (BCGS) of map referencing or numbering, which divides the province into large numerical grids, then smaller alphabetic grids. Each alphabetic grid is then divided into 100 mapsheets, starting at the lower left with 001, then moving in a 10 by 10 grid, ending at the upper right corner of the grid with mapsheet numbered 100. The format for the BCGS mapsheet number is NNNANNN, where N is numeric and A is alphabetic in capitals, as is 93P002 or 104G069, all without spaces.

Block

This field can represent a portion or a particular division of surveyed land called a block. This designation is used in at least three different types of legal descriptions, which are noted as follows:

• Blocks that are used in the survey system of Sections, Ranges and Blocks in the New Westminster Land District, and described as Block 5 North, Range 4 West, New Westminster District. Enter values in the search field in the following manner: 3N or 5N
• The second use is where no other descriptors are used other than the Land District for a legal description, such as Block 1253, Cranberry Land District
• Blocks can also indicate a portion of a subdivision, as in Block A of District Lot 1234, Lillooet Land District 

C

Cadastral Survey

A survey that determines and defines land ownership. It may involve on-site measurement, placement of markers, the creation of title or parcel description, and/or the re-establishment of legal boundaries. This applies to all areas on land, above or below the surface, over water and in air space.

Client/Other Ministry File Number

This notation is a file or client number assigned by another ministry, that may be used for cross-referencing purposes.

CLSR Plan Number

This field indicates a cross-reference to the federal government surveys plan numbers known as Canada Land Survey Record (CLSR). The field also includes the Indian Affairs Survey Records (IASR) plans.

Confirmed Date

This is the date a survey has been confirmed or accepted.

Control Survey

A control survey is carried out for a variety of reasons, including the following: to place or fix a scale for mapping, to establish precise coordinates based on a universal mapping system which tie to government control points, to establish control points for Wellsite drilling, to create hydrographic charts, to locate mine construction, or when routing of highways, transmission lines, right-of-way, etc.

Control Survey Name

This field indicates the name of a control survey that has taken place.

Control Survey Received Date

This is the date that a control survey was received.

Control Survey Source

This is the source of a control survey.

Control Survey Type

This field indicates the type of a control survey that has taken place. The various types include the following:

• Boundary Monument
• CAD (Computer-aided design) tie
• Control monument
• GPS (Global Positioning System) tie
• Milepost

Conveyance Number

A Conveyance number is assigned by BC Lands staff for filing purposes, in order to track the return to the Crown of a parcel(s) of land, by any other means than tax sale.

Crown Grant Covenant Resources

This field may contain one or more historical references to Crown grant resource details. Generally these notations will refer to resources granted prior to the Mineral Title Act of 1958. Users should refer to the actual wording on the Crown grant document should these rights be a concern. Covenant resources include the following:

• Associated surface use
• Beds of waterways
• Coal
• Fireclay
• Industral substance
• Limestone
• Minerals
• Natural gas
• Petroleum
• Precious metals
• Undersurface

There may also be no notation.

Crown Grant Covenant Restrictions

This field defines the various types of restrictions that apply to the Crown grants. Users should also check the notes field for this information. These restrictions may or may not include:

• Foreshore or upland
• Dredge and fill
• Licensing
• Air
• Health
• Consolidation
• Binding
• Flooding
• Conservation
• First Nations
• Heritage
• Timber reservation
• Mineral tenure or claim
• Contamination site
• Cross cancellation leases
• Statutory reservations
• Dedicated use
• Public access
• Limited cccess
• Zoning for development
• Zoning against development
• Cultivation
• Draining
• Salting
• Fencing
• Crown liability

Crown Grant Covenant Surface/Under

This field defines the types of covenants that may apply to a Crown grant. Generally these notations will refer to resources granted prior to the Mineral Title Act of 1958. Users should refer to the actual wording on the Crown grant document, where these rights are a concern. This field can include the following:

• Pre-Tantalis
• Surface
• Undersurface
• Both
• Timber

There may also be no notation.

Crown Grant Covenant Timber Deferment

This indicates whether timber was purchased or if it was deferred at the time the Crown grant was issued, where applicable to the grant.

Crown Grant Covenant Timber Value

This is the dollar value of the timber for a Crown granted parcel.

E

Encumbrance Report

This is report or summary listing of the query results for the primary parcel, also showing any subdivision parcels and any interests associated to a parcel.

F

Field Book Number

This field indicates the specific number for survey field books that are filed within the plans vault at the offices of Crown Land Registry Services. Each field book number is composed of three numbered segments and a land district name. The first segment is the actual field book number, the second is the year it was filed and the third is the filing location number, which is known as a pigeonhole number. It is also possible for more than one survey field book to exist per parcel of land. A typical field book number would appear as follows: FB123/89 PH3 Dunsmuir District.

File Location

This field indicates the physical location where a Crown lands file can be located.

File Number

File Number is a unique seven-digit file number generated by Land's regional offices, to identify an application, tenure or the disposition of Crown land.

First Name

This field represents the first name of a client or interest holder.

Folio

This field refers to either the surveyor of taxes folio number or the Mineral Land Tax folio number.

H

Historical Tenure Information

This field indicates any non-current or not active tenure information. The user has the option to include this historical data or not.

I

Images

High-resolution document images for material scanned from the Crown Land Registry. These include the original Crown grants, official plans, and wellsite plans and survey field books.

Interest

This field defines the type of legal Interest or documentation in regard to Crown land. This includes:

• Acquisition
• Crown grant
• Dominion patents
• Lease
• Licence
• Order-in-Council
• Provincial park
• Reversion
• Reserve/Notation
• Transfer Of Administration/Control

The prefix "A/" denotes an application for the above noted interest types.

Interest Effective Date

This field indicates the date a tenure, or Crown grant came into effect.

Interest Expiry Date

This is the date when an application for Crown land will or has expire(d).

Interest Holder

This is the name of the person or company holding an interest in Crown land.

Interest Parcel

This field defines the type of tenure which may exist, such as lease, licence, road, park, right of way, etc. There may also be other miscellaneous interests that could be noted in this field.

Interest Parcel Area (ha)

This is the metric area or size of an interest parcel in hectares.

Interest Parcel Effective Date

This field indicates the date a tenure, or Crown grant became effective, or an application was received.

Interest Parcel Status

This field indicates where a tenure or interest parcel is active or inactive. This field does not refer to whether a parcel is Crown or private or mixed status.

Interest Parcel Status Reason

This field can indicate one of the following conditions:

• Accepted
• Active
• Allowed
• Cancelled
• Completed
• Disallowed
• Disposition in good standing
• Expired
• Historic
• Offer accepted
• Offer rescinded
• Offered
• Pending
• Pre-Tantalis
• Received
• Reverted
• Sold
• Suspended
• Withdrawn

Interest Purpose

These include the following:

• Agriculture
• Alpine skiing
• Aquaculture
• Commercial
• Commercial recreation
• Communication
• Community
• Energy production
• Environment, conservation, and recreation 
• First nations
• Industrial
• Institutional
• Miscellaneous land uses
• Ocean energy
• Pre-tantalis
• Quarrying
• Residential
• Transportation
• Utility
• Waterpower
• Windpower

Interest Received Date

The date a tenure application was received.

Interest Sub-Purpose

There can be numerous kinds of sub-purposes for an interest. This field indicates additional or specific detail in regard to the interest purpose and can include the following:

• Agriculture - extensive
• Agriculture - grazing
• Agriculture - intensive
• Alpine skiing - commercial residential
• Alpine skiing - skiing - controlled recreation area
• Alpine skiing - day skier facility
• Alpine skiing - general
• Alpine skiing - independent recreation facility
• Alpine skiing - lifts
• Alpine skiing - maintenance facility
• Alpine skiing - miscellaneous
• Alpine skiing - parking facility
• Alpine skiing - residential
• Alpine skiing - runs/trails
• Aquaculture - crustaceans
• Aquaculture - fin fish
• Aquaculture - plants
• Aquaculture - shell fish
• Commercial - back-country recreation
• Commercial - commercial a
• Commercial - commercial bcommercial - commercial wharf
• Commercial - film production
• Commercial - general
• Commercial - golf course
• Commercial - hunting/fishing camp
• Commercial - marina
• Commercial - mechanized ski guiding
• Commercial - miscellaneous
• Commercial - private yacht club
• Commercial - resort hunt/fish camps and wharves
• Commercial - trapline cabin
• Commercial recreation - cat ski
• Commercial recreation - community outdoor recreation
• Commercial recreation - eco tourist lodge/resort
• Commercial recreation - fish camps
• Commercial recreation - guided caving
• Commercial recreation - guided freshwater recreation
• Commercial recreation - guided mountaineering/rock climbing
• Commercial recreation - guided nature viewing
• Commercial recreation - guided saltwater recreation
• Commercial recreation - heli hiking
• Commercial recreation - heli ski
• Commercial recreation - hunt camps
• Commercial recreation - miscellaneous
• Commercial recreation - multiple use
• Commercial recreation - nordic ski (x country skiing)
• Commercial recreation - private camps
• Commercial recreation - snowmobiling
• Commercial recreation - tidal sports fishing camps
• Commercial recreation - trail riding
• Communication - combined uses
• Communication - communication sites
• Community - community facility
• Community - miscellaneous
• Energy production - battery site
• Energy production - compressor site
• Energy production - dehydrator site
• Energy production - drillsite/wellsite
• Energy production - flaresite
• Energy production - gas processing plant
• Energy production - general
• Energy production - inlet site
• Energy production - land farms
• Energy production - major compression facility
• Energy production - meter site
• Energy production - non-field tank farms
• Energy production - refinery
• Energy production - water analyzer
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - boat haven
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - buffer zone
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - ecological reserve
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - environment
• Protection/conservation
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - fish and wildlife management
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - fishery facility
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - flooding reserve
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - forest management research
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - greenbelt
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - heritage/archeological site
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - protected area strategy
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - public access/public trails
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - science measurement/research
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - urep/recreation reserve
• Environment, conservation, and recreation - watershed reserve
• First nations - indian cut-off
• First nations - reserve expansion
• First nations - roads
• First nations - specific claims
• First nations - treaty area
• Industrial - general
• Industrial - heavy industrial
• Industrial - industrial camps
• Industrial - light industrial
• Industrial - log handling/storage
• Industrial - mineral production
• Industrial - miscellaneous
• Institutional - cemetery
• Institutional - corrections facility
• Institutional - fire hall
• Institutional - hospital/health facility
• Institutional - indoor recreation facility
• Institutional - local/regional park
• Institutional - military site
• Institutional - miscellaneous
• Institutional - police facility
• Institutional - public works
• Institutional - school/outdoor education facility
• Institutional - waste disposal site
• Miscellaneous land uses - land exchange
• Miscellaneous land uses - other
• Miscellaneous land uses - planning/marketing/develop projects
• Ocean energy - investigation and monitoring phase
• Pre-Tantalis - Pre-Tantalis
• Quarrying - construction stone
• Quarrying - limestone and dolomite
• Quarrying - miscellaneous
• Quarrying - peat and soil
• Quarrying - pozzolan, clay, diatomaceous earth
• Quarrying - rip rap
• Quarrying - rock for crushing
• Quarrying - sand and gravel
• Residential - floating cabin
• Residential - floating community
• Residential - miscellaneous
• Residential - private moorage
• Residential - recreational residential
• Residential - remote residential
• Residential - rural residential
• Residential - strata moorage
• Residential - urban residential
• Transportation - airport/airstrip
• Transportation - bridges
• Transportation - ferry terminal
• Transportation - navigation aid
• Transportation - public wharf
• Transportation - railway
• Transportation - roadway
• Utility - cathodic site/anode beds
• Utility - electric power line
• Utility - gas and oil pipeline
• Utility - miscellaneous
• Utility - sewer/effluent line
• Utility - telecommunication line
• Utility - water line
• Waterpower - camp
• Waterpower - communication sites
• Waterpower - general area
• Waterpower - investigative phase
• Waterpower - penstock
• Waterpower - powerhouse site
• Waterpower - quary
• Waterpower - road
• Waterpower - transmission line
• Windpower - development phase
• Windpower - investigation and monitoring phase
• Windpower - operating phase
• Windpower - transmission line

Interest Sub-Type

There can be numerous kinds of sub-types for an Interest. This field indicates additional or specific detail in regard to an Interest type, which can include:

• Certificate of purchase - direct sale
• Certificate of purchase - from lease-purchase option
• Certificate of purchase - Pre-Tantalis certificate of purchase
• Certificate of purchase - temporary code
• Crown grant - direct sale
• Crown grant - free crown grant
• Crown grant - from lease-purchase option
• Crown grant - historic
• Crown grant - historic crown grant
• Crown grant - land exchange
• Crown grant - pre-emption
• Crown grant - Pre-Tantalis crown grant
• Crown grant - temporary code
• Development agreement - alpine ski development
• Development agreement - Pre-Tantalis developmental agreement
• Dominion patents - Pre-Tantalis dominion patents
• Inclusion - access
• Inclusion - agreement
• Inclusion - inclusion
• Inclusion - land title act accretion
• Inclusion - land title act boundary adjustment
• Inclusion - Pre-Tantalis inclusion
• Inventory - bcal inventory
• Lease - head lease
• Lease - lease - purchase option
• Lease - Pre-Tantalis lease
• Lease - standard lease
• Licence - licence of occupation
• Licence - Pre-Tantalis licence
• OIC ecological reserve act - OIC ecological reserves
• OIC ecological reserve act - Pre-Tantalis OIC eco reserve
• Permit - investigative permit
• Permit - Pre-Tantalis permit
• Permit - roads and bridges
• Permit - temporary code
• Permit - temporary permit
• Pre-Tantalis - Pre-Tantalis
• Provincial park - parks
• Provincial park - Pre-Tantalis parks
• Provincial park - Pre-Tantalis parks (00 on Timber Administration System (TAS)/Crown Land Registry (CLR))
• Reserve/notation - designated use area
• Reserve/notation - map reserve
• Reserve/notation - notation of interest
• Reserve/notation - OIC reserve
• Reserve/notation - Pre-Tantalis reserve/notation
• Reserve/notation - prohibited use area
• Reserve/notation - temporary code
• Revenue sharing agreement - revenue sharing agreement
• Right-of-way - interim licence
• Right-of-way – Pre-Tantalis right-of-way
• Right-of-way - statutory right of way or easement
• Transfer of administration/control - fed transfer of administration, control and benifit
• Transfer of administration/control – Pre-Tantalis transfer of administration/cont
• Transfer of administration/control - provincial transfer of administration

Interest Type

An interest or tenure type can include any of the following:

• Certificate of purchase
• Crown grant
• Development agreement
• Dominion patents
• Inclusion
• Inventory
• Lease
• Licence
• OIC ecological reserve act
• Permit
• Pre-Tantalis
• Provincial park
• Reserve/notation
• Revenue sharing agreement
• Right-of-way
• Transfer of administration/control

Interested Party

Any individual, company, or organization that deals with the access, survey, conveyance, sale, reservation, licensing or transfer of interest in or parcels of Crown land.

Interim Number

This is part of an old two-part numbering system that was used to identify and record special or other timber licence surveys. One number was called perpetual and the other was called interim number. These numbers are still in use and the original or existing survey records for these parcels are located in the plans vault in the Crown Land Registry Services office.

IR Number

This field indicates the Indian reserve number for a specific Indian Reserve within a given Land District, in a format such as IR6, Cariboo District. For optimum search returns, use this field in conjunction with the Land District field and/or the Parcel Name field, in which the name of the Indian Reserve can be added.

Island

This is the gazetted or official name for an island in B.C. which has been surveyed. Some island legal descriptions include the island name along with district lot number or other survey description, as well as a land district name for identification purposes. There are many small islands in B.C. that have not been surveyed, so users would not be able to use this field in order to obtain information about these islands.

L

Land District

Land district is an administrative descriptor or division that also forms part of the legal descriptions of surveyed parcels in B.C. The land district designation is used in conjunction with other information such as district lot numbers, section number, etc. in order to identify a particular parcel of land. There are approximately 83 land districts in B.C. When inputting legal descriptions for search purposes, the user can select one land district from a drop down list. This list includes the following:

• Alberni District
• Barclay District
• Bright District
• Cameron District
• Cariboo District
• Cassiar District
• Cedar District
• Chemainus District
• Clayoquot District
• Range 1 Coast District
• Range 2 Coast District
• Range 3 Coast District
• Range 4 Coast District
• Range 5 Coast District
• Comiaken District
• Comox District
• Cowichan District
• Cowichan lake District
• Cranberry District
• Douglas District
• Dunsmuir District
• Esquimalt District
• Goldstream District
• Helmcken District
• Highland District
• KDYD - Kamloops Division Yale District
• Kootenay District
• Lake District
• Lillooet District
• Malahat District
• Metchosin District
• Mountain District
• Nanaimo District
• Nanoose District
• Nelson District
• Newcastle District
• New Westminster District - also see group
• Nootka District
• North Saanich District
• ODYD - Osoyoos Division Yale District
• Otter District
• Oyster District
• Peace River District
• Quamichan District
• Queen Charlotte District
• Renfrew District
• Rupert District
• Sahtlam District
• Group 4, Cariboo District
• Sayward District
• Seymour District
• Shawnigan District
• SDYD - Similkameen Division yale dictrict
• Somenos District
• Sooke District
• South Saanich District
• Texada Island District
• Victoria District
• Wellington District
• YDYD - Yale Division Yale District
• Group 1, New Westminster District
• Group 2, New Westminster District
• Group 3, New Westminster District
• Group 1, LDYD
• Group 2, LDYD
• Group 1, Yale LDYD
• Group 2, Yale LDYD
• Group 4, Yale LDYD
• Group 5, Yale LDYD
• Group 6, Yale LDYD
• Group 7, Yale LDYD
• Group 8, Yale LDYD
• Group 9, Yale LDYD
• Group 2, YDYD
• Group 2, Lillooet District
• Group 3, Lillooet District
• Group 4, Lillooet District
• Group 5, Lillooet District
• Group 6, Lillooet District
• North Saltspring Island, Cowichan District
• South Saltspring Island, Cowichan District
• Rupert (formerly Quatsino)
• Sidney Island (North Saanich)

Land District/Filing Location

This field refers to the filing location of tray plans in the plans vault, which is located at the Crown Land Registry Services office. A tray plan filing location may be the parcel's land district, or the Land Title Office (LTO), or some other unique plan's vault location indicator, such as E&N, Townsites or IR. Users should select the tray filing location from a drop down list. This field is not used for the filing location of tube plans.

Land File Number

This is a unique seven-digit file number generated by Land's regional offices, in regard to an application, interest, tenure or disposition of Crown land.

Land Reference File Number

This field is intended to contain the region-generated, unique seven-digit number. See file number.

Land Title Office

This field indicates one of the seven districts or Land Title Offices in which titled or deposited land is held and registered under the Land Title Act. These districts are:

• Kamloops
• Nelson
• New Westminster
• Prince Rupert
• Prince George
• Victoria
• Vancouver
• Unregistered designation may also be used when an LTO plan exists but the number has not yet been registered.

Land Title Office District

Listing of land title office districts. These areas are divisions or districts used by the Land Title Office. They are the following:

• Lands
• Kamloops
• Nelson
• New Westminster
• Prince George
• Prince Rupert
• Vancouver
• Victoria
• Unregistered

Land Title Office PID

The parcel identification number (PID) is a unique system-generated number used by the Land Title Office. It is not the same identification number (PIN) as used by Crown lands.

Land Title Office Title

This is the document number assigned by the Land Title Office in regard to an Indefeasible State of Title Certificate, which indicates ownership or title.

Last Name

Last name refers to the last name of a client or interest holder.

Legal Description

This is a unique parcel identification system based upon the format in which a parcel of land was surveyed, along with the Land District name, which indicates where the parcel is located within the province. Note that there were at least nine different survey systems used in B.C. and each describes land in a slightly different manner or format. See section or meridian for a description of some of these survey systems.

Legal Description Partial Search

This field allows the legal description to be searched by entering a partial description within a subdivision parcel. For example, enter "%BLOCK 10%" to display all survey parcels with BLOCK 10 in the legal description.

Legal Name

This is the registered, official or legal name for a company or client.

LTO Plan Number

This field indicates the Land Title Act plan number as registered in one the land title offices in B.C.

Location

This is a general description of the geographic location of a parcel or interest in Crown land.

M

Meridian

This field represents a line of longitude. This type of designation is normally used in legal descriptions for parcels surveyed under the Dominion (Federal) Township Survey System, also known as the Railway Belt survey system in B.C. These types of legal descriptions can be entered with these additional descriptors: section, township, range, meridian, and the Land District name. Parcels surveyed under this system are normally described as being either east or west of the 5th, 6th, 7th, or coast meridians. Abbreviations for the meridian designation are entered in the search field as capitals letters, without spaces, in the following manner

• W7M
• W6M
• W5M
• WCM
• ECM

Notes

This is a free form field used by staff to make relevant notations regarding an Interest in, or a parcel of land.

NTS Map Number

This number is based upon the National Topographic System (NTS) mapping grid which divides the country into sections, which are 4 degrees latitude by 8 degrees of longitude.

O

OIC Number

OIC is an abbreviation for Order in Council number. This is an administrative instrument or order, used to authorize conditions related to dispositions, transfer, amendment or some other land transactions. The form of this number is a 1 - 4 digit number, followed by a slash, and the year, as in 1234/98.

Organization Acquired by

The field indicates name of the government agency or organization that acquired a parcel(s) of land for the Crown.

P

Parcel Kind

Parcels of land are defined by a survey plan, according to one of three basic categories of legal description:

• Primary: Retains the original surveyed boundaries that defined it, in relation to the surrounding unsurveyed Crown land
• Subdivision: A division of a primary parcel or of another subdivision
• Right-of-Way: A parcel of land surveyed for statutory access or right-of-way purposes such as a road, wellsite or pipeline.

The list of parcel kinds includes the following:

• Coal lease
• Dominion Railway belt
• E & N
• Filled foreshore
• Highway rights of way
• Hydraulic claim
• Indian reserve
• Mineral claim
• Named primary parcel
• Phosphate licence
• Placer claim
• Pulp lease
• Railway land grant
• Railway right of way
• Right of way
• Special timber licence
• Subdivision
• Timber berth
• Timber lease
• Townsite
• Unknown
• Upland
• Wellsite

Parcel Name

This is a free form field used to enter a non-numerical or unformatted elements of a parcel's legal description, such as the proper name of an Indian reserve, a parcel's mineral claim name, or a townsite designation. Partial name searches can be made using the wild card (%) as in blue%.

Parcel Notes

This is a free form field staff use to make relevant notations regarding a parcel of land.

Park

Parks can refer to areas of both federal and provincial jurisdiction. They can also be a land control area, reserve, or other type. 

Park Class

The various kinds of provincial park classes are noted as follows:

• Class A parks are established and dedicated areas of provincial significance for the preservation of their natural environments for the inspiration, use and enjoyment of the public. Interest in land in a Class A park must not be granted, sold, leased, pre-empted or otherwise alienated or obtained or made the subject of a licence except as authorized by a valid and subsisting park use permit.
• Class B park is an old style recreational area.
• Class C park is identical to a Class A park except that this park has local rather than provincial significance and must be under the jurisdiction of a separate park board appointed by the minister as described in the Park Act.
• ER is an ecological reserve as established under the Ecological Reserve Act
• PA is a protected area as designated under the Environmental Land Use Act. These areas have pre-existing rights which would not be possible under the Park Act, such as grazing rights.
• R is a recreation area, which is a successor to the old Class B parks.

Park Code

This field indicates the various kinds or codes used to define a provincial park, and are listed as follows:

• RC for Recreation Area
• NC for Nature Conservancy
• WC for Wilderness Conservancy
• PA for Protected Area
• A for Class A
• B for Class B
• C for Class C
• UK for Unknown

Park Name

This is the actual name of a park as defined by legislation, regulation, or order in council.

Park Type

The various kinds of park types are noted as follows:

• Indian reserve
• National park
• Order in council ecological reserves
• Provincial park

Perpetual Number

This is part of an old two part numbering system that was at one time used to identify and record special or other timber licence surveys. One number was called perpetual and the other was called interim number. These numbers are still in use, as the original or existing survey records for these parcels are located in the plans Vault in the Crown Land Registry Services office.

PIN

Parcel identification numbers (PIN) are the unique numbering system generated number used by Crown lands and registry and GATOR to identify a parcel. It is not the same identification number used by the Land Title Office (PID). PINs are not necessarily limited to seven digits. From the Gator Survey Parcel Search by PIN page, users can enter the PIN number to search for a particular parcel or from the parcel encumbrance report link, enter the PIN number for a combination report.

Plan Number

This field carries the Land Title Act plan number as registered in one of the land title offices.

Plan Type

Plan type refers to the various kinds of survey plans, which are noted as follows:

• Chart
• Coal lease
• Composite map
• Control survey
• Control traverse
• Dominion Township plan
• EPC (Electronic Plan Crown)
• E & N
• Explanatory plan
• Field book plan
• Forest road plan
• Highway plan
• Index plan
• Indian reserve plan
• Integrated survey area plan
• Mineral claim plan
• Mineral reference plan
• Miscellaneous plan
• Official plan
• Posting plan
• Railway Belt plan
• Railway plan
• Reference plan
• Reserve plan
• Roads and Trails plan
• Sec 67-Land Act survey plan
• Sketch plan
• Statutory right of way
• Strata Title plan
• Subdivision plan
• Survey plan
• Topographic plan
• Town plan
• Townsite plan
• Township system legal survey plan
• Unknown
• Unregistered plan
• Unregistered posting plan
• Wellsite plan

PNG Map Number

This field represents a unique land referencing system identifier described under the Petroleum & Natural Gas Act. These maps often refer to oil or natural gas well sites or pipeline Rights-of-way, and are normally located in the northeast portion of the province.

Post Renewal

This field indicates whether a surveyor has renewed or re-established a particular survey post or marker that may have been damaged or destroyed, for an existing survey. There can be more than one post renewal for any survey.

Post Renewal ID

Post renewal ID is a unique number or identifier that is generated by the parent Tantalis database system for post renewals.

Post Corner Description

This refers to a particular corner or location where a post renewal took place.

Post Renewal Date

This is the date the post renewal or survey was conducted.

Post Renewal Reference Description

This describes a particular corner, plan or a parcel survey where the post renewal took place.

PRB Township

This field refers to the Peace River Block (PRB) Township survey system.

Primary Parcel Confirmed Date

This is the date that a primary parcel survey has been confirmed.

R

Range

This field represents a particular division or survey description of a portion of land. This designation is used in at least four different types of legal descriptions:

• Section and range surveys used on Vancouver Island
• Survey system of sections, ranges and blocks which is used in the New Westminster Land District
• The provincial township survey system of sections, townships and ranges
• Parcels of land which were surveyed under the Dominion Township survey system, which is also known as the Railway Belt survey system. Range notation within this system of survey are described in numeric values from 1 to 30, in conjunction with other descriptors in the following manner: section, township, range, and meridian
• In addition to the above-noted use, the range designation is also used as part of the description for the Coast Land District. However, in this case a range number is NOT entered, but selected from the Coast Land District drop down selection.

Region Name

This field refers to of one of the B.C. Assets and Land Corporation Regions. These regions are:

• Cariboo
• Kootenay
• Lower Mainland
• Omineca
• Peace
• Skeena
• Thompson-Okanagan
• Vancouver Island

Reversion Date

This is the date of notification of impending sale of a parcel of land for outstanding or unpaid taxes.

Right-of-Way

This field indicates the number of statutory rights-of-way for a surveyed parcel.

S

Scale

Scale is the relationship existing between a distance on a map or plan, and the corresponding distance on the ground or site. The value indicated refers to the actual scale of the surveyed plans and is in metric metres.

Section

This field represents a particular division or survey description of a portion of land called a section. This type of designation is used in at least four different types of legal descriptions, which are noted as follows:

• Parcels of land which were surveyed under the Dominion Township survey system, which is also known as the Railway Belt survey system. Parcels within this system of survey normally are described in numeric values from 1 to 36, in conjunction with other descriptors such as township, range, and meridian.
• The second survey type is called the Provincial Township survey system and is similar to the Dominion Township survey system except that range and meridians designations are not used in these legal descriptions.
• The third system of survey is the section and range surveys used on Vancouver Island.
• The fourth use is where no other descriptors are used other than the land district for a legal description. In this case section numbers can be either alphabetic or numeric characters or both, such as Section 7B, Quamichan Land District.

Section Number

This field is used in reference to a small group of Land Title Act plans filed only in the Prince Rupert Land Title Office. Several large registered plans were cut into pieces, and these pieces or resultant cut portions were referred to as Section 1 of Plan 923, filed in the Prince Rupert Land Title Office.

Subdivision

This is a portion, sub-section, remainder or division of an original surveyed or primary parcel of land.

Subdivision Confirmed Date

This is the date a subdivision survey has been confirmed or accepted for filing.

Subdivision Number

This field indicates the Land Title Act plan number for a subdivision as it has been registered in the applicable land title office.

Subdivision Status

Subdivision status field can include the following conditions:

• Active: this is a viable or existing current survey and has not been cancelled
• Active E&N
• Active needs resurvey
• Active being resurveyed
• Active needs review
• Cancelled: the survey for this parcel has been made invalid or cancelled
• Inactive: this is not a viable parcel
• Pending
• Superseded

This field does not refer to whether a parcel status is Crown or private or mixed status

Subdivision Type

This field refers to the type of subdivision that has taken place, as in a sub-lot survey, suburban block, or town lot division, etc.

Sur/Under

This field indicates whether the Crown grant refers to one of the following conditions:

• S for surface grant
• U for undersurface grant
• B for both
• Unknown

Survey Act

This field indicates under which piece of legislation a particular plan was registered and/or surveyed. This includes the following:

• Coal Act
• Condominium Act
• E & N
• Environmental land use
• Ecological reserve
• Forest Act
• Land Survey Act
• Land Title Act
• Mineral Title Act
• Park Act
• Mining (Placer) Act
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Act

Survey Cancelled Date

This is the date that a survey has been cancelled.

Survey Certified Date

This is the date that a survey was certified.

Survey Date

This is the date that a Land Act survey was completed.

Survey Details

This search options allows users to search for survey plans, official plans by tube or tray number, land title office plans number, park name, and other administrative area plans. Searches for plans by partial name can be made using the wild card (%) as in ban% for Banana Island Park.

Survey Method

This field defines the various methods by which a survey is conducted. They are noted as follows:

• Compilation
• Field survey
• Metes and bounds
• Unknown

Survey Note

This is a free form field used by staff to make relevant notations regarding a survey.

Survey Parcel

A portion of land that has been surveyed. After a parcel has been surveyed it is then described according to the method under which it was surveyed. Land that has not been surveyed is described as being unsurveyed land.

Survey Parcel Area (ha)

The area or size of surveyed parcel in hectares.

Survey Parcel Status

Survey parcel status can include the following conditions:

• Active: this is a viable or existing current survey and has not been cancelled
• Active E&N
• Active needs resurvey
• Active being resurveyed
• Active needs review
• Cancelled: the survey for this parcel has been made invalid or cancelled
• Inactive: this is not a viable parcel
• Pending
• Superseded

This field does not refer to whether a parcel status is Crown or private or mixed status

Survey Plan

Information about the various kinds of plans that have been surveyed.

Surveyor

The name of the land surveyor that conducted or supervised a survey.

Surveyor Firm

This is the surveyor's firm name, company, or organization.

Surveyor Name

The name of the land surveyor that conducted or supervised a survey.

Surveyor Number

This is the commission number of the land surveyor that conducted or supervised the post renewal or survey.

Surveyor Plan Number

This is the surveyor's own file or plan number for their internal office use for a specific survey job.

Surveyor Status

Authorized or commissioned land surveyors in B.C. can be defined by one of the following statuses:

• Active
• Archived
• Non-practicing
• Retired
• Unknown

T

Timber License Number

This is part of an old two part numbering system that was at one time used to identify and record special timber licence (STL) surveys. One number was called perpetual and the other was called interim number. These numbers are still in use, as the original or existing survey records for these parcels are located in the plans vault in the Crown Land Registry Services office.

Township

This field represents a division of land, used in three types of legal descriptions.

1. Used to describe parcels that were surveyed under the federal Dominion Township survey system, also known as the Railway Belt survey system, and is used in conjunction with other descriptors such as, section, township, range, and meridian. This system is also used in the Peace River Block Township survey system.
2. The second survey type is called Provincial Township survey system and is similar to the Railway Belt surveys except that meridians are not used in these legal descriptions.
3. The third use is just townships and sections, with a land district name. Some townships can be described with both alphabetic and numeric characters as in, Section 36, Township 7A, New Westminster District.

Tray Number

Tray refers to either Land Act or Land Title Act official or survey plan, which are stored in horizontal drawers called trays, in the plans vault in the Crown Land Registry Services office. They are described in the following manner: 1TR 23 Cariboo or 2TR12 Victoria LTO. Whether a given tray number refers to a Land Act or a Land Title Act plan depends upon the contents of an associated field called filing location/land district. Users should select the tray filing location from a drop down list.

Tube Number

Tube is a filing system or designation for plans that have been rolled into tubes for easier filing. Tubes may be official plans, survey plans or plans deposited with the Surveyor General for review. Tube plans are described in the following manner: 7 TU 1456, meaning this is the seventh tube plan filed in drawer numbered 1456. A filing location is not used with tube plans. Other types of plan designations may appear in the tube field including:

• CT - Composite Tray - Land Title Act surveys that are filed in a separate Land Title Act cabinet, rather than in the Land Title Act drawers or trays
• LO - Locker Plans - tubes that are filed in elevated lockers in the plans vault. Lockers can use either a numerical or an alphabetic designation such as 5 LO W or 5 LO 24
• RB - Railway Belt are plans that are filed in the drawer with the Railway Belt designation
• RY - Railway or right-of-way plans are filed as tubes in specially marked railway tube drawers that are separate from other tube drawers
• EN - These plans are also known as known as stick plans and are filed in a specially designated cabinet for Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway parcels
• EPC - These are official plans of a Land Act Crown survey that are electronically received and deposited

W

Wellsite

These are wellsite plans that have been surveyed under either the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act or the Peace River Block in the Dominion Township survey system grid.

Wellsite Approval Date

This is the date that a wellsite survey was approved and signed by the Surveyor General.

Wellsite Area

This is the area or size of a wellsite that is recorded in hectares.

Wellsite File Number

A unique seven-digit file number generated by B.C. Assets and Land Corporation regional offices or the Oil and Gas Commission to identify a wellsite.

Wellsite Location

This is the geographic location of a wellsite, using either the Petroleum and Natural Gas grid, or the Peace River Block of the Dominion Township survey system grid as a reference or location method.

Wellsite Name

Each wellsite is identified by a unique name: similar to the naming convention used to identify mineral claim parcels. Wellsite names often refer in part to the well operator's name and/or a nearby geographic feature.

Wellsite Survey Date

This is the date that a wellsite survey plan was certified and signed by the surveyor.

Wellsite Type

There are two kinds of wellsites:

• Petroleum and natural gas
• Peace River Block