B-9 - Act respecting registry offices

Updated to 9 October 2001

This document has official status.

chapter B-9

Act respecting registry offices

1992, c. 57, s. 446.

1. The Minister of Natural Resources is in charge of the organization and inspection of the Land Registry Office and the registry offices established for the registration divisions in Québec and has superintendence over the registrars assigned to those registry offices.

The Minister of Justice is in charge of the organization and inspection of the Personal and Movable Real Rights Registry Office and has superintendence of the registrar assigned to that registry office.

Unless otherwise specified, the provisions of this Act apply having regard to the respective responsibilities of the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Justice.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 1; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 2000, c. 42, s. 108.

1.1. The Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Justice jointly shall appoint a Land Registrar in charge of keeping the Land Registry Office and the registry offices established for the registration divisions in Québec.

The Minister of Justice shall appoint a Personal and Movable Real Rights Registrar in charge of keeping the Personal and Movable Real Rights Registry Office.

Registrars appointed under this section must be advocates or notaries.

2000, c. 42, s. 108.

1.2. The Land Registrar shall exercise his or her functions, when acting as an administrator, under the authority of the Minister of Natural Resources and, when acting as a public officer, under the authority of the Minister of Justice. The Personal and Movable Real Rights Registrar shall exercise his or her functions under the sole authority of the Minister of Justice.

In the exercise of his or her functions as a public officer, the Land Registrar shall be assisted by a committee responsible for advising the Land Registrar regarding the legal interpretation or application of legislation respecting land registration. The committee shall comprise two representatives of the Ministère des Ressources naturelles and two representatives of the Ministère de la Justice, and its directions are binding on the Land Registrar. If the committee is unable to act or cannot agree, the directions shall be given by the Minister of Justice.

An advisory committee shall be established, composed of a representative of the Ministère des Ressources naturelles, the Ministère de la Justice, the Barreau du Québec, the Chambre des notaires du Québec and the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec. The mandate of the committee is to give its views on any matter concerning land registration submitted by the Land Registrar, the Minister of Natural Resources or the Minister of Justice.

2000, c. 42, s. 108.

2. The Minister shall appoint one or more deputy registrars for the Land Registry Office and the Personal and Movable Real Rights Registry Office. The Minister shall also appoint other deputy registrars for the registry offices established in land registration divisions.

Subject to the restrictions contained in their acts of appointment, deputy registrars have, in all respects, the same powers, duties and obligations as the Registrar and act under the authority of the Registrar.

The Minister may delegate to any public servant with the Minister’s department designated in writing the power to appoint deputy registrars with limited powers, or to appoint deputy registrars with full powers for a limited time.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 1998, c. 5, s. 20; 2000, c. 42, s. 109.

3. The Minister may order a registrar to replace or reconstitute the whole or part of any document kept by the registrar so as to ensure the conservation of the rights published and to facilitate the consultation of the document.

The replacement or reconstitution may be effected by transcription, photocopy, microfilm or any other means that will ensure the conservation of the information recorded in the document and facilitate the consultation of the document.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 4; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 2000, c. 42, s. 110.

4. The Minister determines the means to be used to replace or reconstitute the document and the manner of proceeding with such replacement or reconstitution so as to ensure its authenticity.

Where a document is replaced, the registrar collates the reproduction with the original and certifies in writing and under his oath of office that it is a true reproduction of the original.

Where a document is reconstituted, the registrar certifies in writing and under his oath of office that the reproduction has been carried out in accordance with the order of the Minister.

Any reproduction so certified has the same authenticity, validity and effect as the document it replaces or of which it is a reconstitution and the provisions of the Civil Code relating to the organization of registry offices apply.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 5; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 14, s. 81; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1983, c. 55, s. 161; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

4.1. The Minister may, upon noting an irregularity in the authentication of or manner of keeping the registers, issue an order in each case specifying how the registrar is to remedy the situation. Similarly, the Minister may, where required by circumstances, authorize the registrar to temporarily surrender the books, registers or other documents in his custody to facilitate their replacement or reconstitution; the order shall list the documents concerned and fix the maximum period during which they may be surrendered.

2000, c. 42, s. 111.

5. The Government may determine, by regulation, for documents requiring publication, the quality and dimensions of the paper used, the lay-out of the text, the types of copies that may be presented for registration and the manner of keeping the documents forming part of the records of the registry office.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 6; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 14, s. 81; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1983, c. 55, s. 161; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

5.1. For the purposes of the laws respecting the publication of rights, the secretaries of the Ordre des notaires du Québec and the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec shall assign to all notaries and land surveyors who apply therefor a personal code allowing them to transmit, in an electronic medium, applications for registration and other documents bearing their signature for presentation to the Land Registrar.

1987, c. 98, s. 6; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 2000, c. 42, s. 112.

6. Where a document is replaced or reconstituted by microfilm, the Minister determines the means and manner of recording any particular relating to an entry appearing on the microfilm.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 7; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 14, s. 81; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 16, s. 3; 1974, c. 11, s. 46; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1981, c. 14, s. 21; 1983, c. 55, s. 161; 1987, c. 98, s. 7; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 2000, c. 42, s. 113.

7. Upon their appointment, registrars shall take the following oath before a judge of the Superior Court or the Court of Québec, a clerk of either of those courts or a public servant designated in writing by the Minister:

“I, (name), declare under oath that I will faithfully, impartially and honestly perform, to the best of my ability and knowledge, all the duties of the office of (registrar or deputy registrar) and that I will so exercise all the powers thereof.

The oath is filed at the directorate within the department which, under the Minister’s authority, is in charge of registry offices. The public servant designated in writing by the Minister shall issue, upon request, a certified copy of the oath.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 8; 1991, c. 26, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 1999, c. 40, s. 41; 2000, c. 42, s. 114.

7.1. The Minister may, by order and subject to the conditions fixed by the Minister, allow the signature of a registrar to be affixed by means of an automatic device or electronic process.

The Minister may also, by order and on the conditions fixed by the Minister, allow a facsimile of such a signature to be engraved, lithographed or printed.

2000, c. 42, s. 115.

8. The Government may, by order, make tariffs of fees to be collected by registrars for the various services performed by them. It may, in such tariffs,

(1)  determine the persons, departments or bodies that are exempt from the payment of fees or the documents or services for which an exemption applies;

(2)  prescribe, for the services it determines, the terms and conditions of payment of the fees, and determine the persons, departments or bodies that may benefit therefrom.

Every such order may be amended, repealed or replaced and apply to one or more or to all the registration divisions of Québec.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 9; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 16, s. 3; 1979, c. 43, s. 10; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 2000, c. 42, s. 116.

9. Where the tariff established in accordance with section 8 prescribes that fees must be paid for the registration of a document or the performance of a service in a registry office, no such document may be presented to the registrar, and, subject to the terms and conditions of payment prescribed under subparagraph 2 of the first paragraph of section 8, no such service may be performed by the registrar, unless the prescribed fees have been paid.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 10; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 14, s. 81; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1983, c. 55, s. 161; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

10. No fee is exigible

(1)  for the registration of a hypothec granted under the Act respecting La Financière agricole du Québec (chapter L-0.1), the Act respecting the Société de financement agricole (chapter S-11.0101) or the Farm Credit Canada Act (S.C. 1993, c. 14). However, the application for registration must indicate that the grantor operates a farming business and must make reference to the Act under which the hypothec was granted;

(2)   for searches in connection with such hypothecs, made in person either at a registry office established for a registration division in the case of an immovable hypothec, or at the Personal and Movable Real Rights Registry Office in the case of a movable hypothec ;

(3)  for the issue by the registrar, either hand to hand, by regular mail or by electronic mail, of certified statements, extracts or copies of applications for registration that relate to such hypothecs.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 11; 1979, c. 38, s. 39; 1991, c. 26, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 1995, c. 33, s. 18; 2000, c. 53, s. 63; 2000, c. 42, s. 117.

11. The territory of the registration divisions in which registry offices are established is described by government regulation.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 13; 1991, c. 26, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 1993, c. 78, s. 15; 2000, c. 42, s. 118.

12. To ensure the updating of municipal assessment rolls, copies of all applications, together with copies of the accompanying documents where the application is in the form of a summary, for the registration of any act listed below which has been registered in the land register concerning an immovable situated in the area of jurisdiction of a municipal body responsible for assessment shall be forwarded by the registrar to the municipal body within 15 days following the registration:

 — an act of abandonment of ownership;

 — a notice of change of name;

 — an act of partition of a succession;

 — a notice of the Public Curator by which the State is declared the owner of an immovable without an owner;

 — minutes of boundary determination;

 — an act creating usufruct or emphyteusis;

 — a declaration of divided co-ownership of an immovable, an amendment to such a declaration or a decision terminating divided co-ownership, or a declaration of co-emphyteusis;

 — an act of sale following a failure to pay property taxes;

 — a judgment ordering the revocation of a gift or pronouncing the extinction of a real right;

 — a lease, or a notice of registration of rights under a lease;

 — a cadastral notice;

 — a notice of classification, declassification, recognition or cancellation of recognition under the Cultural Property Act (chapter B-4);

 — an agreement providing for the establishment of a controlled zone, wildlife preserve or wildlife sanctuary under the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife (chapter C-61.1);

 — a notice of the Public Curator’s capacity as administrator under the Public Curator Act (chapter C-81);

 — a description of a golf course under the Act respecting municipal taxation (chapter F-2.1);

 — an act to cancel, rectify or amend letters patent, or the letters patent themselves if preceded by a location ticket, in particular under the Mining Act (chapter M-13.1), the Act respecting agricultural lands in the domain of the State (chapter T-7.1) or the Act respecting the lands in the domain of the State (chapter T-8.1);

 — a declaration of transfer of ownership under the Act respecting the Société immobilière du Québec (chapter S-17.1);

 — a notice of bankruptcy, or a notice of quit claim or disclaimer by the trustee, under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, chapter B-3).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 13; 1991, c. 26, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 1993, c. 78, s. 15; 1995, c. 33, s. 19; 2000, c. 42, s. 119.

12.1. The provisions of section 12 are not applicable to applications or documents relating to the registration of deeds of transfer that are subject to the provisions of section 10 of the Act respecting duties on transfers of immovables (chapter D-15.1).

2000, c. 42, s. 119.

12.2. It is incumbent upon each municipal body responsible for assessment to provide the registrar with an up-to-date list of the immatriculated immovables situated in its area of jurisdiction, and to inform the registrar of any modification to the list, other than a change to the cadastral designation of an immovable, which includes the number assigned to it on the cadastral plan.

If the body is responsible for assessment in two or more local municipalities, the list shall be provided together with a list of those municipalities and with a classification of immovables by local municipality.

2000, c. 42, s. 119.

13. An application for registration, or the accompanying document where the application is in the form of a summary, must, if either document relates to the registration of an act listed in section 12 and if the immovable concerned is not immatriculated, indicate the name of the local municipality in which the immovable is situated. The information must appear either in the description of the immovable, or under a separate heading at the end of the application or accompanying document.

If these formalities are not complied with, the application must be refused by the registrar unless the applicant produces with the application a statement of one of the parties to the act that contains the required information.

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 14; 1992, c. 57, s. 447; 1995, c. 33, s. 19; 2000, c. 42, s. 120.

14. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 15; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

15. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 16; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

16. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 17; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

17. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 18; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

18. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 19; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

19. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 20; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

20. (Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 21; 1986, c. 62, s. 2.

21. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 22; 1969, c. 26, s. 91; 1991, c. 26, s. 4; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

22. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 23; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 17, s. 2; 1984, c. 46, s. 15; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

22.1. (Replaced).

1982, c. 58, s. 16; 1984, c. 46, s. 16; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

23. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 24; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

24. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 25; 1990, c. 4, s. 115; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

25. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 26; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 16, s. 3; 1979, c. 43, s. 11; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

26. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 27; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

27. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 28; 1990, c. 4, s. 116; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

28. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 29; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

29. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 30; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 16, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

30. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 31; 1974, c. 11, s. 2; 1987, c. 98, s. 8; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

31. (Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 32; 1979, c. 43, s. 12.

32. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 33; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

33. (Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 34; 1982, c. 58, s. 17.

34. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 35; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

35. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 36; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

36. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 37; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

37. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 38; 1985, c. 22, s. 37; 1991, c. 20, s. 2; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

37.1. (Replaced).

1991, c. 20, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

37.2. (Replaced).

1991, c. 20, s. 3; 1992, c. 32, s. 39; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

38. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 39; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 14, s. 81; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1983, c. 55, s. 161; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

39. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 40; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 16, s. 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

40. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 41; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

41. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 42; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

42. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 43; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

43. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 44; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 16, s. 3; 1977, c. 5, s. 14; 1991, c. 20, s. 4; 1992, c. 61, s. 89; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

44. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 45; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

45. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 46; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

46. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 47; 1965 (1st sess.), c. 14, s. 81; 1978, c. 15, s. 140; 1983, c. 55, s. 161; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

47. (Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 48; 1991, c. 26, s. 5.

48. (Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 49; 1991, c. 26, s. 5.

49. (Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 50; 1991, c. 26, s. 5.

50. (Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, s. 51; 1986, c. 95, s. 37; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

51. (Replaced).

1982, c. 21, s. 1; U. K., 1982, c. 11, Sch. B, Part I, s. 33; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

FORMS

FORM 1

(Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, form 1; 1986, c. 95, s. 38; 1987, c. 98, s. 9.

FORM 2

(Repealed).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, form 2; 1987, c. 98, s. 9.

FORM 3

(Replaced).

R. S. 1964, c. 319, form 3; 1992, c. 57, s. 447.

REPEAL SCHEDULE

In accordance with section 17 of the Act respecting the consolidation of the statutes (chapter R-3), chapter 319 of the Revised Statutes, 1964, in force on 31 December 1977, is repealed, except section 2, effective from the coming into force of chapter B-9 of the Revised Statutes.