History of Crown Lands
Attempts at colonization in Newfoundland began in 1610. However the first real legislation governing Crown lands in the province was not passed by the British Parliament until 1824. This was followed by the first Crown Lands Act which was passed by the Newfoundland Legislature in 1844.
In 1849, the Crown Lands Registry was created under the Crown Grants Registration Act. The Registry remains in existence to the present day and houses approximately 72,000 grants, leases and licences of Crown land. Approximately 1600 titles to Crown lands are registered yearly.
What is Crown Lands?
Crown Lands is land owned by the government. Provincially, Crown lands is owned by His Majesty in right of Newfoundland and Labrador. Federally, Crown lands is owned by His Majesty in right of Canada.
Land Registries
The Province maintains two separate registries for land holdings. The Registry of Crown Titles located at the Howley Building, Higgin’s Line, St. John’s, contains records of all land titles issued by the Crown.
The second is the Registry of Deeds of the Department of Digital Government and Service NL. The registry contains records of private land holdings and transactions, it is situated at 55 Elizabeth Avenue, St. John’s.
Enforcement
In 2021, the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture’s Resource Enforcement Division became authorized to investigate complaints regarding alleged illegal occupation or possession of Crown land.
Illegal occupation or possession includes, but is not limited to:
- Parking a camper, installing a patio deck, wharf, cabin or other structure without authorization; or
- Building a wharf or other structure within 15 metres of the shoreline, without authorization.
Failure to comply with an enforcement officer’s direction to remove unauthorized structures and/or remediate sites to their original condition could lead to fines or imprisonment. Removal and remediation is at the unauthorized user’s own expense.
To report unauthorized occupation or possession of Crown lands, visit the Resource Enforcement Division’s website and click “Report Suspected Illegal Activity”.
The public can also anonymously report suspected illegal activity 24/7, by calling the Resource Enforcement Division at 1-877-820-0999.