Freedom of Information

There are many reasons why a Municipality may refuse a copy of a survey plan.  Survey plans are not a product bought and sold by surveyors. Survey plans are a communication tool used by the surveyor to express their professional option as to the location of property boundaries or other aspects of a property.

The information on the plan is specific to a certain time and for the specific purpose of the surveyor’s client.  The information on the plan may be out of date or may not be sufficient for current needs. For instance, a one-year-old survey for new construction is usually completed before the building is completed or the site graded. As such, it may not illustrate many important aspects of the improvements to the property such as building overhangs, fences, driveways, overhead utility lines, etc. These features can be critical to the current needs of the property owner.

Plans may also contain information that is confidential to the surveyor’s original client. By providing new copies of plans, the surveyor may be accepting additional liability for their professional opinions and is entitled to reimbursement of that new risk.

Note: If you are seeking additional information such as building permits, property surveys, plans, drawings or property file documentation, you must put in a Freedom of Information (FOI) request unless you are the registered owner of the property or have written consent from the owner. A third-party permission process may allow release of information under the FOI process.