Course Overview
This course examines the relationship between land surveying and law, and how this affects the land surveying profession. Topics include the Canadian legal system (statute, criminal, common and civil law); real property law (interests in land, land registry and title systems, integration, and georeferencing); boundary law (creation, retracement and re-establishment of boundaries, bornage, hierarchy of evidence, and jurisdictional boundaries, including maritime zones, offshore boundaries and the law of the sea); natural boundaries (emphasis on water boundaries, accretion, avulsion, erosion, navigability); professional practice, including the function of Canadian Board of Examiners for Professional Surveyors (CBEPS); jurisdictional associations with a focus on the Association of British Columbia Land Surveyors (ABCLS); and code of ethics, professional standards, negligence, and the disciplinary process. Students will learn these topics through case studies and a term project.
Prerequisite(s)
Credits
3.0
Domestic fees
$1,175.85
International fees are typically 3.4 times the domestic tuition. Exact cost will be calculated upon completion of registration.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the Canadian legal system.
- Given case study scenarios, identify the application of common law, Quebec civil law, federal and provincial statutes as they affect property rights, and cadastral surveys.
- Interpret boundary evidence, including the hierarchy of evidence, original monumentation, coordinate-based cadastre, and boundary demarcation.
- Identify when limitations of action and estoppel apply.
- Distinguish between adverse possession and prescription, and the effect of statutes on both.
- Explain the principles, types, and admissibility of evidence and the role of both a witness and expert witness.
- Explain crown grants, exceptions to grants, transfers through deeds, and indefeasible title.
- Define concepts of road dedication, expropriation, rights of way, easements, and bona fide purchaser for value.
- Explain riparian and littoral rights, including the ad medium filum presumption, the doctrines of accretion and erosion, reliction, avulsion, the effect of fill, title to banks, and beds and islands.
- Describe the effect of statute and common law on riparian/littoral rights.
- In a land surveyor capacity, advise a landowner on how to resolve a boundary dispute based on knowledge of case law and appropriate statutes.
- Define the concept of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including maritime zones.
- Explain the role and responsibilities of professional associations and their members.
- Describe modern and historical case law and its application to a cadastral practice.
- Explain the evolution of indigenous rights & title in Canada.
- Identify and provide solutions to complex boundary issues.
Effective as of Fall 2025
Related Programs
Survey Law (GEOM 6175) is offered as a part of the following programs:
- Indicates programs accepting international students.
- Indicates programs eligible for students to apply for Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
School of Construction and the Environment
- Geomatics
Bachelor of Science Full-time
Course Offerings
Winter 2027
Below is one offering of GEOM 6175 for the Winter 2027 term.
CRN 94001
Dates
Jan 05 - Apr 13 Loading
- CRN 94001
- $1175.85 Domestic fees
Class meeting times
| Dates | Days | Times | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 05 - Apr 13 | N/A | N/A | Online |
Duration
15 weeks
Instructor
TBD
Course outline
Course outline TBD — see Learning Outcomes in the interim.
Registration requirements
Departmental approval is required to register for this course offering. You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Important information
- Please ensure that you have met the course prerequisite(s).
Confirmation
Required
To proceed with registration and add this course to the cart, please confirm:
No approval yet? Request approval You must have approval from the department to register. Students accepted into a program can register directly.
Status
If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.
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