LANDS AIMD SURVEYS BRANCH 



OBJECTIVES 



1. To maintain a rational basis for Crown land retention, 

 and disposal to maximize the social and economic bene- 

 fits of land use, including the natural environment for 

 recreation. 



2. To develop, implement and maintain Land Use Plans 

 which reflect the capacity of the land, the needs of people 

 and economic realities in order to meet the above objec- 

 tives and to aid in the establishment of land acquisition 

 needs and priorities. 



3. To conduct Crown surveys, maintain survey records and 

 provide mapping services. 



4. To undertake engineering consultation, studies and plan- 

 ning for fish and wildlife projects. 



ORGANIZATION 



Lands and Surveys Branch is divided into four sections with 

 duties and responsibilities as follows. 

 LANDS 



Administration of public lands and their disposition by sale, 

 patent, vesting order, quit claim deed, lease, licence of 

 occupation, or land use permit; release of reservations in 

 patents, assignments and cancellations; reservation of lands 

 for public and government uses; and maintenance of wilder- 

 ness areas. 



LAND ACQUISITION AND PLANNING 

 Recommendations and applications for purchase of private 

 lands for public uses; development and co-ordination of 

 land use plans in all districts for the management of re- 

 newable, natural resources; Recreational Land Inventory 

 Sector of Canada Land Inventory; co-ordination of depart- 

 mental A.R.D.A. projects; and liaison with Department of 

 Agriculture and Food on private lands and other Depart- 

 ments on the socio-economic implications of land use 

 objectives. 

 SURVEYS 



Examination, recording and custody of original plans and 

 field notes of restoration of original Crown survey points, 

 retracement and Municipal surveys, and surveys of Crown 

 lands for disposition; map compilation; authorization of 

 geographical names; distribution of maps, publications and 

 copies of survey records. 



ENGINEERING 



Approval of dams; licences of occupation for dams; floodinj 

 and diversions; water resource management; issuance an( 

 servicing of Water Power Lease Agreements; engineerini 

 consultations; feasibility studies, inspections, reports, plan 

 ning for fish culture stations, wetland developments, fish 

 ways and other fish and wildlife projects; access roads. 



LANDS SECTION 



The uses for public lands are becoming more diversifiec 

 and more dependent on and related to other areas of publi( 

 administration. This has led to increased liaison and co 

 operation with people concerned with public health, wate 

 pollution, roads and land use planning in other Department: 

 of Government 



More agricultural land is going out of production annually 

 This trend is illustrated by the very minor demand now fo 

 public land for farming. Only eight- applications for suet 

 land received favourable consideration during the year. 

 Those areas of the Province which are without municipa 

 organization and where there is a high demand for land fo 

 residential or other private uses, may be designated as re 

 stricted areas under the terms of Section 16 of the Publi( 

 Lands Act. This Section gives to the Minister the authority 

 to control buildings and other improvements on the land 

 It has proved to be an effective control in preventing th( 

 haphazard development of new communities. In collabora 

 tion with the Department of Municipal Affairs, two nev 

 restricted areas were established during the year and rea 

 progress was made toward developing several new town 

 sites. It is anticipated that there will be a further expansior 

 in restricted areas next year and there will be considerable 

 increase in the number of improvement authorizations. 

 For reasons of sanitation and health it is accepted that < 

 residential lot without sewer and water services should havt 

 a minimum area of not less than 15,000 square feet. 

 Interest in summer cottage lots continued to increase 

 through the year, and resulted in a pronounced increase ir 

 the number of sales. Because of comparative scarcity anc 

 high demand, the few lots which became available withii 

 150 miles of Toronto were sold by public auction. Public 

 land suitable for summer cottage development will becomt 

 increasingly scarce in southern Ontario. The lake develop-, 

 ment plan program was expanded during the year. WorW 

 done by the Ontario Land Inventory under the Federal-i 

 Provincial A.R.D.A. Agreement, has facilitated this progranfij 

 Increased interest was shown in commercial summer resorlj 

 properties. There was a steady demand for land for gollj 

 courses and ski locations and an increased demand fromi 

 service companies for land for pipelines, power and tele-i 

 phone lines, radio and television communications. | 



There has been an increasing interest in regard to wate^l 

 lot occupations and ownership of beach lands, particularly 

 in the older, settled parts of Ontario. 



LAND ACQUISITION AND PLANNING SECTION i 



Subsequent to the announcement of the Land Acquisition! 

 program in 1962, this Department has acquired 93,356 acreS| 

 of land for water access points, district improvements, 



