Surplus Property

The City owns land for various municipal purposes, including parks, roads, public buildings, and utilities. Some properties become surplus due to excess land acquisition, changes in municipal plans, or amalgamation.

Types of Surplus Land

• Excess Land – Occasionally, the City acquires more land than needed for a project or later relocates or cancels plans, leaving portions surplus.
• Former Municipal Properties – With municipal amalgamation, some former municipal offices and depots are no longer in use.

Properties That Are Not Surplus

Not all City-owned land is available for sale. For example, land reserved for a future park is not surplus unless an alternative site is identified and approved for exchange.

Road Allowances

The City has many unopened road allowances, including those leading to water and others between private properties. These remain public property and may serve future municipal or community uses such as utilities, trails, or access routes.

• Waterfront Road Allowances – the City does not sell road allowances leading to water. Requests to use these allowances are typically denied but may be presented to Council upon request.
• Unopened Road Allowances – These may be occupied by neighboring property owners, but they remain public land. Under the Limitations Act, private ownership cannot be claimed through adverse possession. Property owners encroaching on these lands may:
1. Request to Purchase the land (if deemed surplus), or
2. Request to Enter Into a License Agreement for encroachments.

Shoreline Road Allowances

Many Ontario lakes have a 66-foot-wide public road allowance along the shoreline, originally surveyed by the Crown. In some cases, private structures like cottages, boathouses, or garages encroach onto these allowances without clear ownership. Owners may apply to purchase or obtain legal permission to use these lands.

For more details on purchasing or licensing municipal land, contact the Land Management Team.