Riverbank property transfer program – status 2009-2011
Brookfield’s program to cede ownership of riverside properties along the La Lievre River will soon be completed.
After two years of preparation Brookfield launched this program at the beginning of 2009. The program was designed to put in order property rights for a section of the river between High Fall’s dam and a location commonly know as Iroquois Rapids. The land titles of these riverside landowners were affected by property rights acquired by James Maclaren Industries in the 1920’s, prior to the construction of the High Falls dam (see map).
For approximately 150km of shoreline some 700 property owners in the municipalities of Bowman, Val-des-Bois and Notre-Dame-du-Laus were contacted over the last three years and received a proposal from the company. This proposal offered to cede to them all property rights on Brookfield’s adjacent land parcels, in exchange for a limited flooding and erosion easement. Brookfield committed to assume all costs and fees related to the preparation and registration of the cession and easement deeds.
Results to date
The program has been very successful. As of year end 2011 more than 673 of the 700 landowners were contacted and the company’s representatives presented and explained the cession of property in exchange for an easement and all its consequences related to their property.
To date 630 of these offers have been accepted, signed and forwarded to the Notary for deed preparation and registration. This work is completed for 535 files.
By the end of 2011 more than 90% of property owners will have accepted Brookfield’s offer and with the registration of the deeds will have clear titles on the whole of their property.
The program will continue in 2012 in order to complete the files for those who have already accepted and signed the offer as well as provide some additional time to those with whom we have already communicated. Our hope is to finalize all accepted offers prior to the implementation of the cadastral renovation in the three affected municipalities.
Benefits for the communities and thanks to our collaborators
Besides providing great satisfaction for the property owners concerned, the program will generate significant benefits for the affected communities for years to come. Clear land titles will facilitate both real estate transactions and municipal administration.
As part of the program the local contracted Surveyors and Notaries were mandated to clarify several complex property situations, all to the benefit of the riverside land owners, the municipalities, the MRC’s, the provincial government ministries and other professionals working in real estate and land management.
We would like to acknowledge the valuable cooperation of the municipalities of Bowman, Val-des-Bois and Notre-Dame-du-Laus as well as the Papineau and Antoine Labelle MRCs, and the school commissions involved in the implementation of this program.