General information only — not legal, tax, financial, or real-estate advice. Verify with a licensed BC professional before acting.
In BC, legal road access to a property may be by way of a public road (dedicated to the Crown or a municipality), a statutory right-of-way, or a registered easement. Rural properties may rely on private roads maintained by an owners' association or the individual owners. Before purchasing rural or acreage property, consumers commonly verify legal access on title through the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA) title search, check any registered easements or rights-of-way, and confirm road-maintenance obligations. Discuss road-access review with your lawyer or notary — improperly identified access can render a property landlocked.
A statutory right-of-way (SRW) is a registered interest on title that gives a person, corporation or government the right to use another's land for a specified purpose — typically road access or utility corridors. SRWs are governed by the Land Title Act.
Costs typically fall on the owners served by the road, either equally, by frontage share, or by a formula set out in a registered agreement. Consumers commonly ask for a copy of any maintenance agreement during due diligence.
Verify the specific statutory language, thresholds, deadlines and current guidance directly with the governing authority: