Annual Report
2021/2022
A Year in Review
Supporting LTSA’s strategic objectives to strengthen core systems and improve operational excellence, enhancements introduced this year build on LTSA’s long-term efforts to continually improve the efficiency and accuracy of the land title and survey systems.
The 2021-2022 fiscal year included noteworthy milestones for LTSA, including record levels of transactions and land title applications during a sustained period of elevated activity in the real estate market. LTSA successfully achieved its targets for turn-around times, made possible through the dedication of employees and multi-year efforts to increase electronic filing and automated processing of land title applications.
Ensuring that the LTSA acts with integrity and respect is of utmost importance to the organization. LTSA has initiated the process of formalizing and further developing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, and initiated development of an Indigenous Reconciliation Plan.
“Our focus will remain on driving operational excellence as we pursue opportunities for the business in the public interest.”
Diane Friedman
Board Chair, 2021/2022
Al-Karim Kara
President & CEO
Key Achievements
- 7m
- LTSA processed over seven million online transactions and received over one million land title applications.
- 3.98 days
- 95% of Land Title registrations were completed within 3.98 days.
- 99.96%
- 99.96% of transactions received by LTSA were filed electronically.
- 26% ↑
- Revenue increased by 26% over 2021, our highest annual revenue ever, driven by 18% higher land title transaction volumes and revenue from new products and services.
- $100m
- LTSA has invested $100 million in capital projects to improve operation of the land title and survey systems which represented a 95% capital investment ratio based on $105 million earned operating income since 2005.
- 79%
- 79% of respondents rated their experience with LTSA as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ in the 2022 Customer Relationship Health Survey.
- $18m
- Since 2005, LTSA has invested over $18 million dedicated to historic records conservation and digitization.
- 58%
- 58% of land title applications processed by automation.
LTSA was recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers for the fourth year in a row (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019).
Social
Responsibility
As a regulatory authority, LTSA administers systems that underpin BC’s real property market and support civic governance, taxation and Crown land management to provide social and economic benefit for all. LTSA has always strived to act with trust, integrity and in the public interest. While LTSA’s current planning and operations have reflected the principles of environmental, social and governance (ESG), the organization has determined to initiate steps to build an ESG framework in the coming fiscal year to more clearly align activities and reporting.
In this reporting period, LTSA sought to take early action in advance of a dedicated plan being available as summarized below:
Stakeholder Accountability
Outreach is core to LTSA’s accountability framework. Regulatory governance, operational performance, and business changes at the LTSA all benefit from established consultation and advisory forums with a wide variety of organizations. LTSA recognizes the impacts its current operations and future opportunities can have on a broad spectrum of stakeholders and customers and seeks to ensure stakeholder considerations are integrated into its business planning through consultation and collaboration.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At LTSA, women make up close to 50% of the workforce and management team in recognition that gender balance and diversity strengthens the organization. LTSA is focused on building a workplace rich in diverse views, skills and backgrounds. To support achievement of this, the organization has developed a vision statement for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) for LTSA:
Diversity Makes Us Stronger. We are committed to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace where all employees can share their diverse views, skills and backgrounds. Valuing employee diversity strengthens workplace trust and enhances our ability to innovate in service of our customers and partners.
Aligned with LTSA core values, the DE&I vision statement helps shape the identity of the organization and sends a clear message to current and future employees about LTSA’s culture.
Environment
LTSA has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased automation and electronic filing efforts as well as document digitization which reduces paper waste. The Victoria and New Westminster offices are LEED gold buildings, and LTSA continues to invest in remote work technology which reduces emissions from travel.
Indigenous
Reconciliation
LTSA initiated development of an Indigenous Reconciliation Plan to guide LTSA in aligning with the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and responding to the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) within the context of LTSA’s mandate. The goal is to establish a meaningful framework for how the LTSA can conduct its business in the spirit of UNDRIP and the TRC Calls to Action. The Plan is targeted for completion in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
In this reporting period, LTSA sought to take early action in advance of a dedicated plan being available as summarized below:
First Nations Scholarship
LTSA established an Indigenous Student Scholarship to be administered by New Relationship Trust Foundation, and four undergraduate scholarships were awarded in the first year to students from Indigenous communities.
Truth and Reconciliation Day
LTSA honoured the first Truth and Reconciliation Day by recognizing the day as a statutory holiday and closing all LTSA offices on September 30, 2021.
First Nations National Land Registry
Initiated in 2021, LTSA has built a strong partnership and collaboration with the Lands Advisory Board to leverage LTSA knowledge and expertise to help develop a First Nations owned and operated National Land Registry.
Historic Records Advisory Committee
Recognizing the value of the records for First Nations, LTSA established a Historic Records Advisory Committee in 2019 to provide advice to LTSA regarding the preservation and accessibility of the records in LTSA’s care. The Historic Records Advisory Committee includes members from First Nations organizations.
Recognition of Indigenous characters in BC’s Land Registry
LTSA has identified this capability as a priority and foundational work has been initiated.
Treaty Lands Surveys
Treaty lands are surveyed with advice and instructions provided by the Surveyor General and Deputy Surveyors.
Business Initiatives
and Achievements
Strategic Objectives
The LTSA established four strategic objectives in the 2021/22 LTSA Business Plan to frame desired outcomes and the strategies the organization will use to achieve them as follows:
Improve Operational Excellence
Continually improve internal and customer-facing processes for a better service experience.
- Application Processing Times
- Customer Engagement and Outreach
- Cyber Security and Resilience
- Historic Records
Grow the Business In the Public Interest
Develop new business opportunities and product innovations that solve problems for customers and society at large.
- Land Owner Transparency Registry
- First Nations National Land Registry
- Land and Property Data Services
Reinvest & Strengthen Core Systems
Enhance core systems to ensure LTSA remains the ‘trusted source and place’ for real property information.
- System Modernization (ASTRA)
- Survey Plan Services Modernization
- Web Filing Adoption
- ParcelMap BC
Continually Invest in People & Capabilities
Engage and invest in employees to build a customer-centric culture.
- Employee Engagement
- Workplace Modernization
- Training and Development
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Digitizing Historic
Records
Digitized records help expand access and preserve artifact integrity
As part of LTSA’s strategic objectives to strengthen core systems and improve operational excellence, product enhancements introduced this year build on LTSA’s long-term efforts to continually improve the efficiency and accuracy of the land title and survey systems.
LTSA recognizes the value of the historic records in its care and is committed to their preservation while enabling broader access benefiting British Columbians for generations to come. Since 2005, LTSA has invested over $18 million in various technology, facilities and personnel dedicated to historic records conservation and digitization. The Historic Records Advisory Committee (HRAC), established in 2019, continued to provide advice on conservation of and accessibility to historic records in LTSA’s care, with a focus on records of significance to First Nations. LTSA’s goal is to improve access to historic records and records conservation practices in response to feedback from HRAC and other users.