Subdivision of Land Process

Subdividing a parcel of land is a complex process that requires a number of specific steps and detailed technical information.

The landowner may make an application for subdivision, or hire an individual such as a professional planning consultant or an Alberta Land Surveyor, to make an application on the owner's behalf.

The subdivision submission information package, including a process of approval flowchart, outlines the necessary steps.

Current Planning processes applications to:

• Subdivide land into two or more parcels (online)
• Create bare land condominium units (online)
• Convert existing buildings into condominiums.

Application criteria

Each application is reviewed to determine:

• Compliance with statutory plans including neighbourhood area redevelopment plans, neighbourhood area structure plans and neighbourhood structure plans
• Compliance with the City of Edmonton Zoning Bylaw
• Compliance with the Subdivision Design Guidelines
• See also the Subdivision Design Guidelines: Interpretation
• If the parcel created has access to a road or a lawful means of access satisfactory to the Subdivision Authority
• If the parcel created is suitable for its intended use including environmental considerations
• If the parcel created is serviceable
• If the parcel created acts in character with the surrounding properties

Application Requirements

To subdivide a property, an applicant must submit a Land Development Application through the City’s website.  A complete application includes:

• A digital copy of the Certificate of Title issued by a registry office less than 30 days before your application submission;
• Digital copies of the tentative plan of subdivision in pdf and dwg formats (all submissions in AutoCAD must be set in AutoCAD 14); and
• Information identifying the location or confirming the absence of any abandoned wells within the proposed subdivision as set out in the ERCB Directive 079, Surface Development in Proximity to Abandoned Wellbores:
  • If no abandoned wells are identified, a signed declaration form confirming the absence of abandoned wells is required.
  • If one or more abandoned wells are identified, a map showing the actual wellbore locations and a description of the minimum setback requirements in relation to the existing or proposed building sites (as set out in the ERCB Directive 079) is required.

Depending on the application, additional documents such as an Environmental Site Assessment, conceptual schemes of future surrounding subdivisions, a computational sheet detailing the breakdown of land uses and units, and a property value appraisal report may be required.

Once an application is accepted fees are charged.  The fees must be paid before the application will be processed.

Autocad files available

The two AutoCAD® Seed files have been created specifically to submit information to the City of Edmonton's Spatial Land Information Management system.
The files are intended as starting points for creating tentative plans or other documents that you may wish to submit along with your Land Development Application to Sustainable Development at the City of Edmonton.

The plan must include the following:

• The location, dimensions and boundaries of the land to be subdivided
• The land that the applicant wishes to register in a land titles office
• The location, dimensions, and boundaries of each new lot to be created and any reserve land
• The existing rights-of-way of each public utility, or other rights-of-way
• The location, use and dimensions of buildings on the land that is the subject of the application and specifying those buildings that are proposed to be demolished or moved
• The approximate location and boundaries of the bed and shore of any river, stream, watercourse, lake or other body of water that is contained within or bounds the proposed parcel of land
• Description of the use or uses proposed for the land that is the subject of the application
• If the proposed lots are to be served by individual wells and private sewage disposal systems, the location of any existing or proposed wells, the location and type of any private sewage disposal systems and the distance from these to existing or proposed buildings and property lines
• The existing and proposed access to the proposed parcels and the remainder of the titled area
• The proposed roads identified as numbered or named streets and avenues

Contact the Names Advisory Planner at 780-496-6226 for information about street names

Other considerations

The Subdivision Authority may require an applicant to submit, in addition to a complete application for subdivision, any or all of the following:

• A map of the land that is to be subdivided and showing topographic contours at intervals no greater than 1.5 metres apart and related to existing survey information, where practicable
• If a proposed subdivision is not to be served by a water distribution system, information supported by the report of a person qualified to make it, respecting the provision, availability and suitability of potable water on or to the land to be subdivided
• An assessment of subsurface characteristics of the land that is to be subdivided, including but not limited to susceptibility to slumping or subsidence, depth to water table and suitability for any proposed on site sewage disposal system
• If the land that is the subject of an application is located in a potential flood plain and flood plain mapping is available, a map showing the 1:100 year flood
• If a proposed subdivision is not to be served by a wastewater collection system, information supported by the report of a person qualified to make it, respecting the intended method of providing sewage disposal facilities to each lot in the proposed subdivision
• Information respecting the land use and land surface characteristics of land within 0.8 kilometres of the land proposed to be subdivided
• If any portion of the parcel of land affected by the proposed subdivision is situated within 1.5 kilometres of a sour gas facility, a map showing the location of the sour gas facility
• A conceptual scheme that relates the application to future subdivision and development of adjacent areas
• An appraisal report prepared by an Alberta Land Appraiser if reserves are owing and money in place for reserves is requested
• Subdivision Computation Sheet prepared by the applicant
• Environmental Site Assessment if the land to be subdivided is zoned industrial

It is in your best interest to ensure your application is complete. Only complete applications will be accepted.

After you apply for subdivision

Your application will be circulated to city departments, other affected agencies, and in some cases, adjacent landowners for their comments and recommendations. The responses will be reviewed and your application will be approved or refused.

If your application is refused, you can appeal that decision to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

Conditional Approval

If your application is approved by the Subdivision Authority, it may be subject to certain conditions such as the request for an easement to protect a utility service or access to a property or properties. 

Another common condition of subdivision is that the applicant enter into a servicing agreement with the municipality in order to construct certain improvements such as sewers, water, and roads so that the properties within the subdivision are properly serviced. The Servicing Agreements web page contains more information.

The applicant may also be required to pay certain fees and assessments, such as sewer or roadway assessments, which help pay for larger shared infrastructure from which the lands will benefit. See Fees and Assessments and Financing New Sanitary Sewer Trunk Construction for additional information.

Next Steps

If a subdivision is approved, a survey plan must be prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor for registration at the Land Titles Office. Under certain circumstances, a separation of title document can be substituted for a survey plan.

The survey plan is sent to the Subdivision Authority for endorsement and an endorsement fee must be paid. The plan is formally endorsed after the 14-day appeal period.

You have one year from the date of the Subdivision Authority decision to have the survey plan endorsed. If you can’t meet this timelines, please contact a Subdivision Officer for an extension.

Following the endorsement of the survey plan, you have one year to register the survey plan at the Land Title Office. Once registered, Certificates of Title are created for each new lot.

For More Information

Subdivision Inquiries

Sustainable Development
5th floor, 10250 - 101 Street
Edmonton, AB  T5J 3P4

Title	Subdivision Officer
Telephone	780-496-6295  Gilbert Quashie-Sam 780-496-6068 Stuart Carlyle