The PYB Blog

With Christmas just around the corner and the holiday season upon us, crowds will flock to the Distillery District in downtown Toronto, where the annual Christmas Market—now known as the Distillery Winter Village—takes place. First launched in 2010, the market quickly became a beloved holiday tradition, drawing visitors with its festive lights, holiday music, food, and attractions.

When the Distillery District is not adorned with holiday décor and bustling with festive activities, it serves as a cultural hub, known for its galleries, theatres, boutiques, restaurants, and public art displays. However, before this area was transformed into a charming neighbourhood with cobblestone streets and heritage buildings, it played a more industrious role in the City of Toronto.

In need of some retail therapy? The Eaton Centre is one of Canada's largest and one of Toronto’s most iconic landmarks—sprawling across several city blocks, it embodies the city’s diverse culture and active urban landscape. Before the bright lights and the expansive corridors, this land was part of a quieter Toronto, marked by small parcels of land. Historical surveys provide a unique insight into the transformation of this space and highlight the importance of preserving these records.

Owning a property with easements on it can be complicated, especially if those easements affect your desired use of the property or are in the way of something you want to build. Easements are legal rights granted to others—such as utility companies, to access a portion of your property for specific purposes like installing or maintaining utilities. Because easements impact a homeowner’s ability to use parts of their property freely, it is important to uncover and research any easements and understand their implications; ideally, this is done before you purchase the property.

As we continue to explore historic buildings and landmarks in Toronto, one place that remains unmatched in terms of its historic value is the Royal Ontario Museum, often referred to as the ROM.

Within the walls of one of Canada's largest museums is an endless collection of artifacts telling stories from all over the world that offer cultural and educational value.

Today, we will explore the evolution of the iconic building that houses these remarkable artifacts, tracing its journey from a visionary idea to becoming Canada's largest and perhaps, most significant museum. Institutions like the Royal Ontario Museum play a key role in shaping Toronto's reputation as a world-class city, attracting tourists and eager learners from around the globe.

At Protect Your Boundaries, we specialize in property boundaries, but our expertise extends to all things land, including land data and records. While land data may not be a common topic of discussion unless you're buying, selling, or modifying your property, it’s important to know how to access this information. To help you in your search, we’ve compiled a list of the key data associated with your property, along with where and how to find it.

Many of the historic posts in this blog cover landmarks and buildings that were reinvented and preserved as part of Toronto’s evolving culture. However, this post tells the story of 80 King Street West, a building with historic and cultural significance that was demolished to make way for a new mega-structure: First Canadian Place.

Surveyors prepare over a dozen different types of plans, each tailored to a specific purpose. Knowing which kind of survey plan you need plays an important part in making sure your job is complete smoothly. Whether you are landscaping, renovating, building a fence, or simply checking your boundary lines, having the right tools the first time around will save you’re a lot money and headaches.

At the northwest corner of Sunnyside Avenue and Marmaduke Street in Toronto, there is a spectacular example of Gothic Revival architecture—the former Howard Park Methodist Church. Designed by the prominent Toronto architect, William George Burns (1870-1949), this church serves as a significant landmark in the High Park neighbourhood.

John George Howard was born in Hertfordshire, England, in 1803. There, he attended boarding school and pursued a career in carpentry before completing a 3-year architecture apprenticeship. With prospects in London being limited, John and his wife, Jemima Frances Meikle, decided to seek new opportunities and move to Canada in 1832.

His move paid off quickly as shortly after arriving in Toronto, John Howard quickly became one of the first professional architects in Upper Canada. His portfolio of architectural renderings caught the eye of Lieutenant Governor John Colborne, who appointed him as a geometrical drawing master at Upper Canada College. In this position, Howard significantly contributed to Toronto's public and private infrastructure during his 23-year tenure.

If you missed our previous blog post on the fundamental roles of the Land Registry Office (LRO), we encourage you to review it.

The Difference Between the Registry System and the Land Titles System

Ontario has two distinct systems for registering property documents: the Registry System and the Land Titles System. These systems are governed by two different pieces of legislation: the Registry Act and the Land Titles Act. Your property records will be stored under one of these systems, and understanding the distinction is crucial for every property owner.