What is Adverse Possession?

Adverse possession allows a person who has occupied another’s land for at least 10 years to potentially claim ownership of that land. The occupation must be exclusive, open, notorious and continuous. In today’s Alberta, it involves two people: the person in actual possession of the disputed property (the occupier) and the registered owner of the disputed property (the registered owner). This executive summary outlines the most common adverse possession claims as well as our recommendations […]

May 28, 2022

Should Alberta Abolish Adverse Possession?

Adverse possession allows a person who has occupied another’s land for at least 10 years to potentially claim ownership of that land. The occupation must be exclusive, open, notorious and continuous. In today’s Alberta, it involves two people: the person in actual possession of the disputed property (the occupier) and the registered owner of the disputed property (the registered owner). This infographic outlines the three most common adverse possession claims.

May 28, 2020

Adverse Possession and Lasting Improvements to Wrong Land, Final Report 115

Adverse possession allows a person who has occupied another’s land for at least 10 years to potentially claim ownership of that land. The occupation must be exclusive, open, notorious and continuous. Adverse possession is commonly, but mistakenly, referred to as squatter’s rights. ALRI is recommending that the law of adverse possession be abolished in Alberta. This change would prevent new claims from being brought in the future, but would not affect claims that have been […]

Adverse Possession and Lasting Improvements to Wrong Land, Report 33

Adverse possession has a long history in the common law of England, Canada, and Alberta. It originated as a common law doctrine used to determine a person’s rights to land. In today’s Alberta, it involves two people: the person in actual possession of the disputed property (the occupier) and the registered owner of the disputed property (the registered owner). The essential common law elements of adverse possession are: -the registered owner must be out of […]

February 15, 2020

Report on Liens, Report for Discussion 13

A lien is an interest in property, similar to a security interest, which enables a creditor to retain (usually) or seize (occasionally) property belonging to a debtor. The rules governing liens in Alberta (at the time of publication) were widely varied, and controlled by a number of different statutes. This report suggests the creation of a unified Liens Act which would resolve problems such as the registration of liens, the priority of different interests on […]

September 2, 1992

Limitations, Final Report 55

Limitation periods, as discussed in this report, dictate the amount of time in which one may bring a civil claim to court for some sort of relief. After the limitation period for a claim has passed, the defendant will be immune to liability for that claim. This report addresses the complex and technical nature of limitation law as it was at the time, and recommends a new Model Limitations Act. This Act covers most, but […]

December 1, 1989