Residents who do not have valid title to their property cannot sell it or legally pass it down to other families.
Nova Scotia unveiled reforms on Wednesday that it claims will make it easier for residents of five black communities to obtain clear title to their land. Black settlers were not given legal title to their land when they arrived in the 18th century.
While the provincial government has made efforts to rectify this throughout the years, many people continue to fight for clear title.
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Under Part, I of the Land Titles Clarification Act, Pat Dunn, the minister of the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives, will be able to issue certificates of claim and certificates of title.
According to the province, this will reduce the number of departments involved and allow for quicker results. “We can help people in African Nova Scotian communities get the benefits of having clear title to their land faster by allocating additional resources and power to the Land Titles Initiative team.”
“The Land Titles Initiative is balancing a historic wrong, and we’re taking further action to make sure cases are resolved as efficiently as possible,” Dunn said in a news release. As a result, residents in North Preston, East Preston, Cherry Brook-Lake Loon, Lincolnville, and Sunnyville will benefit from the project.
Source: CBC News
