Government Services
March 10, 2010

New Space Advances the Protection of Important Documents

A new, modern facility for the Commercial Registrations Division will ensure that important provincial documents are protected for future generations. The Honourable Kevin O'Brien, Minister of Government Services, was joined today by Irene Muzychka, President of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, to officially open the new location for the division at 59 Elizabeth Avenue.

"We have been planning this move for quite some time and I am very happy that we are now able to officially open the new location," said Minister O'Brien. "This new facility is state-of-the-art and will provide our users with better customer service in a professional archival environment."

The Commercial Registrations Division is responsible for the registration function for documents and information relating to companies, deeds, mechanics liens, condominiums, co-operatives, personal property, lobbyists, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships.

Irene Muzychka, representing the Law Society and members of the Bar, noted the significance of the new location.

"Lawyers rely daily on the accuracy of the records maintained by the Commercial Registrations Division, in real estate and commercial matters," said Ms. Muzychka. "A reliable and professional registry protects the public and promotes public confidence in legal transactions. The Law Society and its members congratulate the Provincial Government today for establishing such a functional, appropriate and pleasant setting in which to house these valuable materials."

The new location has been designed with both client service and record protection and preservation in mind. Land title registrations dating back to 1825, records of corporations dating back to 1900, and other real property and commercial records will be stored in a protected room featuring archival-standard environmental controls for preservation of these significant records. Additional security controls will ensure the integrity of registry records for years to come. As well, the new site has a client-focused functional layout permitting ease of access to registry records in an appealing, publicly accessible, library atmosphere.

In keeping with the goal of document protection, policies are now in place similar to those at other archival facilities. They include no ink in any form and no food or drink in the research and vault areas. As well, photography of any kind of the material is not permitted. Other policies are also in place and users of the registry should consult with staff on permitted activity.

"It is important for users of the registries to realize that many of these materials are originals and irreplaceable and must be handled with due care and attention," said Minister O'Brien. "Recognizing the fragility of these materials, we digitized paper records from 1982 to present and our next step is to complete digitization of materials from 1825, our oldest record, to 1982."

The policies in place were developed in accordance with the Registration of Deeds Act. Regular users are encouraged to read the act for further information. In addition, many services are available on the Companies and Deeds Online (CADO) website at https://cado.eservices.gov.nl.ca/Main.aspx.

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Media contact:
Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Department of Government Services
709-729-4860, 682-6593
vanessacolmansadd@gov.nl.ca