Information Services Corporation of Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
Information Services Corporation of Saskatchewan (ISC) is a provincial Crown corporation responsible for land titles, vital statistics, survey, personal property and corporate registries, as well as related geographic information.
Three government agencies came together to form ISC in January 2000: the Land Titles Office (which was then a part of the Department of Justice), the Personal Property Registry (also part of Justice) and the Surveys, Mapping and Geographic Information Systems division of the Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation.
In 2008, the Vital Statistics Registry, which had been a part of the Department of Health
, transferred to ISC. The Corporate Registry (formerly known as the Corporations Branch as part of the Ministry of Justice) became part of ISC in October 2010.
ISC employs over 300 people and has offices in eight Saskatchewan communities: Humboldt
, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert
, Regina
, Saskatoon
, Swift Current and Yorkton.
In 2010, ISC was named by Mediacorp as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a Top 20 Employer in Saskatchewan and one of Canada’s Top 25 Family-friendly Employers. For 2011, ISC was also named one of Canada’s Top Diversity Employers.
ISC records all changes of ownership in land and the interests that are registered against land. The corporation also maintains an up-to-date directory in which interests against Crown land may be filed. The provincial writ registry, a database of legal writs and maintenance orders, is another registry that ISC maintains; the writ registry is linked to the Land Registry as a means of registering those types of interests.
Detailed maps, photos and diagrams define the legal boundaries of every surface and mineral parcel in the province. This registry is an integral part of land rights administration in that it supports the entire Land Registry system.
Organizations that want to operate as a business entity in Saskatchewan must be registered in the Corporate Registry to maintain legal status and carry on normal business operations.
Each of the statutory officials responsible for ISC’s various registries lie within the corporation. The Registrar of Titles, the Controller of Surveys, the Registrar of Personal Property Security and the Registrar of Vital Statistics are the statutory officials who are responsible for public policy programs related to the provision of registry services in each of their respective registries. These officials ensure that ISC’s services align with its legislative requirements.
Though the offices of the Registrar of Titles, the Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Controller of Surveys reside within ISC, each of them is accountable to the Minister of Justice in their roles as custodians of the provincial land registration, vital statistics and survey systems. With the transition of the Corporate Registry to ISC in October 2010, the Director of Corporations is another statutory official whose position is now within ISC. Like other statutory officials, the Director of Corporations, who is also the Registrar of Co-operatives and the Registrar of Companies, is dually accountable to the Minister of Justice and the Minister Responsible for ISC.
Three government agencies came together to form ISC in January 2000: the Land Titles Office (which was then a part of the Department of Justice), the Personal Property Registry (also part of Justice) and the Surveys, Mapping and Geographic Information Systems division of the Saskatchewan Property Management Corporation.
In 2008, the Vital Statistics Registry, which had been a part of the Department of Health
Ministry of Health (Saskatchewan)
The Ministry of Health is responsible for policy direction, sets and monitors standards, provides funding, supporting the regional health authorities and provincial health services.-Deputy Minister's Office:...
, transferred to ISC. The Corporate Registry (formerly known as the Corporations Branch as part of the Ministry of Justice) became part of ISC in October 2010.
ISC employs over 300 people and has offices in eight Saskatchewan communities: Humboldt
Humboldt, Saskatchewan
Humboldt is a Canadian city located in the province of Saskatchewan, 113 km east of Saskatoon at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 20. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Humboldt No...
, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
, Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Swift Current and Yorkton.
In 2010, ISC was named by Mediacorp as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a Top 20 Employer in Saskatchewan and one of Canada’s Top 25 Family-friendly Employers. For 2011, ISC was also named one of Canada’s Top Diversity Employers.
Land Registry
The Land Registry lists every surface and mineral title in the province. In the registry, the general public can find out who the owner of each title is and who has an interest registered against a title. An interest is a legal encumbrance that affects a title. Examples of interest holders are mortgage companies and utility providers, though many others exist.ISC records all changes of ownership in land and the interests that are registered against land. The corporation also maintains an up-to-date directory in which interests against Crown land may be filed. The provincial writ registry, a database of legal writs and maintenance orders, is another registry that ISC maintains; the writ registry is linked to the Land Registry as a means of registering those types of interests.
Vital Statistics Registry
The Vital Statistics Registry is used to record every birth, marriage, divorce, annulment, death, stillbirth and legal change of name that occurs in Saskatchewan. ISC also issues certificates as legal proof of these vital life events and provides statistical information about these events to other government agencies and the general public. The Vital Statistics Registry transferred to ISC from the Ministry of Health in 2008. It is the only private registry that ISC maintains, meaning that it cannot be searched by the general public due to legislated privacy requirements that limit who can access these types of recordsSaskatchewan Personal Property Registry (SPPR)
The SPPR is another public registry that ISC maintains in which interests in movable types of personal property (like cars, snowmobiles and boats) may be registered. Buyers and lenders can search the SPPR to ensure there are no outstanding liens or other kinds of interests registered against an item. This can help protect a would-be buyer from buying someone else’s debt.Geomatics Services
Through its Geomatics Distribution Centre, ISC also offers a wide array of digital and hard copy maps and photo imagery for business.Survey Plan Registry
The Survey Plan Registry is a public registry containing provincial legal survey plans and survey monument information. ISC is the custodian of the provincial Geographic Information System (GIS) Cadastral Base Map of Saskatchewan.Detailed maps, photos and diagrams define the legal boundaries of every surface and mineral parcel in the province. This registry is an integral part of land rights administration in that it supports the entire Land Registry system.
Corporate Registry
In 2010, ISC began managing the registration of every business, not-for-profit organization, co-operative, credit union, sole proprietorship and business partnership in Saskatchewan. This happened after the Corporations Branch transferred to ISC from the Ministry of Justice. The branch was renamed the Corporate Registry after joining ISC.Organizations that want to operate as a business entity in Saskatchewan must be registered in the Corporate Registry to maintain legal status and carry on normal business operations.
Business Registrations Saskatchewan
In 2011, ISC collaborated with Workers’ Compensation Board and the Ministry of Finance to launch Business Registrations Saskatchewan, a website that provides one easy-to-use online process to complete the steps required to register a business with the Corporate Registry, as an employer with Workers’ Compensation Board and for Provincial Sales Tax (PST) with the Ministry of Finance.Statutory officials
ISC and the Ministry of Justice share public policy responsibilities regarding each of the registries that ISC maintains.Each of the statutory officials responsible for ISC’s various registries lie within the corporation. The Registrar of Titles, the Controller of Surveys, the Registrar of Personal Property Security and the Registrar of Vital Statistics are the statutory officials who are responsible for public policy programs related to the provision of registry services in each of their respective registries. These officials ensure that ISC’s services align with its legislative requirements.
Though the offices of the Registrar of Titles, the Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Controller of Surveys reside within ISC, each of them is accountable to the Minister of Justice in their roles as custodians of the provincial land registration, vital statistics and survey systems. With the transition of the Corporate Registry to ISC in October 2010, the Director of Corporations is another statutory official whose position is now within ISC. Like other statutory officials, the Director of Corporations, who is also the Registrar of Co-operatives and the Registrar of Companies, is dually accountable to the Minister of Justice and the Minister Responsible for ISC.