A property that has been legally surveyed will have permanent legal survey monuments to mark the location of the boundary. Existing survey monuments are one of the many things that we use to help us determine the property boundaries of the area that we’re working on. Iron bars can be level to the ground or buried. In some circumstances, such as the bush, the top could be 10 cm above the ground. If you see us digging in your yard, rest assured that we’re completing a survey in the area and will leave the ground as we found it when we are finished.

Unfortunately, legal survey monuments are often removed or damaged. Not only does this make our job more challenging, but it is also illegal. The Criminal Code of Canada prohibits wilful damage or the removal of legal survey monuments and the penalty in Ontario is up to 5 years’ imprisonment. Only a licensed surveyor can set, remove, or move a legal survey monument. The Association of Ontario Land Surveyor’s have a great article on monument protection.

The iron bars are often engraved with a number to identify the licensed surveyor who set it. Sometimes, the bars will have a collar or cap with the surveyors information on it.

Pictured below are some examples of legal survey monuments.