A property line is the legal boundary of your land, and it isn’t always the same as your existing fence line. Before installing or replacing a fence, confirming the actual boundary, not just where an old fence happens to sit, can prevent disputes, encroachment issues, and costly do-overs down the road.
Installing a new fence can seem fairly straightforward: decide where you want it, choose your fencing, and start building. But before any posts go into the ground, there’s a question every property owner should be able to answer: where exactly does your property end?
The answer isn’t always as obvious as it seems. An existing fence, hedge, driveway, retaining wall, or where the grass appears to end shouldn’t automatically be assumed to represent the legal boundary of a property. This boundary is the legal marker that defines the extent of a parcel of land, established through Alberta’s survey plans and land registration records. A fence line is simply where a fence is installed, and while it may run along or near that boundary, the two aren’t automatically the same thing.
It’s easy to assume that because a fence has stood in the same spot for years, it must follow the correct boundary. According to the Alberta Land Surveyors’ Association (ALSA), that isn’t necessarily true. An older fence could have been installed inside the true boundary, positioned for practical reasons, or never based on a professionally established boundary at all. Replacing an old fence by simply following its exact location doesn’t confirm the new fence will follow the legal boundary.
A fence is a long-term investment, and fencing done right can add real value to an Alberta property. Knowing your property line before construction can help avoid a dispute with a neighbour, an encroachment issue, or a fence that ultimately has to be moved. Determining the boundary before construction gives both the homeowner and the fencing contractor clearer information for planning where the new fence will actually go.
If there’s uncertainty about a boundary, an Alberta Land Surveyor can professionally locate it. For fencing projects, this is often called a fence-line survey or property-line survey. During the survey, the surveyor locates the property line and physically marks it on the ground, so the property owner knows exactly where it sits before building.
This is worth considering if you’re installing a fence where one has never existed, replacing a fence with a questionable history, dealing with markers that can’t be found, or in disagreement with a neighbour about where the line falls.
Alberta homeowners will often hear the term Real Property Report, or RPR. An RPR is a legal document prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor that shows property boundaries and the location of visible improvements, home, garage, sheds, decks, fences, and retaining walls, in relation to those boundaries.
An RPR is useful, but there’s an important distinction: ALSA advises against homeowners using RPR measurements themselves to try to establish a boundary, since there’s real risk of measurement error or misinterpretation. If the physical location needs to be established on the ground, a property line survey (not just an RPR) is what accomplishes that.
Homeowners may come across what are commonly called survey pins, iron pins, or boundary markers. These physical markers are part of Alberta’s land surveying system and serve as evidence of the property boundary.
These markers should never be moved or disturbed. ALSA notes that tampering with a boundary marker is illegal, with fines as high as $10,000. This matters during fence construction since excavation and post installation often happen close to the boundary. If you find what looks like a survey pin, don’t assume you can measure the rest of the boundary from it yourself, different marker types exist, and an Alberta Land Surveyor can confirm what you’re looking at.
These are two different things that homeowners sometimes mix up. A property survey deals with the legal boundary of the property. A utility locate deals with underground infrastructure that could be affected by excavation. Having utilities located doesn’t tell you where your boundary is, and knowing that boundary doesn’t tell you where underground utilities run. Both matter for a fencing project, but they serve different purposes.
Property owners can access existing records including a Real Property Report, registered survey plan, land title, or legal land description through Alberta Land Titles and Alberta’s land registry services. These are useful for background information, but finding a survey plan online still isn’t the same as having the boundary physically located on the ground.
Even after the boundary is confirmed, municipal fence requirements still apply, and they vary across Alberta. Municipalities can regulate fence height, placement, setbacks, materials, and sightline visibility, with additional considerations for corner lots near roads or intersections. Always check current requirements for your specific municipality before construction.
Total Fencing Solutions works with Total Geomatics & Consulting Inc. for professional land surveying. Total Geomatics is an Alberta surveying company based in Calgary offering Property Line Surveys, Real Property Reports, residential surveys, construction surveys, and other surveying services for homeowners, builders, and contractors.
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Once your boundary is confirmed, contact Total Fencing Solutions for a free estimate on your fencing project.
Not necessarily. ALSA specifically warns that the location of a previous fence may not accurately represent the property’s boundary. If you’re uncertain, an Alberta Land Surveyor can professionally locate the line.
Not every project requires a new survey. But if you don’t know where the boundary is, there’s a disagreement with a neighbour, or you’re unsure whether an existing fence follows the correct line, having a surveyor locate the boundary removes that uncertainty before construction.
An RPR provides useful boundary information, but ALSA advises against homeowners using its measurements themselves to physically establish a line. A property line survey is what accomplishes that.
You shouldn’t automatically assume the existing fence sits on the legal boundary. If there’s any uncertainty, it’s worth confirming the line before following the old fence.
No. A utility locate identifies underground infrastructure. A property survey deals with the legal boundary. They serve different purposes.
Don’t remove, relocate, or disturb it. Survey monuments are legally protected in Alberta. If you’re unsure whether a marker represents your boundary, contact an Alberta Land Surveyor.
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