The land titles system that is used in Alberta is called the Torrens system.  It was created by Robert Torrens, an Australian, in the 1850s, and is based on the shipping registry.  He observed that the registration of ocean-going vessels was accurate and complete, while land registration was chaotic, so he set about creating a new system.  It was first used in Canada in the then-colony of Vancouver Island in 1861. The Torrens land system has been used in Alberta since 1887. Last updated: October 2015