Wholesaling in Canada

[Ben W.]

Where do find public records on properties, for example defaulted mortgages, tax liens, probates, equity, absentee owners, comps, code violations etc.  All the apps and websites I've read and heard about don't work in Canada. 

[Roy N.]

@Ben W.

You will not find assembled-for-you lists of most of the information you list above in Canada as privacy law makes trading in such information illegal. 

When it comes to mortgages, you should also be aware that the historic delinquency rate in Canada is <1% and defaults are even lower.   You can regularly follow the classifieds in your local paper or read the Royal Gazette in your province for publication of foreclosure or mortgage sale.

To find owners of a property, you will need access (electronic or physical) to the land registry of the province in which the property resides.  This is generally available via a subscription {Note: real estate brokers and attorneys usually have subscriptions} or, in some jurisdictions, on a per transaction basis.  A list of encumbrances on a property's title can also be found in the land registry.

A list of building permits, work orders / code violations can often be obtained from a City or Municipality though an access to information request.  Obtaining the content of individual work orders or building permits may be more challenging.