Dominion Land Survey (DLS) explained
The Dominion Land Survey is the quarter-section township grid that covers the Canadian Prairies and the BC Peace. A DLS description reads from the quarter outward: quarter, section, township, range, and meridian.
How a DLS description is built
A township is a block roughly six miles square, divided into 36 sections of about one square mile (640 acres) each. Each section divides into four quarters: NE, NW, SE, SW, each about 160 acres.
A description like NE-12-34-5-W4 reads: the north-east quarter of section 12, township 34, range 5, west of the 4th meridian.
Where DLS is used
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Peace River block of British Columbia. It routes to Township Canada for interactive mapping, batch processing and export.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a DLS land description?
Read it from the quarter outward. NE-12-34-5-W4 is the north-east quarter of section 12, township 34, range 5, west of the 4th meridian.
Which provinces use the Dominion Land Survey?
Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, plus the Peace River block of British Columbia.
Last reviewed June 2026. General information about survey systems — not legal, title, or survey advice.
Sources: Natural Resources Canada — About Canada Lands surveys, NRCan — Manual of Instructions for the Survey of Dominion Lands.