Series GR-3529 - Legal matters and other administrative records

The British Columbia government established the company as W.L.C. Developments Ltd. in January 1983, under the Company Act. A Crown-owned company, with a government-appointed board of directors, its purpose was to develop and sell several Crown land properties in Whistler, B.C., in order to recover government costs in Whistler. In its first year of operation, the company satisfied the creditors of the Whistler Village Land Co. Ltd., and began significant expenditures for an 18-hole golf course, a conference centre, and village infrastructure.

In 1997 the Province restructured the Whistler-based company and expanded its role to carry out the marketing and sale of surplus Crown lands throughout British Columbia -- work previously done through the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing. On October 21, 1997 the Province entered into an agreement to employ W.L.C. Developments Ltd. to conduct these sales. At the same time, the government indicated it intended to increase the sale of surplus Crown lands.

On March 27, 1998, the W.L.C. Developments Ltd. board of directors approved a change of name -- to British Columbia Assets and Land Management Corporation. This was amended the following month to a shorter name, British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation (Incorporation No. 258741), known in government and business circles as BCAL. Treasury Board (in February 1998) and cabinet (March 1998) approved expanding the mandate of the corporation to include Crown land tenure administration and management, and Crown land dispositions under the Land Act. Tenures on provincial Crown land ranged from recreational properties to commercial ski resorts; BCAL annually received and processed thousands of applications for renewals and new tenures. Also in 1998 the company was assigned the additional responsibility of selling government assets such as vehicle fleets and information systems.

In 2001 the duties, powers and functions respecting the British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation were transferred to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Management.

In 2002 the British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation was renamed Land and Water British Columbia Inc. (LWBC). Previously the company had focused on land activities only. Through strategies identified in the Core Services Review, the mandate of the corporation was now expanded to include responsibilities for managing and making decisions regarding the use of water resources as well, including water licensing and allocation.