Series GR-3626 - Royal Hudson records

The Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture was established in 1993 (OIC 1218/1993). Its functions were transferred from the disestablished Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Housing, Recreation and Consumer Services, and Ministry of Economic Development, Small Business and Trade. The ministry was disestablished in 2001 and functions transferred to the new Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services (OIC 565/2001).

The Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry was established in 1976 as the successor to the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary and the Dept. of Recreation and Travel Industry (OIC 3199/76). The Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry was statutorily responsible for all the powers, duties and functions held by provincial secretaries and registrars in other provinces of the Dominion of Canada. They included being the keeper of the Great Seal of the Province, with the authority to issues letters patent and commissions, being the keeper of all registers and archives of the province and previous governments of the province, and serving as the Provincial Registrar of British Columbia. The ministry was also responsible for all travel and tourism functions that were previously performed by the Dept. of Recreation and Travel Industry.

In 1978, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services when its travel and tourism functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Tourism and Small Business Development. All other functions remained with the Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services (OIC 3018/78).

The Ministry of Tourism and Small Business Development was established in 1978 when the travel and tourism functions of the Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry were transferred to it (OIC 3018/78). The Ministry was disestablished in 1979 and all functions transferred to the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Small Business Development (OIC 2957/1979).

The Ministry of Tourism was established in 1980 with the enactment of the Ministry of Tourism Act (SBC 1980, c. 33). Prior to 1980, many departments were responsible for tourism related functions. As early as 1894 the Bureau of Statistics compiled data on travellers in the province for the Attorney-General. This was followed by the creation of the Bureau of Industrial and Tourist Development that, between 1937 and 1967, formed part of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Dept. of Recreation and Conservation. The Dept. of Travel Industry was created in 1967 and dissolved in 1975. Between 1975 and 1980, tourism related functions were transferred to a succession of ministries including the Dept. of Recreation and Tourism, the Dept. of Recreation and Travel Industry, the Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry, the Ministry of Tourism and Small Business Development, and the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Small Business.

The mandate of the Ministry of Tourism was to promote and encourage the tourist industry, to provide information services, and to encourage development of the motion picture industry in the province. It was divided into two divisions, Marketing Division (sales) and Operations Division (services), each with five branches. A 1985 reorganization of the ministry created four branches: marketing, development, public affairs, and management services. In 1986, the Ministry of Tourism was renamed the Ministry of Tourism, Recreation and Culture (OIC 1908/1986), at which time, functions relating to culture, recreation and historic resources were transferred from the Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services and added to this ministry.

In 1986, the Ministry of Tourism was renamed the Ministry of Tourism, Recreation and Culture (OIC 1908/86), at which time, functions relating to culture, recreation and historic resources were transferred from the Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services and added to this ministry.

In 1988, the Ministry of Tourism, Recreation and Culture was renamed the Ministry of Tourism and Provincial Secretary (OIC 1988-1312). With the renaming, the following functions of the previous ministry were transferred as follows:

Regional tourism development transferred to the Ministry of Regional Development (OIC 1988-1308);
Foreign offices and tourism offices and the Film Commission transferred to the Ministry of International Business and Immigration (OIC 1988-1308);
Culture, recreation and historic resources, excluding those related to multiculturalism were transferred to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture (OIC 1988-1310).

The Ministry of Tourism was established in 1989 with the transfer of all tourism related functions from the Ministry of Tourism and Provincial Secretary (OIC 1577/89). The functions of the ministry were to promote tourism and encourage the tourist industry of the province, and to provide information services for tourists. The ministry was dissolved in 1991 and all tourism functions were transferred to the Ministry of Development, Trade and Tourism (OIC 499/91).

The Ministry of Tourism was established in 1991 with functions from the disestablished Ministry of Development, Trade and Tourism was disestablished (OIC 1991/1372). Culture functions were also transferred to the new ministry from the disestablished Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture (OIC 1991/1375).

The Ministry of Tourism was disestablished in 1993 (OIC 1993/1210). Its functions were transferred to the newly established ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture (OIC 1993/1218).