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Thomas Westgarth was a steamboat inspector in New Westminster and Victoria, B.C.

John Clayton White was born in 1835. As a young man he joined the British Army Corps of Royal Engineers where he worked as a draughtsman. He traveled to the Colony of Vancouver Island aboard the Thames City in 1859 and was sent to the camp at Queenborough, New Westminster. White worked as a draughtsman making maps, town plans and architectural drawings and remained in the colony when his detachment disbanded in November 1863.

In 1864, White worked for the Department of Lands and Works and was responsible for an addition to Colonel Moody's home, now called Government House, New Westminster. White also worked on St. Mary the Virgin Church and a School House. In 1866, White worked on the British Columbia extension of the Western Union Telegraph Line, otherwise known as the Collins Overland Telegraph, draughting several maps along the route. He also recorded the path of construction in a watercolour sketch book, now held in the BC Archives.

By 1869, White moved to San Francisco where he was employed as draughtsman with the firm of Wright and Saunders. White died in 1907 in Berkley California.

In 1978, the Kamloops Forest District was renamed the Kamloops Forest Region, however its boundaries did not change. Between 1978 and 1981, the Region was further reorganized into the following smaller Forest Districts: Clearwater, Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Penticton, Merritt and Lillooet. These were based on the Previous Ranger Districts. This means the Kamloops Forest District continued to exist after 1978, however, it was a much smaller area part of the new Kamloops Forest Region.

In 2003 the region was amalgamated with the Nelson Forest Region and the Cariboo Forest Region to form the Southern Interior Forest Region.

In 2010 the Southern Interior Forest Region ceased to exist and was replaced by three districts with boundaries similar to those before the amalgamation. The area that had been covered by the old Kamloops Forest Region was renamed the Thompson Okanagan Forest Region, with its headquarters in Kamloops. In 2016 the name of the Thompson Okanagan Forest Region was changed to the Thompson Okanagan Natural Resource Region.

The Rocky Mountain Forest District was created in 2003 as part of the Southern Interior Forest Region with the combination of the Cranbrook (also referred to as the East Kootenay Lake Forest District) and Invermere Forest Districts. In 2016 it was renamed the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District. As of 2022 it continues to exist as part of the Kootenay Boundary Natural Resource Region.

Oakalla Prison farm opened on Sept 2, 1912 in Burnaby, B.C., on a site overlooking Deer Lake. The name referred to the Royal Oak neighbourhood in which it was located. A separate Women's Unit opened in 1940, renamed the Lakeside Correctional Centre for Women in 1975. Between 1919 and 1959, 44 hangings took place at Oakalla. Inmates worked on the farm until the 1970s, and manufactured car licence plates from the early 1930s until 1975. The name was changed officially to the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre in 1970. Oakalla was chronically overcrowded, once holding 1,269 inmates. On June 30, 1991 the facility closed; the buildings were razed and the site became a housing development.

In an era when women artists struggled for recognition, Georgina Steeple de l’Aubinière enjoyed a successful career as a painter, including recognition by Queen Victoria who purchased two of her paintings.

Born Georgina Martha Steeple in 1848 in England, she was the daughter of the watercolourist, John Steeple. She studied art and exhibited at the Royal Academy, moving to Paris where she studied with Camille Corot and Jean-Leon Gerome, exhibiting at the Cercle des Arts Libéraux in 1882.

While in France, she married Constant, or Charles, Auguste de l’Aubinière. In the 1880’s they toured and exhibited extensively in the United States, arriving in Victoria in December 1886. Their European reputation served them well in Victoria’s nascent arts scene. The couple gave art and painting lessons and advocated (in vain) for the establishment of a museum and art school. Martha Douglas, daughter of Sir James Douglas, and Susan Reynolds Crease, a future artist and women’s rights’ activist, were among Georgina’s students. The couple is also credited with encouraging Emily Carr’s artistic dreams, although she would later be critical of their depiction of British Columbia.

Georgina was commissioned to paint a landscape for the British Columbia “Address to Queen Victoria on Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee.” In June 1887, following the success of the address the de l’Aubinières exhibited 150 of their paintings. Local reviews of the works, which showcased BC scenery, were enthusiastic, with Georgina’s paintings arguably gaining more acclaim than her husband’s.

After leaving Victoria in late 1887, Georgina and Constant lived and exhibited in Montreal for a number of years. One of Georgina’s paintings was purchased by Sir Donald A. Smith.

Constant died in 1910. Georgina lived the rest of her life in Cornwall, continuing to paint. In 1916 she was commissioned to paint two landscapes for the new BC House, located in London, England.

She died in Bodmin, Cornwall in 1930.

The Women’s, Seniors’ and Community Services department was within the Ministry of Community Services and was comprised of three policy and program areas. These areas included the Seniors’ and Women’s Partnerships and Information Branch, the Community Programs Branch, and the Community Partnerships Branch. The division helped the Ministry of Community Services contribute to community health and safety by providing leadership and resources for services for women who experienced abuse, as well as by providing expert advice and policy analysis. The department also provided policy analysis and expert advice for a number of Ministry initiatives.

In the 2007-2008 fiscal year, the Women’s, Seniors’ and Community Services had a budget of $55.8 million and a staff of 37 full-time equivalents.

Dominion Land Agents were responsible for the management and alienation of land that was managed by the Dominion government, instead of the provincial government. This includes the Railway Belt and Peace River Block. Ownership of these lands were were transferred to the Canadian government in order to facilitate the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, pursuant to BC's 1871 terms of union for becoming a province of Canada.

A Dominion Land Agent was stationed in New Westminster, Kamloops, Revelstoke to manage land in the Railway Belt. The Dominion Land Agent in Grand Prairie managed the land in the Peace River Block. They acted as a local representative and managed the sale and homesteading of land to settlers, grazing leases, timber berth, petroleum and natural gas leases, and other mining claims.

After 1930,

In 1901 the British Columbia government established a Supreme Court registry at the Town of Golden (the “Golden Registry”) by Order-in-Council 0008-1901, approved January 4, 1901.

Until 2023, the Golden Law Courts operated as an active registry and a satellite of the Cranbrook registry. A fire on 13 March 2023 destroyed the Golden Provincial Courthouse building and many of the records held within the registry. It is unclear if or when the registry will be reopened due to the destruction of the fire. Golden court proceedings have been relocated to Cranbrook in the interim.

Canadian Pacific Steamships Limited was the owner of the trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific CPR vessels. Its name was changed from Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Limited on September 8, 1921.

By OIC # 0503-1897, approved November 23, 1897, the British Columbia government recommended the establishment at Rossland of a Sub-Registry of the Victoria Registry of the Supreme Court, to be termed the “Rossland Sub-Registry” for that portion of the County of Kootenay known as the Trail Creek Mining Division.

By OIC # 0071-1899, the previous OIC (0503-1897) was rescinded. The new OIC, dated January 27, 1899, ordered that a registry of the Supreme Court, to be known as the Rossland Registry, be established, effective February 15, 1899, for that portion of the County of Kootenay known as the Trail Creek Mining Division. (Note that the announcement in the BC Gazette 1899, p. 145, refers to the West Kootenay Judicial District).

Currently (to March 2023) the Rossland Registry of the Supreme Court continues as an active registry.

The Canadian Pacific Navigation Company (CPN), was incorporated in January 1883 under the direction of Captain John Irving of New Westminster. The new company consolidated the fleets of both the Pioneer Line (founded by Irving’s father, William, in 1862) and the Hudson’s Bay Company. The CPN conducted passenger and freight steamship service on the lower Fraser River (New Westminster to Yale) and between New Westminster, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island points. In 1901, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR) purchased controlling interest in the CPN. The formal transfer took place in 1903, and the CPR began operation of its B.C. Coast Steamship Service (B.C.C.S.S.) The CPR built up its Princess Line to a fleet of thirty-two ships and operated passenger services until the 1970's.

The Canadian Pacific Railway Company changed its name to Canadian Pacific Limited on July 3, 1971.

The North West Company was a fur trading company started in 1779 with headquarters in Montreal. They competed with the Hudson's Bay Company, particularly in the West. The company was merged with the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821.

John Stuart was a North West Company fur trader who helped to establish Rocky Mountain Post and Fort St. James. He joined the Hudson's Bay Company as a Chief Factor in 1821.

During World War II the Post-war Rehabilitation Council composed of a committee of members of the Legislative Assembly, was formed under authority of the "Post-war Rehabilitation Act." The purpose of this Council was to advise the Provincial Government what policies it should adopt to help guide the Province toward a stable post-war economy. Toward this end the Bureau of Reconstruction was formed, and its activities placed under control of a committee composed of the Ministers of Health and Welfare, Lands and Forests, Finance, and Public Works. The Regional Planning Division of the Bureau of Reconstruction was initiated on January 1st, 1945. The Division started immediately to work along the lines indicated in the recommendations of the Post-war Rehabilitation Council. Such work included the assembly of information necessary to undertake a plan aimed at securing a state of economic balance. Also included in its activities was the giving of planning advice to small municipalities. This was done in the form of a community plan, containing a zoning by-law, suggestions for the development of recreational areas, road systems, and, in some cases, subdivision plans. Upon request, planning advice was also given to other Government departments. In 1947 the Bureau of Reconstruction was disbanded and the Regional Planning Division became part of the Department of Municipal Affairs. The division was responsible for providing planning advice to municipalities not within the jurisdiction of the Lower Mainland Regional Planning Board or the Capital Region Planning Board. The division would send planners out to areas requiring assistance, to study the municipality in its regional setting. In addition to the usual zoning, subdivision and building by-laws, attention was given to the design side of community planning and advice was extended to include plans for projected roads, parks, school-sites and problems in the central business district such as parking.

Herbert Carmichael was born in 1866 at Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland. He was educated in Belfast and Manchester taking honours in chemistry. He came to Victoria in 1889, married in New York in 1891 to Josephine Munce of Belfast, and was appointed the Provincial Assayer for British Columbia in 1892. In 1895 he helped to establish the Bureau of Mines as separate from the Provincial Secretary. He resigned in 1912. He died in Victoria on September 26, 1944.

William Fleet Robertson was born in Montreal on December 18, 1859. He received a B.Sc with honours in natural science from McGIll University. He was married in 1895 to Edith Ann Mary Mercer. He worked for the Quebec Central Railway as well as several copper companies in the United States until he was appointed to the British Columbia Dept. of Mines in June 1898 as Provincial Mineralogist. He served in this role until his retirement in 1925. He died in 1929, en route to England via the Panama Canal. His body was brought back to Victoria for interment in Ross Bay Cemetery.

Born and trained in London, England, W. P. Weston settled in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1909 and took the position of art teacher at King Edward High School. He continued to teach until his retirement in 1946 and so did not rely on painting as his primary source of income. He was an important member of the local art community and a admirer of Emily Carr with whom he corresponded. In 1910, he joined the British Columbia Society of Fine Art, became President twice (1922-1926, 1931-1937) and was made a Life Member in 1948. In 1933, he became a charter member of the Canadian Group of Painters. In 1936, Weston was elected an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy, then in 1938, was appointed to the Royal Society of Artists, London. He also was a founding member of the Federation of Canadian Artists in 1941. In 1948, he became a member of the Western Group of Painters.

Weston's work is in public collections including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the University of Toronto Art Museum and the University of British Columbia.

A government office was established in Vernon in 1894. A government agent has been stationed in Vernon by 1900, and one has remained there until at least 2022.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. After confederation, Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

Fort Rupert was established by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1849 at the northeast end of Vancouver Island on Beaver Harbour. From 1849 to 1852, Fort Rupert was the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company's commercial coal mining operations on Vancouver Island. From 1852 to 1882, Fort Rupert served as a trading post for fur and salmon. When the HBC withdrew its operations from Fort Rupert in 1883, postmaster Robert Hunt bought the trading post and members of his family continued to run the store until 1968.

A government agency was established at Ashcroft by 1910. Around 1930, Ashcroft was lowered to sub-agency standing. Around 1970 it was reestablished as a government agency which existed until at least 2004.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. After confederation, Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

Into the 1950s the Government Agent in some small communities continued to act as Magistrate, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Maintainer of voters lists, Recorder of vital statistics and many other duties. However, these roles were increasingly done by representatives of different government branches.

The role of Government Agent continues to exist in 2022 as an administrator with limited authority in several communities across the province

As the initial capital of the Colony of British Columbia, New Westminster was an important center for Government officials on the mainland. Chartres Brew was the individual who initially fulfilled the role of Government Agent as the Stipendiary Magistrate for the New Westminster District from 1859-1868. A Government Agent was stationed in New Westminster from then on until at least 1992.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. The position of Gold Commissioner was created by a Proclamation of Governor Douglas, dated September 7, 1859. These commissioners were responsible for issuing free miners certificates, recording claims, managing miner’s water rights and settling disputes.

Stipendiary Magistrates, often referred to simply as Magistrates, were laymen without legal training who acted as judges in civil, small debt, and some criminal cases. Magistrates were often the only government officials in a region and fulfilled all government functions and services for their communities. However, before confederation their primary function was to maintain law and order. They were initially responsible for policing in their districts, and may have acted as Police Constables. In more populated regions they may have supervised multiple other Police Constables, in addition to other administrative staff such as Mining Recorders and Toll Collectors located throughout the district.

Almost all Gold Commissioners, or Assistant Gold Commissioners, also held the position of Stipendiary Magistrate. Initially, these positions could be held alongside a variety of others. It was common for one individual to also be appointed, or otherwise referred to as: Mining Recorder, Government Agent, Justice of the Peace, Small Debts Court judge, County Court judge (until 1881 when they were replaced with trained Supreme Court judges), and as a representative in the Legislative Council of the colony.

Other Magistrate duties varied widely, including: managing road or other infrastructure projects, recording census data and vital statistics, issuing marriage licenses, tax and revenue collection, and school and hospital inspections. They also acted as Assistant Commissioners of Lands and Works in all local aspects of land administration, including: supervising surveys, the sale of crown land, pre-emptions, and leases of timber or grazing land.

Before confederation, the boundaries of administrative districts were only roughly delineated. This meant magistrates could be unclear on the limits of their own jurisdictions, resulting in considerable overlap. Magistrates often travelled extensively to maintain order throughout their districts and may not have had a clear base or headquarters they consistently operated out of. Archival records reflect this inconsistency, and the multitude of different job titles that could be held by one individual in multiple places at one time.

Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. Over the next few decades Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

Into the 1950s the Government Agent in some small communities continued to act as Magistrate, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Maintainer of voters lists, Recorder of vital statistics and many other duties. However, these roles were increasingly done by representatives of different government branches. The role of Government Agent continues to exist in 2022 as an administrator with limited authority in several communities across the province.

A government agent was first officially stationed at Nelson in 1900. However, there had been a government representative in the Kootenay region since at least 1864. The Nelson Agency was part of the West Kootenay district from 1900 to approximately 1920. There was a government agent in Nelson until at least 2004.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. After confederation, Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

Into the 1950s the Government Agent in some small communities continued to act as Magistrate, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Maintainer of voters lists, Recorder of vital statistics and many other duties. However, these roles were increasingly done by representatives of different government branches. The role of Government Agent continues to exist in 2022 as an administrator with limited authority in several communities across the province.

A government agent was stationed in Clinton from 1900 up to at least 2004.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. After confederation, Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

Into the 1950s the Government Agent in some small communities continued to act as Magistrate, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Maintainer of voters lists, Recorder of vital statistics and many other duties. However, these roles were increasingly done by representatives of different government branches. The role of Government Agent continues to exist in 2022 as an administrator with limited authority in several communities across the province.

There was a Government Agent Stationed in Kamloops and the surrounding area as early as 1876. An Agent was stationed there until at least 2004.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. The position of Gold Commissioner was created by a Proclamation of Governor Douglas, dated September 7, 1859. These commissioners were responsible for issuing free miners certificates, recording claims, managing miner’s water rights and settling disputes.

Stipendiary Magistrates, often referred to simply as Magistrates, were laymen without legal training who acted as judges in civil, small debt, and some criminal cases. Magistrates were often the only government officials in a region and fulfilled all government functions and services for their communities. However, before confederation their primary function was to maintain law and order. They were initially responsible for policing in their districts, and may have acted as Police Constables. In more populated regions they may have supervised multiple other Police Constables, in addition to other administrative staff such as Mining Recorders and Toll Collectors located throughout the district.

Almost all Gold Commissioners, or Assistant Gold Commissioners, also held the position of Stipendiary Magistrate. Initially, these positions could be held alongside a variety of others. It was common for one individual to also be appointed, or otherwise referred to as: Mining Recorder, Government Agent, Justice of the Peace, Small Debts Court judge, County Court judge (until 1881 when they were replaced with trained Supreme Court judges), and as a representative in the Legislative Council of the colony.

Other Magistrate duties varied widely, including: managing road or other infrastructure projects, recording census data and vital statistics, issuing marriage licenses, tax and revenue collection, and school and hospital inspections. They also acted as Assistant Commissioners of Lands and Works in all local aspects of land administration, including: supervising surveys, the sale of crown land, pre-emptions, and leases of timber or grazing land.

Before confederation, the boundaries of administrative districts were only roughly delineated. This meant magistrates could be unclear on the limits of their own jurisdictions, resulting in considerable overlap. Magistrates often travelled extensively to maintain order throughout their districts and may not have had a clear base or headquarters they consistently operated out of. Archival records reflect this inconsistency, and the multitude of different job titles that could be held by one individual in multiple places at one time.

Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. Over the next few decades Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

Into the 1950s the Government Agent in some small communities continued to act as Magistrate, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Maintainer of voters lists, Recorder of vital statistics and many other duties. However, these roles were increasingly done by representatives of different government branches. The role of Government Agent continues to exist in 2022 as an administrator with limited authority in several communities across the province.

Cassiar District was established in 1876 and existed until the 1920s. Over the years it included the government agent agencies in Laketon, Port Simpson (Fort Simpson), Telegraph Creek, Atlin, Hazleton, Prince Rupert, and Fort St. John.

A government agent was only stationed in Cassiar later on from around 1978-2000.

A government agency was established at Nicola in 1907, but an agent may have been based there as early as 1885. The Nicola office was vacant by 1920, when it was likely moved to the nearby and newly opened Merritt government agency. The Merritt office existed from 1920 until at least 1979.

The government agency system of British Columbia has its origins in the two colonial offices of Gold Commissioners and Stipendiary Magistrates. Over time, the title "Gold Commissioner" became restricted to those officials performing the administrative and judicial duties laid out in mining legislation (Gold Commissioners held their judicial responsibilities until they were repealed by the Mineral Act of 1897). The more general title "Government Agent" was increasingly used for those officials with broader responsibilities and was consistently used to describe these multifunctional roles by the 1880s.

The several functions of a Government Agent are legally separate powers and appointments, which were often, but not always, held concurrently by the same individual. After confederation, Government Agents continued to fulfill a multitude of roles. By the turn of the century, a single agent’s duties could include:

Government Agent, Supreme Court Registrar, County Court Registrar, Sheriff, Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Water recorder, Welfare Officer, Vital Statistics Recorder, Meteorological Recorder, Provincial Registrar of Voters, Federal Registrar of Voters, Game Warden, Land Commissioner, Assessor, Collector of Revenue Taxes, Financial Officer, Marriage Commissioner, Local Board of Health Sanitary Inspector, Cattle Brand Recorder, Maintainer of Government Buildings, Coroner, Gaoler, Constable, and Court clerk.

New functions were added as government services were created. For example, during prohibition, agents issued permits to purchase liquor. They also became involved with the administration of the Motor Vehicle Act by registering vehicles and licensing drivers. By 1900 policing functions were formally removed from Government Agents and transferred to police forces, though they continued to work closely with some police constables, particularly in rural areas, until the BC Police force was replaced by the RCMP in 1950.

Into the twentieth century, the staff in government agencies was growing substantially from one person who fulfilled all government functions, to offices with multiple staff supervised by the Agent.

The location of agencies and the headquarters of each agency where an Agent was located changed over time, based on the movement of population. There were often sub-offices or other outposts throughout a district with other government officials, such as Mining Recorders, who reported to the Government Agent at the district's headquarters.

Agents reported directly to the Provincial Secretary in Victoria until 1917 when they were became part of the Department of Finance, as one of their primary roles was tax collection. Starting in 1920 and increasingly after 1945, the role of the Government Agent was reduced and eroded by the growth of other more specialized and centralized branches of government. For example, Agents provided social services and acted as informal Social Workers by dispensing income assistance and child welfare responsibilities until they were replaced by trained Social Workers in the 1930s.

In 1996, the duties, powers and functions of the Ministry of Social Services in relation to Child, Family and Community Services, Community Support Services, and Health Services which were directly unrelated to the provision of income assistance were transferred to the newly established Ministry for Children and Families. All remaining functions were transferred to the renamed Ministry of Human Resources (OIC 1069/1996). In 2001 the Ministry for Children and Families was renamed the Ministry of Children and Family Development (OIC 565/2001).

The Dept. of the Provincial Secretary was established in 1872. Prior to that, the origins of this department was in the offices of the Colonial Secretaries for the Colony of Vancouver Island (1863-1866), the Colony of British Columbia (1864-1866) and the united colony of British Columbia (1866-1871). When British Columbia joined confederation in 1871, the name Colonial Secretary remained in place until April 1872 when a Provincial Secretary was named to assume the duties and functions (SBC 1872, c. 15).

The mandate of the Provincial Secretary included 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 issue letters patent and commissions, and being the keeper of all registers and archives of the province and previous governments of the province. As with other departments, it was also the duty of the Provincial Secretary to make an annual report to the Lieutenant-Governor. The first annual report was produced in 1872.

At various times, different agencies have been under the direction of the Provincial Secretary such as treasury and audit branches, Bureau of Mines, gold commissioners, Returned Soldiers’ Commission, Provincial Library and Archives, Provincial Board of Health, Vital Statistics, Provincial Home, and others. In most instances these agencies were later transferred to the control of new ministries established to administer the specific function or functions.

At various times and for varying periods, the Provincial Secretary was responsible for industrial schools, mothers’ pensions, administration of the Infants’ Act, protection of historic sites, and arbitration of labour disputes. In 1947, the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary administered the Civil Service Commission, Government Printing Bureau, Superannuation Commission, mental hospitals, institution farms, homes for the aged, inspector of hospitals, and the Elections Act.

In 1976, with the addition of travel and tourism functions from the Dept. of Recreation and Travel Industry, the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary was renamed the Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry (OIC 3199/76).