The series consists of ship log books from the British Columbia Coast Steamship Service (BCCSS) and the Canadian Pacific Navigation Company that were collected by Earl Marsh. Log books in the series were created between 1900 and 1974, with the majority originating from 1970-1974. These volumes pertain to British Columbia, Washington State, and Alaska.

The series contains a set of pilot house log books from Princess Marguerite II, covering the period from September 1970-July 1974. Additional log books are included from Princess Louise I, S.S. Hating (later Princess May), S.S. Charmer, Princess Beatrice, Princess Mary, Princess Louise II, Princess Kathleen, Princess Marguerite I, Princess Norah, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Joan, Princess Charlotte, and Tug Kyuquot.

Log books are usually pilot house logs, though an engine room log book is also included. Volumes tend to feature entries for each voyage made by a ship. An entry often records the voyage destination and departure locations, departure and arrival times, distance travelled, engine revolutions, and information about the tide, wind, and weather.

Volumes from Princess Marguerite II were arranged chronologically. Volumes from other ships were in random order. Marsh likely collected these books between 1964 and 1973.

BC Archives has retained all records in the series.

The item is a reel of recreational film showing downhill and cross-country skiing at Mount Seymour Provincial Park. A group of young adults from Vancouver (UBC students?) travel to North Vancouver by ferry, and onward to Mount Seymour by car and bus. Includes shots of the Vancouver-North Vancouver car ferry arriving at North Vancouver. Also includes shots of ski cabin/chalet (with sign: "Mount Seymour Ski Camp"); waxing of skis and equipment preparation; beginning skiers practicing at "ski school"; and a few skiers taking spills and falls.

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: This tape features miscellaneous marine sounds, including: a ship's whistle; the surf at Long Beach; the hand foghorn at the lighthouse on North Galiano; waves and distant ferry whistle; ferry sound from shore; the ferry whistle entering Active Pass, Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, and the ferry "Queen of the Islands" approaching Sturdies Bay wharf with four blasts. [TRACK 2: blank.]

The series consists of images shot by Destrubé Photography and retained for future sale to and use by clients as stock images. Subject matter includes aerial views of Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island locations; BC Ferries vessels and other ships; people at work in various industries; views of the Queen Charlotte Islands; and “scenic heritage” (cemeteries, ghost towns. old buildings, etc.)

Promotional film. The economic and other benefits enjoyed by BC residents as a result of political leadership and industrial development in the province. Includes sequences on primary and secondary industries; the damming of the Columbia and Peace Rivers for hydro-electric power and flood control; expansion of highways; BC Ferries; tourism; assistance to homeowners; medical services; educational facilities; etc. Premier W.A.C. Bennett makes some brief prepared remarks at the film's beginning and end.

Out-takes. The economic and other benefits enjoyed by BC residents as a result of political leadership and industrial development in the province. Includes sequences on primary and secondary industries; the damming of the Columbia and Peace Rivers for hydro-electric power and flood control; expansion of highways; BC Ferries; tourism; assistance to homeowners; medical services; educational facilities; etc. Premier W.A.C. Bennett makes some brief prepared remarks at the beginning and end of the film.

The item is a video copy of a promotional film. The first part contains "The Good Life" about the economic and other benefits enjoyed by BC residents as a result of political leadership and industrial development in the province. Includes sequences on primary and secondary industries; the damming of the Columbia and Peace Rivers for hydro-electric power and flood control; expansion of highways; BC Ferries; tourism; assistance to homeowners; medical services; educational facilities; etc. Premier W.A.C. Bennett makes some brief prepared remarks at the film's beginning and end.

The second item on the tape is "Twenty great years in British Columbia" which is a review of industrial development and economic growth in the province under the Social Credit government of W.A.C. Bennett, 1952-72, and an outline of the measures planned in its 1972 budget. Beginning with a review of BC's economic situation in 1951-52, the film shows how Social Credit policies encouraged development through improved highways, the BC Ferry system, the encouragement of tourism, the extension of the PGE Railway and the construction of power projects on the Peace and Columbia Rivers. The planned expenditures and priorities of the 1972 budget are illustrated.

Unedited footage. Shows "instant" resource towns in British Columbia, their industrial facilities, and the amenities available to workers and their families, including housing, shopping centres, schools, company stores, etc. Includes footage of the open-pit mine at Phoenix; the town of Mackenzie, north of Prince George; the mill town of Woodfibre, including its ferry service; and the forestry town of Gold River on Vancouver Island.

The item is a composite print of an industrial film made between 1965 and 1959. It shows changes along the Columbia River due to the Duncan, Arrow and Mica dams. Includes footage of: Duncan Dam reservoir; area communities; flood scenes; water storage and flood control benefits in BC and the USA; threatened homes and landmarks, including the Gates of St. Leon Hotel and the derelict sternwheeler "Minto"; ecological considerations; construction of the Arrow [Hugh Keenleyside] and Mica dams, and official opening of the former; houses being moved or burned; "Viking funeral" [burning] of the "Minto"; new highway construction and Arrow Lake ferry service (M.V. "Galena"); economic impacts; the relocated communities of New Burton, New Edgewood and New Fauquier.

The item is a composite print of an industrial film, made from 1965 to 1969. It show changes along the Columbia River due to the Duncan, Arrow and Mica dams. Includes footage of: Duncan Dam reservoir, area communities, flood scenes, water storage and flood control benefits in BC and the USA, threatened homes and landmarks, including the Gates of St. Leon Hotel and the derelict stern wheeler "Minto", ecological considerations, construction of the Arrow [Hugh Keenleyside] and Mica dams, and official opening of the former, houses being moved or burned, "Viking funeral" [burning] of the "Minto", new highway construction and Arrow Lake ferry service (M.V. "Galena"), economic impacts and the relocated communities of New Burton, New Edgewood and New Fauquier.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1978 SUMMARY: Edited interviews with hoteliers, B.C. Ferries representatives, and tourists, discussing the successful establishment of packaged off-season tours of the Inside Passage and Vancouver Island. Promotes the idea of "packaging" and the year-round possibilities for tourism in British Columbia. Tape was included in a folder with a booklet on packaging and advertisements for the tours.

Documentary. This film depicts a trip from Seattle to Victoria on the S.S. Princess Marguerite, and profiles the history of the ship -- and of her namesake, an earlier B.C. coastal steamship that was sunk during World War II while serving as a troop transport.

Promotional video

The item is a composite print of a travelogue made between 1972 and 1977 which highlights the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast. Includes footage of Vancouver (general), Abbotsford Air Show, Royal Hudson steam train excursion, ferry from Horseshoe Bay, Sechelt, sport fishing, boat trip up Jervis Inlet, salmon fishing derby, Garibaldi Provincial Park (camping, mountain climbing).

Promotional film. Activities of the BC Government Travel Bureau in promoting the B.C. tourist industry, emphasizing the diverse methods used to advertise the province. Includes footage of various B.C. industries, the Minister and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, the Bureau commissioner and office staff, advertising campaigns, design and printing of colour travel brochures, public correspondence, personal contacts, promoting autombile travel, and brief shots of a car ferry, a coastal steamer, a steam train, and an airliner. Other scenes show the B.C. exhibits at the Golden Gate International Exposition and the Los Angeles Outing Show. Of special interest is a section on filmmaking, which shows Clarence Ferris running a movie camera and splicing film, and a scene of Leon Shelly's film crew shooting the BCGTB-sponsored travelogue BEAUTIFUL BRITISH COLUMBIA.

Television stock shots

Series consists of correspondence between members of the public and the Ministry of Transportation between the years 1993-2003. The majority of the correspondence consists of letters from the public sent to the Minister of Transportation. The letters deal with various forms of transportation including automobiles, ferries, marine, railroads, transit, pedestrian and cycling. The subjects include the condition and maintenance of transportation infrastructure including highways, roads, sidewalks, bridges and ports and sidewalks. Some of the letters relate to transportation issues that also fall under the jurisdiction of municipalities and the Federal Government.

When the ministry received these letters, the Correspondence Branch assigned a unique number to each letter in the ministry’s correspondence tracking database called Cliff. The branch would then research the issue, request information from ministry staff and draft a response. The draft response was then forwarded to the minister’s office who would review the letter and either sign it or return it to the branch for further revisions.

The files contain the letter from the public, notes and registration forms by the ministry, draft replies and a copy of the final response. Some letters were sent to the ministry with attachments such as reports, photographs, and videos.

The letters are arranged numerically by the Cliff number or by another number. The letters from 1993-1998 are arranged annually by a sequential number that begins at 1 at the beginning of each year.

There are gaps in the records. Some file folders were transferred to the archives empty. Between 1993 and 1997 the ministry often “batched” letters that are similar in nature. This is especially true for things such as petitions. During this same time they would also create separate files for letters that the ministry did not respond to. The file titles for these were labelled as “no response” or “FYI” in the file titles.

The records were classified by the ministry under 280-30 in the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS).

The records were originally created by the following two ministries:

Ministry of Transportation and Highways (1993-2001)
Ministry of Transportation (2001-2006)

Promotional film. A review of industrial development and economic growth in the province under the Social Credit government of W.A.C. Bennett, 1952-72, and an outline of the measures planned in its 1972 budget. Beginning with a review of BC's economic situation in 1951-52, the film shows how Social Credit policies encouraged development through improved highways, the BC Ferry system, the encouragement of tourism, the extension of the PGE Railway and the construction of power projects on the Peace and Columbia Rivers. The planned expenditures and priorities of the 1972 budget are illustrated.

Stock shots. Original footage and outs compiled from various Parry Films for use in TWENTY GREAT YEARS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (1972). Includes BC Electric buses in North & West Vancouver, ca.1949; section from GIANT MASCOT showing mine fire and aftermath; general views of Vancouver and Victoria (1960s); BC and CN ferries; the commissioning of the ferry "Queen of Prince Rupert" by W.A.C. Bennett and other dignitaries (Victoria Inner Harbour & Swartz Bay, April 1966); sport fishing; skiing; costumed dancers in pageant; agricultural exhibition; installation of picnic tables (Okanagan Lake Provincial Park?); airliner in flight & aerial views; Greyhound bus on highway; tracking shot up Douglas Street, Victoria, 1960s; freight train in Fraser Canyon; Premier Bennett and Hydro officials open powerhouse (Duncan dam, 1967?) and Portage Mountain dam, 1967; ratification of Columbia River Treaty at Peace Arch Park, 1964; Simon Fraser University scenes; family in car on highway. There are also some scenes shot specifically for TWENTY GREAT YEARS.

Promotional film. A review of industrial development and economic growth in the province under the Social Credit government of W.A.C. Bennett, 1952-72, and an outline of the measures planned in its 1972 budget. A shortened version of the original release.

The item is a composite print of an industrial film. It follows a BC Power Commission crew on a mid-winter transmission line patrol through the Valhalla Range, between Lower Arrow Lake and Slocan Lake. The crew is dispatched from Whatshan Generating Station, using a Sno-Cat oversnow vehicle to reach the line's 6750-foot summit. Includes aerial shots of the mountains and views of Lower Arrow Lake, plus a "whiteout".