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The vertical files, also known as clipping files, were created and maintained by the Provincial Archives between 1908 and 1982. They are filed alphabetically by subject and were originally stored in file folders. The folders contain news clippings, pamphlets, memo's, photographs, family trees and other ephemera, 1896 to 1982, and cover all aspects of British Columbia's people, families, government, businesses, history and events. The purpose of the vertical files was to preserve historical and biographical information about British Columbia and its residents, and to make that information available to the public and to staff. The files were closed and microfilmed in the early 1980s.

There are 164 reels of microfilm containing the alphabetically arranged files and one reel containing a microfilmed copy of the four volume file list to the files. These reels have been given the reference code D-19 and are available in the self service microfilm drawers in the Archives reference room. The hard copy of the four volume file list is also available there.

Over the years, some material was removed from the vertical files and recatalogued. In addition, a small amount of original material was selected from the files and is available in container 920334-0001.

This series consists of records of the Water Rights Branch. Records include government publications, reports, memoranda, correspondence, statutes, regulations, indexes and maps pertaining to water rights, irrigation projects, water reserves, and water power developments, 1901-1967. Includes unpublished reports on the history of irrigation, water power resources policy, public utility regulation, and the Water Rights Branch, the Water Board, and the BC Conservation Fund.

Box 1-2 contains general files.

Box 3 contains the Provincial Water Power Index, ca. 1925-1933. Files are arranged alphabetically by Water District, with Water Rights Branch index numbers, Commission of Conservation index numbers, and Dominion Lands Branch index numbers. Also includes Water District maps showing locations of power site developments, water reserves, applications, and horsepower outputs.

Box 4 contains the Water Reserves Notices Index, 1901-1963. Files are arranged alphabetically by Water District, redone and rechecked February 13, 1963.

Box 5 contains Acts and regulations.

The series consists of Woodmen's liens (Numbers 1-152), created by the Clinton County Court between 1919 and 1961.

The series contains Grand Forks Magistrate's case material relating to truancy of Doukhobour children. Under the Community Regulation Act (1914), parents were responsible for the school attendance of their children between the ages of 7 and 14.

The fonds consists of journals of the sealing schooner Juanita, including one kept by Charles C. Clarke from 1887-1889, and another from an undetermined date. Also includes ledger of Juanita, likely of the same time period.

The series consists of records of the Royal Commission Appointed to Inquire into Health and Accident Insurance Associations Operating in the Province of British Columbia, 1944-1947. The records consist of the Provincial Secretary file 145-19 which contains correspondence, vouchers, copy of Letters Patent appointing the Commissioner; transcripts of evidence presented at the proceedings; and briefs and exhibits. Also included is the report in which the Commissioner recommended that the societies should be compelled to become licensed under the Insurance Act because they operate for the sole purpose of insuring members and carrying on an insurance business.

The series is arranged into the following sub-series:
A. Correspondence
B. Proceedings
C. Briefs, Exhibits (for list of exhibits see file 2, box 1)
D. Commission Reports

This series consists of correspondence files of the Minister of Municipal Affairs, from November 1978-1979.

This series consists of plaint and procedure books from the Cranbrook County Court for cases between 1913-1968. Plaint and procedure books are the basic record book for actions at the County Court level. They provide the skeletal framework for County Court civil action proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders.

The records are arranged by case number, which can be found by using the indexes included in some of the plaint and procedure books or in series GR-2512 for 1913-1945. The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

The series consists of civil cause books from the Vernon Supreme court covering 1901-1916 and 1954-1958. Cause books provide details such as the name of parties involved, the names of their solicitors, nature of the claim and a listing of proceedings in the case. Subjects include a variety of financial matters, divorces, probates and estate administration, adoption orders, and other civil cases.

Volume one does not include an index, and several files are noted to be “from Vancouver registry.” Volumes two and three have indexes. Volume two has two separate indexes: a large index at the front of the volume and a smaller separate index tucked in the front cover of the volume. These two indexes have overlapping information, but some information may be unique to each index.

The series consists of orders issued by the Supreme Court in Vernon between 1901-1930 and 1958-1959. Researchers should note that orders for the period 1931 to 1957 are missing. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court and judgements are the final orders issued in a case. Records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and some adoptions.

Microfilm reel B16147 contains volume 1 (May1901-November 1916) and volume 2 (October 1916-July 1920) of the orders. Container 831041-0001 contains original paper copies of orders as well as several indexes, although it is unclear to which orders these refer. They appear to index more than what was transferred in the box. When the records arrived at the Archives, they had been divided into folders based on year, and are arranged in rough chronological orders. Records relating to the same case can be found across several folders. The paper records also contain a small number of interfiled judgments.

This series consists of one cause book from the Vernon Supreme Court for civil cases between Sep 1914 and May 1937. Cause books provide the skeletal framework for Supreme Court civil action proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders. Subjects include a variety of financial matters, divorces, probates and estate administration, adoption orders, and other civil cases.

The series consists of original civil orders created between 1900 and 1947 by the Grand Forks Supreme Court registry. Orders are the formal expression of the ruling of the court. Records relate to a variety of civil matters including divorces, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and some adoptions.

This series consists of cause books from the Vernon Supreme Court for civil cases between 1900-1914 and 1937-1954. Cause books provide the skeletal framework for Supreme Court civil action proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders. Subjects include a variety of financial matters, divorces, probates and estate administration, adoption orders, and other civil cases.

Record book of sittings, both civil and criminal, 1921-1925.

Court orders for civil and criminal cases fixed into a scrapbook. Includes some letters of administration from after 1921.

The series consists of plaint and procedure books created between 1876 and 1881, and 1885 to 1977. Volumes until 1955 are partly indexed, and volumes between 1955 and 1965 contain indexes slipped in the front of the volume. Volumes created between 1966 and 1977 do not include indexes. Indexes for the years 1974 to 1977 can be found in GR-3612. For 1882-1884 see GR-1727. Naturalization lists for 1892-1900.

The series consists of records created by the Superintendent of Neglected children, 1913 to 1945. Records consist of a register of adoptions, 1920-1945 (giving date of adoption, date of birth, surname by adoption, first name and surname at birth); record of adoptions, 1920-1931 (giving name of child, sex, name of foster parents, date of consent, date of court order); account of monthly expenditures December 1922 to October 1925 and a record of admittances to children's homes, chiefly the Children's Aid Society, Vancouver, B.C., 1913-1927.

This series contains 3 volumes of coal production ledgers. The information records the returns of coal production and is arranged by colliery. The records consist of tables of statistics showing gross tonnage, tonnage shipped, numbers of employees, fatalities, wages, and total sales. Also included are tables with provincial and mining district totals and tables for each producing colliery.

The records in this unit consist primarily of correspondence, memoranda and indexes created and accumulated during the administrations of Premiers Smithe, Turner, Semlin, Martin, Dunsmuir, Prior, McBride, Bowser, Brewster, Oliver, MacLean and Tolmie (1893-1933). They also include a series of diaries of Premier Oliver, 1917-1927, scrapbooks, 1905-1941, and official addresses, programs and special items, 1951-1971.

Note that the records are not complete. There are, most notably, no records for A.E.B Davie, Theodore Davie or John Robson (1887-1895), but there are also records lacking for other administrations.

The records are broken down into fifteen series on the basis of the type and/or filing system of the documents. A change in government did not always result in a break in a series of records, with the result that several series span more than one administration.

The fifteen series are listed below. See each series description for more information about content.
SERIES I: Indexes and registers to correspondence inward 1895-1933
SERIES II: Official correspondence 1883-1915
SERIES III: Semi-official correspondence, 1907-1910
SERIES IV: Private correspondence, 1903-1915
SERIES V: Subject files, 1902-1915
SERIES VI: Correspondence 1915-1929
SERIES VII: Official correspondence, 1930-1933
SERIES VIII: Memoranda, 1917-1925
SERIES IX: Letterbooks (official), 1883-1916
SERIES X: Letterbooks (semi-official), 1907-1911
SERIES XI: Letterbooks (private), 1885-1904
SERIES XII: Letterbooks (personal), 1903
SERIES XIII: Diaries, 1917 - 1927
SERIES XIV: Clippings books, 1905-1941
SERIES XV: Official addresses, programs and special items

This series consist of probate/estate files from Salmon Arm County and Supreme Courts.

The fonds consists of the records of Cominco Ltd., including those created under its previous name, the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited. Most of the records were selected by Cominco from its offices in Vancouver and Trail, B.C.

The fonds includes textual records, approximately 8700 photographs, maps, films and sound recordings which include oral histories with former employees. The records document the industrial activities, personnel, and the social history of the communities where the company was active.

Documentary forms include but are not limited to: correspondence; photographs; annual reports; news clippings and scrapbooks; lab reports; payroll records; journals, ledgers, cash books and other financial records; sound recordings of interviews, oral histories and radio broadcasts; transcripts connected with the Cominco oral history project; films (including those of mining operations); maps; informational publications, pamphlets and brochures about the company; engineering and geological reports; subdivision plans and city plans; property/lot plans; and the president's files.

Subject matter includes topics such as mineral exploration, mining, smelting, fertilizer production, research and development, legal matters, finance, personnel and labour relations, public relations and advertising, company history and environmental pollution.

Topics and locations reflected in the records include but are not limited to: Trail area operations at Warfield and Tadanac; the Sullivan mine at Kimberley; the Bluebell mine and concentrator at Riondel, B.C.; the Con mine in Yellowknife, N.W.T.; the H.B. mine and concentrator at Salmo, B.C.; Calgary facilities for production of ammonia, ammonium nitrate and urea; Benson Lake (Vancouver Island) mine and concentrator; the mercury mine at Pinchi Lake, B.C.; the Box mine at Goldfields (Athabaska Lake) Saskatchewan; Wedge copper mine at Newcastle, New Brunswick; Pacific Coast Terminals Limited operations in warehousing, docking, loading and shipping at New Westminster and Port Moody, B.C.

The records document Cominco’s operations in fields such as zinc die casting through the purchase of National Hardware Specialties Limited and its plant in Dresden, Ontario. The records reflect the continuing research and development carried out at Trail, and, after the mid-1960s, at the new research centre built at Sheridan Park, Ontario.

Records of subsidiaries and affiliates include those of operations in the United States and overseas. These include but are not limited to: Cominco Products, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary created to carry out fertilizer warehousing, liquid fertilizer conversion and product marketing at Spokane, Washington; the development of phosphate rock mining interests in Montana; the Magmont lead mine and concentrator at Bixby, Missouri; Rubiales mine, Lugo Province, Spain; the Black Angel mine and concentrator, Marmorilik Fjord, Greenland; and Cominco Binani Zinc Limited (CBZL) in India.

Photographs and textual records document the important role played by Cominco, beginning in the 1920s, in exploring the northern regions of the four western provinces and the Northwest Territories. The company pioneered aircraft prospecting which led to the discovery of gold, uranium, oil and copper. Exploration by Cominco influenced settlement patterns and laid the foundation for the creation of an aviation service in northern Canada.

The fonds also consists of records of Cominco’s participation in the Manhattan Project's heavy water production program during World War II. Textual records are contained in series MS-2500. Photographs are contained in series MS-3176, consisting of images which include: primary plant and secondary cell plant, (including construction of, starting in November 1942); the oxygen stripper tower, booster room, cooling tower, boiler plant, and evaporator building. See the files referring to Project 9, Heavy Water, No. 9 Project, or P-9 Project.

Other notable records include those concerning the international dispute between Canada and the United States over pollution from the Trail smelter and its effects on the agricultural lands in the U.S. Cominco was involved in an international tribunal in 1932 (Trail smelter dispute) as a consequence of sulphur-bearing smoke damage to crops. See file of negative filmstrips titled Smoke Control – Mathews films Tribunal Case 1932 [photographs]. Among other topics the photographs appear to include images of areas in Idaho and Washington State. They are possibly connected with MS-2500, box 457, file 1, “Survey of agricultural conditions (Mathews) - appendix D8”, dated 1935.

The fonds also consists of records of subsidiaries, affiliates, and predecessor companies, including the West Kootenay Power and Light Company Ltd. and the Canadian North-eastern Railway Company (previously Portland Canal Short Line Railway).

The fonds consists of the following six series: MS-2500 Cominco selected records; MS-3176 Cominco photographs; AAAA1498 Cominco films; AAAA1499 Cominco sound recordings; MS-0888 Summary of the history of Cominco; MS-0015 Cominco papers.

This series consists of Mental Health Services operational records. Records include agendas and minutes, correspondence, personnel files, and reports for a variety of mental health facilities across the province. The records were created between 1946 and 2010 and document the changing nature of mental health service delivery in the province. The series includes the admissions and discharge register for Hollywood Hospital for the years 1968 to 1973, and also consists of plans and policy documents for the transition from a institutional model of care to one centered on community-based boarding and group homes.

The series was originally arranged into 16 subseries in the 1990s. Further accruals were arranged to fit the existing model with one additional subseries added to accommodate financial records. Several of the existing subseries were merged in 2016 to simplify and streamline the arrangement. Subseries that were merged include “Mental Health Centres : monthly reports” and “Victoria Mental Health Centre,” which became “Mental Health Centres.” The “Glendale Lodge/Hospital” and “Skeenaview Hospital” subseries were merged to become the “Other facilities and services” subseries. The scope of the original “Meetings” subseries was expanded to include the records of a variety of committees, and the “Reports” subseries was expanded to include policy and planning documents, including those relating directly to patient care. The series is now arranged into 13 subseries : Boarding home and group home programmes; comptroller records; correspondence; facilities : Riverview Hospital; facilities : other mental health facilities and services; finance, grants, and budget; meetings and committees; mental health centres; Mental Health Services branch; miscellaneous; personnel; reports, programs, and planning; and youth mental health.

The Boarding Homes subseries (accessions 88-0056 and 93-4010) documents the shift towards de-institutionalization and the provision of mental health services within the community. The subseries consists of monthly reports and planning and policy documents.

The Comptroller subseries (88-0056) consists of monthly reports written between 1970 and 1972.

The Correspondence subseries (88-0056, 93-4010 and 95-4372) includes correspondence outward, with attachments, from the Mental Health Branch. It also includes material addressed to, or coming from the Health Minister and circulated through the Branch for action or information. Most correspondence on the Branch side is from the Deputy Minister of Mental Health, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Mental Health, and a Branch Administrative officer.

The Riverview Hospital subseries (88-0056, 93-4010, 95-4372, and 96-7394) consists of correspondence, monthly reports, planning documents and statistical files. The records date from the early 1970s until just prior to the hospital’s 2012 closure. Records include the statistical schedule of the 1971 census (no nominal or personal information is included), monthly reports, correspondence, and a set of redevelopment planning files from the 1990s and 2000s.

The Other Facilities and Services subseries (88-0056, 93-4010, 95-4372, and 95-9744) consists of minutes, correspondence, and monthly reports pertaining to Glendale Lodge, Skeenaview Hospital, Valleyview Hospital, Dellview Hospital and Skeleem Lodge, in addition to records documenting home support, outreach and mental health care in smaller communities. The series also consists of the 1968-1973 admissions and discharges register of Hollywood Hospital.

The Finance, Grants and Budget subseries (93-4010) consists of correspondence and other records regarding community grants, lottery fund grants, and general finances for mental health facilities.

The Meetings and Committees subseries (88-0056, 94-4010, 95-4372, and 95-9744) consists of meeting agendas and minutes for a variety of committees. The subseries also consists of records pertaining to various related organizations, such as the Alcoholic Foundation of BC and the BC Medical Association.

The Mental Health Centres subseries (88-0056 and 93-4010) consists of records pertaining to a variety of small facilities and sub-offices located across the province. The records are arranged in alphabetical order by location. The Skeena Mental Health Centre files contain additional reports such as those describing meetings, physical plant proposals, etc.

The Mental Health Services branch subseries (88-0056 and 93-4010) consists of records relating directly to the branch’s operation. The series includes records relating to staff meetings and the branch’s establishment.

The Miscellaneous subseries (88-0056 and 93-4010) consists of copies of legislation and research conducted by staff at the Mental Health Services branch. Records also include proposed amendments and improvements to the mental health diagnostic code.

The Personnel subseries (88-0056 and 93-4010) consists of staff personnel files, files for post-graduate training, and files documenting the appointment and resignation of physicians. Personnel files from accession 93-4010 are arranged in alphabetical files organized by the first letter of the surname.

The Reports, Programs and Planning subseries (88-0056, 93-4010, 95-4372, 95-9744, and 96-8412) consists of monthly reports from other government departments in addition to research reports used by the branch for policy development. Records dating to the 2000s include policy development, government responses to crises such as crystal meth and other drug addictions, and best practices for treatment.

The Youth Mental Health subseries (88-0056, 93-4010, 95-4372 and 95-9744) consists of monthly reports, statistics, and correspondence regarding programs for youth and the BC Youth Development Centre “The Maples.”

The series is covered by ORCS 36100-20. However, a small number of records are also covered by ORCS 36200-20, 36300-40, and 36400-30, as well as ARCS 280-30 and 350-25. Due to the interrelated nature of the records and the existing arrangement structure, it was decided to keep all records within the same series.

The series consists of records created by the Geographic Division between 1916 and 1957, and contain the files of the Chief Geographer, G.G. Aitken, relating to cartography, toponymy, surveying, boundaries, and miscellaneous other geographical topics. The files include correspondence, memoranda, reports, drafts of publications, research notes, pamphlets and clippings and records of the Natural Resources and Map Committee, 1924-1934.

The series also contains 23 road, highway and rail maps and two photographs of an unidentified dam.

The fonds consists of correspondence, minutes, reports, newsletters, membership lists, clippings, a scrapbook and printed matter. The records date from the period when the society was known as the Society for the Furtherance of B.C. Indian Arts and Crafts and as the British Columbia Indian Arts and Welfare Society.

This series consists of photographs created by the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors. The photos date from 1970-1986.They depict a variety of subject matter including: personnel headshots, including the Minister of Environment and other executives; events such as the signing of agreements, tours, opening ceremonies, award ceremonies and conferences; dams and other projects related to the environment; and documenting the work of Ministry staff, such as air monitoring.

The records were transferred with no original order. Photos were grouped together or in individually labelled envelopes. The archivist has arranged the majority of the images in chronological order, while maintaining the contents of each original envelope together. The items have been rehoused in new archival envelopes, but all information from the old envelopes has been transcribed onto them.

The majority of the personnel photos have been combined into a few envelopes where photos are arranged alphabetically by the name of the subject.

Some photo envelopes include associated textual material. The majority of the photos have titles, dates or other information recorded on their backs.

This series consists of cause books and case record cards from the Vancouver Supreme Court for civil cases between 1893 and 1994. Cause books and case records cards provide the skeletal framework for Supreme Court civil action proceedings and may include the names of parties, the dates when proceedings occurred, and can be used to determine a volume and folio number for locating final orders. Cause books were used by the courts until approximately the mid-1970s. They were replaced by case record cards, which were used until the courts turned to digital systems in the 1990s. Cause books and case record cards are also often the only source of information for divorce cases that were dropped and never completed, as no final order would have been granted, and case files would have been destroyed.

The records are arranged by case number, which can be found by using the indexes in GR-1704. Some years, the case numbering sequence was re-set. As such, case numbers within this series have been used repeatedly. Make note of the case number and year when the case started when matching records. The original bound volumes for records 1/1893 to 3300/1961 were destroyed after microfilming; retrieve records using microfilm. The records were scheduled for retention under Court Services ORCS (schedule 100152) 53200-20.

This series consists of one volume of copies of municipal by-laws submitted to the Lieutenant Governor from 1873-1880. The bylaws cover the following municipalities: Cache Creek polling division of the electoral district of Yale, Chilliwack, North Cowichan, Maple Ridge, Nanaimo, New Westminster, Langley, Surrey and Victoria.

The fonds consists of an account ledger, a journal and a grain book. additional found in collection ledger added in 2023.

Fonds consists of records of the Admiralty in carrying out its activities. Records relate to the area of the West Coast of Canada and include reports and dispatches from the Pacific Station at Esquimalt, microfilm copies of correspondence and reports of the Pacific Station, logs of ships that explored the Pacific Northwest between 1788 and 1795, and admiralty charts.

This series consists of a variety of records related to the navy base and graving dock in Esquimalt from approximately 1860-1923. The majority of the records appear to have been created or received by the naval storekeeper and relate to the administration of the Esquimalt dockyard and the naval canteen at the Esquimalt navy base. This includes staffing, construction and the lease and purchase of the canteen land. records include correspondence, memoranda and plans of the canteen land.

The series also includes a list of orders-in-council related to the graving dock; a history of the graving dock; a receipt and account book for the graving dock created by the British Columbia Minister of finance; a report for the Canadian Governor-General related to the disposition of records regarding the North Pacific Naval Station, Esquimalt; and several records created by the Vancouver Island Lighthouse Board providing information and statistics on the Race Rocks [Racerocks] lighthouse and Fisgard Lighthouse.