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This series contains Second Narrows Bridge inquiry records. The inquiry was appointed under the Public Inquiries Act by Order-in-Council no. 1466, June 18, 1958, to inquire into the collapse of the bridge on June 17. Sherwood Lett was the Commissioner. Records consist of proceedings, exhibits, and correspondence. The records also include Sanderson, A.B. Report on investigation and two volumes of the Commissioner's report.

This series contains a copy of a brief submitted to the Royal Commission on Forest Resources by British Columbia Forest Products.

Series consists of subject files of the Deputy Minister of the Department of Commercial Transport. Records relate to many different areas of the activities of department.

This series includes miscellaneous subject files along with a large number of files relating to the Canadian Conference of Motor Transport Authorities, Canadian Good Roads Association, Royal Commission of Inquiry Into Road-User Charges. The records of the Canadian Conference Motor Transport Authorities include correspondence (1959-1970), conference particulars (1964-1969), committee files, etc. The Canadian Good Roads Association records include a pavement committee file (1958), correspondence, minutes, etc. (1966).

Deputy Minister A.J. Bowering was a commissioner on two Commissions of Inquiry into Road User Charges (1958, 1960). Records of this commission have been incorporated into his record system. The commission records in this unit include correspondence, briefs, exhibits, reports etc.

This series contains the records of the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform. The commissioner, Derril T. Warren, was appointed to inquire into the need-if-any for amendment of the Constitution Act to ensure fair representation in the Legislative Assembly for all of the people of British Columbia. The series consists of briefs presented at hearings, commission correspondence, financial records (accounts payable files) and a proof copy of the commissioner's report in which he recommended increased representation and the establishment, by the Legislative Assembly, of a permanent Electoral Commission. Also included in the series are newspaper advertising files and copies of the 1965 and 1975 reports of commissions on redefinition of electoral districts as well as a copy of the report of the 1978 commission on electoral reform.

This series contains the records of the Industrial Inquiry Commission on Electrical and Plumbing Industries. The commissioners, H. Carl Goldenberg (chairman), E.A. Jamieson and George A. Wilkinson, were appointed to inquire into the circumstances and merits of the disputes between various employers, employers' association, employees and unions engaged in the plumbing and pipe-letting industry and the electrical industry of British Columbia. The series consists of a photocopy of a single page majority report signed by Goldenberg and Jamieson in which they recommended a wage increase. Attached is a copy of a two page minority report by Wilkinson in which he disagreed with the recommendation of his fellow commissioners.

This series contains records relating to the Royal Commission on Milk. The commissioner, Supreme Court Justice J.V. Clyne, was appointed to determine investigate the price paid to milk producers and any other matters concerning the production, marketing and distribution of milk in the province. The records consist of proceedings, exhibits and miscellaneous files.

This series contains records related to the Royal Commission in the Matter of the British Columbia Power Commission. The commissioners appointed to this investigation were Gordon M. Shrum (chairman), John Dunsmuir and William H. Anderson. They were appointed to investigate the operation of the British Columbia Power Commission (BCPC) with particular emphasis on: (1) rate structures and proposed rate increases recommended by BCPC, (2) construction contracts - estimates and costs, (3) interest payments for government advances. The BC Hydro and Power Authority was created as a result of this investigation. Records include reports, correspondence, minutes of proceedings, transcripts of proceedings, exhibits, and reference material.

A. Commission reports

B. Minutes of hearings, correspondence

C. Proceedings

D. Exhibits

E. Reference material

This series contains submissions to the 3 member Task Force to Review Labour Laws (Noel Hall, James Matkin and D.E. McTaggart)

This series contains miscellaneous correspondence and reports. These records were originally a part of the Provincial Secretary's central registry but, for reasons unknown, became separated from the department's main files. A wide variety of subjects are addressed in these records.

Many of the records in this unit concern investigations carried out under the authority of the Departmental Inquiries Act and the Public Inquiries Act. Many relate to conditions in public institutions and activities of government employees. Many inquiries relate to hospitals and schools in the province, including Vernon Mental Hospital, Tranquille Sanatorium, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Provincial Mental Hospital at Essondale. Other inquiries and Commissions include bribery of the Liquor Control Board, the Beban Mine disaster, Royal Commission on Dominion Provincial Relations, Inquiry into the death of John Meredith Sweeney and the state and management of the Quartermaster Stores of the Provincial Police Force.

The records also relate to child welfare programs, including the general management of the Provincial Industrial School for Boys and to the Girls' Industrial School, ca. 1930-1945. Additional documents in this collection relate to subjects such as squatters' claims at the Granville Townsite [Vancouver (1887)], to the Fraser River Flood Relief programme (1894), applications for seed, the Victoria Consolidated Hydraulic Mining Co., government perquisites, legislation, estates, and to proposed sites for the University of British Columbia (1910). "Anti-Oriental" petitions and voting returns of the 1924 beer-by-the-glass plebiscite also included.

This series contains records from the Inquiry into Social Housing for British Columbia. The Commissioners, James C. Cosh (Chair), Shelley Tratch and James Cutt, were appointed on 27 March 1986 to inquire into the provision, management and administration of social housing in British Columbia. This unit consists of the Commissioners' final report entitled "Common ground in meeting core need". 11 August 1986. 2 vols.

The series consists of the records created by the Commissioner Inquiry into Coquihalla highway construction costs in 1987. Douglas L. MacKay, a professional engineer, was appointed Commissioner through OIC 1546/1987 to compare the estimates and costs of the Coquihalla Highway; to find reasons and justification for differences between estimates and costs; to examine other recent highway projects where costs may have differed from estimates; to investigate the procedures for costing, administering, and reporting highway projects; and to make recommendations. The Commissioner concluded that the Legislature and the public were deliberately misled about the cost of the Coquihalla Highway Project. The true costs were disguised by falsifying documents and expense account transfers.

The series includes interviews with officials; proceedings and exhibits; briefs and submissions from government, opposition, unions and others; research consultants' files, secretary's files, and reports. Other records include printouts from the Commission Secretary's WP discs which may overlap with some of the files. It also includes drafts and gallery proofs of the final report, including appendixes and figures. Some records relate to the proposed Annacis Island crossing of the Fraser River.

Investigation into the collapse of the Save-On Foods and Drugs building in Burnaby by Dan J. Closkey, Commissioner. Includes reports, transcripts of proceedings, submissions and briefs, exhibits, secretary's files, and reference material. 13 videocassettes of videotaped proceedings from 17 June to 6 July 1988 transferred to Sound and Moving Images (Acc. No. V1989:11/1-13).

Proceedings were videotaped by Westcoast Cablevision from June 17 1988 through to the end of the public hearings on July 6 1988. They were broadcast live, rebroadcast in Burnaby, Vancouver, Richmond, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Maple Ridge. 13 video cassettes were transferred to Sound and Moving Images [Acc. No. V1989:11/1-13].

The records are organized under the following headings:
A Report and proceedings
B Submissions and briefs
C Additional contributors and documents
D Exhibits
E Secretary's files
F Reference material

The Royal Commission on Education was initiated on 14 March 1987 "to inquire into and report on education in the Province from kindergarten through grade 12." Barry M. Sullivan, Q.C. was appointed commissioner. He worked with an administrative staff of 12 and 17 commissioned researchers to gather information, analyze it and produce several published reports. GR-1917 contains written submissions, taped public hearings, student interviews, clipping scrapbooks, research papers and some administrative files. The Royal Commission on Education was initiated on 14 March 1987 "to inquire into and report on education in the Province from kindergarten through grade 12." Barry M. Sullivan, Q.C. was appointed commissioner. He worked with 12 administrative staff and 17 commissioned researchers to gather information, analyze it and produce several published reports. GR-1917 contains written submissions, taped public hearings, student interviews, clipping scrapbooks, research papers and some administrative files. Table of Contents Chronological list of written submissions Summaries From The Briefs Public Hearings These hearings are on audio tapes 4359i:1-116. The Kaiser Substance Abuse Symposium (file 13) has a slide presentation V1988 59/6. File folders contain lists of speakers, typescripts, written briefs, notes and itineraries Summaries From Hearings Student Interviews Student Interviews - Burt Bowes - Fort St. John Student Interviews - Queen Elizabeth - Surrey Student Interviews - Britannia - Vancouver Student Interviews - Forest Grove - Burnaby Student Interviews - Chase Secondary - Chase Student Interviews - T.M. Roberts - Cranbrook Student Interviews - Fraser Academy - Vancouver Student Interviews - Prince George College - Prince George Student Interviews - Fraser Valley Christian High School - Surrey Student Interviews - St. Michael's University School - Victoria Clipping scrapbooks These scrapbooks contain clippings re: children, schools, education, teaching, Department of Education, literacy, teachers, learning, funding for education, teen parenting, school curricula, day care, legislation (Bills 19 & 20), alcohol and drug abuse, home schooling, gangs, adult education, poverty, AIDS and schooling, school lunch program, youth employment, school boards, teen pregnancy, family life, sports and athletics, child abuse, censorship, universities, teen violence and suicide, native education, ethics, childhood disease and injury, Free Trade deal, and any material deemed relevant to the Commission. The clippings are mainly from the: Vancouver Sun, Victoria Times-Colonist, Vancouver Province, and the Globe and Mail. Also there are clippings from the Vancouver Courier, Vancouver Western News, Smithers paper, Three Rivers Report [Hazelton], Burns Lake paper, Trail Daily Times, Nelson Daily News, Kitimat News, Kitimat N. Sentinel, Northern News Advertiser, Lake Windermere Valley Echo, The Pioneer, The B.C. Catholic, Fort Nelson News, The Daily News [Prince Rupert], The Interior News, Provincial Report, The Leader, North Shore News, and a Kamloops paper. The clippings are arranged chronologically in scrapbooks. Additional Briefs and papers Administrative Files Correspondence files Office Files Commission Secretary's Files (John Walsh) Working Groups Files Files relating to teacher surveys Robin Brayne's Files Reports to the Royal Commission on Education Report & Commissioned Papers

Records of British Columbia Indian Agencies; letterbooks, letters inward, subject files, general administration files, agents' journals, constable's reports, agricultural and industrial statistics, correspondence re Royal Commission on Indian Affairs for the Province of British Columbia (1913-1916). Includes Alert Bay (1891-1909, 1913-1914), Babine (1888-1905), Bella Coola (1915-1921), Cowichan (1881-1948), Kamloops (1888-1915), Kootenay (1906-1919), New Westminster (1897-1922), Queen Charlotte (1888-1923), Stuart Lake (1910-1919), and West Coast (1895-1920) Indian Agencies. From volumes 1325-1328, 1336-1392, 1442-1449 1451-1495, 1563-1567, 1583-1591, 1648-1654, 1658-1665, Record Group 10.

Report of W.A. Macdonald, K.C., Commissioner. The Commissioner was appointed "to ascertain to what extent registration has been effected of subdivision of lands granted by the Crown since the passage of the Land Act Amendment Act, 1896, and what lots and blocks of land comprised in such subdivisions have been reconveyed to the Crown in accordance with the requirements of the said Act, and an Act to amend and consolidate the laws affecting Crown Lands.". For Proceedings see GR-0792. (Marjorie C. Holmes, Royal Commissions an Commissions of Inquiry, 1872-1942, stated that the Report had not been found.

This series consists of records of the Royal Commission on Health Care and Costs, 1990-1991. Records include submissions, records of hearings, executive summaries, staff files, administrative files, press clippings, and contract research reports.

A Public Inquiry, under section 728 of the Municipal Act, re the Corporation of the District of Surrey, Donald S. White, Esq., Commissioner: report of the Commissioner, January 28, 1974. The Commissioner was appointed by Order in Council 1586/73 to Inquire into (1) the affairs of the Corporation of Surrey involving land transactions and re-zoning applications, and any involvement therein of members of Council, officials or employees since January 1, 1971, (2) whether information gathered in the pursuit of official business was disclosed for private advantage, and (3) any matter affecting the good government of Surrey that may come to the attention of the Inquiry.

This Commission was established by Education Minister, the Hon. William Vander Zalm in 1983 to examine school district operations, including administrative costs. Mark William Sager (Chairman) and Allan G. Stables were appointed as commissioners. Hearings were held in several BC communities but hearings were suspended when the provincial election was called. This collection includes the Interim Report of the Commission, the submissions, and the administrative files.

This Commission (also known as the Sager Commission) was established by Education Minister William Vander Zalm to examine school district operations, including administrative costs. Mark William Sager (Chairman) and Allan G. Stables were appointed as Commissioners. Hearings were held in Cranbrook, Castlegar, Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George. The hearings scheduled for Dawson Creek, North Vancouver, New Westminster, Surrey, Terrace, Campbell River, Nanaimo, Victoria, Chilliwack and Vancouver were suspended when a provincial election was called. The Interim Report of the Commission on School District Administrative Costs summarizes the mandate, commitment, findings and recommendations of Messrs. Sager and Stables; it is found in Box 1.

Records of the Commission.

By order-in-council dated 20 August 1992 the Inquiry into Safety of Loading Procedures within the British Columbia Ferries was established to inquire into and report on the safety of loading procedures for vessels within the British Columbia Ferry Corporation fleet; to inquire and report on the incidents at the British Columbia Ferry Corporation Nanaimo Ferry Terminal on or about 13 August 1992 insofar as these incidents disclose flaws or faults in the loading procedure from the safety standpoint; and to recommend improvements to the loading procedures, or the maintenance of current practices, from the safety standpoint. Its report was submitted on 11 September 1992.

Fonds consists of proceedings, exhibits (including a videotape presentation and photographs), a commission registrar's file, an administrative file, a general correspondence file, and a copy of the final report.

The series consists of minutes of decision of the Joint Indian Reserve Commission (1876-1878) of governments of Canada and British Columbia and of the Indian Reserve Commission (1878-1907) of the government of Canada regarding allotment of Indian reserves in British Columbia.

Records consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports and coloured maps of the reserve allotments. Although these records are called Joint Reserve Commission records, they probably form part of the British Columbia Department of Lands and Works fonds. Most of the records are stamped with the Lands and Works Dept. stamp and also have Lands and Works file numbers assigned to each, after they were received from the Commission. Some files then had additional related records added to by Department staff, as reserves were surveyed or related issues came up. Additional records were added to several files by Department of Lands staff up to 1949.

In addition, the series includes an item level precis of each document, created by the Dept. of Lands in 1980. The precis are filed in the first file of each box.

The British Columbia Royal Commission on Electoral Boundaries was initially established by Order in Council 690 on 8 April 1987 pursuant to section 8 of the Inquiry Act to inquire into the composition of those electoral districts in the province that returned two members to the Legislative Assembly and those districts contiguous to those that returned two members. The appointed Commissioner, Judge Thomas Kemp Fisher, was to conduct inquiries with the view to recommending the establishment of new electoral districts, each returning one member to the Legislative Assembly, to replace those returning two members. In making these recommendations, the Commissioner was also to recommend adjustments, if it was thought desirable, to the boundaries of contiguous electoral districts. After initial public hearings and receipt of submissions between 22 June and 12 August 1987, the Commissioner requested and was granted a revised mandate on 17 September 1987 to inquire into and recommend the appropriate number of electoral districts, each returning one member to the Legislative Assembly, and the establishment, including boundaries, of electoral districts in the entire province. Subsequent hearings took place in Victoria in November 1987 and throughout the province between 18 January and 15 April 1988. The Commission published a preliminary report in May 1988 after which a further round of hearings took place to gather public reaction and input. The Commission submitted its Report of the Royal Commission on Electoral Boundaries for British Columbia in December 1988. Fonds consists of hearing transcripts, exhibits, submissions, research materials, maps, and copies of the Commission preliminary and final reports, including the map of the proposed new Electoral Districts.

The commission was to inquire into the operation of Jericho Hill School for the deaf and blind; Ben Chud was appointed sole commissioner. Two administrative files and some background reports are available here. The final report is available at the Legislative Library. The Commission of Inquiry into Jericho Hill School was established pursuant to the Public Inquiries Act by Order in council 2018, dated 18 June 1974, with B. Chud appointed as sole Commissioner. The Commission was to examine the operation of the Jericho Hill School to discover any restrictions upon the extension of the operation or programmes to meet more fully the needs of the children. Secondly, the commission was to examine the present management system (A District Superintendent responsible for running the whole complex accountable to the Division of Supportive Services), and if appropriate, suggest alternative systems of management, including an analysis of the impact of the of the Public Service Classification System and salaries upon the ability of Jericho Hill School with respect to the recruitment and retention of staff. The Commission held approximately 120 private interviews with school staff, parents, related organizations, professionals in the fields of sight and hearing impairment as well as other interested persons from the community. Public hearings were held on July 9th and 12th at which time 53 presentations were received. The Commissioner met with the Director of Support and Integrated Services of the Department of Education, Victoria, held group meetings with teachers and administrators of the school, the Greater Vancouver Association for the Deaf, the Courtenay-Comox Pre-School Society, and travelled to Ontario and Quebec visiting several schools for the Deaf and Blind. The Commission submitted a final report on 4 September 1974. Fonds is incomplete except for some reports written on the subject of the school and provincial services for the sight and hearing impaired in years just prior to the commission as well as two commission administrative files. A copy of the Report of Inquiry, Jericho Hill School is available at the Legislative Library, Victoria.

This commission was established in May 1996 with Mark K. Jaccard as sole Commissioner. The records include, correspondence, submissions, research material, clippings, notes, and the report. The British Columbia Inquiry into Gasoline Pricing was established under Section 8 of the Inquiry Act by Order in Council 624, dated 16 May 1996, with Mark K. Jaccard appointed as sole Commissioner. The Commission was to inquire into factors that contribute to changes in the retail price of gasoline in British Columbia; factors underlying the different retail prices charged for gasoline in different areas of British Columbia; the fairness of and economic rationale for the price structure of gasoline at the refining, wholesale and retail levels in British Columbia; the extent to which retail prices of gasoline reflect the cost of crude oil in domestic and international markets; the effectiveness of market competition in regulating gasoline prices to ensure fair prices for consumers; and, the government's regulatory authority with respect to petroleum product prices. The commission was to report findings and make recommendations on the matters included in these terms of reference and on any matters deemed by the Commissioner to be relevant and important by 30 September 1996. After registering interested parties and compiling and circulating initial submissions, the Commission released an Interim Report on 5 July outlining key research questions. On 28 August Preliminary Findings of data collection and analysis were released followed by review of feedback from interested parties. The Final Report was submitted on 30 September 1996. Fonds consists of submissions, correspondence, research and reference files, administrative records and commission reports.

In addition to commissioner David Perry's report, the fonds consists of public submissions, studies, reports, memoranda and administrative records dealing with land use issues at Kamloops Lake including the proposed real estate development Six Mile Ranch, Kamloops on the Lake Resort by Pagebrook Inc. and the functioning of the Agricultural Land Commission Act.

The series consists of three photograph albums created by the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs between 1913 and 1916. The albums may have been created as display or presentation albums for specific commissioners. Many of the photographs in the albums duplicate each other and were also used in the published report of the commission.

The series consists of press releases, memos, correspondence, agendas, committee meeting minutes, speeches, cabinet submission records, draft reports, and implementation plans that were created by the Ministry of Education’s Policy and Planning Branch. The records were created during the review and consultation phase that followed the acceptance of the 1988 Royal Commission on Education’s report. The series also consists of the records of the Provincial Education Policy Advisory Committee and the Policy Advisory Council and provides evidence of their role in the acceptance and implementation of Sullivan’s recommendations. The series includes the texts of speeches by Deputy Minister A. L. ‘Sandy’ Peel and Education Minister Anthony Brummet. These speeches present Sullivan’s recommendations to stakeholders across the province.

The series provides evidence of the Ministry of Education’s response to the Sullivan Commission, and shows the consultation process that happened once the Commission had completed its work. The series also includes draft budgets and timetables for the implementation of Sullivan’s recommendations, and documents potential changes to the School Act and the Independent School Act.

The records are loosely arranged by issue or topic. In many cases, related records such as agendas, enclosures, and memos created at the same meeting were filed separately. As these records are arranged chronologically, linkages are readily apparent.

The series is covered by ORCS 12000-20 of schedule 105085 (Education ORCS).

This series consists of responses to the Royal Commission on Health Care from the Royal Commission Response Office of the Ministry of Health, 1979-1992.

The series includes records received from various healthcare related associations and organizations, such as hospitals, nurses, midwives, acupuncturists, podiatrists, optometrists and others. These include their submissions to the Commission, responses to the Commission’s final report or general information about the professions and issues impacting their work.

Records created by the Ministry address specific recommendations from the Commission to improve Ministry of Health policies and practices. Issues were divided into the following working groups:

Working group 1 (W1): better management
Working group 2 (W2): regionalization
Working group 3 (W3): governance of professions & financing

These files include correspondence, reports, planning documents, policy documents, meeting minutes, statistics, maps, journal articles, newspaper clippings, work plans, and agendas. Issues addressed in the file include managing health information, immunization, sexually transmitted diseases, and healthcare regionalization and governance models. Records culminated in responses to the Commission’s recommendations and a series of discussion papers.

Note that some files have been removed by the Ministry for tobacco litigation.

This series consists of records regarding the Royal Commission of Inquiry, Health and Environmental Protection, uranium mining created and used by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources from 1977-1981. Records include reports, correspondence, and copies of transcripts and submissions from the commission.

These records are under the mineral resources ORCS (Schedule 105086) number 30500-02.

The collection consists of records generated by the Joint Reserve Commission, predominantly from 1876-1878. The
collection includes correspondence inward and outward, memoranda, and reports. Many of the records were sent from Commissioners to representatives of the Canadian and British Columbia governments, such as the Provincial Secretary and the Department of Indian Affairs.