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Forest Practices Code Steering Committee records

  • GR-3833
  • Series
  • 1994-1996

The series contains the records of the Forest Practices Code Steering Committee (Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks). The Forest Practices Code was under the joint-administration of the Ministry of Forests, the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The Forest Practices Code, which was one part of the Forest Renewal Strategy, sought to enforce forest management practices in British Columbia that would be economically and environmentally sustainable for future generations. It placed new requirements for land use planning, introduced more extensive and stringent forest practice legislation and brought stronger enforcement. Both the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks had their own steering committee to discuss, plan and implement the Forest Practices Code. There was an additional joint steering committee for all three ministries involved in the project. At the moment, this series only contains the records created and accumulated by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks for its steering committee, though some files created by other ministries may be included in the records as these would have been distributed to them and discussed.

In addition to meeting minutes and agenda, there are a variety of records related to the development and implementation of the Forest Practices Code by the ministry. This includes some records from smaller sub-committees and groups such as the Technical Subcommittee, the Policy Working Group, the Resource Allocation Committee and the Implementation Team, among others, who were responsible for developing technical and administrative policy, procedures and training. The records document code development, budgets, training, new jobs created and important decisions taken by the committee. Other records include communications (memos, correspondence), organizational structure, briefing notes, memorandum of understanding, monitoring and assessment of implementation strategies, status reports, information needs analysis (for database infrastructure) and treasury board submission to release funds for delivery of the Forest Practices Code.

The records are arranged chronologically into folders. They are classified using ARCS schedule 100001.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Socio-economic and environmental assessment review case files

  • GR-3837
  • Series
  • 1994-2006

This series includes records relating to the review of socio-economic and environmental assessments (SEEA). The records cover the development of policy and procedures for assessments and assessment analysis. They also document the reviews that have been performed in support of Resource Management Plans.
Every resource management plan requires socio-economic and an environmental assessment to confirm the objectives and viability of the plan. Typically a consultant is hired during the creation of a plan to perform the analysis which is then examined and reviewed to verify its accuracy and objectives.

The records in this series include various ministries’ comments on plans and requests for conservation and environmental protection measures in relation to proposed plans. Government produced documents also include notices of pending environmental certificates from developers, as well as briefing notes, news releases and announcements. The series also contains the records of related working groups and committees who were involved in facilitating workshops on assessing projects, organizing the process and analyzing the assessments.

Other records include third party evaluations of proposed developments, such as resorts and landfills, and analysis and impact concerns on wildlife, water resources and the environment in addition to socio-economic impacts. Some environmental assessment certificate applications submitted by developers are also included and cover research conducted for the assessment as well as maps and graphs.

The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17400: RMP – Resource Management Plans

And the secondary number -40 (SEEA review case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Land Use Branch executive services

  • GR-3866
  • Series
  • 1994-1996

This series contains executive correspondence referrals and executive briefing notes from the Land Use Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. Most records relate to individual Commission on Resources and the Environment (CORE) land use plans for the various regions of BC and include letters from other ministries, non-profit or non-governmental organizations, municipalities, First Nations governments, corporations and the general public. The correspondence documents the public response to land use planning initiatives during the CORE land-use strategy which was announced in 1994 and dissolved in 1996. The CORE strategy was replaced by Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs).

The records are significant as they document the public’s concern over how land in British Columbia should be managed and protected. Letters typically express support or disagreement with proposed plans, or offer opinions on specific topics or sections of the plans.

The records are classified under the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCs Schedule 100001) and use the primary number 280 – executive services. More specifically, files appear to be arranged by region or topic. They are further arranged into files for letters received for informational purposes (i.e. letters on which the Branch was copied to but need not reply directly to) and files for letters in need of reply by the Branch.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Environment cabinet committees and working groups

  • GR-3874
  • Series
  • 1994-2001

This series contains various cabinet committees and working groups representing environmental issues. These particular files were kept by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. The committees were made to advise the Deputy Minister and Minister on important environmental issues to bring to Cabinet. Currently, the majority of the records pertain to the Green Economy Initiative for which there was a Deputy Minister’s Committee and a Working Group. This Initiative worked on boosting the province’s economy using eco-friendly innovation and investments into green companies. A smaller portion of the files belong to the Forest Renewal BC Environment Committee which worked on a terrestrial ecosystem restoration program.
The records of these committees typically contain agenda, presentations, summary reports, appointment letters and accompanying materials for discussion meetings. The series also contains minister’s briefing books for the Green Economy Initiative as well as a cabinet submission form for reducing gas emissions. There is also a file with government’s policy on security for Cabinet documents.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Prince George Forest District silviculture records

  • GR-4024
  • Series
  • 1994-2004

This series consists of silviculture records from the Prince George Forest District, 1994-2004. The Ministry of Forests defines silviculture as “the art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the diverse needs and values of landowners and society on a sustainable basis.”

Silviculture obligation or prescription exemption case files allow for exceptions under section 129.11 of the Forest Act. Silviculture prescriptions document planned silviculture activities prior to logging begins. Activities can include seed collecting, site preparation, artificial and natural regeneration, brushing, spacing and stand tending in order to establish a new free growing crop of trees of a commercially valuable species. Silviculture prescriptions were introduced in the 1980s and exemptions were formally implemented in 1993.

Records include forms, applications, silviculture prescriptions, correspondence, maps and photos.

The ministries responsible for the Forest and Range Districts, and the years that they were responsible, are:
British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

This series is classified under ORCS numbers 18790-40 of the Ministry of Forests schedule (881261).

British Columbia. Prince George Forest District (1978-)

Legislative programs

  • GR-3882
  • Series
  • 1994-2005

This series contains legislative programs from the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and its predecessors. The records stem from the Policy and Legislation Branch of the ministry and includes historical summaries of Acts, backgrounds into issues, letters from the minister to the premier regarding the ministry’s strategic priorities, requests for legislation, regulatory criteria exemption forms, overview notes for Acts/repeals, certificates of readiness, House Binder briefing notes, excerpts of minutes from cabinet meetings, memoranda and accompanying correspondence. Some files also include information on the legislation process and drafting instructions.
Note that some files also contain proposals and information notes from other ministries that directly affect the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. These were kept for informational purposes.
The records are arranged into files by year.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Miscellaneous files relating to freedom of information

  • GR-3458
  • Series
  • 1994-2006

Series consists of miscellaneous files created by the Information and Privacy unit of the Ministry of Attorney General. Although most of the files relate to the Ministry of Attorney General, the unit also provided services to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and there are files that reflect this.

Records consist of policy and procedures files, correspondence, reports, training material, meeting files, reference material and copies of investigation reports. The investigation reports document privacy investigations by the ministry, or the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Some of these investigation files relate to other government bodies and were kept for reference purposes.

Files are arranged by the classification number taken from the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS).

British Columbia. Ministry of Attorney General

Supreme Court civil and criminal notable cases

  • GR-3658
  • Series
  • 1994-2003

The records were created in an attempt to retain summary information regarding notable cases of both civil and criminal matters across BC. The copies appear to have been made by the head of Information Services at the BC Courthouse Library Society for the BC Archives. As the Library did not have access to the case files themselves, many of the records are copies of reasons for judgment or entries in the Dominion Law Reports or Western Weekly Reports. Many original case files relating to post-1950 matters have been destroyed. The series contains records relating to cases heard between 1950 and 2003, and the copies appear to have been created around 2003.

The records are arranged by case year. Some years span several files.

British Columbia. Supreme Court (Vancouver)

Freedom of information requests

  • GR-3455
  • Series
  • 1994-1995

Series consists of case files of freedom of information requests received by the Office of the Premier between 1994 and 1995. All files consist of freedom of information requests in which the response was appealed by the applicant to the Information of Privacy Commissioner for review of the decision.

The files in this series usually consist of correspondence between staff and the applicant, a copy of the original application and forms documenting the status of request, correspondence between the ministry and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), submissions to the OIPC, correspondence with the Legal Services Branch, and a copy of the OIPC order. The files also include photocopies of the requested pages, some of which have been highlighted to show what has been severed in a document.

The files are arranged by a file number that includes the year followed by a sequential number. All files were also classified as 292-30 in the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS).

British Columbia. Office of the Premier

Ad hoc committees on pollution

  • GR-3801
  • Series
  • 1994

The series contains various correspondence and notes from public servants in the Ministry of Environment in regards to pollution monitoring. The records mainly comprise printed copies of emails. The ad hoc committee was started to look into public’s opinion of voluntary permittee self-monitoring. Essentially, it was determined that the public did not trust industrial polluters to monitor their own emissions and wanted the government to intervene and enforce these polluters to pay for a monitoring program and to produce quality and reliable data in relation the amount of pollution they were creating. The correspondence in this series consists of various members of this committee discussing ideas on how to improve both pollution monitoring programs and the public’s opinion of the government in enforcing such programs.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Ministry of Environment executive records and briefing notes

  • GR-3886
  • Series
  • 1994-2005

This series consists of a variety of executive records, including, briefing notes, decision notes, ministry Orders in Council, ministerial orders and Cabinet submissions from 1998-2005. The records were created by the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors, the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, and the Ministry of Water, Lands and Air Protection. The records were created by several offices for the information or decision of the Minister, Deputy Minister, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Enforcement Programs, and other executive members of the ministries.

Records may address any subject related to the mandate of the ministries. The records are arranged by accession number, then by file code, then chronologically by date.

Accession 95-5839 contains briefing notes from the Parks Division. Briefing notes in yearly files are arranged by District, then month and day. The topics of the briefs concern the creation and development of new parks and conservations areas; the deletion, removal or transfer of park lands; the construction of infrastructure in parks including roads and powerlines; park use permits and fees; the changing uses of park lands for recreation; issues surrounding mining and logging in and around park lands; response to pine beetle infestations; safety concerns and accidents involving park visitors; changes to legislation; First Nations treaty negotiations regarding park land; as well as approval and development of park Master Plans and Management Plans.

Accession 95-7183 contains briefing notes from the Environmental Protection Division. The topics of the briefs concern waste control and management, environmental health, climate change, pollution prevention, recycling and waste disposal programs, among other related topics.

Accession 96-0944 contains briefing notes from the Enforcement program. The topics of these records mainly concern enforcement services regarding non-compliance with environmental standards, the Conservation Officer Service (including their training and firearms safety), contaminated sites, wildlife, and habitat protection as it relates to environmental laws.

Accession 95-8904 contains executive records from the Deputy Ministers Office. Records include briefing notes, decision notes, ministry Orders in Council (OICs), ministerial orders, Cabinet submissions, correspondence, and related reference material. Subjects and issues addressed may cover all programs and divisions of the ministry. Records may be addressed specifically to the Deputy Minister for their signature or approval, or they may be informational reference copies from the Minister of other Executives. Some of the records may be duplicated in other accessions.

Records in this series are classified under ARCS numbers 135-35, 135-60, 201-40 and 280-20.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Human rights and discrimination against women files

  • GR-3528
  • Series
  • 1994-2003

The series consists of reports, correspondence and memoranda created and received by the Women’s, Seniors’ and Community Services division of the Ministry of Community Services between 1994 and 2003. The records document issues of human rights and discrimination affecting women and girls across the province. Files include records on workplace diversity, and the series includes anti-racism booklets and resources on multiculturalism in BC.

The series is arranged numerically by file code and then alphabetically by file title. The series is covered by ORCS 24000-20 in schedule 117476 (Women’s Equality).

British Columbia. Women's, Seniors', and Community Services

Executive briefing notes

  • GR-3555
  • Series
  • 1995 - 2006

The records consist of briefing notes prepared for the executive of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and the Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations. As such, the records consist primarily of summarized information on issues and recommendations for decisions related to treaty negotiation and other Aboriginal issues in British Columbia. Some files contain supplementary information on issues, such as: interoffice communications; correspondence (with law offices, First Nations groups, businesses, and other provincial bodies); relevant legislation; newspaper clippings; and reports. Although treaty negotiation and land claim issues are the primary subjects of the briefing notes, the notes also cover a variety of issues including cost-sharing initiatives between the federal and provincial governments and areas of responsibility, gaming and gambling, environmental issues, protests and blockades, and funding initiatives. Additionally, many of the records cover the McLeod Lake Indian Band, Nisga’a Nation, the Sechelt Indian Band [shíshálh Nation], the Skeetchestn Indian Band, and Treaty 8.

The majority of the records were created by the Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations Office. The duties, powers and functions of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs respecting negotiations, negotiations support and treaty settlement and implementation costs were transferred to the Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiation in 2001 (OIC 0565-2001), at the same time that the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs was disestablished. The Treaty Negotiations Office (TNO) reported to the Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations and was responsible for land claims negotiations, and interim measures, including treaty-related measures. The TNO is comprised of the same treaty teams as existed previously, as well as the Aboriginal Relations Branch, which has responsibility for non-treaty issues and works with First Nations outside of the treaty process. The TNO shares some corporate services with the Ministry for the Attorney General but is a separate agency. Some files also contain information on the Treaty Negotiations Office, including its mandate and primary functions. Geoff Plant served as Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations Office between 2001-2005 and Philip Steenkamp served as Deputy Minister.

Briefing notes created prior to June 2001 were created for the executive of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. Additional executive briefing notes related to Aboriginal issues can be found in GR-3538.

Files are comprised of briefing books or briefing binders. Generally, these files are arranged chronologically. Within each file or binder, records are arranged either chronologically or alphabetically. Most files contain an index of records.

Records correspond to ARCS 280-20: Executive briefing notes.

British Columbia. Ministry of Attorney General

Implementation and monitoring case files

  • GR-3836
  • Series
  • 1995-2006

The series contains records pertaining to the implementation and monitoring of strategic land use plans, including the development of such procedures.

The records cover a range of activities, from advisory committees, public gatherings, monitoring tables, member appointments and invitations, as well as inventories on range, wildlife, old growth forests, habitats and archaeological sites among other topics. Records particularly pertain to feedback received on approved plans prior and during implementation in order to identify issues and suggest amendments. Many of these comments come from Open House sessions with the general public. The series also includes a copy of a Implementation and Monitoring Framework as well as Terms of Reference for monitoring table duties.

The series also includes Protected Area Orders for areas chosen and approved to be protected areas under the Park Act. These orders are accompanied by maps of the area in question.
The records are arranged according to the Resource Management Operational Records Classification System (schedule 144100) using the following primary numbers:

17550: RMP – Land and Resource Management Plans
17730: RMP – Sustainable Resource Management Plans
And the secondary numbers -40 (effectiveness monitoring case files) and -50 (implementation case files).

This series currently contains records from the Kamloops, Lillooet LRMP and the Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP tables. The records from the associated accession(s) cover all types of land use and resource planning, including landscape unit plans, sustainable resource management plans, land and resource management plans, local and regional resource use plans, and other land and/or resource use plans as they were all part of a greater land-use strategy.

British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Aboriginal policy and program development files

  • GR-3899
  • Series
  • 1995-2003

This series consists of Aboriginal policy development files, 1995-2003. Files document the development of the provincial government's aboriginal socio-economic policy, as well as socio-economic issues of concern to the Metis, off-reserve, and non-status indigenous political organizations addressed at tripartite policy tables. Records include reports, cabinet submissions, correspondence, reference materials, records of decision, conference and committee records, work plans, agendas, briefing notes, agreements, and memorandums of understandings. Files are arranged by file number and generally grouped by subject.

Records regard the Vancouver urban development agreement focusing on the Downtown Eastside, the creation of a National Aboriginal Youth Forum, best practices in creating a National Aboriginal Youth Strategy, Federal Provincial Territorial Aboriginal Forum and steering committee, Provincial Aboriginal Social-Economic Strategy, Tripartite Self-Governance Negotiations with the Metis Provincial Council and United Native Nations, and Urban Aboriginal Strategy.

Records in this series are covered by ORCS 32050-30 of the Aboriginal Programs and Services ORCS (schedule 143921).

British Columbia. Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs

Tree nursery files

  • GR-3579
  • Series
  • 1995-2007

Series consists of nursery files by the Ministry of Forests’ Nursery Services unit between 1995 and 2007. These files document the administration of tree nurseries by the ministry in the southern interior region of British Columbia. These nurseries provide seedlings for the reforestation of Crown Lands.

There are two types of files in this series. The first type consist of policy and procedure documentation relating to the ordering of summer stock seedlings and the cold storage of seedlings.

The second type consists of pesticide application reports. These reports document the types of pesticides used at nurseries throughout the southern interior. Many of the nurseries in the province were managed by private contractors and many of the reports were created by the contractor. There are also copies of BC Government computer printouts taken from the Nursery and Shipping Administration System (NSA). These reports list the location of the nursery, the type of pesticide applied and the purpose of the pesticide.

British Columbia. Ministry of Forests (1988-2005)

Reports and statistical analyses

  • GR-3617
  • Series
  • 1995-1999

The series consists of reports, statistical analyses and priority lists created by the Ministry of Education, Training and Technology between 1995 and 1999. The reports deal with skills development across British Columbia, as well as Aboriginal education and the so-called ‘brain drain’ of skilled Canadians moving to the USA. The reports include research for a policy addressing post-secondary education and skills training for First Nations citizens. The files include correspondence sent from the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs addressed to the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Policy, Planning and Research branch of the Ministry.

Records in the series are covered by ARCS 440-20 (Reporting and Statistical Analysis).

British Columbia. Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology (1998-2001)

BC Parks recreation facilities

  • GR-3862
  • Series
  • 1995-2000

This series contains records accumulated by the Design and Construction Officer of BC Parks in relation to park facilities. The records contain ample information about standards and projects conducted on BC Park land in order to develop recreation facilities. Guidebooks and manuals in the series demonstrate the proper procedures for building trails, bridges, boardwalks, shelters, tables, signs, steps/stairs etc.

The records also discuss the Forest Renewal BC (FRBC) programs, for which BC Parks was in charge of the Forest Recreation Program. The program provided funding to BC Parks Districts for projects that could be contracted to displaced forest workers, thus helping to renew the BC forest sector. The projects aimed to develop recreation opportunities in provincial parks, including better facilities like trails and campgrounds that would contribute to responsible management of recreation resources. Types of records relating to BC Parks involvement with the FRBC include presentation materials (discussing the program, budgets, forecasts and accomplishments), as well as guidebooks about all FRBC programs.

The series also includes approximately 405 colour photographic prints of various work projects being conducted on BC Parks land. The photographs cover a range of topics such as photographs of landscapes, newly refurbished or installed campgrounds, issues with trails and photographs of workers on site. Many of the original film negatives accompany the photographs.

The records are arranged according to the BC Parks Operational Records Classification System (schedule 113827).

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Medical Services Plan strategic program and initiative records

  • GR-3970
  • Series
  • 1995-2011

This series consists of Medical Services Plan strategic program and initiative records and other health committee files created by various divisions of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Health Services from 1995-2011. Many records may have been created or used by the Medical Services Commission.

Records relate to medical and health care issues, studies or strategies initiated by or affecting the Medical Services Plan (MSP) with respect to the provision of physicians’ and health care practitioners’ services. This includes the development, planning, implementation, and management or maintenance of strategic programs and initiatives to support and enable the provision of health services to all residents of the province. Strategic programs and initiatives include primary health care initiatives, rural health initiatives, physician workforce planning or physician human resource management, physician utilization, chronic disease management, acute care programs, and continuing care programs.

Records include briefing notes, correspondence, committee minutes, contracts, budgets, reports, presentations, financial records and statistics. The series may also include related committee files and executive records.

This series is divided into the following subseries based on the program or group that created the records:

  1. Medical On-Call Availability Program (MOCAP), 2000-2009.
    MOCAP was created to provide unassigned or orphaned patients access to physicians and specialists for on-call emergency medical services. Records also include several other programs for doctor coverage and payment to improve medical care across the province by the Medical Services Plan (MSP). These records are related to physician resource planning or physician human resource management.

  2. Rural health records, 1995-2006.
    These records include those of the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSCRI) and other committees related to healthcare in rural areas. The JSCRI was responsible for implementation of the subsidiary agreement for physicians in rural practice to enhance availability of stability of physician services in rural areas by addressing relevant unique and difficult circumstances. This subseries also includes committee files for the Mental Health Evaluation and Community Consultant Unit and Medical Services Commission Group Management.

  3. Blood and Laboratory Services, 2003-2009.
    Files address several issues related to blood and laboratory services, including BC Lab transformation, lab services reform, a telepathology project and studies of lab benchmarks.

  4. Chronic Disease Management and Primary Health Care Renewal, 2003-2011
    These records were primarily used by the Chronic Disease Management and Primary Health Care Renewal unit and its successor Primary Health Care. Most files are of committees related to General Practice doctors and managing chronic diseases, such as diabetes.

  5. Other files regarding a variety of topics, 2001-2009.
    These records include a variety of programs, services and committees, most related to health sector workforce and negotiating compensation for healthcare services. Some committees include Fee-for-Service-Transfers Review Team, Physician Strategic Services Advisory Committee, Emergency Medicine Committee, Electronic Medical Records Working Group, and Physician Information Technology Office Steering Committee. Prominent subjects include emergency room services and training, and electronic medical records. Records include committee files, Implementation reports, two Alternative payments agreement accountability records case files, and Subsidiary agreement dispute resolution.

The ministries responsible for these records and the years that they were responsible, are:
Ministry of Health (1976-2001)
Ministry of Health Services (2001-2005)
Ministry of Health (2005-2008)
Ministry of Health Services (2008-2011)

Records in this series are covered under ARCS 200-20, 280-20 and 280-30. Other records are covered under ORCS schedule 142798 (Medical Services Plan ORCS) numbers 40100-30, 40430-50, 40450-50, 40520-02, 40520-30, 40540-00, 40540-25, 40540-60, 40540-70 and 40560-20.

British Columbia. Ministry of Health Services (2008-2011)

Women’s employment and economic issues files

  • GR-3524
  • Series
  • 1995-2004

The series consists of financial planning guides, correspondence and memos, reports, and articles relating to the employment and economic issues faced by British Columbian women. The records were created or received by the Women’s, Seniors’, and Community Services division of the Ministry of Community Services between 1995 and 2004. It is unclear whether a branch of the division, such as the Women’s and Seniors’ Policy branch, created the records or whether they were created elsewhere in the division. As of October 2016, the relevant ORCS listed the Women’s and Senior’s Policy branch as the Office of Primary Responsibility. Subjects of the records include the effect of a mandatory retirement age on older women, the struggle for pay equity and attempts to close the economic gap between men and women, employment opportunities for women, income assistance, and shortages of skilled labour.

The records are arranged numerically by file code and then alphabetically by file title. The series is covered by ORCS 21000-20, 21050-20, 21110-20 and 22500-20 of schedule 117476 (Women’s Equality).

British Columbia. Women's, Seniors', and Community Services

Environment correspondence and referral replies

  • GR-3808
  • Series
  • 1995-2009

This series contains the correspondence referral replies of the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors from 1995-2009. Executive correspondence referral replies, also known as minister’s letters, include letters to the executive and their reply letters.

Correspondence deals with a variety of issues related to the environment. Some records record the concerns and complaints from the public about environmental factors, such as the presence of pollution clouds, bad odours or waste in the environment. Others relate to different initiatives and programs proposed by the ministry. A small number of Information Notes and Decision Notes sent internally to executive members of the Ministry are also in the records. There are also letters to the editor written by the Minister to various newspapers in response to articles concerning the Ministry or the environment.

Records are mainly arranged by referral (reference) number with each chain of correspondence filed in its own folder. There are cases in which multiple people wrote in the same complaint or concern; these letters have been filed in the same folder. Records from the Minister’s Office are arranged chronologically by the date of receipt with records arranged into folders by month. Some boxes contain file lists with either a list of the sender/recipient's name and/or the subject of the letter.

The series is arranged by accession number, which contains the records created by a particular office or executive. Currently, the series contains the following eight accessions:

Accession 96-3526 contains the correspondence from the Environment Protection Division of the ministry.

Accession 93-2700 contains correspondence from the Minister’s Office Correspondence Unit. Records consist mainly of interim responses, minister reply drafts sent to the minister for approval and signing, as well as direct replies written by the Environment Protection Division on behalf of the minister.

Accession 95-5840 contains the correspondence of B.C. Environment, Prince George office, specifically correspondence sent, copied or for reply by the Director of Omineca-Peace region, Environmental Protection.

Accession 96-0105 contains the correspondence of the Environmental Stewardship and Protected Areas Division, Lower Mainland Region.

Accession 96-3531 contains correspondence from the Water Stewardship Division, Lower Mainland Region.

Accession 96-3525 contains correspondence of the Environmental Stewardship Division, Lower Mainland Region. All files also contain copies of the original letters received.

Accession 93-0681 contains letters referred to the Minister for reply.

Accession 96-9659 contains correspondence referrals from the Biodiversity Branch with topics mainly concerning wildlife protection.

Accession 95-9854 contains records from the Minister's Office with topics related to environmental protection, environmental stewardship, water stewardship and conservation officer service.

Accession 96-0944 contains correspondence related to the enforcement program and include topics such as investigations into violations of environmental laws, memos regarding BC Conservation Officer Service achievements and misconduct complaints (includes appendices on their powers and responsibilities), letters from animal rights activists, wildlife-human conflicts and general services provided by the COS.

Records in this series are classified under ARCS number 280-30.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Public Affairs and Communications Branch records

  • GR-3809
  • Series
  • 1995-1997

The series consists of the records of the Public Affairs and Communications Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. The records show how the Branch was involved with Ministry work.

Records typically relate to relations between the Ministry and the public. Currently the series includes the records from a few inter-ministerial committees on which the Branch participated. These records include meeting minutes, documents for review, notes, and other material.

The series also contains media release projects from the Ministry which were handled by the branch. These include news releases and approvals, media advisories and information bulletins dealing with various topics about the province’s environment.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks

Haida Gwaii Forest District public meeting records

  • GR-3908
  • Series
  • 1995-2001

This series consists of public meeting records of the Haida Gwaii Forest District, 1995-2001. These are records relating to the efforts of the Ministry of Forests to involve the public in the process of planning for the future uses of Provincial Forest resources.

All records regard the Islands Stability Community Initiative (ISCI) Community forestry issues meetings. This group included a variety of community members and assisted in the planning of the utilization of forestry resources on Haida Gwaii. Records include meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, resumes, agendas and correspondence.

This series is classified under ORCS number 12080-20 of the Ministry of Forests schedule (881261).

British Columbia. Haida Gwaii Forest District

Forest Practices Board meeting files

  • GR-4002
  • Series
  • 1995-2010

This series consists of the meeting files of the Forest Practices Board from 1995 to 2010. Records describe the establishment and ongoing operations of the Board. Meetings may regard policy, audits, complaint investigations, reviews, appeals, special investigations, and special reports, and other matters related to the Board’s mandate under the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act. Meetings took place in person and as conference calls.

Records include correspondence, memoranda, agendas and minutes. Files may also contain copies of reports and other records referenced in the meetings, including copies of decisions and arguments, status reports on open complaints, investigation reports, briefing notes and policies. Some of these records may be copies of those in GR-3674.

These records are scheduled under the Forest Practices ORCs (schedule 131791) number 97050-20.

British Columbia. Forest Practices Board

Post-secondary education quality assurance records

  • GR-3549
  • Series
  • 1995-2007

This series consists of records supporting and documenting the quality assurance activities of various committees of the Policy and System Quality Branch of the Ministry of Advanced Education (and its preceding ministries). The committees captured in this series primarily include:

Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB): 2003-present
Degree Program Review Committee (DPRC): 1995-
Post-Secondary Employers Association (PSEA): 1994-present
Private Post-Secondary Education Commission (PPSEC): 1990-2003
Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA): 2003-2016
British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT): 1989-present
These committees contribute to quality assurance and consumer protection related to private post-secondary institutions, as well as out-of-province and international public post-secondary institutions in some cases.

The Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) and its predecessor, the Degree Program Review Committee, are responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the Minister responsible for post-secondary education (in this case, the Minister of Advanced Education) regarding new degree programs and exempt status of public and private post-secondary institutions within and without British Columbia, as well as the use of the word “university” by private and out-of-province public post-secondary institutions. The majority of the records have been created by DQAB.

DQAB is comprised of fourteen individuals: eleven are voting members who are selected for their background and expertise, and three are non-voting members from the Ministry of Advanced Education. Prior to DQAB, the Degree Program Review Committee (DPRC) was established in 1995 by the Minister responsible for post-secondary education to provide advice on the educational merits of all new and significantly revised degree programs proposed in the BC education system.

DQAB was established following the Degree Authorization Act, which received Royal Assent on May 9, 2002 and was brought into force by regulation on November 7, 2003. The legislation allows private and out-of-province public institutions to legally grant degrees in British Columbia and expands the authority of BC public institutions to grant applied baccalaureate degrees and applied master’s degrees. The Act also required the establishment of a quality assessment process to review application for degree authority in British Columbia, and as a result the degree approval process was revised and the Degree Program Review Committee was replaced by the Degree Quality Assessment Board.

The records in this series were created by both the DPRC and the DQAB, and many files document the policies and procedures of both committees, as well as the development of the DQAB.

The Private Post-Secondary Education Commission is responsible for consumer protection regarding registered institutions and ensuring that standards of integrity and educational competence are met by accredited institutions. PPSEC was created in 1990 under the Private Post-Secondary Education Act. Legislation establishing the committee required all private institutions offering post-secondary education be registered. Registered institutions had the further option of applying for a form of accreditation, which they could use to market themselves as a better quality institution. In 1999, the Act was amended to require that institutions pay into a Tuition Assurance Fund for the purposes of reimbursing students in an institution closed while they were a student there. The 1999 amendments provided PPSEC with more investigative authority as a consumer protection agency.

In 2002, Cabinet approved a recommendation from the Core Services Review Task Force to replaced PPSEC with a self-regulating, cost-recovery board comprised of industry representatives. In 2003, PPSEC was replaced by the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (OIC 1034-2004) and the Act was repealed in 2004 (BC Reg 466/2004).

These records are comprised of meeting notes and agendas, degree exempt status assessment reports, use of the word “university” reports, guidelines for reviewers, program recommendations and decisions, correspondence with education institutions as well as internal communications and memos, and legal advice. Much of the correspondence consists of concerns from the public regarding the quality of private post-secondary education institutions and government response to these concerns.

The records correspond to ARCS 200-20 and ARCS 400-20.

British Columbia. Ministry of Advanced Education (2001-2008)

Committee meeting records

  • GR-3448
  • Series
  • 1996-2005

The series consists of records generated by the British Columbia Buildings Corporation’s Management, Executive and Property Management Outsourcing committees between 1996 and 2005 during the course of meetings and presentations.

The series consists of two subseries. The first (accession 95-2014) consists of records created by the Property Management Outsourcing group. These records include copies of presentations and meeting minutes as well as work stream records relating to HR, Finance, the RFP process, and business case documents. The subseries includes a significant volume of correspondence in addition to committee presentation documents.

The second subseries (accessions 95-5048 and 95-0374) consists of meeting agendas and minutes, as well as property reviews, presentations on workplace initiatives, third party reports, and budgetary forecasts. The subseries also consists of handouts and printouts of presentations delivered at committee meetings by various subordinate BCBC groups, including the Finance group and Client and Accommodation Services group.

Records are arranged by committee and by meeting date.

British Columbia Buildings Corporation

Emerging health care issues files

  • GR-3513
  • Series
  • 1996-2011

The series consists of correspondence, reports, agreements, guidelines, presentations, meeting minutes and agendas, briefing notes and communications strategies, and strategic planning documents created by the Ministry of Health’s Health Authorities division and its predecessors between 1996 and 2011. The records document the research and formulation of recommendations on emerging health issues, such as the emergence of new communicable diseases. The records cover a variety of topics, including redesign plans for various health authorities across British Columbia, risk assessments, wait time targets and the demand for acute care beds, as well as new medications and medical devices.

Correspondence is arranged chronologically by Health Authority. Other records are arranged by project or plan.

The records were frequently interfiled with records from other series, and this has led to significant cross-over between the series. In many accessions from the Ministry of Health/Ministry of Health Services, misclassification of records is evident. The records are arranged according to the original BC Government ORCS classification scheme, except in cases where misclassification is obvious. If there was any doubt, the classification code on the records was followed. Researchers are advised to consult finding aids for the following related series in order to better and more fully understand the records : GR-3512, GR-3514, GR-3515, and GR-3516.

British Columbia. Health Authorities division

Freedom of information requests

  • GR-3459
  • Series
  • 1996-1998

The series consists of ministry copies of freedom of information requests, or privacy complaints, which were investigated by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC). All files were created by the Information and Privacy office for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (1996-1998) and Ministry of Municipal Affairs (1998-1999).

The files consist of a copy of the original application for records, correspondence between staff and the applicant, correspondence between the ministry and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), submissions to the OIPC, correspondence with the Legal Services Branch, and a copy of the OIPC order. Some files also include photocopies of pages requested by the applicant.

The files in this series were classified as 290-20 in the BC Government Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS). Ministry staff also assigned an additional number that consisted of the year of the investigation followed by a sequential number.

British Columbia. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (1996-1998)

Conservation Officer Service records

  • GR-3875
  • Series
  • 1996-2005

This series contains records from the Conservation Service Office, part of the Enforcement program of the Ministry of Environment and its predecessors. The series contains records related to the image/identity of the service, such as details on the establishment of their service flag, commemoration medals and motto. There are also records related to Conservation Officer job descriptions and job training which includes manuals and/or instructions related to writing reports, conducting investigations and handling firearms. The series also covers information related to special sections under the Enforcement program for commercial and industrial investigations.

British Columbia. Ministry of Environment (2005-2017)

Women’s issues case files

  • GR-3523
  • Series
  • 1996-2005

The series consists of articles, meeting minutes, briefing notes, reports, guides and resource guides created or received by the Women’s, Seniors’, and Community Services division of the Ministry of Community Services. The series includes a 2005 report issued by the Federal Government. The series also consists of the results to an anonymous questionnaire regarding women’s economic security and pay equity, as well as reports from the Save the Children foundation about issues affecting Aboriginal women and youth. The series, which covers issues affecting both Native and non-Native women, also consists of statistical profiles of Aboriginal and Metis communities in BC. The records provide evidence of the provincial government’s programs and services for women.. The records were created or received between 1996 and 2005. It is unclear whether the records were created by a branch of the Women’s, Senior’s, and Community Services division, or by the division itself. Other, slightly later, records pertaining to women’s issues were created by the Women’s and Seniors’ Policy branch and this branch is listed in the current ORCS (as of 2016) as the office of primary responsibility.

The records are arranged first numerically by file code and then alphabetically by file title, and are covered by ORCS 20000-20 and 20050-20 of schedule 117476 (Women’s Equality).

British Columbia. Women's, Seniors', and Community Services

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