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The series consists of specifications for Public Works buildings, including occasional plans and contract forms, created between 1872 and 1924 by the Dept. of Public Works.

The series consists of contract sets for diverse public works: buildings, bridges, roads and road works, ferries and ferry facilities, etc. The contract sets, usually signed by the contractor and the minister, often include the notices to contractors as they appeared in The British Columbia Gazette, tender forms, schedules of quantities, specifications, contracts, insurance policies, correspondence, and plans.

The series consists of records created by the Minister of Public Works and includes semi-official correspondence inward relating to Public Works between 1909 and 1911 as well as semi-official correspondence inward relating to Public Works and Railways from 1911 to 1916.

The records are arranged chronologically in 23 volumes.

The series consists of records created by the Minister of Public Works and includes semi-official correspondence outward relating to Public Works between 1909 and 1911 as well as semi-official correspondence outward relating to Public Works and Railways from 1911 to 1915.

The records are arranged in chronologically in 9 volumes. Volumes 1 to 5 are indexed.

The series consists of records created by the Dept. of Lands and Works between 1872 and 1896 regarding public works. The records contains contracts, specifications, correspondence, and some plans connected with the construction and repair of schools, government buildings, and smaller works.

A limited number of files contained plans and a few files contained plans only. These files are indicated in the finding aid by * and ** respectively. All plans have been removed from the files and accessioned in the Map Collection as M856047. Appendix 1 of the finding aid lists the plans.

The file list provides the file number assigned by Public Works, the original contract number in square brackets, the name of the building or work, and the date of the contract.

The series consists of seven bound volumes and 54 fascicles containing bills of quantities and priced bills relating to the building of the new Parliament buildings in Victoria, B.C. in 1893.

The volumes are identified as contract 2 and cover three areas of the Parliament buildings: no. 2 Administrative building, no. 3 Land Registry office and colonnade and no. 4 Printing Office and colonnade. Each of the bills of quantities is divided into trades groups including: excavations, concrete foundations, mason, waller, bricklayer; carpenter and joiner; slater and plasterer; coppersmith; smith and founder; plumber and painter. Many of the volumes have a name on the front and notations, including pricing, throughout.

The series also includes a sketch plan of main stairs of the Parliament Buildings. This plan was removed from the records and reaccessioned as M889055. There is also a file of financial records and tables of measurements used for the construction of the building in 1896.

The series consists of records created by the Dept. of Lands and Works between 1862 and 1909. The records include contracts, specifications, plans, correspondence, returns of work performed, reports and accounting material pertaining to the construction, maintenance, and repair of diverse roads, bridges, dams, wharves, and buildings. The records are arranged roughly by district.

The series consists of pamphlets, brochures, and advertisements describing products and services offered by diverse companies in connection with Public Works construction and maintenance programmes, from between ca. 1910 and 1960.
The material was culled from the Public Works correspondence files before microfilming.

Unsigned copies of contracts, specifications, and other agreements concerning the offices of the Government of British Columbia at Nos. 1 and 3, Regent Street, London, England (BC House). Part of file number 1363.

This series consists of records of the Deputy Minister Of Public Works, 1958-1978. Records include correspondence, programs, blueprints, and photographs connected with the dedication and opening of Public Works buildings and other projects. Hyphenated numbers in the file titles are the Public Works Area and Building Number codes.

List of public works and the names of those submitting tenders, including accounts bids, 1888-1898. Includes file number references.

This series consists of letters inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, 1871-1883. Letters are arranged by file number. These letters were selected for transfer to the archives in 1937 and therefore do not appear on the microfilms of Lands letters inward that were made later.

This series contains correspondence inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works relating to various public works, buildings, bridges and roads, surveys, government reserves, and general land matters. Includes memoranda, minutes, telegraphs, and sketches. Files W2/71 to W218/72, 29 December 1871 to 29 July 1872.

This series contains the correspondence inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, Colonel R.C. Moody. The records consists largely of letters from Governor James Douglas and the Colonial Secretary pertaining to town lots, other lands, trails and roads, and other public works in the vicinity of New Westminster. The series includes letters on the Harrison River road and pack trail.

The series consists of the Dept. of Public Works central registry files including the building and subject file register and index.

The files are arranged by file code and are stored in over 300 containers (000329-0001 to 000329-0369). In order to access the files, first consult the registers and indexes in GR-1248 boxes A, B and C.

Box A consists of offsite container lists created by Archives staff. These lists provide the offsite container numbers for the original Public Works box and file numbers. Box B contains the original buildings file register, listed numerically with an alphabetical index by geographical area and Box C contains the original subject file register.

The series consists of a bound report which details the activities of the Department of Public Works from fiscal year 1934-35 to 1941-42. It includes details of activity undertaken by the Architectural Branch, Bridge Department, Equipment Branch, Accounting Branch, Surfacing Program, Survey Branch, Motor Vehicle Revenue and Registration, Highway Work, Dominion-Provincial Agreements and work undertaken by Electoral Districts.

This series contains correspondence and copies of memoranda concerning construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, ferries, wharves, railways, and schools. The records also include some drawings and plans.

This series contains records of the Office of the Chief Architect including project estimates and job cost record books for government buildings, schools, hospitals, court houses, and prisons. The job record is a detailed breakdown of costs by contractor and sub-contractor for each project. Indexes are by town/city and job. Box 1: Estimates 1913-1948 (not indexed); Building Estimates 1949-1955 (indexed); Job Cost Record Book 1955-1964 (indexed); Box 2: Job Cost Record Book 1964-1967.

This unit consists of two unrelated parts. Part 1: records of expenditures for the construction of the Westminster-Ladner Waggon (sic) Road, and correspondence regarding the right-of-way for the road and funding arrangements. June 16, 1903 - November 21, 1903. Part 2: list of timber lease holders, showing acreages and effective dates of the leases, ca. 1903.

Specifications and contracts (filed by area and building number). These records are associated with other unaccessioned hard copy indexes and microform drawings.

The series consists of approximately 23,000 aperture cards created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978, to manage historic building plans and drawings of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The plans include those for law courts, highways maintenance yards, police buildings, hospitals and health centres, government office buildings, liquor stores, correctional centres and camps, sewage treatment plants, fire halls, civil defence buildings, vocational schools, universities, mental health institutions, provincial schools and the Provincial Legislative buildings.

Each card contains a 35 mm microfiche copy of a plan or drawing made from a negative of an original plan, along with Public Works Drawing number and the negative number assigned to the 105 mm version of the plan or drawing. The cards are arranged numerically by the PWD number. Use the indexes to Public Works building buildings plans (GR-2184) in order to determine the PWD number.
Three groups of numbers and/or letters were used to make up the drawing number. The first group consists of numbers only and indicates the assigned area number. The second group consists of a letter or figure which denotes the type of plan.
When the drawing was used as a site plan, topographical plan or services (utilities) plan one of the following letters was used:
A - Architectural perspectives
E - Electric distribution, exterior floodlighting, street lighting etc. systems
L - Landscaping
M - Mechanical Services distribution systems
S - Site & topographical plans, excavation, levelling, roads, parking areas, sewage, water distribution and collecting systems
When the drawing was used as a building plan, the three part number consisted of area number, building number and sheet number.
The third group consisted of a letter/number group denoting the type of drawing and sheet number using the following letters:
A – Architectural
E – Electric circuitry and detail pertaining to the building
F - Furniture and fixtures
M - Mechanical
P – Plumbing
S – Civil/Structural
When an alteration (revision) was made to an existing plan, the new trace bears the same number as the original drawing, followed by an oblique stroke and number indicating the alteration.
When a new wing or extension was made to an existing building, the drawing would bear the first two groups as the original drawing but the third group started at 201. A second wing or addition to the same building would bear sheet numbers starting at 301.

The series consists of indexes created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978 to manage building plans of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The province was divided into areas and then each public building or complex was given a number within the area. The actual plans, which are on aperture cards or negatives, are arranged by PWD number and these indexes can be used to locate specific ones.

The first index is the building file register; which explains the departmental filing system (both for files and drawings) and lists the building numbers and sub-numbers in order of area.

The next index is a four volume cross reference index, arranged numerically by area number. Within each area, the buildings are listed with a brief description, the sheet number (Public Works Drawing number) and the negative number of the building plans.

The most useful index for finding building plans is probably the 16 volume building plan index sorted alphabetically by location. Within each location, there are pages listing the building titles with descriptions of each drawing and its type and sheet number, the dates of the drawings and their negative number. This index was microfilmed in 1978 and a copy of the microfilm reel is in the file.

In addition there is a register listing of the plans in negative number order as they were assigned and filmed, from number 22000 to 44999, 150000 to 159999 and 45795 to 228947. Not all of the numbers were used.

Three groups of numbers and/or letters were used to make up the drawing number. The first group consists of numbers only and indicates the assigned area number. The second group consists of a letter or figure which denotes the type of plan.
When the drawing was used as a site plan, topographical plan or services (utilities) plan one of the following letters was used:
A - Architectural perspectives
E - Electric distribution, exterior floodlighting, street lighting etc. systems
L - Landscaping
M - Mechanical Services distribution systems
S - Site & topographical plans, excavation, levelling, roads, parking areas, sewage, water distribution and collecting systems
When the drawing was used as a building plan, the three part number consisted of area number, building number and sheet number.
The third group consisted of a letter/number group denoting the type of drawing and sheet number using the following letters:
A – Architectural
E – Electric circuitry and detail pertaining to the building
F - Furniture and fixtures
M - Mechanical
P – Plumbing
S – Civil/Structural
When an alteration (revision) was made to an existing plan, the new trace bears the same number as the original drawing, followed by an oblique stroke and number indicating the alteration.
When a new wing or extension was made to an existing building, the drawing would bear the first two groups as the original drawing but the third group started at 201. A second wing or addition to the same building would bear sheet numbers starting at 301.

Correspondence outward (original letter-book copies), 1859-1871. 12 volumes. The series consists of letter book copies of general correspondence, correspondence to Governor and Colonial Secetary, and correspondence to the Treasury. (The series also contains, in vols. 6 and 10, some letters produced by the Provincial Dept. of Lands and Works, 1871-1872).

Volumes 1-6 are general letter books, Volumes 7 to 11 are Governors' letter books and Volume 12 is correspondence outward to Treasury.

The series consists of photographs, 1973-1979, acquired by George Giles as Deputy Minister of Highways and Public Works and its predecessor body, the Department of Public Works. There are photographs taken of the legislative precinct area in 1973 as part of the precinct '73 project as well as a photographic inventory of Victoria properties in 1976 and of models of the proposed Vancouver courthouse ca. 1974. Most of the photographs are colour prints taken during the renovations of the legislative buildings in Victoria 1978-1979, known as project 0490. This project took place after Giles had left Public Works and moved on to the Ministry of Recreation and Conservation. It is not clear how he obtained the photographs, however they are clearly numbered prints made from the same numbered negatives created by the British Columbia Buildings Corporation (BCBC) and described as GR-3267.

The series consists of approximately 23,000 photographic negatives created by the Dept. of Public Works between 1969 and 1978, to manage historic building plans and drawings of public buildings throughout British Columbia. The plans include those for law courts, highways maintenance yards, police buildings, hospitals and health centres, government office buildings, liquor stores, correctional centres and camps, sewage treatment plants, fire halls, civil defence buildings, vocational schools, universities, mental health institutions, provincial schools and the Provincial Legislative buildings.

The negatives were made from original plans sent to, and filmed by, the Reproductions Laboratory in batches. If the Dept. of Public Works did not hold an original plan, it was borrowed from consultants and returned after filming. The laboratory made two negatives for each plan and assigned them the same negative number. Negatives in each filming batch were arranged in batches in negative number order, from number 22,000 to 229,581, but numbering between batches was discontinuous. Each negative was housed in an envelope on which was recorded the negative number, Public Works plan number, date of filming, camera setting and density. The Reproductions Laboratory retained one negative from each pair and sent the other to the Public Works Plan Library. The negatives were then used to produce microform reference copies of the plans, in the form of aperture cards, which were then distributed throughout the Department.

The series also contains ca. 2300 negatives arranged by Public Works drawing number (DPW). These four boxes of negatives probably duplicate those arranged by negative number as well as the aperture cards in GR-2176.

Use the indexes to Public Works building buildings plans (GR-2184) in order to determine the negative numbers for specific buildings.

This series consists of the records of the Public Works Engineer related to the construction, renovation and maintenance of courthouses and other government buildings, such as gaols (jails), lockups, hospitals, and government offices. The records date from 1900-1907. The majority of the records are correspondence to and from the Engineer. Other types of records include: tenders, contracts, financial records, lists of supplies, specifications, architectural plans, blueprints, sketches, maps, and other plans.

The records cover public buildings in the following locations: Alberni, Ashcroft, Atlin, Chilliwack, Comaplix, Creston, Fernie, Golden, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Lillooet, Moyie, Nakusp, Nanaimo, Nelson, New Westminster, Poplar, Port Simpson, Princeton, Rossland, Sandon, Trout Lake, Vancouver, Vernon, and Victoria.

The records had no discernable original order. The Archivist has arranged the records alphabetically by the name of the relevant town, then chronologically.