Canada (Province). Dept. of Public Works

• Canada (Province). Department of Public Works

• Canada (Province). Commissioners of Public Works

On June 9, 1846, legislation was passed which abolished the Board of Works of the Province of Canada and in its place, required the appointment of a chief commissioner and assistant commissioner to administer the construction and management of public works in the province. Although the Act did not specifically designate the office of the commissioners as a department, that is how the commissioners refer to it in their first annual report. In 1859, an "Act to amend and consolidate the several Acts respecting the Public Works" was passed, which saw the establishment of a single commissioner of public works, as well as the formal titling of the office as the Department of Public Works. The Department existed until 1867 when the British North America Act was passed. After this time, responsibility for public works in the new Province of Ontario was taken over by the Department of Public Works for Ontario, administered by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works.

The Department of Public Works for the Province of Canada was responsible for managing and controlling the construction, maintenance and repair of all canals, harbours, roads or parts of roads, bridges, slides, and other public works and buildings.

Act to amend the Law constituting the Board of Works, Statutes of the Province of Canada 1846, Chap. 37

Act to amend and consolidate the several Acts respecting the Public Works, Statutes of the Province of Canada 1859, Chap. 3

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Bishop, Olga. Publications of the Government of the Province of Canada, 1841-1867 (1962)

Bishop, Olga. Publications of the Government of Ontario, 1867-1900 (1976)

Agency not in Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12-24

Archivist(s):
R. Anger