Ontario. Dept. of Financial and Commercial Affairs

• Department of Financial and Commercial Affairs

The Department of Financial and Commercial Affairs was established on November 24, 1966. The new Department acquired several functions which had previously been the responsibility of the Department of the Attorney General. These included the Registration and Examination Branch, the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance, and responsibility over the Ontario Securities Commission.

The Department was presided over by the Minister of Financial and Commercial Affairs, who was assisted by a Deputy Minister.

At the time of its establishment, the Department consisted of the Minister's Office, the Deputy Minister's Office, an Administrative Services Branch, the Registration and Examination Branch, the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance, and the Ontario Securities Commission.

In 1967, a Consumer Protection Division was established to be responsible for a newly created Consumer Protection Bureau. The Registration and Examination Branch was also transferred to the Division at this time. Several other branches were created within, or transferred to, this Division in 1968, including the Credit Unions Branch, the Upholstered and Stuffed Articles Branch, and the Cemeteries Branch.

Further changes within the Department occurred in 1970, with the creation of a Lotteries Branch and the Companies Branch. The Commercial Registration Appeals Tribunal was also established at this time.

In 1972, the Government of Ontario was considerably re-organized as the various Departments were restructured and renamed as Ministries. With this change, the Department of Financial and Commercial Affairs was replaced with the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations.

The Department of Financial and Commercial Affairs was responsible for the regulation of insurance companies, loan and trust companies, and the trading of securities within the Province of Ontario. In 1968, the Department acquired further responsibility over the regulation of credit unions, cemeteries, upholstered and stuffed articles, and the sale of goods and services. Responsibility over the incorporation of companies and the regulation of lotteries was added by 1970.

The Department of Financial and Commercial Affairs Act, Statutes of Ontario 1966, Chap. 41

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

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12- 24

Archivist(s):
R. Anger