Identity area
Type of entity
Higher-level Ontario government office (type A)
Authorized form of name
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Ontario. Department of Public Works
Other form(s) of name
Ontario. Dept. of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1869-1972
History
On January 23, 1869, an Act was passed establishing the Department of Public Works for Ontario. The Act also established that the Department was to be presided over by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Public Works. This Commissioner, although responsible for both agriculture and public works, was referred to simply as the Commissioner of Public Works when dealing with matters related to public works. This situation was formally changed in 1874, when legislation was passed establishing a separate commissioner to be responsible for the Department of Public Works.
In 1900, both the Office of the Commissioner of Highways and the Bureau of Labour were established as part of the Department of Public Works. In 1914, the Office of the Commissioner of Highways (by then renamed the Highways Branch), was elevated to Department status, becoming the Department of Public Highways. Similarly, by 1919, the Bureau of Labour had become the Department of Labour.
Also in 1900, the Colonization Roads Branch was transferred to the Department of Public Works. Formerly with the Department of Crown Lands and responsible for constructing and repairing roads in sparsely settled areas of the province, this Branch was transferred to the Department of Lands, Forests and Mines in 1919.
The Department of Public Works continued to exist until 1972, when its programs and functions were taken over by the newly created Ministry of Government Services.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
The Department of Public Works was responsible for providing and maintaining the buildings and other facilities necessary to house the operations of all departments of the Provincial Government of Ontario.
Address
Act respecting the Public Works of Ontario, Statutes of Ontario 1869, Chap.28
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Related entity
Ontario. Office of the Commissioner of Highways (1896-1915)
Identifier of related entity
CA291
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Office of the Commissioner of Highways is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1900-1915
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Steam Boiler Branch (1913-1930)
Identifier of related entity
CA1743
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Steam Boiler Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1913-1919
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Factory Inspection Branch (1913-1964)
Identifier of related entity
CA1722
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Factory Inspection Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1915-1919
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Engineering Division (1956-1960)
Identifier of related entity
CA1154
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Engineering Division is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1956-1960
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Property Branch (1955-1962) (1955-1962)
Identifier of related entity
CA1149
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Property Branch (1955-1962) is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1955-1962
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Ministry of Government Services. Supply and Services Division (1969-1993)
Identifier of related entity
CA1556
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Ministry of Government Services. Supply and Services Division is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1969-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Real Estate Branch (1964-1968)
Identifier of related entity
CA1553
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Real Estate Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1964-1970
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Property and Surveys Branch (1962-1964)
Identifier of related entity
CA1552
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Property and Surveys Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1962-1964
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Management Systems Branch (1967-1973)
Identifier of related entity
CA1551
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Management Systems Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1967-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Personnel Branch (1962-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1550
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Personnel Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1962-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Audit Branch (1968-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1549
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Audit Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1968-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Accounts Branch (1961-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1548
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Accounts Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1961-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Exhibits and Exhibition Services (1971-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1448
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Exhibits and Exhibition Services is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1971-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Exhibits and Information Branch (1967-1971)
Identifier of related entity
CA1447
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Exhibits and Information Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1967-1971
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Property Branch (1968-1972) (1968-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1446
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Property Branch (1968-1972) is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1968-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Legislative Services Branch (1970-1983)
Identifier of related entity
CA1445
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Legislative Services Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1970-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Buildings Management Branch (1967-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1444
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Buildings Management Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1967-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Design and Construction Branch (1967-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1432
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Design and Construction Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1967-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Chief Architect's Branch (1945-1967)
Identifier of related entity
CA1431
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Chief Architect's Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1945-1967
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Engineer's Branch (1900-1956)
Identifier of related entity
CA1430
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Engineer's Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1900-1937
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Architect's Branch (1900-1945)
Identifier of related entity
CA1429
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Architect's Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1900-1945
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Office of the Deputy Minister (1869-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA1428
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Office of the Deputy Minister is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1869-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Water Resources and Supply Committee (1955-1956)
Identifier of related entity
CA714
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Water Resources and Supply Committee is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1955-1956
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Trades and Labour Branch (1916-1919)
Identifier of related entity
CA53
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Trades and Labour Branch is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1916-1919
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Office of the Minister (1869-1972)
Identifier of related entity
CA24
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Dept. of Public Works. Office of the Minister is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1869-1972
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Colonization Roads Branch (1900-1937) (1900-1937)
Identifier of related entity
CA290
Category of relationship
hierarchical
Type of relationship
Ontario. Colonization Roads Branch (1900-1937) is controlled by Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
1900-1919
Description of relationship
Related entity
Canada (Province). Dept. of Public Works (1846-1867)
Identifier of related entity
AA71
Category of relationship
temporal
Type of relationship
Canada (Province). Dept. of Public Works is the predecessor of Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Related entity
Ontario. Ministry of Government Services (1972-1993)
Identifier of related entity
AA36
Category of relationship
temporal
Type of relationship
Ontario. Ministry of Government Services is the successor of Ontario. Dept. of Public Works
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Access points area
Subject access points
Place access points
Epithet
Control area
Authority record identifier
AA40
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)
Status
For Review
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
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)
MacTaggart, Hazel I. Publications of the Government of Ontario, 1901-1955 (1964)
Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12-24
Maintenance notes
Archivist(s):
R. Anger