Ontario. Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands

• Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands

• Ontario. Office of the Commissioner for the sale and management of Crown Lands

The position of Commissioner of Crown Lands was created in 1827 as part of the abandonment by the government of free grants in favour of land sales as a revenue generating function. Peter Robinson was appointed as the first Commissioner for the sale and management of Crown Lands, which was later shortened to Commissioner of Crown Lands. The Commissioner had a seat in the Legislature, was a member of the Governor's Council, and presided over the Crown Lands Department (renamed the Department of Crown Lands in 1860).

The duties and activities of the Surveyor General, were in 1845, transferred to the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The functions and previous office systems and methods of recording used by the Surveyor General and his office, however, were generally retained. The Commissioner also acquired responsibility over woods and forest in 1852, when it assumed the functions of the Surveyor General of Woods and Forests.

Beginning in 1856 the Crown Lands Department was required to submit an Annual Report, and in 1857, the Commissioner was permitted to employ an Assistant Commissioner to look after administration and operations.

By 1860, mining claims, ordnance lands, Indian affairs, and fisheries had been added to the Commissioner’s responsibilities. At the time of Confederation, however, responsibility for fisheries, ordnance lands and Indian Affairs, passed from the province to the new federal government.

From 1867 until 1905, the Commissioner continued to preside over the Department of Crown Lands. During this time, however, the mine and forest responsibilities of the Commissioner gradually expanded, eventually being established as separate branches or bureaus within the Department and responsible to the Commissioner.

As a result of an Act passed in 1905, the title of Commissioner of Crown Lands was changed to Minister of Lands and Mines. The Department of Crown Lands also became known as the Department of Lands and Mines at this time.

The Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands was originally responsible for issuing licenses of occupation to intending settlers, keeping a register of assignments of claims to land, issuing patents, granting forest tracts to prospective settlers and lumber companies, and presenting an annual report to Parliament of the proceedings, transactions, and affairs of the Department. The Commissioner later assumed responsibility for mining claims, Indian affairs and fisheries.

Upper Canada. House of Assembly. Journal 1829, Appendix p. 2. (appointment of Peter Robinson as Commissioner for the sale and management of Crown Lands by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury - July 17, 1827)

Act to provide for the disposal of the Public Lands in this Province and for other purchases therein mentioned, Statutes of Upper Canada 1837, Chap. 118

Public Lands Act, Statutes of the Province of Canada 1853, Chap. 159

Act respecting the sale and management of the Public Lands, Statutes of the Province of Canada 1860, Chap. 2

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

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

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

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

Archivist(s):
R. Anger