Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Parks and Recreational Areas Branch
Other form(s) of name
Ontario. Provincial Parks and Recreational Areas Branch
Ontario. Provincial Parks and Natural Heritage Policy Branch
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Parks and Recreational Areas Branch was established within the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in 1979. It assumed the responsibilities of the former Provincial Parks Branch and had the added responsibility of developing recreation policy for Ontario's Crown lands.
The Parks and Recreational Areas Branch formed part of the following divisions over the course of its existence: the Outdoor Recreation Group (1979-1990), the Administration Division (1990-1991) and the Policy Division (1991-1994). The Branch was composed of a Planning Section, a Development Section, an Operations Section and a Marketing and Communications Section. In addition, the Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) Program was administered by the branch after 1983. The branch also shared administration of the Conservation Land Tax Program (1988-) with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
The Parks and Recreational Areas Branch was renamed the Provincial Parks and Natural Heritage Policy Branch in February 1991. The Planning and Development section was subsequently renamed the Resource Policy and Program Development Section, and the Operations Section became the Park Management Section (later the Visitor Policy and Program Development Section). The branch also contained the Provincial Parks Council and the Office of Recreational Boating (1992-)
The Parks and Recreational Areas Branch ceased to exist in 1994. Its functions were assumed by the Parks and Natural Heritage Section of the Terrestrial Ecosystems Branch and the Provincial Parks Operations Section of the Provincial Operations Branch.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
The Parks and Recreational Areas Branch managed provincial parks, canoe routes, water access points, trails, park campgrounds and concessions in Ontario. It assisted with the park planning process, and co-ordinated park development with the federal government, municipalities and private recreation facilities.
Address
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Related entity
Identifier of related entity
Category of relationship
Type of relationship
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Related entity
Identifier of related entity
Category of relationship
Type of relationship
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Access points area
Subject access points
Place access points
Epithet
Control area
Authority record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Publications of the Government of Ontario, 1956- 1971
Canadiana Authorities, 1996-12-24.
KWIC Indexes to Government Services, 1990-1995.
Government of Ontario Telephone Directories, 1989-1994.
Maintenance notes
Archivist(s):
Nancy Martin, Susan McClure