The BC Archives government records team has processed well over 1,000 boxes of records in the last year, covering a wide variety of topics. Some of these records have access restrictions on sensitive or personal information. This is because all government records are covered by privacy legislation, such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Here is an overview of just a few of the record series from the last year that are now available in our database.
You can find some of the records made available last year here.
- GR-1668.2.17 Provincial Secretary correspondence on diverse topics
- We added some found Provincial Secretary files to GR-1668, including a 1930 copy of a draft act respecting a floral emblem for British Columbia
One idea for a potential floral emblem representing BC (GR-1668, box 2, file 17)
- GR-3635 Local government bylaw advice and approvals
- The accrual to this series consists of the records of dissolved improvement districts, incorporated public bodies providing services such as water and fire protection for landowners in their boundary (generally in rural areas of BC).
A plan of Fort Steele surveyed by Thomas T. McVittie in 1939 (GR-3635, 910296-0016, file 4)
- GR-4122 New Westminster Land Commissioner record books
- These series offer a comprehensive history of land use in the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser canyon over almost 100 years. Many of the records were created by the Canadian government while the land was being managed by them as part of the “Railway Belt”.
Some of the volumes in GR-4122, before they were rehoused in archival quality containers.
- GR-4165 Director of Deregulation for Business and Industry subject files
- The records relate to the establishment and purpose of the Ministry of Deregulation, which was created in 1978 to cut red tape and streamline government services.
- GR-4169 and GR-4170 Miscellaneous treasury records
- A variety of financial records created by the colonial and provincial treasuries. The records document the financial transactions of the governments in all aspects of their operations and functions from 1858 to 1948.
- GR-4178 Commissions to Justice of the Supreme Court
- Series consists of sixteen commissions to Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia as well as its predecessors, the Supreme Court of Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Court of Civil Justice, made at Victoria and New Westminster.
- GR-4179 Division of Vocational Curriculum photographs
- The records document school sites and educational programs for vocational program students in British Columbia. Programs vary widely, from aeronautics and radio communications, to furniture building, to heavy duty machine operations, to sign painting.
Some examples of parliamentary portraits from GR-4184
- GR-4184 Parliamentary Portraits
- Parliamentary Portraits taken between 1991 and 2022 showing the members of the Legislative Assembly in the Legislative Chamber.
- GR-4193 Advertising projects
- The series consists of the advertising project files of the Public Affairs Bureau (PAB) created between 2003-2010 in British Columbia. The records consist of project files related to the preparation of government advertisements in multiple formats for television, magazines, and radio.
An example of the effects of the mountain pine beetle on BC’s forests (GR-4193, 976287-0006, file 5)
- GR-4197 Minister of Human Resources executive records*
- The series consists of the executive records of William Vander Zalm (Minister of Human Resources, 1975-1978). The records document key activities of the minister’s office related to social assistance and public and social support for British Columbians created between 1976-1978.
- GR-4206 Minister of Tourism office files
- The series consists of the office files of the minister responsible for tourism related functions from 1975-1985 in British Columbia. Some of the records relate to the Beautiful British Columbia Magazine; the development of BC Place; ministerial tours of the province and other regions such as China and Denmark, and promoting BC as a tourist destination.
- GR-4210 Records of the British Columbia Steamship Company*
- The series consists of the general office files of the British Columbia Steamship Company created between 1975-1990. The records document the restoration and management of daily passenger and vehicle service between Victoria and Seattle.
File on the Princess Marguerite ship with service from Victoria to Seattle (GR-4210, 002042-0003, file 2)
- GR-4213 First Nations petitions for Reserves sent to Governor Musgrave
- These petitions were sent by several Indigenous groups in the Fraser Canyon in 1870 to request that Reserves be formally surveyed and set aside for them, to stop settlers from stealing their cultivated fields and village sites.
Two of the petitions sent to the Governor from various Indigenous groups to protect their village sites from settler encroachment, alongside a draft reply (GR-4213, file 1)
- GR-4215 Records related to the Esquimalt graving dock and naval station
- This series consists of a variety of records related to the navy base and graving dock in Esquimalt from approximately 1860-1923. The majority of the records appear to have been created or received by the naval storekeeper and relate to the administration of the Esquimalt dockyard and the naval canteen.
The deed of land used for the Esquimalt navy base naval canteen (GR-4215, file 5)
- GR-4219 Records of the Legislative Council
- This series consists of a variety of records related to the work of the Colony of British Columbia Legislative Council, the Legislative Assembly and Governor James Douglas from 1859-1871.
A record written by several members of the Legislative Council protesting the potential confederation with Canada in 1869 (GR-4219, file 10)
- GR-4225 - Telegrams and other correspondence of the Premier
- The series consists of John Robson’s correspondence and telegrams created and received in 1888, the year Robson was Provincial Secretary, Minister of Mines, acting Premier, and MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for New Westminster.
Letter from John Robson to Sir John A. MacDonald re: Alaska boundary business (GR-4225 913432-1118, file 1)
Telegram from Sir John A. MacDonald to John Robson re: Alaska boundary business (GR-4225, 913432-1118, file 1)
- PDP10941 1966 Commemorative silver canoe
- Item is a gilt silver replica canoe on a wooden base with a dedicatory placard. Items measures c. 41 cm long total. The canoe was made by Benjamin Smith in 1830. It was presented to the Province of British Columbia by Lord Amory, Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, at the inaugural dinner celebrating the 1966 British Columbia Centennial on March 11, 1966. It was received by Premier W.A.C. Bennett.
- GR-3346.38 Speech from the Throne
- Speech from the Throne given by Her Honour the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC, Lieutenant Governor at the opening of the fourth session, forty-second Parliament of the Province of British Columbia on February 6, 2023
The 2023 Speech from the Throne (GR-3346.38)
*These series include sensitive personal information or other restricted records that are not publicly accessible.
