Showing 124 results

people and organizations

Winnipeg (Man.). Committee on Public Works

  • Corporate body
  • 1874-1971

The Committee on Public Works was a standing committee of Council. The Committee's roles and responsibilities changed over the years as it gained or lost different functions and duties. Jurisdiction of the Committee over the years included the Engineers Department, Shops Department, City Quarries, Sewer Inspection and Maintenance, City Yards, Streets and Sidewalks, Snow Clearing, Bridges and Subways, Street Name and House Numbering, Civic Buildings, Concrete and Asphalt Plant, City Gravel Pit, and Reports of City Surveyor on Plans and Surveys. The committee was required to report to Council on all of these matters, and to recommend works of permanent improvement.

Names of the Committee changed several times over the years, as is reflected in the committee minutes. Names of the committee have included Works Committee, Committee on Works, Works and Property Committee, Committee on Public Improvements, and, finally, the Committee on Public Works.

Winnipeg (Man.). Committee on the Status of Women in the Employ of the City of Winnipeg

  • Corporate body
  • 1975-1977

On October 30, 1975, the Executive Policy Committee instructed the Board of Commissioners to study the status of women employees in the City. To accomplish this, the Board of Commissioners created the the Committee on the Status of Women in the Employ of the City of Winnipeg, which was comprised of civic employees. Merle McCullough of the City Clerk's Department served as chairperson of the committee. The committee was directed to study career opportunities for women within the City, to identify inequalities, and to create a report detailing recommendations and guidelines to "bring about a greater utilization of women within the employ of the City of Winnipeg". The committee delivered its final report in April, 1977.

Winnipeg (Man.). Committee on Urban Renewal and Redevelopment

  • Corporate body
  • 1958-1971

The committee was appointed in 1958, and was responsible for considering and reporting on public and emergency housing projects, zoning, town planning, enforcement of by-laws relating to urban renewal, rehabilitation or conservation areas, matters relating to the Civic Centre, Public Safety Building, and Parking Garage, and the appointment of a technical committee to report and advise on the above mentioned activities.

Winnipeg (Man.). Committee on Utilities and Personnel

  • Corporate body
  • 1960-1971

In 1960, the Committee on Utilities and Personnel was formed by By-law 18236 to perform the combined functions of the former Committee on Public Utilities and Committee on Personnel and Legislation.

Winnipeg (Man.). Community and Race Relations Committee

  • Corporate body
  • 1986-1999

In October 1981, Mayor William (Bill) Norrie created the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Race Relations to examine racial matters, advise the Mayor and City Council on racial issues, and recommend ways to improve racial harmony in the City of Winnipeg.

The Race Relations Committee replaced the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Race Relations in the fall of 1984. Shortly thereafter, a steering committee was formed to report on the role, operation, and structure of the Race Relations Committee. On March 23, 1985, it recommended that the Race Relations Committee be reconstituted as the City of Winnipeg Race Relations Commission. The steering committee believed the Commission would have more authority as it would report directly to the Mayor and City Council. As well, the steering committee determined that “if [the commission] was placed in any other context, the body would not appear to have sufficient authority.” The steering committee also recommended that the City create an ad hoc committee of the Mayor’s Race Relation Committee to hold public meetings.

The final outcome of this work was the creation of the Community and Race Relations Committee (CRRC) by City Council on June 11, 1986. The CRRC was mandated to develop policies and programs to improve racial relations within Winnipeg and to provide guidance for individuals and organizations seeking aid on matters of racial discrimination. The CRRC was also tasked with mediating disputes in order to foster understanding between ethnic groups.

Initially, the CRRC consisted of seven community at large members, seven institutional members, the Mayor, Chief of Police, Chief Commissioner, and the Chairperson of the Executive Policy Committee. The Mayor served as Chairperson and the role of Vice-Chairperson was given to the Chairperson of the Executive Policy Committee.
There were also several sub-committees including the Education and Management Sub-Committees. The CRRC reported the Executive Policy Committee.

In 1988, the Management Sub-Committee recommended that the Chairperson be a citizen member and the Mayor become the Vice-Chairperson. It was also recommended that the community at large members be reduced from seven to three and the institutional membership be increased to eleven. City Council adopted these recommendations on June 11, 1988.

The CRRC was criticized as having too much institutional representation and not enough from the community. Beginning in 1993, the Management Sub-Committee began a review of the CRRC’s structure. In response to demographic changes in Winnipeg, City Council dissolved the CRRC on December 31, 1999. It was later replaced with the Task Force on Diversity on January 1, 2000. The Task Force on Diversity became the Citizen Equity Committee the following year.

Winnipeg (Man.). Joint Committee on Vacant Lands Settlement

  • Corporate body
  • 1888

The Joint Committee on Vacant Lands Settlement, also known as the Special Committee on Colonization, was appointed by Council on January 30, 1888 to work with the Board of Trade and other interested parties to devise “a scheme for the settlement of vacant lands in the vicinity of the City of Winnipeg”. The City’s interest in settlement of these lands is apparent as early as 1880 when Council passed a motion on June 14 of that year calling for the Dominion government to “unlock” and distribute land “set aside for the children of Half Breeds” in the Manitoba Act of 1870. The Joint Committee’s plan was implemented during the spring and summer of 1888. It involved the preparation and distribution of information pamphlets by travelling agents hired by the Joint Committee and by agents in North American ports of arrival. Various bonuses were offered to agents and others for successful settlement of these lands. In December of 1888, Council instructed the City Solicitor to prepare a by-law that would enable Council to issue debentures to fund the work of the Colonization Committee during 1889 (By-Law 431). Being a money by-law, it was put to a vote by rate-payers and was defeated at the polls. Although the Joint Committee on Vacant Lands Settlement appears not to have continued beyond 1888, communications received by the City suggest that efforts to encourage settlement of lands around the City of Winnipeg were ongoing into the 1890s.

Winnipeg (Man.). Parking Authority

  • Corporate body
  • 1959-1972

The Parking Authority was founded in 1958, with the passing of By-Law No. 18056. In 1972, the Parking Authority was put under the control of the Committee on Environment, and in 1973, By-Law No. 18056 was repealed.

The Parking Authority was responsible for the construction, operation, maintenance, control and management of public parking lots and parking buildings belonging to the City. Most business consisted of expropriating land to build parking lots.

Winnipeg (Man.). Parks and Recreation Department

  • Corporate body

Development of Winnipeg’s network of public parks began when the Public Parks Board was created by the City of Winnipeg in 1893 and empowered to acquire land for park purposes. In addition to park development, the Parks Board constructed and operated municipal golf courses and swimming pools, was involved in city beautification through tree planting and boulevard maintenance, and managed recreational facilities, the zoo and municipal cemeteries. The Parks Board evolved into the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Winnipeg following a re-organization of municipal government in the greater Winnipeg area in the 1970s.

Winnipeg (Man.). Playgrounds Commission

  • Corporate body
  • 1908-1919

The first public playground in Winnipeg was opened in 1908 by the Committee on Public Playgrounds for Winnipeg, the members of which had been appointed at a citizens meeting on May 28, 1908: Mrs. J. Dick, Mrs. Dr. Sparling, J. Dyson, J. S. Woodsworth, J. W. McMillan, John Appleton, H. R. Hadcock, E. L. Drewry and H. E. Wilson. This committee solicited private funds for a demonstration project to be operated in conjunction with the Mother's Association through the summer of that year. By the fall of 1908, the Committee on Public Playgrounds for Winnipeg had become the Playgrounds Association of the City of Winnipeg, reflecting a broad trend in North America and their connection with the American Playgrounds Association. In 1909, the Association met with the City of Winnipeg's Board of Control to propose creation of a commission to manage a system of playgrounds for the city. The Board of Control supported the proposal and the Playgrounds Commission was organized in 1909 under By-Law 5557 with an appropriation of $4000. The Playgrounds Commission managed playgrounds until 1919 when its powers were transferred to the Public Parks Board through By-Law 9835.

Winnipeg (Man.). Public Works Department

  • Corporate body
  • [199-]-

Winnipeg’s parks, boulevards, golf courses, swimming pools, were originally created and maintained by the Public Parks Board when it was established by the City in 1893. The Public Parks Board acquired and maintained land for public green spaces, and city beautification. The Public Parks Board was responsible for planting trees, maintaining streets, recreational activities, the zoo, and cemeteries. Each municipality surrounding Winnipeg had their own Parks Board, and after the municipalities amalgamated in the 1970s, the Winnipeg Parks and Recreation Department was created. In the late 1990s, the Parks and Recreation Department became the Winnipeg Public Works Department. Today, the Public Works Department is responsible for the planning, development, and maintenance of the City of Winnipeg streets, sidewalks, traffic control, and almost 3,600 hectares of parks and open space, including 300,000 trees, 1,333 parks, 485 playgrounds, and 604 athletic fields.

Winnipeg (Man.). Special Committee on Amalgamation

  • Corporate body
  • 1918

The City of Winnipeg was incorporated in 1873 by a charter granted by the legislature of Manitoba. At incorporation, the City established a committee system of government: while Council was the governing body for the City, it was in committee that civic policies were formed and executed. The initial task for the first and all subsequent Councils was to strike standing committees for the Council year. In addition to standing committees, Council established special committees to investigate and manage various projects, issues and questions placed before the City. Special committees were typically struck by a Council motion that outlined committee composition and responsibilities.

The Special Committee on Amalgamation was appointed by Council on August 19, 1918 to "consider and report on the question of adjusting, re-arranging and amalgamating the various departments of City Offices". In order to complete this task, the Committee requested statements from the City's twenty-three administrative departments showing the functions and duties of the department and the organization of staff (including the name, position, salary and responsibilities of each staff member). Statements were not requested for the Fire Department or the Light and Power Department. The Committee's final report was accepted by Council in December of 1918 and referred to the City Solicitor to draft requisite legislation. The Special Committee on Amalgamation had five members and adjourned following submission of its report to Council: Controllers Wallace and Puttee and Aldermen Fowler, Fisher and Vopni.

Winnipeg (Man.). Special Committee on Arrangement of Committees for Incoming Council

  • Corporate body
  • 1920-[1922?]

The City of Winnipeg was incorporated in 1873 by a charter granted by the legislature of Manitoba. At incorporation, the City established a committee system of government: while Council was the governing body for the City, it was in committee that civic policies were formed and executed. The initial task for the first and all subsequent Councils was to strike standing committees for the Council year. In addition to standing committees, Council established special committees to investigate and manage various projects, issues and questions placed before the City. Special committees were typically struck by a Council motion that outlined committee composition and responsibilities.

The Special Committee on Arrangement of Committees for Incoming Council was appointed in January of 1920 to consider the arrangement of committees for the incoming council together with any rearrangement of departments that might be necessary. The committee consisted of six aldermen.

Winnipeg (Man.). Special Committee on Consolidation of By-Laws Defining Duties of Council and Committees and Officers of the City

  • Corporate body
  • 1921

The City of Winnipeg was incorporated in 1873 by a charter granted by the legislature of Manitoba. At incorporation, the City established a committee system of government: while Council was the governing body for the City, it was in committee that civic policies were formed and executed. The initial task for the first and all subsequent Councils was to strike standing committees for the Council year. In addition to standing committees, Council established special committees to investigate and manage various projects, issues and questions placed before the City. Special committees were typically struck by a Council motion that outlined committee composition and responsibilities.

The Special Committee on Consolidating of By-Laws Defining Duties of Council and Committees and Officers of the City was appointed by Council in January of 1921. The committee consisted of the chairmen of standing committees to which department heads reported regarding the work of the city.

Winnipeg (Man.). Special Committee on Housing Conditions

  • Corporate body
  • 1935-1957

The City of Winnipeg was incorporated in 1873 by a charter granted by the legislature of Manitoba. At incorporation, the City established a committee system of government: while Council was the governing body for the City, it was in committee that civic policies were formed and executed. The initial task for the first and all subsequent Councils was to strike standing committees for the Council year. In addition to standing committees, Council established special committees to investigate and manage various projects, issues and questions placed before the City. Special committees were typically struck by a Council motion that outlined committee composition and responsibilities. From about 1924 onward, special committees and their associated files were assigned an alpha-numeric code beginning with the letter "A".

The Special Committee on Housing Conditions was formed in December of 1933. In the original motion, the committee was instructed to conduct a detailed survey of housing conditions in Winnipeg. This motion was amended and the scope of the committee expanded to address the "whole matter of housing conditions in the City of Winnipeg". In 1935, the committee was further instructed to look into overcrowding and to determine areas that could be cleared and redeveloped. Between 1937 and 1945, the committee formed and managed the Winnipeg Housing Company Limited and its demonstration home project.

Throughout its history, the committee worked with the federal and provincial governments to take advantage of programs and funding sources for housing starts and renovations. In particular, the committee worked with Wartime Housing Limited to address housing needs for returning servicemen and veterans. In 1947, the committee created a Fact Finding Board to prepare a report on housing conditions up to that point in time.

Acute housing shortages during the 1940s lead to creation of the Emergency Housing Department in 1945, reported to Council through the Special Committee on Housing Conditions. This city department maintained a registry of applicants for housing and available housing units, lead a campaign to encourage citizens to register and rent out unoccupied rooms in their homes, administered various emergency and low rental housing sites, and became increasingly involved in welfare and social work relating to tenants in city housing projects (individual or family case histories are contained in some communications files). Annual reports prepared by the Emergency Housing Department provide statistical data and analyses of the effects of acute housing shortages on those living in substandard housing as well as on the city as a whole.

Effective January 1, 1957, the staff of the Emergency Housing Department were transferred into the Public Welfare Department of the City of Winnipeg, which then reported to Council through the Public Welfare Committee. At the first council meeting in 1957, a motion to "not reappoint" the Special Committee on Housing Conditions carried by majority and it was discontinued.

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