Winnipeg in Focus is a database for archival descriptions and digital collections at the City of Winnipeg Archives.

Collection c00002 - Western Canada Fire Underwriters' Association collection

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Western Canada Fire Underwriters' Association collection

General material designation

  • Cartographic material

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

Level of description

Collection

Reference code

c00002

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

Physical description area

Physical description

551 sheets.

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1917-1955)

Administrative history

The Canada Fire Underwriters’ Association (CFUA) was founded in 1883 by thirty participating fire insurance companies “to establish tariffs of rates for all cities, towns and villages, making due allowance for construction and the fire appliances of each, and to make rules for the due regulation of business generally”. To reflect changes and growth in the mandate of the CFUA, the Association underwent several name changes over the years, changing its name to the Canada Underwriters’ Association in 1936 and to the Insurers’ Advisory Organization in 1975.

In 1911, the CFUA struck an agreement with the Charles E. Goad Company by which the Company was to create and revise fire insurance plans exclusively for the Association. This arrangement was terminated in 1917 and soon after the CFUA established its own plan department, known as the Underwriters’ Survey Bureau, Limited. In 1931, the Bureau purchased all assets of the Goad Company, including the copyright to insurance plans. The CFUA’s Western Canada Fire Underwriters’ Association Plan Department created fire insurance plans for the Prairie Provinces until the centralization of plan production in 1960. After completing the revision of the Winnipeg plan in 1975, the Association decided to cease development of fire insurance plans due to increasing costs and limited demand. The Insurers’ Advisory Organization is still in existence today.

Custodial history

Records were transferred to the Archives in 1979 and 1986.

Scope and content

Collection consists of fire insurance plans for the City of Winnipeg and the surrounding communities that comprise Greater Winnipeg. Fire insurance plans are maps showing, by colours and symbols, detailed information about each building including structure size and shape, construction materials and detailing, number of floors and lot size. Additional information can include street widths, street numbers, property lines and such fire protection facilities as water pipes or mains, fire hydrants and fire alarm boxes. The plans show streets, churches, hotels, industrial, commercial and public buildings. The plans were originally contained in eight bound atlases. These have been disassembled to facilitate access. Specific locations are accessed through a map key.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

There are no restrictions on access to these records.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright regulations.

Finding aids

File List available in Research Room.

Associated materials

Related materials

Accruals

No further accurals are expected.

Alternative identifier(s)

Legacy Identifier

c0002

Standard number area

Standard number

Access points

Subject access points

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Genre access points

Control area

Description record identifier

Institution identifier

cowa

Rules or conventions

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language of description

Script of description

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

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