The Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg Review Commission (also known as the Cumming Commission) was created on October 2, 1962 through an Order-in-Council (No. 1250/62) to investigate the relationship between Metro and area municipalities in terms of finances, government form and structure, and boundaries, to improve inter-governmental relationships. The Commission held several public hearings in April 1963 where citizens were allowed to present and individuals, associations and representatives from various municipalities were invited to submit briefs. While the Commission believed that the Metro government structure was beneficial for the municipalities, they did make recommendations related to taxes, levies, Metro’s jurisdiction over municipalities, and the additional zone. They also recommended that Metro establish four year terms for its Chairman and council members effective as of 1964.

Series consists of the Commission’s report and recommendations, briefs and rebuttals from individuals and organizations, a submission to the commission by Metro, as well as records created by Metro to prepare for the Commission, including correspondence, inter-office memos, research material and reports.

Series consists of reports, statements, press summaries, submissions, correspondence and interdepartmental memos. It documents the development of a report on revenues and taxation that aimed to investigate new methods of distributing costs between the municipalities under Metro’s jurisdiction in a fair and equal way. The report was submitted by Dr. Gordon Blake, professor of Economics at the United College in Winnipeg, and Carl Goldenberg, a Montreal lawyer and economist with experience as a consultant in municipal financial matters.

Sub-series consists of two incomplete sets of unsigned council minutes. Records consist of a three-volume set that documents meetings held between April 27, 1961 and November 8, 1962. It is unclear if or how many volumes exist documenting meetings held after November 8, 1962 until 1971. Each volume is in reverse chronological order. A second set begins in January 1964 and ends in December 1971. Each volume is organized in chronological order but the first five volumes are missing from this set.

Series consists of by-laws for the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg. By-laws were passed by the Metropolitan Council. Included in this series are schedules, zoning plans, notices, Canadian Electrical Code manuals and other supporting documents. The series documents the initial take over of municipal functions by Metro, as well as municipal regulations such as those related to traffic, streets, building inspections, zoning, parks, town planning, supply of power, bridges, and water throughout Metro’s existence.

By-laws are arranged numerically and are stapled or folded into pages originally folded into four parts. All by-laws have been flattened for storage and preservation purposes. Staples have been removed only in cases where attachments were stapled shut. Supporting documents are mainly kept with their corresponding by-laws but some plans were separated and stored in map cabinets due to their size and for conservation.

Series consists of by-laws 1-272, 274-704, 706, 708-710, 712-1557, 1559-1651, 1653, 1655-1720, 1723-1729, 1732-1795, 1797-1799, and 1801-1928 inclusively. By-laws missing from this series can be found in lower sub-series with the exception of 273, 1730, and 1731. By-law numbers for 1730-1731 were issued but not used, and the same is suspected for 273 but it is unclear.

The records also consist of 3 sub-series. For a more detailed description, see file list.

Sub-series consists of by-laws bound into volumes, with each volume containing between 170 and 370 by-laws. Supporting documents referenced in by-laws are tucked into the pages throughout the volume.

Records consist of an incomplete set of by-laws organized in reverse numerical order. Missing from the series are volumes for by-laws 1-175, 1230-1500, and 1751-1928.

Series consists of minutes of standing, special and sub-committees formed under Metro. An index can be found in each volume. Each volume is arranged by committee (if the volume documents multiple committees), and chronologically. The set is numbered from 1 to 18 (including volumes 7A and 11A). The records consist of meetings held and recorded by the following committees:
• Committee on Planning
• Committee on Finance
• Committee on Streets and Transit
• Committee on Transportation
• Committee on Parks and Protection
• Committee on Waterworks and Waste Disposal
• Committee on Assessment
• Committee on Personnel
• Committee on Planning Public Hearings
• Committee on Communication
• Program Policy Committee
• Centennial Committee
• Liaison between Councils of the City of Winnipeg and Metro
• Centennial
• Special Committee Re Other Sources of Revenue
• Special Committee on Pan-American Games
• Special Committee Re Assessment Procedure
• Special Committee Re Metro Development Plan
• Special Committee Re By-law No. 707
• Special Committee Re Land-use Control By-laws
• Special Committee Re Centenary Celebrations Planning
• Special Committee on Transit Review
• Sub-committee on River Property Acquisition.

Responsibilities inherited by Metro were undertaken by six divisions under the supervision of the Executive Director of the Corporation. Metro’s Assessment Division was responsible for the preparation and delivery of annual realty, property and business assessment rolls, the re-assessment of properties, the processing of appeals to the Metropolitan Board of Revision and the Municipal Board, as well as all functions previously administered by municipal assessment personnel such as the preparation of annual voter lists, vacancy surveys, property appraisals and population analysis and distribution. The Finance Division oversaw the development of financial plans and objectives, which included maintaining Metro’s account books, issuing financial reports, supervising transactions, and preparing budgets. The Parks and Protection Division inherited functions related to parks (including riverbanks, boulevards and care of trees), the zoo, municipal golf courses, mosquito abatement, and civil defence. The Division further increased park land in the Greater Winnipeg area by 1,000 acres. The Planning Division developed, executed and enforced the Development Plan, and other By-laws and regulations related to zoning, subdivisions, building, electrical and plumbing by-laws. The Streets and Transit Division inherited transit functions from the Greater Winnipeg Transit Commission and was further responsible for the street system, arterial traffic control and bridges. With the assistance of this Division, Metro fulfilled its commitment to build three new bridges in Winnipeg: the St. James Bridge and Underpass, St. Vital Bridge, and Maryland Twin Bridge. Finally, the Waterworks and Waste Disposal Division inherited responsibility for the supply, treatment, storage and distribution of water to area municipalities, which included the maintenance and construction of pumping stations, treatment plants and lagoons.

Series consists of records produced by the divisions, directed to and collected by the Metro Executive Director and/or Chairman of Council. Records include inter-office memos, correspondence, reports, divisional directors’ files, plans, promotional material, financial records, operating and capital budgets, presentations, statistics, news releases, transcripts, surveys, studies and investigations.

Series documents the planning, research, organization and execution of Metro projects and events, administration, the organization and roles of the divisions, communications between the divisions and the Executive Director, as well as Metro’s relationship with municipal and provincial officials, and citizens of the Greater Winnipeg area.

The records were filed in the offices of the Executive Director and Chairman in reverse-chronological order according to the division to which they related. They were subsequently compiled into general divisional folders, or in thematic folders categorized by major projects or functions of each division. The arrangement of the series reflects this original order.

Series consists of briefs, plans, organizational charts, reports, statements and correspondence related to the proposal for the reorganization of local government in the Metropolitan area (also referred to as the Greater Winnipeg area), as well as to the Province of Manitoba’s White paper on urban reorganization and the City of Winnipeg Act which led the way to the creation of Unicity in 1972. Files related to Metro Chairman Jack Willis’ mayoral run for the unified City of Winnipeg are also included in the series.

Series consists of pamphlets, brochures and booklets promoting the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg. It documents Metro’s establishment, provision of services, organization, electoral system, operations, history, as well as its first and tenth anniversaries.