Commissioner of Crown Lands (Province of Canada)

The Commissioner of Crown Lands was a member of the Executive Council for the Province of Canada responsible for administering the surveying and sale of Crown land, the forests, mines, and fisheries of the Province. From 1841 to 1867 the Department of Crown Lands was the biggest of the Province of Canada's departments. It assumed responsibility for mining in 1846, for fisheries in 1857, and for Indian Affairs in 1860. It functioned on a dual basis, with each branch divided into two separate sections, one for Upper Canada and one for Lower Canada.[1] After Canadian Confederation in 1867, responsibility for provincial crown land and for natural resources was assigned to the provinces (Ontario and Quebec) while responsibility for fisheries and Indian Affairs were transferred to the new federal government.

Period Commissioner[2]
1827–1841 Upper Canada
Lower Canada
1841–1867 Province of Canada
Assistant Commissioners of Crown Lands for the Province of Canada[5]

Surveyor General of Upper Canada 1792-1827

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Holders were a mix of politicians with Bouchette and Holland with surveying experience.

References

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  1. ^ Lambert & Pross 1967, pp. 101–102.
  2. ^ "Report of the Minister of Lands and Forests for the Province of Ontario, For the Year ending 31st October, 1928". Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 1929. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Notice". Canada Gazette. 15 October 1842. p. 456.
  4. ^ Gates, Lillian F. (1982). "Price, James Hervey". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XI (1881–1890) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. (entry says 20 April 1848 – 27 October 1851)
  5. ^ Alexander Fraser (1903). First Report of the Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario. Vol. I. Toronto: L.K. Cameron, King's Printer. pp. 19–21.
  6. ^ Russell, Andrew (1804-1888) http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/russell_andrew_11E.html

Further reading

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  • Richard S. Lambert; Paul Pross (1967). Renewing Nature's Wealth : A Centennial History of the Public Management of Lands, Forests & Wildlife in Ontario, 1763–1967. Toronto: Department of Lands and Forests. OCLC 422118943.