Series GR-3547 - Public health water plan indexes

Created by "An Act Respecting the Public Health", the Provincial Board of Health came into force on September 27, 1895 under the responsibility of the Provincial Secretary. The first board was appointed by OIC 371/1895. The purpose of the Board was to consolidate powers conferred by the Act in order to obtain uniform and concerted action throughout the Province. The first business of the Board was to radically alter the local Boards of Health, including revising the districts, and to add clauses authorizing the inspection of dairies, vegetable gardens and canneries. It also revised "The Registration of Birth, Death and Marriages Act" in order to ensure a more reliable return of Vital Statistics, and worked to make the Coroner's Act more efficient. It also prepared special regulations regarding infectious diseases.

With the establishment of the Dept. of Health and Welfare in 1946, responsibility for public health and social welfare in the province was transferred to the department from the Provincial Secretary.

The Ministry of Health was established in 1946 under its first name, the Department of Health and Welfare, with the enactment of the Department of Health and Welfare Act (SBC 1946, c. 31). Prior to that, public health services in British Columbia began in 1869 following the passage of An Ordinance for Promoting the Public Health in the Colony of British Columbia. When British Columbia joined confederation in 1871, the ordinance became part of the statutes.

With the passage of the Public Health Act in 1893, the Provincial Board of Health was formed, reporting to the Attorney-General. From 1907 to 1946, the functions of public health, social welfare, and social assistance were administered by a Provincial Health Officer reporting to the Provincial Board of Health in the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary.

With the establishment of the Dept. of Health and Welfare in 1946, responsibility for public health and social welfare in the province was transferred to the new department from the Provincial Secretary. The deputy minister of health was the Provincial Health Officer and the department was divided into two branches: public health and social welfare. A third branch, Hospital Insurance Services, was added in 1948 with the passage of the Hospital Insurance Act (SBC 1948, c. 28). It administered payment of hospital bills, hospital management, and hospital construction.

In 1959, the functions of health and social welfare were separated to form two new departments, the Dept. of Social Welfare and the Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance (SBC 1959, c. 38).

The Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was established in 1959 in accordance with the Department of Health Services and Hospital Insurance Act (SBC 1946, c. 31). The Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was the successor to the Department of Health and Welfare which was originally responsible for both the functions of public health and social welfare. (SBC 1959, c. 38). In 1959, the functions of health and social welfare were separated to form two new departments, the Dept. of Social Welfare and the Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance.

The newly named Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was originally organized into three branches: health, mental health services (transferred from the jurisdiction of Provincial Secretary), and hospital insurance service. Another government reorganization in 1972, and a major review of provincial health services, eliminated the Mental Health Branch by assigning its resources to various components within the department. The department was renamed the Dept. of Health in 1973 (SBC 1973, c. 109).

The Dept. of Health was established in 1973 as the successor to the Department of Health Services and Hospital Insurance Act (SBC 1973, c. 109). The Dept. of Health was responsible for public health related functions in the government. The department was originally divided into two branches: Medical and Hospital Programs and Community Health Programs. In 1976, the department was renamed the Ministry of Health (OIC 3199/76).

The Ministry of Health was established in 1976 as the successor to the Dept. of Health (OIC 3199/76). The ministry was responsible for managing public health in the province. In 1977, the department was organized into three major programs for mental health, public health and special health programs. After 1980, the department had three programs: Preventive Services, Direct Community Care Services, and Hospital Programs. Two years later the names of the programs changed to: Community Care, Long Term Care, and Hospital Programs. In 1984 the department’s two programs were Preventive and Community Care Services and Institutional Services. These changed to Hospital Programs, Continuing Care Services, and Emergency Health Services in 1988. Responsibility for seniors was added to the Ministry of Health in 1989, and in 1996 the ministry was renamed Ministry of Health and Ministry Responsible for Seniors (OIC 203/96).

In 2001, the functions of the ministry were divided between two new ministries: the Ministry of Health Services and the Ministry of Health Planning.

In 1978, a major government reorganization transferred functions relating to lands and parks from the Ministry of the Environment to the newly established Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing. At the same time, the functions of marine resources, fish and wildlife were transferred from the disestablished Ministry of Recreation and Conservation. Environmental health engineering was transferred from the reorganized Ministry of Health and emergency programming from the reorganized Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry.

The reorganized Ministry of the Environment was divided into four branches: Land and Water Management, Environmental and Engineering Services, Environmental Protection, and Environment and Land Use Secretariat. In 1979 the name was revised as the Ministry of Environment, removing “the” (OIC 3018/78, see also RSBC 1979, c. 271).

In 1986, the parks function from the disestablished Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing, was merged with the Ministry of Environment. As a result of this addition to its functions, the Ministry of Environment became known as the Ministry of Environment and Parks (OIC 1495/86).