Series GR-3665 - Transportation minister correspondence

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Transportation minister correspondence

General material designation

  • multiple media
  • textual record
  • moving images

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  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the records.

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Reference code

GR-3665

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

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Date(s)

  • 1993-2006 (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

49.65 m of textual records, 23 videocassettes, 5 CD-ROMS and 1 dvd

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1979-2001)

Biographical history

In 1978, the Ministry of Highways and Public Works was renamed the Ministry of Transportation, Communication and Highways (OIC 3018/78) when it acquired the transportation, commercial transport, and communications functions from the Ministry of Energy, Transport and Communications (1976-1978). The name was changed again in 1979 to the Ministry of Transportation and Highways (OIC 2957/79) when the communications function was transferred to the new Ministry of Universities, Science and Communications.

In 2001, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Transportation (OIC 565/01), retaining the functions of railways, transit, commercial transport, ferries, highways, motor carriers, and motor vehicles.

Name of creator

(2001-2008)

Biographical history

The Ministry of Transportation and Highways was renamed the Ministry of Transportation in 2001 (OIC 565/01). The ministry carried out several functions. These included:

a) transportation improvements: setting priorities for transportation improvements, creating and operating new infrastructure;
b) public transportation: working with partners to provide public transit and coastal ferry services;
c) highway operations: keeping highways safe, and in good repair, and operating inland ferries;
d) passenger transportation regulation by licensing and regulating commercial bus and taxi services through the Passenger Transportation Act.

The Ministry of Transportation was disestablished in 2008 and replaced by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (OIC 430/2008).

Custodial history

Scope and content

Series consists of correspondence between members of the public and the Ministry of Transportation between the years 1993-2003. The majority of the correspondence consists of letters from the public sent to the Minister of Transportation. The letters deal with various forms of transportation including automobiles, ferries, marine, railroads, transit, pedestrian and cycling. The subjects include the condition and maintenance of transportation infrastructure including highways, roads, sidewalks, bridges and ports and sidewalks. Some of the letters relate to transportation issues that also fall under the jurisdiction of municipalities and the Federal Government.

When the ministry received these letters, the Correspondence Branch assigned a unique number to each letter in the ministry’s correspondence tracking database called Cliff. The branch would then research the issue, request information from ministry staff and draft a response. The draft response was then forwarded to the minister’s office who would review the letter and either sign it or return it to the branch for further revisions.

The files contain the letter from the public, notes and registration forms by the ministry, draft replies and a copy of the final response. Some letters were sent to the ministry with attachments such as reports, photographs, and videos.

The letters are arranged numerically by the Cliff number or by another number. The letters from 1993-1998 are arranged annually by a sequential number that begins at 1 at the beginning of each year.

There are gaps in the records. Some file folders were transferred to the archives empty. Between 1993 and 1997 the ministry often “batched” letters that are similar in nature. This is especially true for things such as petitions. During this same time they would also create separate files for letters that the ministry did not respond to. The file titles for these were labelled as “no response” or “FYI” in the file titles.

The records were classified by the ministry under 280-30 in the Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS).

The records were originally created by the following two ministries:

Ministry of Transportation and Highways (1993-2001)
Ministry of Transportation (2001-2006)

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Transferred to the BC Archives in 2016 by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

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Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

These records contain personal information and are restricted in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

A file list is also available that lists the letter number range in each file and box. http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Document/Finding_Aids_Atom/GR-3501_to_GR-4000/GR-3665a.pdf

The ministry registered each letter and assigned each a number in the Cliff Database. A paper printout and a pdf copy of this were transferred to the archives from the ministry. Paper copies of the register are now in boxes 68, 121, 132 and 167.

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Related materials

Accruals

General note

Accession number: 91-0054

General note

The Cliff Database was a commercially purchased correspondence tracking system.

Conservation

Videotapes have been separated from the original files and placed in a special box for preservation purposes. A separation sheet was placed next to each letter in each case where this has happened.

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