Item A0595 - Rural Municipality of Insinger No. 275

The Department of Municipal Affairs was established on November 1, 1908. It assumed the functions previously performed by the Local Improvement Branch of the Department of Public Works. The new department administered Saskatchewan cities, towns, villages, rural municipalities, local improvement districts and the collection of taxes in rural school districts.

During the period from 1908 to 1959, the department oversaw a number of functions relevant to homesteaders.

In 1908/1909, The City Act, The Town Act, The Village Act, and The Rural Municipality Act were enacted.

In 1914, The Local Government Board was created to supervise and authorize the borrowing by debenture of all municipalities.

The Town Planning and Rural Development Branch was established in 1919, then renamed as Municipal Technical Services and Town Planning Branch in 1938, with expanded duties. It was renamed again as the Community Planning Branch in 1946, with expanded duties.

The Saskatchewan Assessment Commission, established in 1921, was responsible for assessments and appeals in municipalities and for issuing the basis of values for rural municipalities, functions previously performed by the Wild Land Tax Branch (1918-1921).

The Northern Settlers Re-establishment Branch (1935-1942) was established to administer northern local improvement districts and to assist in the re-establishment of southerners to Northern areas of the province where land was more fertile. It was consolidated with the Local Improvements Branch in 1942.

The Local Improvement Districts Branch (est. 1943) was responsible for tax collection, providing agricultural and medical assistance, and the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges in local improvement districts.

The Municipal Assessments Branch (est. 1947) was established and assigned responsibility for land assessment of all municipalities with a population of 15,000.

The Municipal Road Assistance Authority, established in 1956, operated as an arms-length organization from the department and was responsible for providing assistance to municipalities in the construction of bridges and municipal roads. The Authority also administered The Grid Road program; The Municipal Bridge program; The Ferry program; and the Equalization program. It inherited the responsibility for research on the province's grid road system when the Municipal Advisory Commission was disbanded in 1965.

In 1970, The Saskatchewan Emergency Measures Organization was transferred to the department. The Organization had originated in the Department of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation as the Civil Defence Branch in 1951, and operated under The Civil Defence and Disaster Act.

The Urban Advisory Commission was established June 1972. The Commission had a mandate to review the adequacy of housing programs with a view of developing new programs and organizations. The Commission was to also examine and work towards the creation of the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation.

The Community Capital Fund was established pursuant to The Capital Planning Act 1974. The fund was to assist cities, towns, villages and hamlets with acquiring, constructing and equipping capital works during a period of April 1, 1974 to March 31, 1979.

The Grants Branch was established in 1975. The branch was responsible for the administration of unconditional operating grants, equalization grants, grants for police services and the Community Capital Fund.

A new Department of Municipal Affairs Act was enacted in 1976, which allowed for the re-organization of the department. The mandate of the re-organized department was to ensure responsible and responsive local government, and to ensure sound planning and orderly physical development. Responsibilities were split between a Rural Affairs Division and an Urban Affairs Division.

In 1980, the Department of Municipal Affairs was disestablished. The department's functions and responsibilities were transferred to the newly created Department of Rural Affairs and Department of Urban Affairs.