Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources

Identity area

Type of entity

Primary Agency

Authorized form of name

Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources

Parallel form(s) of name

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

  • Department of Natural Resources
  • Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1930-1944

History

The Department of Natural Resources was established in 1930, when responsibility for natural resources was transferred from the federal Department of the Interior to the provincial government under The Natural Resources Transfer Agreement dated May 20, 1930.

The Department was originally administered by a Minister and Deputy Minister and consisted of four branches: Lands; Mines; Fisheries; and Forestry. The head office for the Department was in Regina, with a main Northern District office in Prince Albert and sub-district offices in Hudson Bay Junction and Spruce Lake.

The Lands Branch was overseen by a director. Between May 1, 1943, and April 30, 1944, four divisions were established within the branch: Sales; Cultivated Lease; Grazing; Patents and Homesteads. The Mines Branch, Fisheries Branch and Forestry Branch for the most part retained their administrative structure.

A Water Rights Branch was established between May 1931 and April 1932. In 1933 responsibility for provincial parks was transferred from the Forestry Branch, resulting in the establishment of the Water Rights and Parks Branch. Between May 1, 1936, and April 1937, the branch was split into the Water Rights Branch and Parks Branch.

A Surveys Division was established between May 1, 1932, and April 30, 1933. It became the Surveys Branch for a period between May 1, 1936, and April 1, 1937.

The Game Branch was established May 1, 1932, and operated until April 30, 1933, when the function was transferred to the department from the Bureau of Labour and Public Welfare. During 1938-1939, the Game and Fur Branch was established within the department.

Responsibility for the Provincial Museum was transferred to the department for the period from May 1, 1934, to April 30, 1935.

The poor economic performance and drought of the 1930s resulted in less forest and mineral revenue for the Department and an active role in the provision of relief measures. These included the cancellation of debt owed on School lands and the distribution of coal, timber, hay and grazing areas to farmers.

The Coal Administration Branch was established in 1935 to centralize the control, regulation and administration of coal mining. Administration of The Coal Mines Safety and Welfare Act was transferred from the Bureau of Labour and Public Welfare while the coal regulations under The Mineral Resources Act formerly administered by Mines Branch moved to the new branch.

By 1940, the initial four branches had expanded to ten: Forestry, Mines, Fisheries, Game and Fur, Water Rights, Surveys, Museum, Coal, Lands, and Parks.

During the Second World War, the Department assisted federal initiatives such as the Dominion Wartime Price and Trade Board in monitoring the price and distribution of basic commodities and resources to ensure use in both the domestic market and the war effort.

On November 10, 1944, the Department of Natural Resources was reorganized into the Department of Natural Resources and Industrial Development.

Places

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

The primary function of the Department of Natural Resources from 1930 to 1944 was to manage and protect Saskatchewan's natural resources, including lands, forests, minerals, wildlife, fish, and water. The department administered the disposition of resources, issued permits and licenses for their use, conducted surveys, and prepared maps and plans for departmental and public use. Also implemented by the Department were conservation and protection practices such as fish stocking, forest fire control, park development and road construction.

Mandates/sources of authority

Order-in-Council 965/30 (May 29, 1930)
The Department of Natural Resources Act (R.S.S. 1931, c.11)
An Act to Amend the Department of Natural Resources Act (R.S.S. 1944 (2nd Session), c.8)

Internal structures/genealogy

General context

Relationships area

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources. Extension Services Branch (1972-1974)

Identifier of related entity

GA 110

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1972-1974

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the controlling agency for Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources. Extension Services Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Conservation Information Branch (1964-1972)

Identifier of related entity

GA 109

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1964-1972

Description of relationship

Sask. Dept. of Natural Resources is the controlling agency for Saskatchewan. Conservation Information Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Parks and Conservation Branch (1960-1964)

Identifier of related entity

GA 108

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1960-1964

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the controlling agency for Saskatchewan. Parks and Conservation Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Conservation Branch (1954-1960)

Identifier of related entity

GA 106

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1954-1960

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the controlling agency for Saskatchewan. Conservation Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Conservation Education Branch (1953-1954)

Identifier of related entity

GA 107

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1953-1954

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the controlling agency for Saskatchewan. Conservation Education Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Lands Branch (1931-)

Identifier of related entity

GA 37

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

1930-1944

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the controlling agency for Saskatchewan. Lands Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources. Conservation Education Branch

Identifier of related entity

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources. Conservation Education Branch is a subordinate agency to Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources. Parks and Conservation Branch

Identifier of related entity

Category of relationship

hierarchical

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources. Parks and Conservation Branch is a subordinate agency to Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources

Related entity

Canada. Lands Patent Branch (1881-1930)

Identifier of related entity

GA 5

Category of relationship

temporal

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the successor of Canada. Lands Patent Branch

Related entity

Canada. Dept. of the Interior. School Lands Branch (1879-1930)

Identifier of related entity

GA 167

Category of relationship

temporal

Dates of relationship

Description of relationship

Saskatchewan. Dept. of Natural Resources is the successor of Canada. Dept. of the Interior. School Lands Branch

Related entity

Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources and Industrial Development (1944-1950)

Identifier of related entity

GA 13

Category of relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources and Industrial Development

is the successor of

Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources

Dates of relationship

1944-11-10

Description of relationship

Related entity

Canada. Dept of the Interior (1873-1936)

Identifier of related entity

GA 4

Category of relationship

temporal

Type of relationship

Canada. Dept of the Interior

is the predecessor of

Saskatchewan. Department of Natural Resources

Dates of relationship

1930

Description of relationship

Functions related to crown land and natural resource administration

Access points area

Place access points

Occupations

Control area

Authority record identifier

GA 12

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Rules for Archival Description (RAD)

Status

Final

Level of detail

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Authority record created on 2008-03-05. Approved 2012-03-06. Last modified on 2017-11-29.

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Departmental Annual Reports.
Saskatchewan Executive and Legislative Directory (SELD).
AMICUS Authorities - no entry found.
Administrative Histories Binder, GRB (Saskatchewan Archives resource binder).

Maintenance notes

  • Clipboard

  • Export

  • EAC

Related places