Showing 361 results

Archival description
CoV-CR-0093 · Series · 1894-1904
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of letters sent outward from the Collector-Treasurer, mainly in his capacity as Collector.

Victoria (B.C.). Collector-Treasurer's Office
CoV-CR-0104 · Series · 1890-1909
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of letters received by the Engineering Department from other City agencies and departments, other governments, and the private sector.

Victoria (B.C.). Engineering Department
CoV-CR-0105 · Series · 1972-1985
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of files, photographs, architectural material, and graphic material deriving from the Neighbourhood Improvement Program.

This program was developed in 1973 by the federal government to encourage and support the efforts of municipalities in concert with neighbourhood residents toward the improvement of the physical environment in neighbourhoods needing improvements.

Victoria (B.C.). Planning Department
CoV-CR-0115 · Series · 1891-1906
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of bound index volumes containing the names of individuals charged with an offence and the page of the charge book to which it refers.

There is a gap in these records from 1894-1902.

Victoria (B.C.). Police Court
CoV-CR-0117 · Series · 1885-1931
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of bound index volumes containing the names of individuals charged with an offence and the page of the record book (CR-0116) to which it refers.

Victoria (B.C.). Police Court
CoV-CR-0119 · Series · 1887-1963 (predominantly 1910-1956)
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of files created by the City Solicitor from the first appointment to permanent staff of the City in 1910 to the contracting out of the work in 1956. Some files predate the appointment of a staff solicitor when the City's legal work was contracted out to various legal firms.

Victoria (B.C.). City Solicitor's Office
CoV-CR-0121 · Series · 1904-1963
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of several groups of files with no discernible relationship amongst themselves except that they were created by the City Solicitor at various times.

Most date from the period when the City Solicitor was a member of City Hall permanent staff. The series covers a full range of typical Solicitor activities including the preparation of bylaws and legislation, negotiation of agreements and contracts for local improvements, sale of lands, and supply of services to the City, general counsel in litigation, and drafting of legal opinions.

A substantial group of files concerned with the building of Johnson St. Bridge (1911-1923) is comprised of records created by the City Engineer. These may have been brought together to handle potential litigation, given the City of Victoria's sensitivity to liability arising from the Point Ellice Bridge streetcar disaster of 1896.

Victoria (B.C.). City Solicitor's Office
CoV-CR-0124 · Series · 1966-1982 (predominantly 1970-1981)
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of records created by the City Manager under a filing system introduced in 1971. They pertain to virtually all areas of City activity.

Victoria (B.C.). City Manager's Office
CoV-CR-0134 · Series · 1951-1961
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of an index to the minutes in Series 26, Finance Committee (CR-0026) and the Finance, Lands, Housing, Market, Public Utilities and Intermunicipal Committee minutes (CR-0042).

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Committee
CoV-CR-0137 · Series · 1951-1961
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of an index to the minutes of the Public Works Committee (CR-0028) and to the Public Works, Lighting, Water and Harbour Committee minutes (CR-0043).

Victoria (B.C.). Public Works Committee
Collector's roll
CoV-CR-0143 · Series · 1889-1916
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of information on property values and taxation rates compiled for the purpose of collecting taxes.

Information on the creation, structure, and composition of the Collector's roll is provided below in three sections: context of creation, structure, and data elements.

Context of Creation

Until the establishment of the B.C. Assessment Authority in 1974, assessment and collection of property taxes were the responsibility of the City. Each year the Assessor drew up the assessment roll, sent out notices of assessment to relevant taxpayers, and then forwarded the roll to the City Clerk on behalf of Council. City Council, sitting as the Court of Revision, determined whether revisions to the returned assessment roll were required, made them if necessary, confirmed them, and authenticated the roll. Council then enacted a bylaw for setting yearly tax rates. Following this, the Clerk made out the Collector's roll and forwarded it to the Collector who gathered the taxes, returning his roll to the Clerk when finished, and forwarding the money collected to the Treasurer.

Structure

The series can be divided into 3 categories distinguished by date range, title, and arrangement of entries within volumes: (A) 1889-1906 (68 volumes). City divided into three wards, with entries arranged alphabetically by name within wards; (B) 1907-1909 (12 volumes). Entries arranged alphabetically by name throughout the City; (C) 1910-1916 (38 volumes). City divided into neighbourhoods with entries arranged throughout City by roll number and lot number within neighbourhoods (such as City Lots, Five Acre Lots, Fairfield, like many assessment rolls). The ward system was established under the Victoria Incorporation Act (1862), and consisted of three wards called, respectively, the Johnson Street Ward, the Yates Street Ward, and the James Bay Ward. For information on the ward system from 1889-1891, see the Clippings Files under "Municipal Government - Ward System" and bylaw 84 (Wards Bylaw, 1890); for 1892-1906, see bylaw 163 (Wards Bylaw, 1892; map located at Maps B0051) and bylaw 336 (Wards Bylaw, 1901; repealed under bylaw 481).

Data Elements: 1889, 1904, and 1916 rolls

1889 roll

Title: Real estate assessment collector's roll
Elements:

  • No. of lot
  • Block
  • Street
  • Name
  • Assessment land
  • Assessment improvements
  • Alteration by Court of Revision
  • Total
  • Arrears
  • Tax
  • No. of receipt
  • Amount paid
  • Arrears
  • Date notice sent
  • Remarks

    1904 roll

Title: Land and improvement assessment: Collector's roll, 1904
Elements:

  • Name
  • Street
  • Subdivision
  • Lot
  • Block
  • Section
  • Assessment on land
  • Assessment on improvements
  • General rates
    Tax on land
    Tax on 50% assessed value of improvements
  • Board of Health special rate [9 mills]
  • Educational purposes special rate [1 mill]
  • Debt purposes special rate [2 mills]
  • Total tax [12 mills]
  • Tax if paid on or before 31 October 1904
  • 1st January 1904 arrears general rates
  • 1st January 1904 arrears Board of Health
  • 1st January 1904 arrears educational purposes
  • 1st January 1904 arrears debt
    • Amount paid
  • No. of receipt
  • 1st January 1905 arrears general rates
  • 1st January 1905 arrears Board of Health
  • 1st January 1905 arrears educational purposes
  • 1st January 1905 arrears debt

1916 roll, book 3

Title: Collector's roll [for the year xxxx] of taxes and other charges assessed and charged against real property (not including assessments for local improvement)
Elements (sub-elements are indicated by indentation):

    - Roll #
- Registered owner
Name
Address
- Holder of agreement to purchase or last assignee thereof
Name
Address
- Street
- Dimensions
- Real property description
Subdivision lot
Lot
Block
Map #
- Assessed value of land
- Taxes on assessed value of land
General, Board of Health, and Hospital
Mills - Gross
Net if paid by [date]
Interest, sinking fund, and school purposes
Mills - Net
- Water frontage tax (net)
- Boulevard upkeep tax (net)
- Cluster lighting maintenance (net)
- Sewer rental (net)
- Sewer construction tax (net)
- Total of all preceding taxes and charges (net)
- Arrears from [year previous] roll
Year
Amount
- Payments
Amount
Receipt
- Balancing
Rebate added
Excess payments
- Arrears [1st January of year following]
Year

Amount
- Payment on arrears
Amount
Receipt
- Local improvements

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Department
Demolished building plans
CoV-CR-0144 · Series · 1873-1996
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of files pertaining to residential and commercial buildings demolished in Victoria.

The files generally consist of architectural plans and supplementary textual records deposited with or created by the Engineering or Planning Departments as part of the building permit approval process.

Victoria (B.C.). Engineering Department
CoV-CR-0149 · Series · 1946-1964
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of miscellaneous files produced by the Arena Commission, which oversaw the management and daily operation of Memorial Arena. Records include financial statements, reports on the Arena's structural integrity, minutes of meetings, and annual reports.

Victoria (B.C.). Civic Arena Commission
Assessment roll
CoV-CR-0150 · Series · 1864-1916
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of assessments on real property and improvements compiled for the purpose of determining taxes.

Information on the creation, structure, and composition of the Collector's roll is provided below in three sections: context of creation, structure, and data elements.

Context of Creation

The Colony of Vancouver Island was responsible for the assessment and collection of property taxes in Victoria from 1862 until 1866. From 1867 until the establishment of the British Columbia Assessment Authority in 1974, these functions were the responsibility of the City. Under the City's administration, the general procedure was as follows. Each year the Assessor drew up the assessment roll, sent out notices of assessment to relevant taxpayers, and then forwarded the roll to the City Clerk on behalf of Council. City Council, sitting as the Court of Revision, determined whether revisions to the returned assessment roll were required, made them if necessary, confirmed them, and authenticated the roll. Council then enacted a bylaw for setting yearly tax rates. Following this, the Clerk made out the Collector's roll and forwarded it to the Collector who gathered the taxes, returning his roll to the Clerk when finished, and forwarding the money collected to the Treasurer.

Structure

The assessment rolls provide information on what is to be assessed, how much it is assessed at, when the assessment is made, and to whom the assessment is to be charged. However, based on differences in format, titling, size, arrangement of entries, or status of the roll they can be divided into three chronological groups:

(1) 1864-1871
(2) 1872-1891
(3) 1892-1916

With regard to content, there are some differences within each of these groups. These differences relate to such things as omission of previously used data elements, inclusion of new data elements, alterations in the arrangement of the same data elements, and spelling of the same data elements. Each group provides summary information at end of the last volume within it concerning City of Victoria land holdings. What follows in an overall description of the three main groups listed above.

(1) 1864-1871 Lists assessments alphabetically by name of the assessee, rather than numerically by roll number. Some volumes are not titled, data elements are handwritten, and data elements are often located only on the first pages of each volume.

(2) 1872-1891 Titled "City of Victoria real estate assessment roll." (The single volume for 1872 and 1873 is transitional between the first group and this one, the numerical arrangement of entries placing it most logically in this group; but note that these assessments have no element for Court of Revision alterations; the title is "Real estate.")

(3) 1892-1916 Titled "City of Victoria land and improvement assessment roll." Bylaw 155 of 1892 resulted in the change of title, although both land and improvements were assessed from 1864.

Sample Data Elements:

Group 1: 1864-1871

1864-1865

Name of Owner
Place of Residence
No. of Lot
No. of Block
Street
Admeasurement
Assessed Value of
Land
Improvements
Revised Value
Land
Improvements
Total Value
Tax 1%
Additional 5%
Total Tax Payable

1867

Owner' Name
Residence
No. Lot
No. Block
Measure
Street
Assessed Value Land
Improvements
Total
Tax One per Cent
Tax on Rate 1/4 of One Per Cent

Group 2: 1872-1891

1872-1873

Lot
Block
Admeasurement
Street
Name
Assessed value land
[Assessed value] improvements
Total value
Rate
No.
No.
Amount paid
No.
Fire rate

1874-1891

Lot
Block
Admeasurement
Streets
Names
Per foot frontage or by acre [1891 only]
Land assessments
Improved assessments
Alterations by Court of Revision
Total
Arrears
Tax
Receipts
Amount paid
Arrears [1890-1891 only]
Remarks [handwritten: "notices sent"]

Group 3: 1892-1916 (overview)

Map no. [1915-1916 only]
Sub-lot [1912-1916 only; "Subdivision" for 1897-1911]
Lot
Block
Measurement
Street
Name
Address [for 1892, between "Amount paid" and "Notices sent"]
Price per foot frontage or acre
Assessment on land
Assessments on improvements
Total
Alteration by Court of Revision
Land [1897-1916 only]
Improvements [1897-1916 only]
Arrears of taxes [1893-1896 only]
Notices sent
Remarks

1892

Lot
Block
Measurement
Street
Name
Price per foot frontage or acre
Assessment on land
Assessments on improvements
Alteration by Court of Revision
Total
Arrears of taxes
Amount paid
Address
Notices sent
Remarks

1893-1896

Lot
Block
Measurement
Street
Name
Address
Price per foot frontage or acre
Assessment on land
Assessments on improvements
Alteration by Court of Revision
Total
Arrears of taxes
Notices sent
Remarks

1897-1911

Subdivision
Lot
Block
Measurement
Street
Name
Address
Price per foot frontage or acre
Assessment on land
Assessments on improvements
Total
Alteration by Court of Revision
Land
Improvements
Notices sent
Remarks

1912-1914

Sub-lot
Lot
Block
Measurement
Street
Name
Address
Price per foot frontage or acre
Assessment on land
Assessments on improvements
Total
Alteration by Court of Revision
Land
Improvements
Notices sent
Remarks

1915-1916

Map no.
Sub-lot
Lot
Block
Measurement
Street
Name
Address
Price per foot frontage or acre
Assessment on land
Assessments on improvements
Total
Alteration by Court of Revision
Land
Improvements
Notices sent
Remarks

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Department
CoV-CR-0156 · Series · 1925-1938
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of a ledger of the Esquimalt section of the Victoria water works. Accounts deal with all aspects of running the Esquimalt area water works.

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Department
Sinking fund ledger
CoV-CR-0158 · Series · 1909-1937
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of a ledger of sinking fund accounts. Each sinking fund account documents the annual accumulation of interest.

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Department
Registration of debentures
CoV-CR-0162 · Series · 1923-1946
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of a register documenting the sale of City debentures.

Data elements include the file number, date of registration, by-law number, the debenture numbers, the name and address of the bearer, and the date of transfer of the debentures, if applicable.

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Department
CoV-CR-0012 · Series · 1940-1974
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of letters received by the Clerk's Office, other than those received primarily from internal and external governmental agencies (for which see CR-0013).

The material is arranged chronologically by received stamp number. "File numbers" (as provided in the file list for this series) combine file and item numbers; for example, "089 001-078" refers to file 89, items 1 through 78. "Reference" numbers are consecutive numbers given to individual items regardless of which file they are part of. In other words, reference numbers "31114-31266" are another way of pointing to the same items indicated by the file numbers "089 001-078".

Access to these records is provided by the communications received index (CR-0014), which is arranged chronologically by received stamp number and includes for each entry the sender and subject. Access can also be obtained through the topical index (CR-0015).
For other series of letters received, see CR-0011 (1862-1916) and CR-0013 (special correspondence inward).

Victoria (B.C.). City Council
CoV-CR-0022 · Series · 1938-1965 (predominantly 1950-1963)
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of records created by the first City Manager. They pertain to virtually all areas of City activity.

Files are arranged primarily by subject within a sequential numerical scheme reflecting a general alphabetical order. Individual descriptions include original file numbers, which range from 1 to 329. Unnumbered files are described after those so numbered.

Victoria (B.C.). City Manager's Office
CoV-CR-0028 · Series · 1926-1962
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of minutes and papers dealing with all issues involving Public Works including construction, maintenance and replacement of streets, lanes, sidewalks, bridges, street lighting, civic floats and wharves, and all matters relating to highway access to the City and the regulation of signs on land and buildings owned by the City.

See also CR-0043, Public Works, Lighting, Water and Harbour Committee minutes (1951-1952).

There is a gap in this series from 1942 to 1952.

Victoria (B.C.). Public Works Committee
Revenue journal
CoV-CR-0173 · Series · 1892-1912
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of a journal documenting revenue received from property taxes.

The types of revenue received are described as revenue, real, wild land, personal, and interest. Data elements include a description of the revenue, from whom it was received, the amount, and the date received. At the end of each year the yearly revenue totals were paid into the City's treasury.

Victoria (B.C.). Finance Department
Advertisement purchasing log
CoV-CR-0174 · Series · 1946-1975
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of correspondence, advertisement rates, and news clippings of advertisements purchased by the City from local newspapers. Advertisements deal with job vacancies, tenders, public notices, and bylaw announcements.

Victoria (B.C.). Purchasing Department
CoV-CR-0176 · Series · 1965-1976
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of annual reports documenting the operations of the Department of Recreation and Community Services, including Memorial Arena, Crystal Gardens, Royal Athletic Park, and McPherson Playhouse.

Victoria (B.C.). Recreation and Community Services Department
CoV-CR-0187 · Series · [ca. 1953-1979]
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of administrative records as well as reference and promotional material pertaining to civil defence and emergency protective services in Victoria.

Documents from 1943 to 1962 consist mainly of reference and promotional material such as pamphlets, periodicals, reports and books about civil defence planning, first aid, communications, fallout shelters, emergency feeding, nuclear warfare and related topics, as well as some 40 posters pertaining to civil defence awareness. The administrative records range mainly from 1964 to 1979. Also included are Civil Defence headquarters blueprints, general signage, first-aid station log, and exercise alert signage.

In 1974 the name of the agency changed from the Victoria Civil Defence Control Board to the Victoria Emergency Program.

Victoria (B.C.). Victoria Emergency Program
Land journal
CoV-CR-0191 · Series · 1926-1951
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of a daily record of money received for rent and sales of City properties.

Victoria (B.C.). Land Department
CoV-CR-0200 · Series · 1952-1977
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of records pertaining to the regulation and supervision of wrestling and boxing matches in Victoria.

Includes wrestlers' licences (1973-1977), correspondence with City Council (1953-1976), general correspondence (1953-1976), investment receipts and statements ([ca. 1973-1976]), journal (1954-1976), minutes (1954-1975), programs (1959), and rules and regulations (1952-1972).
See bylaw 3723

Victoria (B.C.). Athletic Commission
CoV-CR-0212 · Series · 1951-1970
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of records created as a result of the City of Victoria's participation in the Capital Region Planning Board.

This board was constituted in 1951 under Provincial legislation and served as an advisory board for regional planning until its functions were taken over by the Capital Regional District in the late 1960s.

The records include correspondence, memoranda, and reports pertaining to City planning, historical buildings, transportation, statistics, urban renewal, subdivisions and urban sprawl, street numbers and names, and parks.

Capital Region Planning Board of British Columbia
CoV-CR-0215 · Series · 1951-1963
Part of City of Victoria fonds

Series consists of bylaws, notices to residents, correspondence, newspaper advertisements, and reports from the City Engineer and City Assessor regarding proposed local improvements such as sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and crossings.

All that remains of this series are the files for streets in the F-G alphabetical range. Specific streets included are Foul Bay, Frances, Gamma and Delta, Garden, Gladstone, Glasgow, and Gonzales

Victoria (B.C.). City Clerk's Office