194 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



In regard to the sub-division of land for building purposes in 

 unorganized territory, there has been great laxity of proper regula- 

 tion in the past in Canada. Land and railway corporations have 

 been left too much to themselves as to the method of locating and 

 laying out townsites. Legislation, in the form of planning and 

 development acts, as hereinafter described, is needed to enable the pro- 

 vincial governments to deal with this matter in a uniform way in 

 both organized and unorganized territory. 



Organized Territory — Provincial Administration of Local 



Government 



In organized territory, where the machinery of municipal govern- 

 ment has been set up, the objects to be achieved, in regard to land 

 open for new settlement, or land which is in such a condition that it 

 is desirable that it should be re-settled, are precisely the same as in 

 unorganized territory. But the methods have to be different, be- 

 cause two governing authorities have jurisdiction instead of one. 

 A municipality has no control over Crown lands and, being the crea- 

 ture of the province, it is circumscribed in its legislative power; but 

 in Canada it has very wide local powers, both as a legislative and 

 administrative body. 



In each of the provinces there is some kind of provincial ma- 

 chinery to deal with local government. In some cases the adminis- 

 tration of local affairs is spread over a number of departments, but 

 in one or two provinces attempts have been made to obtain concen- 

 tration and uniformity of administration. There are departments of 

 municipal affairs in three provinces and a local government board 

 in Saskatchewan. It cannot be said, however, that any province in 

 Canada has a fully equipped municipal or local government depart- 

 ment in the sense that prevails, for instance, in Great Britain. The 

 need for such a department has often been urged as a means of secur- 

 ing greater uniformity and improved administration of municipal 

 finance.* It is equally needed as a means of enabling more effective 

 control to be exercised over the planning and development of land. 



*The following resolution was passed at the First National Conference of the 

 Civic Improvement League of Canada, held in Ottawa in January, 1916; and num- 

 erous other organizations in Canada, including the Associated Boards of Trade, 

 have adopted similar resolutions: 



" It is hereby resolved to recommend each provincial government to create a 

 Department of Municipal Affairs, whereby the best expert advice will be placed 

 at the disposal of the municipalities and proper control will be secured over muni- 

 cipal finance, and in view of the great need for uniformity in sanitary and town 

 planning administration and the exercise of economy in regard to municipal business, 

 we urge the desirability of early steps being taken to have such a Department created 

 in each province." 



