REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FORESTS 148 



that is subject to the jurisdiction of tlie Province. The railway 

 authorities have voluntarily co-operated to a considerable extent in 

 preventing fire damage, but it is believed that this situation should be 

 definitely taken in hand through legislation, as in the other Provinces. 



Quebec. — In Quebec, this matter has been handled through the 

 issuance by the Provincial Public Utilities Commission of an Order 

 almost identical with Order 16,570 of the Board of Railway Commis- 

 sioners. 



Ontario. — The situation in Ontario appears to be satisfactorily 

 provided for through a provincial act authorizing the placing of fire 

 rangers along the railway lines and charging the expense to the compan- 

 ies concerned. 



Prairie Provinces. — In Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, very 

 nearly all lines are subject to the jurisdiction of the Board. 



British Columbia. — In British Columbia, the situation is covered 

 by the Provincial Forest Act of 191 2, which gives to the Minister of 

 Lands ample discretionary authority as to railway fire protection. 



The situation as to provincially chartered lines is really not so 

 serious as might at first appear, since the mileage of such lines not 

 subject to the Railway Commission comprises but a very small percent- 

 age of the total railway mileage of Canada. However, the matter 

 deserves further attention in some of the Provinces. 



Brush Disposal 



There has been much discussion as to the disposal of brush from 

 lumbering operations, but comparatively little definite action has yet 

 been taken in Canada, except on paper. The slash menace is un- 

 doubtedly the most serious problem in connection with efficient fire 

 protection. 



In meeting this problem, the newly-established forest policy of 

 British Columbia is the most progressive in Canada, since full discre- 

 tionary authority is given the Minister of Lands in prescribing the 

 measures to be taken, and efficient enforcement is provided through 

 the organization of a fully-equipped Forest Branch. 



In the issuance of all future licenses and in the renewal of the 

 existing licenses, the Dominion and Provincial Govenmients should, 

 in addition to seeing that reproduction is assured, take more fully into 

 consideration the prevention of fires through proper brush disposal. 

 In many cases, the present difficulty is not so much a lack of legislation 

 or regulations as of suitable administrative machinery on the ground 



