Directory

Of

Municipal Archives

In

Ontario

Archives Association of Ontario

Archives Association of Ontario

Board of Directors, 2001-2002 President Michael Moir City of Toronto Archives Vice President/President Elect Loryl MacDonald University of Toronto Archives Secretary Lynne Prunskus Brock University James A. Gibson Library Treasurer Trevor Banks Health Canada

Advisory Services Theresa Regnier University of Western Ontario J.J. Talman Regional Collection Communications Ryan Carpenter Archives of Ontario Institutional Development Dan Zelenyj City of Vaughan Archives Preservation Linda Chakmak Municipal Archives - Windsor Public Library Professional Development Paul J. Henry

AAO Support Office Coordinator Marianne Henskens Archives Advisor Tom Belton

ARCHEION Coordinator (Acting) Philippa Cummings Preservation Consultant Iona McCraith

Municipal Archives Interest Group Brian Masschaele, Chair Elgin County Archives

Directory

Of

Municipal Archives

In

Ontario

Edited by G. Mark Walsh

Archives Association of Ontario

Table of Contents

Preface Forward Introduction Background The Value of a Municipal Archival Program Restructuring and Municipal Archives The Municipal Act and Municipal Archives Elements of Municipal Archives

Legislated Mandate Reporting Structure Separate Budget Qualified Staff Appropriate Facilities Public Access Records Management Program Professional Archival Practices

Starting or Choosing a Municipal Archival Program Municipal Administration Public Libraries Community Museums University Archives Local Historical Societies Summary Further Assistance Select Bibliography Contacts and Resources Directory Entries Using the Entries Entries Index Appendix I: Extracts from Relevant Legislation Appendix II: Sample Municipal Archives Documents Appendix III: List of Archives of Ontario Local Government Records by Municipality

Preface This publication seeks to accomplish two tasks. First, it sets out the requirements for the delivery of professional archival services for Ontario municipalities. Second, it provides a directory of those institutions across the province that deliver all or some of these services. Every effort has been made to produce as comprehensive a directory as possible. Any errors or omissions are not intentional. The project was undertaken initially by Municipal Archives Interest Group (MAIG) member Bruce Beacock of the Simcoe County Archives. Bruce is to be congratulated for getting the Directory moving, and the work that he put into the project is reflected in many of the entries for institutions and Appendix III (List of Archives of Ontario Local Government Records by Municipality). Thanks must go to the AAO Board Member responsible for Advisory Services, Theresa Regnier, for all of her efforts in overseeing the development of a contract for the project. Illustrations have been provided courtesy of the City of Thunder Bay Archives, Elgin County Archives, Municipal Archives-Windsor Public Library, Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives, Prince Edward County Archives and Queen’s University Archives. Iona McCraith, the AAO Preservation Consultant, kindly reviewed the draft to ensure that preservation concerns were properly addressed. Of particular note is the support and advice given to the Consultant by the AAO Archives Advisor, Tom Belton, and MAIG Chair, Brian Masschaele of the Elgin County Archives – for which they have my gratitude. Finally, a lot of appreciation goes to Adele Reichler-Walsh for proof reading, editorial advice and support. G. Mark Walsh, Consultant Ingersoll, Ontario

Forward On behalf of the Municipal Archives Interest Group (MAIG) of the Archives Association of Ontario, I am pleased to bring you this directory. MAIG represents municipal archivists, institutions and individuals interested in the preservation and use of municipal and other community based records in Ontario. Among our many goals is to bring together municipal archives and provide professional mentoring in the development of new and emerging municipal archives in the province. This publication has two primary objectives: First, it aims to provide directory information on municipal archival programs as a means of increasing communication among these programs. Secondly, it exists as an advocacy tool in the development of further programs by providing guidance on matters such as the legislative context of municipal archives, models of governance and elements of a sound program. Our hope is that this will not be a static document. New entries are our best sign that we are achieving our goal of a viable network of municipal archives in the province. Ontario’s municipalities have a rich recorded heritage. Local governments create records that are extremely important to every day life, documenting matters such as land-use planning, environmentalism, infrastructure development and the lives of citizens in the community. A municipal archival program developed according to the guidelines established in this publication is the best way to ensure that these records are systematically preserved and made available, both to the municipality and the general public. We encourage you to contact any of the programs listed in this publication. It has been our pleasure to make these pages available to you. Sincerely, Brian Masschaele, Chair Municipal Archives Interest Group archivist@elgin-county.on.ca

Introduction Background

The activities of a country furnish material of perpetual interest to the student of human affairs. Through this material, centuries long old and grey, return again fresh in the vigour of youth; through this record are reflected as in a mirror past hopes and aspirations, past glory and defeat. Of all national assets, archives are the most precious; they are the gifts of one generation to another and the extent of our care of them marks the extent of our civilization. Each day that passes is a triumph for an archive, for each day some mere scrap of paper permits justice to prevail. And yet while so much of our happiness and safety as individuals, and as a people, is inseparable from archives, the average man bestows little thought either upon their commercial or historical value. Serious minded people often question the wisdom of preserving records, and the fiat is issued for their destruction. Nor is this altogether surprising. For twenty years or more, perchance, no one has required them. Why should they be kept? As a rule the papers of a given generation are seldom required after their reception and primary use; but when all personal touch with that period has ceased, then these records assume a startling importance, for they replace hands that have vanished and lips that are sealed. (Arthur G. Doughty, The Canadian Archives and its Activities, King’s Printer, Ottawa, 1924, pp. 5-6) Some twenty-two years before Dominion Archivist Sir Arthur Doughty published The Canadian Archives and its Activities there was concern about what should be done in Ontario to collect, preserve and make accessible the documentary heritage of the province. While the primary focus in 1902 was the establishment of the Archives of Ontario (accomplished one year later), members of the Ontario Historical Society were also concerned that “Especially pressing…was the need to preserve ‘early municipal records, records of township meetings, rolls of early inhabitants, etc’…”1 One hundred years later the acquisition, arrangement and description, preservation and accessibility of archival quality municipal records in Ontario are still concerns. Ontario’s municipal governments – villages, townships, towns, cities, counties, regional municipalities, counties, districts and band councils – operate in a complex environment. It is the only level of government where the governing body – i.e. the Council – may be addressed directly by concerned citizens while in session.

1 Donald MacLeod, “‘Quaint Specimens of the Early Days’: Priorities in Collecting the Ontario Archival Record, 1872-1935”, Archivaria Number 22, Summer 1986, p.22

Local government is responsible for the collection, storage, retrieval and use of many different forms of information on residents. Municipalities are bound by legislation such as the Municipal Act and Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act that apply directly to local government records – and further legislation like the Assessment Act, Registry Act and Vital Statistics Act pertaining to areas of information collection and use by municipalities mandated by the provincial government. Although terms of access to local government recorded information are prescribed by these laws, many Ontario municipalities have not sought the proven benefits of an archival program. There are almost as many reasons given for not developing local government archival programs as there are municipalities in Ontario. Reductions in financial and human resources and like reasons are commonly given. The one outstanding cause remains a fundamental lack of understanding of the value of archival programs for Ontario municipalities. The Value of Municipal Archival Programs Working successfully in today’s public sector requires timely and efficient access to a wide range of information. In order to gain that access and use the information effectively, it has to be managed. Archival programs have been viewed in some local government as a cultural add-on, a program that allows the public to look at historical documents of little value beyond a glimpse into the past. While there most assuredly is a cultural aspect to the value of a municipal archival program, archives also provide a valuable management tool. “Information Management” is a term that has been applied almost exclusively to Information Technology – electronic information creation, processing, storage and use. And yet, information is information, regardless of format. Managing municipal recorded information means looking after those records that – for their legal, fiscal, administrative and historical value – are deemed worthy of permanent preservation. In other words, in order to completely manage all recorded information, municipalities must manage their archival records. The “startling importance” that Sir Arthur Doughty attributed to archives when personal contact has ceased with a time period or generation increases significantly by the fact that the issues and concerns associated with municipal administration and management do not necessarily change with the passing of a given generation. When the “hands that have vanished and lips that are sealed” are represented by the archival record, a municipality’s documentary heritage may be the only means of resolving complex and immediate concerns.2

2 For a discussion on some very practical applications of information found in municipal archival records, see G. Mark Walsh, "Tunnels, cholera and sewers - archives anyone?" Municipal World, Vol. 103 No.12, December 1993, pp. 18-19.

Some of the strongest arguments for introducing and maintaining a program of records management for municipalities are space and equipment savings, improved efficiency and ease of retrieval of information. Yet the fact that there are legal obligations and long-term information needs with regards to archival materials is often overlooked. Combining the efficiencies of records management with the value of archives can give local government a more complete program of recorded information management. In short, the greatest single value of archival programming for Ontario municipalities is a complete and comprehensive approach to managing their information – all of it. Restructuring and Municipal Archives Although it is true that a municipal archival program is of great value in managing recorded information, it has other values as well, including the preservation of cultural materials and the historical identity of communities no longer officially in existence. Restructuring and amalgamations have made many smaller communities part of a larger municipality. Community identity endures, however, and the archival record of antecedent communities assumes, again in Sir Arthur Doughty’s words, a “startling importance” as the former municipalities’ archives may be the only evidence of community history and development. “New” municipalities continue to be responsible for the preservation and accessibility of the archival records of antecedent local government.3 The value of these materials will not decrease. In fact, as development and redevelopment takes place, understanding land use, policy and the history of areas subsumed into new municipalities will actually increase the value of local government archival materials in restructured municipalities. The Municipal Act and Municipal Archives In the Municipal Act (RSO 2001, c. 25), Section 228 pertains to the duties of the Municipal Clerk. The duties in relation to access to local government records are made clear in Section 253(1), wherein the Clerk must maintain and provide public access "at all reasonable times" to minutes, by-laws, books, records and accounts of Council. In antecedent legislation, there was provision that "the Archivist of Ontario and a municipal council may agree that any document of the municipality may be transferred to and kept by the Archivist." (This in reality was not an option – the Archives of Ontario had, for some time, not accepted municipal archival records.) Amendments to the Municipal Act - the legislation to be implemented on January 1st, 2003 - have removed references to the Archivist of Ontario and inserted provisions for the preservation and maintenance of records locally in an archives.

3 For a discussion on this subject, see Brian Masschaele, “Archival records and restructuring”, Municipal World, Vol. 111 No. 3, pp. 15-18.

The importance of planning and development of programs for municipal archives is significantly increased by Section 254(1), reading as follows:

254. (1) A municipality shall retain and preserve the records of the municipality and its local boards in a secure and accessible manner and, if a local board is a local board of more than one municipality, the affected municipalities are jointly responsible for complying with this subsection. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (1). The logic of an archival program for individual Ontario municipalities would seem to be compelling in relation to this requirement. By the terms of this legislation, however, Ontario municipalities may designate an “archivist”4 to function as its archives. This designation may be a “local, regional or university archives” empowered by terms of an agreement to act as the official repository for a given municipality (RSO 2001, c. 25, s. 254[3]).5 It is interesting to note what this section does not say. The possibility of depositing original archival materials in the Archives of Ontario is no longer an option in the new legislation. Section 254(7) confirms municipal ownership of recorded information for the purposes of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, meaning Ontario municipalities will continue to be responsible for ensuring that the provisions of that legislation are met, regardless of whether or not the records in question are physically in a municipality’s custody. It does not make provision for designating a library or museum as the municipality’s “archivist”. Specific reference to a “local, regional or university archives” by inference means that for the designation to be in compliance with the Act, Ontario municipalities must be dealing with an established archival institution. Libraries and museums that simply hold archival materials may or may not qualify. In order to clarify exactly which institutions may be considered to be archival in nature, there is a need to present well-defined criteria for official or designated municipal archives. Elements of Municipal Archives6 In order to determine just what the requirements or criteria are for municipal archival institutions, it is necessary to examine the following areas: Legislated Mandate

Reporting Structure

4 The term “Archivist” in the former Municipal Act was used to mean the Archivist of Ontario. In the impending legislation it is interpreted as outlined below. 5 See Appendix I for extracts from this act and other related legislation. 6 Elements in this section are drawn in part from the AAO Archives Advisor’s Notebook. The documents comprising the Notebook are available at www.aao.fis.utoronto.ca/aa/notebook.html and concern the development of community archives. The AAO is also drawing up institutional standards.

Separate Budget

Qualified Staff

Appropriate Facilities

Public Access

Records Management Program

Professional Archival Practices

Legislated Mandate There are two vehicles for mandating municipal archives programs. The first is a resolution of Council. This mechanism holds the force of law with municipal ordinances. The second is a by-law, which is very useful where the duties of the municipality’s archives and archivist are outlined. 7 A legislated mandate becomes all the more important under the new Municipal Act where an existing archives is being designated as the official repository for a municipality. The resolution or by-law names the archives as being responsible for the acquisition, processing, preservation and accessibility of all records of the municipality, its boards and commissions8 appraised as being of permanent value. It further instructs all elected and appointed officials of the municipality not to remove archival records or deposit them in another repository. It may refer to existing by-laws for the retention of municipal recorded information, citing those that indicate the final disposition of records series as “archival” or directing “transfer to archives” as the authority for materials held in its official archives. In the case of a designated “local, regional or university archives” being used as the municipality’s repository, the Council resolution or by-law will also execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with that institution, outlining the responsibilities of both parties. Reporting Structure In order for a municipal archival program to be successful, it must be positioned within the Administration in such a way as to have direct access to department heads and Council. In most cases where a municipality operates its own archives, this will mean reporting through the Clerk as the official with major responsibilities for records keeping. If the archival program is buried beneath layers of organizational structure, its efficiency will be severely compromised.

7 See Appendix II for sample County of Elgin Archives By-Law. 8 The most notable exceptions for municipal boards are Police Services Boards, which will require separate arrangements for their archival materials. A similar process can be followed with a motion of the Board and if necessary, a separate MOA.

Where an archival facility has been designated as the municipality’s repository, it is necessary to ensure that there is a connection at the appropriate level to the Administration and Council. Further, the municipality should receive periodic information – an annual report at the very least – on the progress, status and use of its archival materials. The question of placement of the program and reporting structure in a designated archival facility becomes one of great significance. A municipality needs to ensure that its designated “archivist” is not at so low a level within the organization that those actually providing the archival services cannot speak with authority on meeting the terms of the MOA. Separate Budget A municipal archival facility, whether operated by local government itself or designated to provide services, must have a degree of separation and autonomy. Decisions regarding acquisitions cannot be implemented, for example, if there is no funding available. A municipality may have an extremely well-developed set of retention by-laws, directing that records of permanent value be transferred to its archives, but without a financial commitment there cannot be a successful archival program. The necessity of a separate budget for archival activities is dramatically increased with the use of a designated facility. A “local, regional or university archives” working with local government must be responsible for documenting that the terms of the MOA have been met. If, for example, a local library or museum with an archival program does not maintain a separate budget for the municipality’s archival services, it is entirely possible in times of financial retrenchment that the municipal archives will suffer. In one form or another, municipalities will pay for archival services. It only makes sense to ensure that the costs for delivery of these services – either internally or by a designated institution – can be documented. Qualified Staff Appraising records for their value, deciding what merits permanent preservation and what may be discarded are activities that dramatically affect the availability of local governments’ documentary heritage. Understanding how the information contained in archival records may be used – for the benefit of the municipality and the researching public – is vital to the success of an archival program. Clearly, acquiring the archival records of Ontario’s municipalities, taking appropriate measures for their preservation and making the materials accessible requires a definite education, background and skill set.9 9 The AAO is developing documentation on “Professional Knowledge Requirements for Archivists in Ontario.” The draft document is available on the AAO website.

Ontario has a variety of educational opportunities for archivists. These range from the Post Appointment Training Program offered by the Archives Association of Ontario10 to Archival Administration courses in graduate History and Library Science studies through to a full Master of Archival Studies (MAS). Those responsible for municipal archival programs should have completed one of these programs. The importance of qualified staff increases when a municipality has a designated archival facility. Neither museum curators nor librarians are archivists, and although they will have similar skills, their approach to materials differs radically from those trained in archival principles and practices. It is incumbent upon Ontario’s municipalities to ensure that the staff responsible for their archives are qualified. In the same way that a municipal clerk usually holds the AMCTO designation or those leading public works departments have a P.Eng certification, so too must those making decisions on and working in municipal archives have appropriate qualifications. Appropriate Facilities Following the development of a legislated mandate, placing the archives in a sound reporting position, securing a separate budget and qualified staff, attention should then be turned towards creating a proper facility to manage the municipality’s records. Preservation should always have top priority in archival facility planning. Preservation is the basis upon which all other archival functions flow. There is no point in acquiring, arranging and describing records if they are allowed to deteriorate. Central to preserving municipal archival records is creating a stable environment for their storage. Ideal conditions for maintaining largely textual records are 18 to 20 degrees Celsius and 40 to 45 per cent relative humidity. Photographs and audiovisual records require even cooler and drier conditions. Stability in these conditions is even more important. Conditions should be monitored on a regular basis using instrumentation such as a thermohygrograph.11 The facility should also be secured against potential disasters and theft. Priority should be given to creating a suitable storage environment above all other facility and programming issues, whether it be through a full environmental control system or simply through vigilant control of the thermostat along with use of a humidifier/dehumidifier (depending upon the season).

In addition to paying attention to the preservation requirements of an archival facility, there is a need to ensure that space has been allocated for separate research and storage areas. Shelving is required that can bear the load of heavy records (a single one cubic foot box full of records can weigh up to forty pounds). Consideration will also have to be given to the unique storage requirements of certain types of municipal records. (E.g.

10 The AAO offers both Core and Advanced workshops in this program, intended to provide archivists already in the field with the skills necessary to operate a professional archival program. 11 Information about the AAO’s complimentary Thermohygrograph Loan Program and Preservation Consultant services are available on the AAO website.

architectural plans filed in Building Department records can be stored either flat or rolled but are safer flat in map cabinets.) The “stack area” for storage needs to be closed – in other words only archives staff may have access to it. An open storage area is an invitation to theft or loss and more importantly, can lead to a violation of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act if inappropriate access is given to sensitive information or materials containing personal information. Secure storage for the preservation of a municipality’s archives is not optional – Section 254(7) of the Municipal Act mandates this under “Duties of Archivist.”

Archives stack area, Municipal Archives-Windsor Public Library (Courtesy MAWPL)

An archives “reading room” is essential for monitored public access to municipal records. It allows the researching public to comfortably examine records in conducting research. Typically containing tables and comfortable chairs, the reading room may also have specialized equipment from microfilm readers to computer terminals, depending on the nature of materials held by the archives.

It is also useful to have a work area and office space where staff may undertake both the processing (arrangement and description) of archival materials and routine office functions.

A thorough examination of the facilities offered by institutions being considered for designation as the municipality’s archives is essential for appropriate preservation and accessibility of local government archival materials. While a local museum will have a strong understanding of preservation requirements, it may not have a reading room.

Similarly, local libraries provide services in access to information on a daily basis, but may not have a facility that meets preservation requirements. Both are required to operate an archival facility.

Reading Room, Prince Edward County Archives (Courtesy PECA) Public Access The legislated requirement to provide public access "at all reasonable times" from the Municipal Act is further reinforced by the terms of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Beyond these two pieces of legislation, there is the notion that access to information created, received and used by any level of government is a fundamental principle of democracy. One author has written, The circumstances of access….to records of local governments defy any orderly description. Few local governments have official archives, and

it is a question how many support the people’s right to know. This democratic principle…and the fact that local governments are responsible for taxation, utilities….and other matters affecting the daily

lives of citizens makes for the observance of the legal concept of “public records”…12

Local government public records are public property in the same manner as public works, recreation centres and any other project or program developed from the municipal tax base.

Conducting research in a Reading Room (Courtesy City of Thunder Bay Archives)

Public Records are public property, owned by the people in the same sense that the citizens own their own courthouse or town hall, sidewalks and streets, funds in the treasury. They are held in trust for the citizens by custodians.... As public property, public records may no more be altered, defaced, mutilated or removed from public custody than public funds may be embezzled or misappropriated. Indeed, because records document the conduct of the public's business - including the protection of rights, privileges and property of individual citizens - they constitute a species of public property of a higher value than buildings, equipment and even money, all of which usually can be replaced by the simple

12 Philip C. Brooks, Research in Archives: The Use of Unpublished Primary Sources, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago, 1969, pp. 63-64.

resort to additional taxes. It is the unique value and irreplaceable nature of records that given them a sanctity uncharacteristic of other kinds of property and that account for the emergence of common-law principles governing their protection.13

In order to meet these principles, Ontario municipalities need to develop archival programming that balances access with privacy. In this area, there is no differentiation between current and historical recorded information. The question of public access to a municipality’s archival records is one of the strongest arguments for a well-developed archival program, and combines many of the points discussed above together. Preservation is always for the purpose of eventual access, even if a period of closure must be observed. Municipal archives staff need qualifications - a sufficient background in archival principles and practices in order to determine if the records in question are subject to regulatory requirements. Finally, the inclusion of the reading room component in municipal archival facilities referred to above gives the physical possibility of providing secure access to historical records – another requirement under Section 254(7) of the Municipal Act (“Duties of Archivist”). Records Management Program The overall management of recorded information – often referred to as records management – requires that all information, regardless of format or final disposition be looked after. The lack of inclusion of archival materials in municipal records management programs often leads to a net loss of information. Simply put, to manage information in a comprehensive fashion, there must be an archival component in records management programming. The most successful local government records management programs are in fact operated by municipal archives.14 This is the most effective method of ensuring the seamless delivery of recorded information management services – from the creation of the record through to its ultimate disposition. The disposition of all municipal records falls into one of two categories. Either the record will ultimately be destroyed or maintained permanently. Permanent retention of records is undertaken by all Ontario municipalities – so that all municipalities have a collection of archival quality records whether or not they operate a program to service these records. It is interesting to note that the Municipal Act sets out the requirements for retention and disposal schedules (Section 255) immediately after dealing with the preservation and access of archival materials (Section 254). This is the only mechanism for the destruction of municipal records of limited value. Scheduling the disposition of recorded information is an important aspect of any records management program.

13 H.G. Jones, Local Government Records: An Introduction to Their Preservation, Management and Use (Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History, 1980), pp. 23-24 14 Good examples of municipal archives with responsibility for records management and archival programming are the Cities of Thunder Bay and Toronto.

The regulations of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act further require the use of retention by-laws for the disposal of personal information, as the following sections indicate: 3.(3) Every head shall ensure that reasonable measures to protect the records in his or her institution from inadvertent destruction or damage are defined, documented and put in place, taking into account the nature of the records to be protected. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 823, s. 3. 5. Personal information that has been used by an institution shall be retained by the institution for the shorter of one year after use or the period set out in a by-law or resolution made by the institution or made by another institution affecting the institution, unless the individual to whom the information relates consents to its earlier disposal. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 823, s. 5. In other words, all destruction of municipal recorded information must be authorized. It makes little sense to think that the permanent retention of archival materials should not be subject to the same considerations. Records management, through the scheduling process, identifies those records series that are of permanent value – in other words the municipality’s archival records – as well as those of limited value that are authorized for eventual destruction. Records management is valuable to archival endeavours by getting rid of voluminous information of limited value. Archives are valuable to records management activities through the management of permanent records – making for a complete, comprehensive and effective program of municipal recorded information management. Take away either component and municipal recorded information management is less complete, not comprehensive and less effective. There is nothing in the impending Municipal Act that would preclude the inclusion of records management services in the MOA with a designated archives. Where archival and records management programming are separated, careful coordination of activities is required to achieve the full benefit of both areas. It is strongly suggested that, where these activities are separated, the head of a municipality’s archives review and sign off on records schedules. In this way, municipalities can ensure that the preservation and accessibility of their archival records is safeguarded.

Records Centre, City of Thunder Bay Archives (Courtesy City of Thunder Bay

Archives). Professional Archival Practices The success or failure of a municipal archival program goes well beyond meeting legislated requirements. In addition to the elements listed above, a good municipal archives will undertake to meet or exceed professional standards as defined by the Archives Association of Ontario, Association of Canadian Archivists, Bureau of Canadian Archivists and Canadian Council of Archives. Professional practices start with professional ethics. Archivists have access to information that is sensitive, and it is incumbent upon members of the profession that they not profit personally from those materials under their custody. The Association of Canadian Archivists has developed a “Code of Ethics for Canadian Archivists” that lays out the framework for professional conduct. Municipal archives, whether internally operated or a designated institution, need an official statement endorsing the Code as their standard. Related to legislated mandates is a more detailed document – the archives Mission Statement. Simply put, this document details what the archives does and why it does it. Immediately following upon the Mission Statement is an Acquisition Strategy. The Acquisition Strategy sets out what the archives will acquire, and takes into account the disposition of other materials that may be found in collections (principally library materials and museum artifacts). The Mission Statement and Acquisition Strategy take together actually limit the activities of the archives to a given area. When dealing with designated institutions, municipalities will want to examine existing Missions Statements and Acquisition Strategies in order to determine whether or not the designated facility has the means of meeting these goals.

The most basic activity in archives is the arrangement and description of holdings. Professional practice demands that archival institutions follow the established principles such as provenance, respect des fonds and that external order is not imposed upon archival materials. That means that library or museum cataloguing techniques must not be employed in the arrangement and description of archival materials. In addition to following the principles mentioned above, archival institutions need to develop a program of descriptive standards. The recommended practice currently is to follow the Rules for Archival Description (RAD) developed by the Bureau of Canadian Archivists. When consistent description of archival materials is undertaken, the possibility of using information technology for enhanced access is increased dramatically. The Municipal Act calls for physical control over local government archival materials for their secure preservation. By inference it calls for the kind of intellectual control over these materials afforded by descriptive standards for the sake of accessibility. Successful municipal archives also provide leadership and initiative in the use of the information under their custody. This area ranges from ensuring that offices in municipal administration are aware of pertinent information on current and timely issues to promoting research in the institution’s holdings. It means appraising the information in archival materials for research value and connecting potential users to documentation – both inside and beyond the municipality. Like any profession, archivists need contact with their colleagues and related disciplines to stay abreast of developments, skills and techniques. Professional practice in archives is enhanced through participation in professional organizations. These practices come from the body of professional knowledge required to be an archivist and are essential for the successful operation of municipal archival programs in Ontario. Starting or Choosing a Municipal Archival Program Based on the elements given above, there are several different models of operating a municipal archival program in Ontario. Regardless of the approach, all elements outlined above should be incorporated into the program. The soundest approach is to operate the archives within the civic administration, for instance reporting to the municipal clerk. That means passing a Council resolution or by-law with the archives appropriately placed within the administration. The archives has a separate budget, qualified staff, appropriate facilities, provides public access to materials, operates a records management program and follows the professional practices outlined. Setting up a new program within the administration allows for the most complete control over municipal archives. It recognizes the value of public records as public property, operated and maintained by local government itself.

Where this is not possible, meeting all of the requirements set out under the “Elements” section can be achieved by designating archives within public libraries and municipally-funded community museums. University archives and those operated by local historical societies usually do not have the same connection to a municipality as public libraries and community museums – which are most often governed by a local board with Council appointees. Those museum, university and local historical society archival programs presently operated across Ontario provide the services associated with acquisition, preservation and accessibility of municipal archival materials, but frequently do not provide records management services. University and local historical societies archives are not necessarily connected to the municipalities served in a formal reporting structure. If the option of designating an “archivist” outside of the civic administration is selected according to the Municipal Act, municipalities undertaking this avenue of preserving and making accessible their archival records will have to give careful consideration to the services to be included in the Memorandum of Agreement. Details below give examples of municipal archival programs developed under the different model structures. Municipal Administration The City of Thunder Bay Archives is a good example of a municipal archival program inside the administration. That municipality has access to its documentary heritage but heritage and management are not seen as mutually exclusive areas of endeavours. Recorded information management is seamless, with historical documentation and records management under one roof. Qualified staff preserve and make accessible archival materials in appropriate facilities using professional practice. The City of Toronto Archives also operates a full service program. Similarly, for upper tier municipalities the Simcoe County Archives is a good example of programs that meet the requirements of a full municipal archival program. Toronto and Thunder Bay are examples of programs reporting through Corporate Services or City Clerk’s Departments. Other municipalities have a different reporting structure, but still within civic administration. The City of Ottawa Archives, for example, reports through the Department of People Services (formerly Community Services). Archival programs for the Cities of Ottawa and Toronto are further examples of archival endeavours and municipal restructuring, serving a much larger geographic area and incorporating the archives of antecedent municipal governments.

City of Thunder Bay Archives signage (Courtesy City of Thunder Bay Archives).

Public Libraries Although a new program, the Elgin County Archives shows the benefits of legislated mandate and a reporting structure that gives the County Archivist direct access to Council. It has a separate budget for archival operations and is responsible for records management. A developing institution, it has qualified staff and is setting up the services that will allow public access – all based on professional archival practices. The Guelph Public Library Archives, also a relatively new formal program, is currently designing new facilities that will allow for improved preservation and access to its municipal archival holdings. It is also examining the Archives’ role in records management for that municipality. Most public library municipal archival programs have the strength of hiring qualified professional archivists. Public Libraries operate under the Public Libraries Act, with representation of Council appointees and a well-defined reporting structure – most evident through the municipal budget process.

Elgin County Archives, St. Thomas (Courtesy Elgin County Archives).

Community Museums The Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives (PCMA) provides most services except records management, typical of the community museum-municipal archives model. Similar programs are found for upper tier municipalities in Dufferin, Huron and Wellington Counties. In many examples of this type of institution, especially in smaller museums, archival programming tends to be added to the duties of the curator and the acquisition of municipal archival materials is melded into an overall museum collections policy. The PCMA, however, has a facility housed within the museum physically, with its own mission statement, acquisitions policy, budget and staff. It reports to Peterborough City Council through that municipality’s Heritage Committee, a body that includes Council members – so that there is a direct link to City Council in its reporting structure. Those community museums receiving funding from the Ontario Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation’s Community Museum Operating Grant Program will have a board of trustees that may or may not have Council appointees. Attention will have to be given in those instances where there is not municipal representation on the board in the MOA, in order to ensure that there is a reporting mechanism.

Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives (Courtesy PCMA)

University Archives At present, there are principally four university archives that have collected municipal archival materials – Brock University, Queen’s University, Trent University and the University of Western Ontario.

Queen’s University Archives (Courtesy Queen’s University Archives)

Of these three institutions, Queen’s University Archives is alone in having an agreement with the former City of Kingston to acquire, preserve and make accessible the archival records of that municipality. Both Brock University Archives and the J. J. Talman

Regional Collection at the University of Western Ontario Archives have had informal arrangements with upper and lower tiered municipalities in their geographic areas. Although Queen’s University Archives did not provide records management services to the former City of Kingston, they did receive materials in accordance with records schedules through retention by-laws. For the Brock University Archives and Western’s Talman Regional Collection, acquisitions at present are not as systematic. Trent is no longer actively collecting municipal records. Queen’s University Archives is a good example of a designated university archival facility working with a municipality through a Memorandum of Agreement. Local Historical Societies One of the best examples of a municipal archival facility operated by a local historical society is the Prince Edward County Archives. The Prince Edward County Historical Society operates that county’s archival program based on an agreement that specifically designates it as the official archives. Further, the agreement includes reference to the retention by-law so that wherever the disposition is permanent retention for a given record series, the documentation must be deposited in the Prince Edward County Archives. This facility reports to Council through the Commissioner of Community Services.

Prince Edward County Archives (Courtesy PECA)

Like Queen’s University Archives, the Prince Edward County Archives is a good example of a designated local archives operating an archival program on a municipality’s behalf by means of an agreement. Summary A full range of archival services, including records management, is most often offered through those archives placed within municipal administration. Public library municipal archival facilities are capable of undertaking all services, and where records management services are not provided libraries are aware of the importance of the municipal archives-records management link. Community museums, university and local historical society archives are principally concerned with the preservation and accessibility of municipal archival materials.

(Courtesy Prince Edward County Archives)

Choice of a model for an archival program will vary with the information needs of particular municipalities. Where local government seeks to undertake the comprehensive management of recorded information, placement of the archival program within the administration is recommended. A second possibility combining archives and records management still within the municipality by virtue of local boards reporting structure is the public library-municipal archives model. Where a municipality is principally concerned with the preservation and accessibility of its archives, community museum, university or local historical society archival programs may be an option. By the terms of the Municipal Act local government can designate an existing “local, regional or university archives” as its official repository with an agreement. This option

should be exercised for any program that is not directly part of municipal administration. Library boards are local boards, and within the municipal budget process; they operate, however, independently of Council and the Administration. The same is true of municipally-funded museums that may have Council appointees on their boards. Unless placed directly within the municipal administration, they too operate independently at arms’ length. If a municipality chooses to start its own archival program, it is highly recommended that the requirements outlined in “Elements of a Municipal Archives” above be met. Such compliance also increases the likelihood that municipal or designated archival programs can take advantage of project grants offered by the Canadian Council of Archives through the Archives Association of Ontario. Meeting these requirements is all the more important if a designated facility is used. Municipalities wishing to start or designate an archival program should avail themselves of the Archives Association of Ontario’s Archives Advisor Program and Preservation Consultant – services available at no cost.

(Courtesy Prince Edward County Archives)

The preservation and accessibility of municipal archival records is not an option; it is a requirement of the Municipal Act. The extent to which municipal archival programs succeeds will be directly proportionate to the level of commitment given to them – in policy, financial resources, physical facilities and human resources - by Ontario’s municipalities. Only with that commitment can we again see “hands that have vanished” and hear “lips that are sealed.”

Further Assistance Select Bibliography Association of Canadian Archivists, Municipal Archives: Promoting Efficiency & Effectiveness, Ottawa, 2001. Kent Haworth, “Local Archives: Responsibilities and Challenges for Archivists”, Archivaria Number 3, Winter 1976/77, pp.28-39. H.G. Jones, Local Government Records: An Introduction to Their Preservation, Management and Use (Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History, 1980). Donald MacLeod, “‘Quaint Specimens of the Early Days’: Priorities in Collecting the Ontario Archival Record, 1872-1935”, Archivaria Number 22, Summer 1986, p.22 Brian Masschaele, “Archival records and restructuring”, Municipal World, Vol. 111 No. 3, pp. 15-18. New York Local Government Records Advisory Committee, The Quiet Revolution: Managing New York's Local Government Records in the Information Age, Albany, 1987. G. Mark Walsh, "Tunnels, cholera and sewers - archives anyone?" Municipal World, Vol. 103 No.12, December 1993, pp. 18-19. _____, "The Micro Approach: Municipal Records and Canadian Studies" Canadian Issues/Themes canadiens Vol. X No. 4, 1988, "Research Tools in Canadian Studies/Outils de recherche en etudes canadiens", pp. 65-74. _____, "Municipal Archives and Genealogy" In The Footsteps Of The Habitants (Proceedings of the 23rd Annual OGS Seminar) Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto, 1986, pp. 67-75. Contacts and Resources

Alliance of Libraries, Archives and Records Management (ALARM)

www.fis.utoronto.ca/people/affiliated/alarm/index.htm

The Alliance of Libraries, Archives and Records Management is an employer/employee forum with representatives from libraries, archives and records management organizations who are working to identify and act on shared human resource issues.

This cooperation is mutually beneficial as the skills needed, the forms of material handled, and the clients served increasingly overlap. ALARM gathers information on

workforce issues. Subsequently ALARM will develop a strategy for human resources development appropriate to the information resources management sector to serve as a catalyst for promoting training and life-long learning. This will contribute to improved qualifications in the labour force, and, the creation of better jobs. Archives Association of Ontario (AAO)

http://aao.fis.utoronto.ca By using the AAO website, the Archives Advisor and Preservation Consultant services can be accessed. Information will also be found there on the Post-Appointment Training Program offered by the AAO, the Annual AAO Conference, the AAO Listserve (maintained by the York University Archives, along with a discussion group on the Rules for Archival Description - RADMEMO) and the Municipal Archives Interest Group (MAIG). The AAO administers certain grant programs coordinated by the Canadian Council of Archives (CCA). Institutions holding memberships in the AAO for a period of one year or more are eligible to apply for CCA grants. Of note are discussions, papers and communications developed by the AAO on topics of interest to Ontario archives in general and municipal archivists in particular. One example is the ongoing development of institutional standards for archives in Ontario. The AAO newsletter, Off the Record, provides information and discussion. Archives of Ontario (AO) www.archives.gov.on.ca While no longer mandated by the Municipal Act to collect municipal archival records, the Archives of Ontario (AO) does have substantial holdings from municipalities across the province. Descriptions of these records can be accessed through the AO website, as can Vital Statistics documentation. The AO is also the lead agency for the Province of Ontario in Recorded Information Management (RIM). Information on this subject is available on the website. Although concerning provincial records, the information on RIM may be of value to local government and municipal archivists as a model program. A Senior Archivist is responsible for the municipal holdings in the AO. At present, the incumbent is Wayne Crockett, who can be reached at wayne.crocket@archives.gov.on.ca or by telephone at (416) 327-1528. The toll-free number for the AO is 1-800-668-9933.

Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) www.archivists.ca Established in 1975 and incorporated in 1978, the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) evolved from the Archives Section of the Canadian Historical Association (CHA). Today, based in Ottawa and with hundreds of members across the world, the ACA has a four-fold focus:

• Providing leadership for everyone engaged in the preservation of Canada's Documentary Heritage

• Encouraging awareness of archival activities and developments and the importance of archives to modern society

• Advocating the interests and needs of professional archivists before government and other regulatory agencies

• Communicating to further the understanding and cooperation amongst members of the Canadian archival system, and other information and culture based professions

Ongoing ACA activities include a bi-monthly newsletter (ACA Bulletin), a scholarly journal (Archivaria), a publications program for monographs and occasional papers, an archival education program, and an annual conference, meeting and workshops. The ACA has a formal constitution and produced the Code of Ethics for Canadian Archivists. Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) www.amcto.com The AMCTO will be useful for municipal archivists wishing to better understand the issues before local government administration and/or to pursue the educational offerings of this organization towards the AMCTO designation. Of particular note are the advice, committee work and courses offered by this association to members concerning municipal records management. Canadian Archival Listserv (ARCAN-L) The University of Alberta Archivist maintains a national Canadian archives listserv, ARCAN-L. Discussions on this forum range from routine matters to complicated and complex issues in the Canadian archival community. Subscribing to the list can be undertaken via e-mail to MAJORDOMO@UALBERTA.CA.

Canadian Archival Information Network (CAIN) and ARCHEION www.cain-rcia.ca http://archeion-aao.fis.utoronto.ca The CAIN Web site gives access to the holdings of most Canadian archival institutions. Under the CAIN system, each archival institution - containing the physical documents such as texts, maps, artwork and more - regularly produces descriptions of these documents and sends them to their Provincial network. Each Provincial/Territorial network and the National Archives then makes the descriptive records accessible through the CAIN national database. CAIN provides searchable access to these entries and links to over 800 participating institutions. ARCHEION, Ontario's Online Archival Information Network, provides access to the province's many and diverse archival holdings through a network of fonds level description. It provides researchers with a single portal to locate the holdings of participating repositories and view fonds level descriptions of those archival materials. ARCHEION is a fully searchable Web interface, introducing a new generation of users to archives.

Sponsored by the Archives Association of Ontario, ARCHEION represents the province's commitment to CAIN. Canadian Archival Resources on the Internet www.usask.ca/archives/menu.html The University of Saskatchewan Archives maintains extensive and well developed information on its website, “Canadian Archival Resources on the Internet.” Archival institutions with websites are listed alphabetically, by geographic region and by type of institution. In this latter category, many municipal archives’ websites can be accessed through this site. Canadian Council of Archives (CCA) www.cdncouncilarchives.ca Founded in 1985 as a result of federal-provincial efforts to encourage and facilitate the evolution of an archival system in Canada, the Canadian Council of Archives provides coordination within the system. Its tasks are to:

• identify national priorities;

• make recommendations as to the system's operation and financing;

• develop and facilitate the implementation and management of programs to assist the archival community;

• advise the National Archivist;

• promote better communications between the various components of the Canadian system; and

• communicate archival needs and concerns to decision-makers, researchers and the general public.

The CCA funds projects based on its priorities and objectives – in this province through the Archives Association of Ontario. Membership in the AAO for a period of one year is a prerequisite in applying for CCA grants. The AAO is represented on the CCA, giving Ontario’s input into the Canadian Archival System. Ontario participates in national archival initiatives through the AAO and CCA, such as the Canadian Archival Information Network (CAIN) and ARCHEION.

(Courtesy City of Thunder Bay Archives)

Directory

of

Municipal Archives

in

Ontario:

ENTRIES

Using the Entries The entries provided in this directory provide a range of information on different archival institutions with municipal records. For research purposes, readers need also consult Appendix III: List of Archives of Ontario Local Government Records by Municipality below in order to ensure that additional information on the locale in question is covered. This will be particularly important for antecedent communities that may have been annexed or amalgamated prior to 1985. The entries are intended to serve to facilitate communication between archival professionals, municipal administrators and the researching public. All entries have addresses and telephone numbers for institutions; most have e-mail addresses and website URLs.

(Courtesy Prince Edward County Archives)

“…so much of our happiness and safety as individuals, and as a people, is inseparable from archives …” (Arthur G. Doughty, The Canadian Archives and its Activities, King’s Printer, Ottawa, 1924, p. 5)

Archives of Ontario

Established 1903 Address: 77 Grenville Street, Unit 300 Toronto ON M5S 1B3 Contact: Wayne Crockett, Senior Archivist Municipal Records Telephone: (416) 327-1528, 1-800-668-9933 Facsimile: (416) 327-1999 E-Mail: wayne.crockett@archives.gov.on.ca Web Page: www.archives.gov.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:15 - 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Municipal records were largely acquired following the 1969-1974 series of municipal amalgamations in an effort to ensure preservation of threatened records. Generally, an agreement was reached for the transfer of historical records (pre-amalgamation) to the Archives of Ontario, with no ongoing commitment to acquire further records. The Archives is not currently acquiring municipal records Administration: Municipal Records is a subject area within the Archives of Ontario Municipal/ Culture/Human Rights Portfolio. The Senior Archivist reports through a Team Leader to the Archivist of Ontario. Services: Full reference and photocopying services; some microfilm copies of municipal records are available through interloan. Disabled Access: Yes The Archives of Ontario has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: See Appendix III – Archives of Ontario Local Government Records by Municipality

Arnprior & District Archives Established 1986 Address: 21 B Madawaska Street, Arnprior ON K7S 1R6 Contact: Laurie Dougherty, Archivist Telephone: (613) 623-0001 Facsimile: (613) 623-0001 E-Mail: ADArchives@hotmail.com Web Page: www.ADArchives.org Business Hours: Monday-Saturday, 13:00 - 15:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Arnprior and District Archives is the designated repository for those records identified as Apermanent@ under the respective records retention schedules of local municipalities (Town of Arnprior By-law No. 4852-2000; Township of McNab-Braeside By-law No. 99-21). Administration: The Arnprior and District Archives is administered by a volunteer Board of Management. Services: Research, photocopying, microfilm inter-institutional loan Disabled Access: Partial access; if necessary, records will be transported upstairs to the public library to accommodate disabled patrons. The Arnprior & District Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Arnprior; Township of McNab-Braeside Former: Township of McNab; Village of Braeside.

Bayfield Historical Society Archives Established 1977 Address: 20 Main Street North, Bayfield,ON Mailing Address: PO Box 161, Bayfield ON N0M 1G0 Contact: Elaine Sturgeon, Volunteer Archivist Business Hours: Wednesday, Saturday, 13:00 - 17:00 April 15 through December 01 only Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: There is no formal mandate established for the collection of municipal records. The Society Archives accepts records pertaining to the former Village of Bayfield and the former Townships of Stanley and Goderich, which are contiguous to the village. The former municipalities became wards of the Municipality of Bluewater under amalgamation which became effective January 01, 2001. Administration: The Bayfield Historical Society Archives Room is administered by the Executive of the Bayfield Historical Society. Services: Photocopying Disabled Access: Yes The Bayfield Historical Society Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Village of Bayfield; Township of Stanley

Brant County Museum & Archives

Established 1908 Address: 57 Charlotte Street, Brantford, ON N3T 2W6 Contact: Stacey McKellar, Director/Curator Telephone: (519) 752-2483 Facsimile: (519) 752-2483 E-Mail: bcma@bfree.on.ca Web Page: www.bfree.on.ca/comdir/musgal/bcma Business Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10:00-16:00, Saturday 13:00-16:00,

Sunday 13:00-16:00 (July & August only) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Mandated to collect Brantford and Brant County. Administration: The Brant Museum & Archives reports to the Board of Directors, Brant Historical Society. Services: Photocopying Disabled Access: Yes The Brant Museum & Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Brantford, County of Brant

Bruce County Museum & Archives

Established 1955 Address: 33 Victoria Street North Southampton, ON Mailing Address: P.O. Box 180 Southampton, ON N0H 2L0 Contact: Paul White, Archivist Telephone: (519) 797-2080 Facsimile: (519) 797-2191 E-Mail: paulwhite@brucecounty.on.ca Web Page: www.brucecounty.on.ca/museum/archives.htm Business Hours: Monday Friday 9:00 – 17:00, Saturday 10:00 – 17:00, Sunday 13:00 – 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Under review due to restructuring. Municipal records dealing with some of the townships within the County, Bruce, Saugeen, Elderslie most particularly are available. Administration: The Archives reports through the Director/Curator to County Council. Services: Photocopying, microfilm reader/printer, research Disabled Access: Yes The Bruce County Museum & Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Bruce; Townships of Saugeen and Elderslie

Cambridge, City of, Archives

Established 1984 Address: 46 Dickson St. 2nd Floor, Cambridge ON Mailing Address: P. O. Box 669

Cambridge ON N1R 5W8 Contact: Jim Quantrell, Archivist Telephone: (519) 740-4680 ext. 4610 Facsimile: (519) 623-0058 E-Mail: quantrellj@city.cambridge.on.ca Web Page: www.city.cambridge.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 – 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Collect and organize records in any format records related to the organization and management of the Corporation of the City of Cambridge and its founding municipalities of Galt, Preston and Hespeler. Administration: Report concering administrative matters to the City Clerk. Also deal with the Cambridge Archives Board, an advisory committee of council advising Council on Archival issues. Services: Photocopying, microfilm and microfiche readers, extensive finding aids Disabled Access: Yes The City of Cambridge Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Cambridge Former: Municipalities of Galt, Preston and Hespeler

Chatham-Kent Archives

Established 1998 Address: 325 Grand Avenue East (W. G. McGeorge Building), CHATHAM, ON Mailing Address: P.O. Box 640, 315 King Street West, CHATHAM ON N7M 5K8 Contact: Bev Snobelen, Archivist Assistant Telephone: (519) 436-0977 Facsimile: (519) 436-5152 E-Mail: bevs@city.chatham-kent.on.ca Web Page: www.city.chatham-kent.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Records of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and/or former municipalities that now comprise the Municipality of Chatham-Kent are collected. Records management functions are formally mandated in By-law No. 287-1999 of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. Administration: The Archivist Assistant reports through the Information Co-ordinator to the Director of Corporate Services. Services: Photocopying Disabled Access: Yes The Chatham-Kent Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Municipality of Chatham-Kent Former: City of Chatham; Towns of Blenheim, Bothwell, Dresden, Ridgetown, Tilbury and Wallaceburg; Villages of Erie Beach, Erieau, Highgate, Thamesville, and Wheatley; Townships of Camden, Chatham, Dover, Harwich, Howard, Orford, Raleigh, Romney, Tilbury East, and Zone

Cobourg and District Historical Society Archives Established 1980 Address: C. Gordon King Centre, 200 Ontario Street, Cobourg ON Mailing Address: PO Box 911, Cobourg ON K9A 4W4 Contact: Cath Oberholtzer, Chairperson Telephone: (905) 377-0413 (answering machine) Business Hours: Wednesdays, 14:00 - 17:00: Friday, 10:30 - 13:00, or by appointment Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: There is no established policy for the acquisition or transfer of municipal records. Administration: The Cobourg and District Historical Society Archives is semi-autonomous, but receives funding from, and submits expenditures and minutes of its meetings to, the Executive of the Historical Society. Services: Photocopying

Disabled Access: Yes The Cobourg and District Historical Society Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Cobourg

Edinburgh Square - Heritage and Cultural Centre (Town of Haldimand Archives)

Established 2001 Address: 80 Caithness Street East,

Caledonia ON N3W 2G6 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 400,

45 Munsee Street, Cayuga ON NOA 1E0 Contact: Anne Unyi, Curator Telephone: (905) 765-3134 Facsimile: (905) 765-3009 E-Mail: esquare.centre@haldimandcounty.on.ca Web Page: www.haldimandcounty.on.ca/community/heritage_culture/museums_culture.asp Business Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 – 16:30 Saturday 10:00 – 14:30 (summer only) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: No formal policy on municipal records. Administration: The Curator reports to the Manager of Culture & Heritage within the Community Services Division. Services: Photocopying, photographic reproduction, educational programs, workshops, family history, Disabled Access: Yes The Edinburgh Square - Heritage and Cultural Centre has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Haldimand Former: Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk; County of Haldimand

Elgin County Archives

Established 2001 Address: 450 Sunset Drive, St Thomas ON N5R 5V1 Contact: Brian Masschaele, Archivist Telephone: (519) 631-1460 ext 138 Facsimile: (519) 631-9209 E-Mail: archivist@elgin-county.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Archives has responsibility for management of the active records of the executive and administrative departments and agencies of the county, and for all permanent records of the county since its inception in 1852. Transfer agreements with local municipalities were being negotiated during 2001. The Archives mandate was established under Elgin County By-law No. 01-21. Administration: The Archivist reports to the Manager of Library Services. Services: Under review

Disabled Access: Yes The Elgin County Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Elgin; Town of Aylmer; Municipalities of Bayham, Central Elgin, Dutton/Dunwich, and West Elgin; Townships of Malahide and Southwold Former: Townships of Aldborough, Bayham, Dunwich, Malahide, South Dorchester, and Yarmouth; Villages of Belmont, Dutton, Port Burwell, Port Stanley, Rodney, Springfield, West Lorne and Vienna

Esquesing Historical Society Archives Established 1982 Address: Georgetown Branch

Halton Hills Public Library. 9 Church Street Georgetown, ON L7G 2A3

Contact: Geoff Cannon, Manager, Information Services (HHPL) Mark Rowe, Esquesing Historical Society Archivist Telephone: (905) 873-2681 ex. 2513 Facsimile: (905) 873-6118 E-Mail: cannong@hhpl.on.ca

rowem@aztec-net.com Web Page: www.hhpl.on.ca/sigs/ehs/home.html Business Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 09:30 - 20:30, Friday & Saturday 09:30 - 17:00, Sunday 13:00 - 17:00pm (October – May) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: There is no formal gathering process for municipal records. Most of the municipal items collected have either come from the library collection or through donations to the society. Administration: The archives operates under an agreement between the Esquesing Historical Society and the Halton Hills Public Library. Services: Photocopying, microfilm reader/printer Disabled Access: No The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Halton Hills Former: Towns of Acton, Georgetown; Township of Esquesing

Greater Sudbury Public Library and Heritage Museums

Established 2001 Address: 74 MacKenzie Street Sudbury, ON P3C 4X8 Contact: Nada Mehes, Archivist Telephone: (705) 673-1168 ext. 274 Facsimile: (705) 673-0554 E-Mail: nada.mehes@city.greatersudbury.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Material relating to the geographic area encompassed by the City of Greater Sudbury will be kept in the Archives. Administration: The Archives reports to the Manager of Library and Heritage Resources. Services: Under review Disabled Access: Yes The Greater Sudbury Public Library and Heritage Museums has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Greater Sudbury Former: Regional Municipality of Sudbury; City of Sudbury; Municipalities of Valley East, Nickel Centre, Onaping Falls, Walden, Rayside, Balfour and Capreol

Grey County Archives

Established 2000 Address: 493862 Baptist Church Road, RR 2, Priceville ON N0C 1K0 Mailing Address: PO Box 1389, Durham ON OG IRO Contact: Karin Foster, Heritage Co-ordinator, Archives (County

Archivist) Telephone: (519) 369-3245 Facsimile: (519) 369-6547 E-Mail: archives@greycounty.on.ca Web Page: www.greycounty.on.ca/archives Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 Saturday, 08:30 - 13:00 (May through September only) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The collections policy is guided by the retention by-laws of the various municipalities which comprise the County of Grey. No by-law has been enacted; Archives activities are currently mandated by County Council resolutions Administration: The Heritage Co-ordinator reports to the County Clerk. Services: Genealogical and historical research, photocopying, foxing, digital imaging, microfilm readers, access to word processing. Disabled Access: Yes The Grey County Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Grey; Township of Artemesia Former: Townships of Bentinck, Derby, Egremont, Glenelg, Holland, Normanby, Proton and Sullivan; Villages of Chatsworth, Dundalk, and Neustadt

Guelph Public Library Archives

Established 1981 Address: 100 Norfolk Street, Guelph ON N1H 4J6 Contact: Bill Hughey, Archivist Telephone: (519) 824-6220, ext 245 Facsimile: (519) 824-8342 E-Mail: bhughey@library.guelph.on.ca Web Page: www.library.guelph.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 - 21:00, Saturday, 09:00 - 17:00

(The Archivist=s schedule varies, but the Archives is open any time the Archivist is in during the listed hours.)

Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: There is no formal collections policy or mandate (in development during 2002). The Archives currently acquires municipal records on an ad hoc basis, when requested by the City of Guelph, and usually as a result of space requirements. Administration: The Archivist reports to the Head of Information Services, who in turn reports to the Chief Librarian. The Chief Librarian reports to the Library Board. Services: Reference services, photocopying, microfilm reader-printers, microform inter-library loan. Some of the photographic collection is available in digital format. Disabled Access: Yes The Guelph Public Library Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Guelph

Hamilton Public Library, Special Collections

Established 1974 Address: 55 York Blvd, Hamilton, ON L8R 3K1 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2700, Stn. LCD 1, Hamilton, ON L8N 4E4 Contact: Margaret Houghton, Archivist Telephone: (905) 546-3409 Facsimile: (905) 546-3202 E-Mail: mhoughto@hpl.ca Web Page: www.hpl.ca/LOCAL/SPCOLL/Speccol.shtml Business Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00 – 18:00;

Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 – 21:00; Saturday 9:00 – 17:00; Sunday (September-April) 13:00 – 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The City of Hamilton transferred a large quantity of their archival record to the Special Collections Department of the Hamilton Public Library. This was done under the auspices of the City Clerk but no formal arrangement was ever entered into and there is nothing in writing. The County records which we hold were transferred at the time of the implementation of Regional Government in 1973 and there is no written agreement concerning these records either. Administration: The Archives component of Special Collections reports to the Department Head and thence to the Chief Librarian. Services: Photocopying, microfilm copies, research by mail for a fee Disabled Access: Yes The Special Collections, Hamilton Public Library has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Former: County of Wentworth; City of Hamilton; Townships of Beverly, Binbrook, East Flamborough, Glanford, and West Flamborough

Heritage House Museum (Town of Smith Falls) Established 1982 Address: 11 Old Slys Road, Smith Falls ON Mailing Address: PO Box 695, Smith Falls ON K7A 4T6 Contact: Carol Munden, Curator Telephone: (613) 283-8560 Facsimile: (613) 283-8560 E-Mail: hhmchin@superaje.com Web Page: www.town.smiths-falls.on.ca/tourism/hhmuseum Business Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 10:30 - 16:30 (May through November) Monday-Friday, 10:30 - 16:30 (December through April) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: There is no current policy respecting the acquisition of municipal records. The only such records in the Museum=s holding - Collector=s Rolls and Assessment Rolls - were donated by the Town of Smiths Falls. Administration: The Heritage House Museum is administered by the Heritage House Advisory Committee, which is appointed by the Municipal Council of the Town of Smiths Falls. Services: Access to research materials Disabled Access: No The Heritage House Museum has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Smiths Falls

Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol Established 1950 Address: 110 North Street

Goderich, ON N7A 2T8 Contact: Claus Breede, Director Telephone: (519) 524-2686 Facsimile: (519) 524-1922 E-Mail: claus_breede@fcmail.avonmaitland.on.ca Web Page: www.huroncountymuseum.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday 09:00 – 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Municipal records are collected under the County of Huron policies relating to retention and records management. Administration: The Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol is under the administration of the Museum Director and Cultural Services Committee of the County of Huron. Services: Brief searches (20 minutes or less); photocopying; photographic orders Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Huron Former: Former municipalities of the County of Huron

James A. Gibson Library Special Collections and Archives (Brock University)

Established 1964 Address: 500 Glenridge Avenue, St. Catherines ON L2S 3A1 Contact: Lynne Prunskus, Special Collections and Archives Librarian Telephone: (905) 688-5550 ext 264 Facsimile: (905) 988-5490 E-Mail: Lynne.Prunskus@BrockU.CA Web Page: http://www.brocku.ca/library Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 09:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Some records have been acquired by formal agreement, others informally. The Archives is not currently acquiring records. Administration: The Special Collections and Archives Librarian reports to the Collections Management Librarian, who reports to the University Librarian. Services: Consultation, photocopying, reference

Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Former: Counties of Lincoln and Welland

J. J. Talman Regional Collection

Established 1942 Address: The University of Western Ontario,

London ON N6A 3K7 Contact: John H. Lutman, Head Telephone: (519) 661-2111, ext. 84813 and 84821 Facsimile: (519) 661-3911 E-Mail: jlutman@lib.uwo.ca Web Page: www.lib.uwo.ca/weldon/docs/regional.shtml Business Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 – 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The J.J. Talman Regional Collection acquires selectively on deposit public records from the City of London, Middlesex County and local jurisdictions within the latter, and much less intensively other counties and their local jurisdictions for the counties of Elgin, Lambton and Norfolk which, along with Middlesex County, formed the historical "London District". Future acquisition of municipal records remains dormant awaiting the formation of municipal archives or their repatriation to established municipal archives. Administration: The Head of the J. J. Talman Regional Collection reports to the University of Western Ontario Archivist. Services: Photocopying Disabled Access: Yes The J. J. Talman Regional Collection has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Counties of Lambton and Middlesex; City of London Former: Counties: Norfolk; Townships: Elgin County (Aldborough, Bayham, Dorchester South, Dunwich, Malahide, Southwold, Yarmouth); Huron (McKillop); Middlesex (Adelaide, Metcalfe, Mosa, Nissouri (before divided into East and West), Nissouri West, Westminster, Williams (East and West); Norfolk (Charlottesville, Houghton, Middleton, Townsend, Walsingham, Windham,Woodhouse); Villages/towns/cities: Elgin (Aylmer, Dutton, Port Stanley, Rodney, Springfield, St. Thomas, Vienna, West Lorne); Middlesex (Ailsa Craig, Byron, Glencoe, Ilderton, London, London East, London West, Lucan, Newbury, Parkhill, Strathroy, Wardsville)

Kitchener, City of, Corporate Archives Established 1994 Address: Corporate Records Management, City Hall, PO Box 1118, 200 King Street West, Kitchener ON N2G 4G7 Contact: Christine Tarling, Manager of Corporate Records Telephone: (519) 741-2769 Facsimile: (519) 741-2892 E-Mail: christine.tarling@city.kitchener.on.ca Web Page: www.city.kitchener.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 09:30 - 16:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The collection includes all archival records, in any medium, created by any employee of the municipal corporation, its elected representatives or their appointees acting in their respective capacities. Excluded from this policy are the records of elected representatives or their appointees which are deemed to be personal or political, as opposed to administrative in nature, and which are filed or stored separately from corporate records. The collection also includes selected memorabilia (eg. awards, presentation items) relating directly to the history of the City=s administration and local government. The Archives= mandate was established under City of Kitchener By-law No. I-162 (passed June 13, 1994, and revised January 21, 2000). Administration: The Corporate Archives is part of the Corporate Records Management Section of the City Clerk=s Division in the Corporate Services Department. Services: Photocopying, research, photographic and digital reproduction

Disabled Access: Yes The City of Kitchener Corporate Archiveshas custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Kitchener Former: Town of Berlin, Village of Bridgeport

Lennox & Addington County Museum & Archives

Established 1974 Address: Thomas Street East,

Napanee ON Mailing Address: Postal Bag 1000,

Napanee ON K7R 3S9 Contact: Jennifer Bunting, Archivist Telephone: (613) 354-3027 Facsimile: (613) 354-1005 E-Mail: museum@fox.nstn.ca Web Page: http://home.fox.nstn.ca/~museum/ Business Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00 – 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Lennox and Addington County Museum's mission is to tell the story of the County of Lennox and Addington, and its people. The Museum accepts records from all levels of municipal government and related boards and agencies. Museum is also the custodian of the collections of the Lennox and Addington Historical Society which include some older municipal materials. Administration: Archives is part of Lennox and Addington County Museum and Archives, which reports to Information Services at the County. Services: Photocopying available as permitted by legislation and conservation concerns Disabled Access: No The Lennox & Addington County Museum & Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Lennox and Addington; Municipalities of Greater Napanee, Loyalist, Stone Mills and Addington Highlands Former: County of Lennox and Addington; Town of Napanee; Townships of Abinger & Ashby, Adolphustown, Amherst Island, Camden, Denbigh Ernestown, Kaladar & Anglesea, North Fredericksburgh, Richmond, Sheffield and South Fredericksburgh; Villages of Newburgh, Bath

Markham Museum and Historic Village

Established 1998 Address: 9350 Highway 48, Markham ON L3P 3J3 Contact: Catherine Molloy, Curator Telephone: (905) 294-4576 Facsimile: (905) 294-4590 E-Mail: cmolloy@city.markham.on.ca Web Page: www.city.markham.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 09:00 - 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Municipal records are acquired as part of the Museum=s general collections policy. Administration: The Curator reports to the Manager of the Museum, from whom the successive reporting relationships include a Director, a Commissioner, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Mayor and Town Council. Services: Public research, directed research through correspondence, photocopying, photographic reproduction Disabled Access: No The Markham Museum and Historic Village has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Markham

Niagara Historical Society (Niagara-on-the-Lake) Established 1895 Address: 43 Castlereagh St. P.O. Box 208

Niagara-on-the-Lake, L0S 1J0 Contact: Clark Bernat, Managing Director Telephone: 905-468-3912 Facsimile: 905-468-1728 E-Mail: nhs@niagara.com Web Page: www.niagara.com/~nhs Business Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00 - 17:30 (May – October),

13:00 – 17:00 (November – April) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: There is no separate collections policy for the Municipal Records. These are acquired through the Municipality, all other material is evaluated by the Collections Management Committee based on our formal policy. There is an informal agreement between the Society and Municipality. Administration: A Board of Directors overseas all operations at the advice of the Managing Director, who delegates action through the various staff and volunteers. Services: Photocopying, research Disabled Access: Yes The Niagara Historical Society has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Niagara-on-the-Lake

Norfolk County Archives

Established 1929 Address: 109 Norfolk Street South, Simcoe ON N3Y 2W3 Contact: William Yeager, Curator Telephone: (519) 426-1583 Facsimile: (519) 426-1584 E-Mail: office@norfolklore.com Web Page: www.norfolklore.com Business Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10:00 - 16:30, Saturday-Sunday, 13:00

– 16:30, Tuesday, 10:00 - 16:30 (June through August only) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Archives has acquired records informally for many years. Some have recently been accepted as long-term or permanent loans. Only records of the County of Norfolk are accepted. Administration: The Norfolk County Archives is administered by the Board of Directors of the Norfolk Historical Society. Services: Research library, photocopying, inter-library loan Disabled Access: Yes The Norfolk County Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Former: County of Norfolk; Towns of Port Dover and Waterford; Townships of Charlotteville, Townsend and Woodhouse

Osgoode Township Historical Society & Museum

Established 1972 Address: 7814 Rideau Street, P.O. Box 74, Vernon ON K0A 3J0 Contact: Michelle Lachance, Archivist/Curator Telephone: (613) 821-4062 E-Mail: oths@magma.ca Business Hours: Friday-Saturday, 12:00 - 16:00, Wednesday, 12:00 - 16:00

(April through November), Thursday, 12:00 - 16:00 (April through December)

Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Osgoode Township Historical Society and Museum has no formal collections policy for municipal records, but has acquired assessment and tax collectors= rolls. Administration: The Osgoode Township Historical Society and Museum is administered by a Board of Directors, to which the Archivist/Curator reports. Services: Photocopying, research access Disabled Access: Yes The Osgoode Township Historical Society & Museum has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Township of Osgoode

Ottawa, City of, Archives

Established 1977 Address: c/o City of Ottawa 2nd Floor Sussex Pavilion, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa ON K1N 5A1 Contact: David Bullock, City Archivist Telephone: (613) 580-2424 ext. 13787 Facsimile: (613) 580-2614 E-Mail: david.bullock@city.ottawa.on.ca Web Page: www.city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/culture/heritage/2_8_arch_museums_1_en.shtml Business Hours: Monday-Friday 08:30 - 16:30, Tuesday 18:30 - 21:00; Monday-Friday 08:30 -16:00 (May-Sept) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: All historical records from the newly-amalgamated City of Ottawa (2001) and predecessor municipalities are deposited in the City of Ottawa Archives. Administration: The City of Ottawa Archives reports to the Innovation, Development & Partnerships Branch, Cultural Affairs Division, People Services Department. Services: Photocoping, photographic reproduction, reference and limited research, exhibit material & public programming ( including Archives exhibits, tours & lectures) Disabled Access: Yes The City of Ottawa Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Ottawa Former: Cities of Gloucester, Kanata, Napean, Ottawa and Vanier; Townships of Cumberland, Fitzroy, Gloucester, Goulbourn, Huntley, March, Marlborough, Nepean, North Gower, Osgoode, Rideau, Torbolton and West Carleton; Village of Rockcliffe Park

Oshawa Community Archives Established 1957 Address: 1450 Simcoe Street South Oshawa, ON L1H 8S8 Contact: Jennifer Weymark, Archivist Telephone: (905) 436-7624 Facsimile: (905) 436-7625 E-Mail: archivist@oshawamuseum.org Web Page: www.oshawamuseum.org Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:00 – 16:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Archives will collect material which will contribute to the understanding of the history of development of Oshawa from early Native settlement to pioneer settlement of the 1790's to the present time. Administration: The activities of the archives are brought to the Archives Committee, a standing committee and a named position on the Oshawa Historical Society, and the committee is responsible for assisting Chairperson of the committee and the archives staff in the affairs of the archives. The Chairperson of the committee brings recommendations from the Archives Committee to the Board of Directors of the Society for discussion and/or approval. Services: Photocopying, photograph reproduction, research assistance Disabled Access: Yes The Oshawa Community Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Oshawa Former: Municipality of East Whitby

Oxford County Archives

Established 2000 Address: 12 Vine Street, PO Box 69, Beachville ON N0J 1A0 Contact: Mary Gladwin, Archivist Telephone: (519) 423-1928 ext 209 Facsimile: (519) 423-1964 E-Mail: archives@oxford.simcoe.on.ca; mgladwin@ocl.net Business Hours: By appointment only Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The County of Oxford Archives regularly acquires historical and inactive corporate records from the County=s Records Centre. The Archives was established by Resolution of County Council, adopted October 27, 1999, effective January 01, 2000. Pending the adoption of formal policies, the Archives currently (2002) operates under the informal policies in use when the collection was located at the Norwich and District Archives Administration: The Archivist reports to the Head Librarian, who reports to the Library Board and the Director of Corporate Services. The Chairperson of the Library Board reports to County Council on Archives= matters. Services: Reproduction services available, microfilm reader-printer on site, custom paper conservation and repair services, custom microfilming services Disabled Access: Yes The Oxford County Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Oxford Former: District of Brock

Peel, Region of, Archives

Established 1977 Address: 9 Wellington Street East, Brampton ON L6W 1Y1 Contact: Diane Allengame-Kuster, Registrar Telephone: (905) 791-4055 Facsimile: (905) 451-4931 E-Mail: diane.kuster@region.peel.on.ca Web Page: www.region.peel.on.ca/heritage/archives.htm Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 - 16:30 Saturday, 12:00 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The collection of municipal records is mandated under Regional Municipality of Peel By-law No. 14-87, being Aa by-law to provide for the preservation and destruction of documents and records of the Regional Municipality of Peel.” Administration: The Archives Committee provides input from the community; Archives staff reports to the Curatorial Director of the Peel Heritage Complex. Services: Local history library, photocopying, microfilm reader/printer, photographic darkroom Disabled Access: Yes The Region of Peel Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Regional Municipality of Peel; Cities of Mississauga and Brampton; Town of Caledon Former: County of Peel, Towns/Villages of Brampton, Bolton, Caledon East, Port Credit and Streetsville; Townships of Albion, Caledon, Chinguacousy, Toronto and Toronto Gore

Penetanguishene Centennial Museum Established 1967 Address: 13 Burke Street,

Penetanguishene ON L9M 1C1 Contact: Sim Salata, Curator Telephone: (705) 549-2150 Facsimile: (705) 549-7542 E-Mail: pcmchin@mid.igs.net Web Page: www.penetanguishene.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Saturday 09:00 - 16:30, Sunday 12:00 to 16:30

(closed Fridays October 2 to April 30) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Municipal records originating with the Town of Penetanguishene are collected. Administration: The Curator reports to the Municipality through the Museum Board. Services: Photocopying, interlibrary loan Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Penetanguishene

Peterborough Centennial Museum & Archives – City Archives

Established 1967 Address: 300 Hunter Street East,

P.O. Box 143, Peterborough ON K9J 6Y5. Contact: Jim Leonard, City Archivist Telephone: (705) 743-5180 Facsimile: (705) 743-2614 E-Mail: JLeonard@city.peterborough.on.ca Web Page: www.kawartha.net/~jleonard/home.htm Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 09:00 – 17:00

(Appointments required) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The City Archives is the official repository for all municipal records of permanent value generated by the City of Peterborough. Administration: The City Archives operates under the 1996 by-law establishing the Culture & Heritage Division and Board and reports to Council through the Board. Services: Photocopying, research services, photographic reproduction, consulting Disabled Access: Yes The City Archives, Peterborough Centennial Museum & Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Peterborough Former: Town of Peterborough; Village of Ashburnham

Prince Edward County Archives

Established 1983 Address: Portland Street, Picton ON Mailing Address: PO Box 1078, Picton ON K0K 2T0 Contact: Pamela Noxon, Co-ordinator of Volunteer Activities Telephone: (613) 393-2204 E-Mail: cnoxon@kos.net Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 10:00 - 16:00 (July & August) Thursday, 10:00 - 16:00 (September through June) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Archives acquires the permanent corporate records of the County of Prince Edward, based upon County By-law No. 1535 (March 22, 1983), which established the County=s records retention schedule. By-law No. 1568 (October 25, 1983) established the mandate and activities of the County of Prince Edward Archives. An agreement between the County and the Prince Edward Historical Society was executed in1985, whereby the Society agreed to administer the Archives under the County=s direction as prescribed in By-law No. 1568. Administration: The County of Prince Edward Archives reports to the Commissioner of Community Services. Services: Photocopying, research Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Prince Edward Former: Town of Picton; Villages of Bloomfield and Wellington; Townships of Ameliasburgh, Athol, Hallowell, Hillier, North Marysburgh, Sophiasburgh, and South Marysburgh

Queen’s University Archives

Established 1968 Address: Kathleen Ryan Hall, Queen=s University, Kingston ON K7L 3N6 Contact: Don Richan, University Archivist Telephone: (613) 533-2378 (Mr. Richan) Facsimile: (613) 523-6403 E-Mail: archives@post.queensu.ca Web Page: http://library.queensu.ca/webarch/ Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Under review as of December 13, 2001. Most of the permanent records of the City of Kingston are in the custody of Queen=s University Archives under an agreement dating back to the early 1970's (the City of Kingston retains ownership of its records). No agreement exists between the University and the amalgamated City of Kingston (January 01, 1998), and no transfers have taken place since prior to that date. Some permanent records are stored in the City=s Records Centre. Administration: The University Archivist reports to the Clerk of the City of Kingston with respect to the City=s records. Services: Public access in supervised reading room, photocopying, microforms inter-archival loan, conservation and photograph labs, micrographic camera, online database Disabled Access: Yes The Queens’ University Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Frontenac Former: City of Kingston

Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Archives Established 1994 Address: 50 East Street,

Sault Ste. Marie ON P6A 3C3 Contact: Linda Burtch, Archives Technician Telephone: (705) 759-5239 Facsimile: (705) 759-8752 E-Mail: admin.library@cityssm.on.ca Web Page: www.cityssm.on.ca/library/index.htm Business Hours: Monday-Thursday 09:00-21:00, Friday 09:00-18:00 Saturday 09:00-17:00, Sunday 14:00-17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Miscellaneous records have been donated to the library by various city departments such as Planning, Community Services and the Clerks Department. A Council resolution identifies the library as a repository for video tapes of city council meetings. The library holds these tapes for three years and then returns them to the clerk's office except those deemed by council to be retained permanently. Similarly, a council resolution and subsequent by-law 97-68 provides for the transfer of ownership of a second copy of all municipal by-laws to the library board. Administration: The archival program reports through the Library’s Chief Executive Officer. Services: Photocopying, reference service Disabled Access: Yes The Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Sault Ste. Marie

Scugog Shores Historical Museum and Archives

Established 1970 Address: 16210 Island Road, Port Perry ON L9L1B4 Contact: Craig Belfry, Director / Michelle Watson, Curator Telephone: (905) 985-3589 Facsimile: (905) 985-3492 E-Mail: ssh-chin@durham.net Web Page: www.durham.net/~ssh-chin Business Hours: Tuesday-Friday 13:00 – 16:00 (other hours by appointment) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The institution=s mandate is to identify, acquire and preserve material of archival, and/or information value, created in, or directly relevant to, the Township of Scugog. The Township=s Chief Administrative Officer has provided a letter designating the Scugog Shores Historical Museum and Archives as the official repository for the Township=s inactive records. Administration: The Curator of the Scugog Shores Historical Museum, Village and Archives reports to the Museum Director, who reports to the Board of Directors. Services: Photocopying, research services Disabled Access: No The Scugog Shores Historical Museum and Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Township of Scugog Former: Village of Port Perry; Townships of Cartwright and Reach (all incorporated into the Township of Scugog effective January 01, 1974)

Simcoe County Archives

Established 1966 Address: 1149 Highway 26, RR 2, Minesing ON L0L 1Y0 Contact: Bruce Beacock, County Archivist Telephone: (705) 726-9331 or (705) 726-9300 ext 287 Facsimile: (705) 725-5341 E-Mail: archives@county.simcoe.on.ca Web Page: www.county.simcoe.on.ca/services/archives/archives.shtml Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The collections policy of the Simcoe County Archives was established under Simcoe County By-law No. 3535 (November 17, 1981). The Archives manages the permanent records of the Corporation of the County of Simcoe, including administration of the records management program, preservation, and corporate and public access. The Archives also manages the permanent corporate records of the lower-tier municipalities comprising the County of Simcoe, and, by agreement (1999), of the Corporation of the City of Barrie. Administration: The Simcoe County Archives is a department of the Corporation of the County of Simcoe. The County Archivist reports to the Chief Administrative Officer, and to the Archives= management committee, the Corporate Services Committee of Simcoe County Council. Services: Photocopying, photographic reproduction, digital imaging, microfilm and microfiche reader-printer/scanner, micrographic reprography (microfilming), microform and library inter-loan, research inquiry service Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Simcoe; City of Barrie; Towns of Collingwood, Midland and Penetanguishene; Townships of Essa, Springwater, Tay and Tiny Former: Towns of Alliston and Bradford; Townships of Adjala, Innisfil, Flos, Mara, Matchedash, Medonte, Orillia, Oro, Rama, Tecumseth, Vespra and West Gwillimbury; Villages of Beeton, Coldwater, Cookstown, Elmvale, Port McNicoll, Tottenham and Victoria Harbour

Sir Adam Beck Archives (Township of Wilmot) Established 1996 Address: c/o Castle Kilbride, 60 Snyder=s Road West, Baden ON N0B 1G0 Contact: Tracy Loch, Curator/Director Telephone: (519) 634-8444 ext 256 or 1-800-469-5576 Facsimile: (519) 634-5035 E-Mail: tracy@township.wilmot.on.ca Web Page: www.township.wilmot.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, by appointment only Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Records may be acquired through donation, bequest, loan or purchase. Policies governing the Sir Adam Beck Archives are found in the AStatement of Purpose, Scope of Operations, Acquisition and Operation,@ of the Council of the Township of Wilmot, June 10 1996. Administration: The Sir Adam Beck Archives is located in the lower level of the Castle Kilbride National Historic Site. The Curator/Director reports directly to the Clerk/Administrator of the Township of Wilmot. The Council of the Township of Wilmot appoints an Archives Committee of at least two persons to monitor the Archives, and to advise Council on its operation and management. Services: Under review Disabled Access: Yes The Sir Adam Beck Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Township of Wilmot

Stratford-Perth Archives

Established 1972 Address: 24 St. Andrew Street, Stratford ON N5A 1A3 Contact: Lutzen H. Riedstra, Archivist-Administrator Telephone: (519) 273-0399 Facsimile: (519) 273-5746 E-Mail: sparchives@pcin.on.ca Web Page: www.stratfordpertharchives.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Saturday 09:00 – 12:00, 13:00 – 17:00

(Closed holidays and Saturdays of long weekends) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Archives is responsible for care and access to municipal records with permanent retention from the various municipal offices and agencies within the City and County in accordance with their retention guidelines. Administration: The Archives reports to the Stratford-Perth Archives Board, made up of three County Councillors and two City Councillors with one City citizen appointee. (Strictly an administrative board reporting directly to the two Councils.) Archivist-Administrator is Secretary-Treasurer of the Board. Services: Photocopying, microfilm reader/printer, video copying (on site), photographic reproduction (under contract off-site), interlibrary loan of microfilm only is handled via the Stratford Public Library. Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Perth; City of Stratford; Towns of Listowel, North Perth; Townships of West Perth, Perth East and Perth South Former: Town of Mitchell; Townships of Blanshard, Downie, Ellice, Elma, Fullarton, Hibbert, Logan, Mornington, North Easthope, South Easthope, and Wallace; Village of Milverton; Police Village of Dublin

Thunder Bay, City of, Archives

Established 1990 Address: 235 Vickers Street North, Thunder Bay ON Mailing Address: 500 Donald Street East, Thunder Bay ON P7E 5V3 Contact: Alex Ross, Corporate Records Manager and City Archivist Telephone: (807) 625-2270 Facsimile: (807) 622-4212 E-Mail: aross@city.thunder-bay.on.ca Web Page: http://www.city.thunder-bay.on.ca/archives/ Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Records are acquired through the Corporate Records Management Program, which was formally established under City of Thunder Bay By-law No. 60/1996. Administration: The City of Thunder Bay Archives is attached to the Office of the City Clerk, which is part of the City Manager=s Office of the Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay. Services: Photocopying (document and microfilm), photographic reproduction Disabled Access: Yes The City of Thunder Bay Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Thunder Bay Former: Cities of Port Arthur and Fort William (amalgamated into City of Thunder Bay effective January 01, 1970); Township of Neebing (now the Municipality of Neebing)

Toronto, City of, Archives

Established 1960 Address: 255 Spadina Road,

Toronto ON M5R 2V3 Contact: Michael Moir, Director, Corporate Records Systems & City

Archivist Telephone: (416) 397-5000 (General) (416) 397-0778 (Reference inquiries) Facsimile: (416) 392-9685 E-Mail: archives@city.toronto.on.ca Web Page: www.city.toronto.on.ca/archives Business Hours: Monday-Friday: 09:00 - 16:30, Saturday 10:00 to 16:30

(September to June) Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Under the terms of the Acquisitions Policy adopted by Council in 1999, records of the City of Toronto and its predecessor municipalities that possess archival value shall be transferred to the City of Toronto Archives according to schedules set out in municipal by-laws, or in the case of unscheduled records, when a review has demonstrated that the records possess archival significance according to appraisal criteria. In the case of agencies, boards, and commissions and other special purpose bodies that do not provide archival services, records that possess archival value according to retention schedules passed by Council or the aforementioned appraisal criteria shall be transferred to the City of Toronto Archives, subject to legal limitations and to the terms of an agreement satisfactory to the City Clerk and City Solicitor. Personal papers of former Members of Council that are deemed to possess archival value according to the appraisal criteria are acquired as a donation to the City. Administration: The City of Toronto Archives reports to the City Clerk. Services: Reference services, including photocopying and reproduction of photographs, microfilm, and videotaped records; exhibits; tours; and educational programming for primary and secondary school students

Toronto, City of, Archives (continued) Disabled Access: Yes The City of Toronto Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Toronto Former: Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto: Cities of Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, Toronto, and York; Towns of East Toronto, Leaside, Mimico, New Toronto, North Toronto, Parkdale, Weston, and West Toronto; Borough of East York; Villages of Brockton, Forest Hill, Long Branch, Swansea, and Yorkville

Trent University Archives

Established 1969 Address: Trent University, Peterborough ON K9J 7B8 Contact: Dr. Bernadine A. Dodge, University Archivist Telephone: (705) 748-1011 ext 1413 Facsimile: (705) 748-1126 E-Mail: bdodge@trentu.ca Web Page: www/trentu.ca/library/archives Business Hours: Monday-Friday 09:00 - 16:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The University Archives does not actively collect municipal records. They would only be accepted at the insistence of a donor, and then only if they were part of the areas in the Archives= collections mandate. The records in the custody of the Trent University Archives were received when a County Court Judge recommended in the 1960's that they be removed from storage in the Court House basement. Administration: The Archives Administrator reports to the University Librarian, who reports to Vice-President (Academic) of the University. Services: Research services, public access, photocopying, photographic and digital reproduction Disabled Access: Yes The has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Former: United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, County of Victoria

Vaughan, City of, Archives

Established 1986 Address: 10401 Dufferin Street, Vaughan ON L6A 1S2 Mailing Address: 2141 Major Mackenzie Drive, Vaughan ON L6A 1T1 Contact: Dan Zelenyj, Coordinator, Archival Services Telephone: (905) 832-8585 ext 3129 or 3127, (905) 832-2281 Facsimile: (905) 303-2538 E-Mail: archives@city.vaughan.on.ca Web Page: www.city.vaughan.on.ca/html/cityhall/citydpts/recreation/CultServ/Archives.htm Business Hours: Monday-Friday 08:30 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Archives= mandate encompasses all Corporate records of enduring value, regardless of media or format, its antecedents, and previous municipal jurisdictions encompassed by the City of Vaughan. The Archives= mandate and all resulting functions and activities emanate from City of Vaughan By-law No. 91-97 (superseded by By-law No. 267-92). Administration: The Archives is a Section of the Cultural Services Division of the Recreation and Culture Department of the City of Vaughan. The Coordinator, Archival Services, reports to the Director of Recreation and Culture. The Archives functions as a Corporate recorded information work unit, as well as a cultural agency. Services: Reprography (including photocopying, photographic reproduction and digital imaging), limited research services, Historical Photographic Loan Program, portable displays Disabled Access: Yes The City of Vaughan Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Vaughan Former: Town of Vaughan; Township of Vaughan; Village of Woodbridge; Police Villages of Maple and Thornhill

Waterloo, Regional Municipality of, Corporate Archives

Established 1990 Address: 1590 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener ON N2G 4J3 Contact: Karen Ball-Pyatt, Coordinator, Information Management &

Archives Telephone: (519) 575-4006 Facsimile: (519) 575-4481 E-Mail: bkaren@region.waterloo.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 08:30 - 16:30, by appointment only Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Corporate Archives= mandate respecting its management of municipal records is formalized under Regional Municipality of Waterloo By-law No. 93-076 (as amended). The Archives= collections and operational policies are described in the ACorporate Archives Policy@ (approved by Regional Council, November 29 1990). Administration: The Corporate Archives is part of the Information Management & Archives Section of the Council & Administrative Services Division, which is part of the Corporate Resources Department of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. Services: Photocopying Disabled Access: Yes The Regional Municipality of Waterloo Corporate Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Region of Waterloo Former: County of Waterloo; Township of Waterloo

Wellington County Museum & Archives Established 1976 Address: 0536 County Road 18, RR 1, Fergus ON N1M 2W3 Contact: Karen L. Wagner, Archivist Telephone: (519) 846-0916 ext 225 Facsimile: (519) 846-9630 E-Mail: karen@wcm.on.ca Web Page: www.wcm.on.ca Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 09:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 Saturday, 13:00 – 17:00 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Described in the Wellington County Museum and Archives Statement of Purpose (revised 2001). Administration: The Wellington County Archives reports to the Committee of Information and Heritage Resources of Wellington County Council. Services: Photocopying, microfilm and microfiche reader-printer, photographic reproduction, digital imaging, microform inter-loan, research inquiry service, tours and outreach Disabled Access: Yes The Wellington County Museum & Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: County of Wellington; Towns of Erin and Minto; Townships of Centre Wellington, Guelph/Eramosa, Mapleton, North Wellington and Puslinch Former: Municipalities of Arthur, Clifford, Drayton, Elora, Erin, Fergus, Harriston, Mount Forest and Palmerston; Townships of Arthur, Eramosa, Erin, Guleph, Maryborough, Minto, Nichol, Peel, Pilkington, Puslinch, West Garafraxa and West Luther

West Toronto Junction Historical Society

Established 1980 / Archives Established 1997 Address: 145 Annette Street, Toronto ON M6P 1P3 Contact: Roy Schaeffer, Archives Co-ordinator Telephone: (416) 763-3161 Facsimile: (416) 763-3161 E-Mail: junction@web.ca Web Page: www.junctionhistory.ca Business Hours: Monday 15:00 - 17:00, Thursday, 18:00 - 20:00 by appointment only Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Society Archives will accept records from any of the following former municipalities: City of West Toronto, Towns of Toronto Junction and West Toronto Junction, and the Village of West Toronto Junction Administration: The Corporation is administered by a Board of Directors. Services: Photocopying, photographic reproduction Disabled Access: Yes The West Toronto Junction Historical Society has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Former: City of West Toronto

Whitby Town Archives

Established 1968 (assumed by municipality 1989) Address: Whitby Professional Court, 420 Green Street, Unit 7, Whitby ON Mailing Address: 603 Harriet Street, Whitby ON L1N 1L4 Contact: Brian Winter, Archivist Telephone: (905) 668-5570 Facsimile: (905) 668-1940 E-Mail: b.winter@sympatico.ca Business Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 08:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: Municipal records are maintained by the Clerk=s Department for 30 years, after which records of permanent value are transferred to the Archives. Administration: The Archivist reports to the Municipal Clerk. Services: Photocopying, general research room Disabled Access: Yes The Whitby Town Archives has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: Town of Whitby Former: Township of Whitby

Windsor Public Library – Municipal Archives Established 1984 Address: 850 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor ON N9A 4M9 Contact: Linda Chakmak, Archivist Telephone: (519) 255-6770 ext 4414 Facsimile: (519) 255-7059 E-Mail: archives@city.windsor.on.ca Web Page: http://www.windsorpubliclibrary.com/hours/archives/ Business Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday, 10:00 - 13:00 Saturday, 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00-17:00 Other times by appointment Collections Policy - Summary of Holdings: The Municipal Archives was established by motion of the Windsor Pubic Library in March, 1984 as the official repository for the City of Windsor. As such, the division has primary interest in the acquisition, preservation and accessibility of municipal records, including records of elected bodies (primarily City Council, but also including boards and commissions composed of elected officials), city departments, boards and commissions funded in whole or in part by the City of Windsor, and amalgamated and annexed municipalities. Regular transfers of the records of City of Windsor departments are mandated under City of Windsor By-law No. 12599. Administration: The Archivists report directly to the Librarian in charge of the Reference Team, who reports to the Manager of the Central Resource Library. Services: Photocopying, photographic and blueprint reproduction, tours, displays, programmes, in-house research (fees charged) Disabled Access: Yes The Municipal Archives - Windsor Public Library has custody of municipal records of the following current and former municipalities: Current: City of Windsor Former: Ojibway, Sandwich, Walkerville, Ford City / East Windsor, Riverside, Townships of Sandwich, Sandwich West, and Sandwich South (all part of the current City of Windsor)

Index

Municipal Archival Institution Page Archives of Ontario Arnprior & District Archives Bayfield Historical Society Archives Brant County Museum & Archives Brantford, City of – see Brant County Museum & Archives Bruce County Museum & Archives Cambridge, City of Archives Chatham-Kent Archives Cobourg & District Historical Society Archives Edinburgh Square - Heritage and Cultural Centre Elgin County Archives Elgin County Municipalities – see also J.J. Talman Regional Collection, University of Western Ontario Archives Esquesing Historical Society Archives Greater Sudbury Public Library and Heritage Museums Grey County Archives Guelph Public Library Archives Haldimand, Town of – see Edinburgh Square - Heritage and Cultural Centre Halton Hills – see Esquesing Historical Society Archives Hamilton, City of – see Special Collections, Hamilton Public Library Heritage House Museum Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol Huron County Municipalities – see also J.J. Talman Regional Collection, University of Western Ontario Archives James A. Gibson Library, Brock University J.J. Talman Regional Collection, University of Western Ontario Archives Kingston, City of – see Queen’s University Archives Kitchener, City of Corporate Archives Lincoln County – see James A. Gibson Library, Brock University London, City of – see J.J. Talman Regional Collection, University of Western Ontario Archives Markham Museum & Historic Village Middlesex County Municipalities – see J.J. Talman Regional Collection, University of Western Ontario Archives Municipal Archives-Windsor Public Library Niagara Historical Society Niagara-on-the-Lake – see Niagara Historical Society Norfolk County Archives Norfolk County Municipalities – see also J.J. Talman Regional Collection, University of Western Ontario Archives Osgoode Township Historical Society Museum Oshawa Community Archives

Municipal Archival Institution Page Oxford County Archives Peel Region Archives Penetanguishene Centennial Museum Perth County – see Stratford-Perth Archives Peterborough Centennial Museum & Archives Prince Edward County Archives Queen’s University Archives Regional Municipality of Waterloo Corporate Archives Sault Ste Marie Public Library Archives Scugog Shores Historical Museum & Archives Simcoe County Archives Sir Adam Beck Archives Smith Falls – see Heritage House Museum Special Collection, Hamilton Public Library Stratford-Perth Archives Stratford, City of – see Stratford-Perth Archives Sudbury, City of – see Greater Sudbury Public Library and Heritage Museums Thunder Bay, City of Archives Toronto, City of Archives Trent University Archives United Counties of Northumberland & Durham – see Trent University Archives Vaughan, City of Archives Victoria County – see Trent University Archives Waterloo, Regional Municipality of Corporate Archives Welland County – see James A. Gibson Library, Brock University Wellington County Museum & Archives West Toronto Junction Historical Society Whitby Town Archives Wilmot Township – see Sir Adam Beck Archives Windsor, City of – see Municipal Archives-Windsor Public Library

Appendices

Appendix I: Extracts from Relevant Legislation Appendix II: Sample Municipal Archives Documents Appendix III: List of Archives of Ontario Local Government Records by Municipality

Appendix I: Extracts from Relevant Legislation

Municipal Act

RSO 2001, c. 25

Records

Inspection of records

253. (1) Subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, any person may, at all reasonable times, inspect any of the records under the control of the clerk, including,

(a) by-laws and resolutions of the municipality and of its local boards;

(b) minutes and proceedings of regular, special or committee meetings of the council or local board, whether the minutes and proceedings have been adopted or not;

(c) records considered at a meeting, except those records considered during that part of a meeting that was closed to the public;

(d) the records of the council;

(e) statements of remuneration and expenses prepared under section 284. 2001, c. 25, s. 253 (1).

Retention of records

254. (1) A municipality shall retain and preserve the records of the municipality and its local boards in a secure and accessible manner and, if a local board is a local board of more than one municipality, the affected municipalities are jointly responsible for complying with this subsection. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (1).

Same, local boards

(2) Despite subsection (1), a local board that has ownership and control of its records shall retain and preserve the records in a secure and accessible manner. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (2).

Agreement

(3) A municipality, group of municipalities or local board that has a duty to retain and preserve records under this section may enter into an agreement for archival services with an archivist described in subsection (4) with respect to the records but a local board shall not enter into such an agreement without the consent of the municipalities of which it is a local board. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (3).

Archivist

(4) The agreement under subsection (3) may be entered into with,

(a) a local, regional or university archives who shall be deemed to be an archivist for the purposes of this section;

(b) if the agreement relates to records of a municipality, any other archivist who is not an employee of or member of the council of the municipality;

(c) if the agreement relates to records of a local board and a municipality has the duty to retain and preserve the records under this section, any other archivist who is not an employee of the local board or municipality and is not a member of the local board or the council of the municipality; and

(d) if the agreement relates to records of a local board and the local board has the duty to retain and preserve the records under this section, any other archivist who is not an employee of or a member of the local board. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (4).

Transfer of records

(5) If a municipality or local board has entered into an agreement under subsection (3), the municipality or the board may transfer to the archivist any record which it has a duty to retain and preserve. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (5).

Effect of transfer

(6) Records transferred to an archivist pursuant to an agreement under subsection (3) remain, for the purposes of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, under the ownership and control of the municipality or of a local board thereof if the local board falls within the definition of or is designated as an institution under that Act. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (6).

Duties of archivist

(7) An archivist that has entered into an agreement under subsection (3) shall retain and preserve the records transferred to it in a secure and accessible manner. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (7).

Role of municipality, local board

(8) A municipality and a local board shall ensure that an archivist fulfils the obligations under subsection (7). 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (8).

Interpretation

(9) In this section, the requirement to retain and preserve records in an accessible manner means that the records can be retrieved within a reasonable time and that the records are in a format that allows the content of the records to be readily ascertained by a person inspecting the records. 2001, c. 25, s. 254 (9).

Retention periods

255. (1) Except as otherwise provided, a record of a municipality or local board may only be destroyed in accordance with this section. 2001, c. 25, s. 255 (1).

Destruction of records

(2) Despite section 254, a record of a municipality may be destroyed if a retention period for the record has been established under this section and,

(a) the retention period has expired; or

(b) the record is a copy of the original record. 2001, c. 25, s. 255 (2).

Retention periods

(3) A municipality may, subject to the approval of the municipal auditor, establish retention periods during which the records of the municipality and local boards of the municipality must be retained and preserved in accordance with section 254. 2001, c. 25, s. 255 (3).

Joint local boards

(4) Despite subsection (3), if a local board is a local board of more than one municipality, a majority of the affected municipalities may, subject to the approval of the auditor of the local board, establish retention periods during which the records of the local board must be retained and preserved in accordance with section 254. 2001, c. 25, s. 255 (4).

Records transferred

(5) Subsections (1) to (4) continue to apply to records transferred to an archivist under section 254. 2001, c. 25, s. 255 (5).

Interpretation

(6) In this section,

"record" does not include a record of a police services board that is directly related to any law enforcement activity with respect to a person or body. 2001, c. 25, s. 255 (6).

Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

R.S.O. 1990, c. M-56

(2) "record" means any record of information however recorded, whether in printed form, on film, by electronic means or otherwise, and includes,

(a) correspondence, a memorandum, a book, a plan, a map, a drawing, a diagram, a pictorial or graphic work, a photograph, a film, a microfilm, a sound recording, a videotape, a machine readable record, any other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, and any copy thereof, and

(b) subject to the regulations, any record that is capable of being produced from a machine readable record under the control of an institution by means of computer hardware and software or any other information storage equipment and technical expertise normally used by the institution; ("document")

Right of access

4. (1) Every person has a right of access to a record or a part of a record in the custody or under the control of an institution unless,

(a) the record or the part of the record falls within one of the exemptions under sections 6 to 15; or

(b) the head is of the opinion on reasonable grounds that the request for access is frivolous or vexatious

Obligation to disclose

5. (1) Despite any other provision of this Act, a head shall, as soon as practicable, disclose any record to the public or persons affected if the head has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that it is in the public interest to do so and that the record reveals a grave environmental, health or safety hazard to the public.

Copy of record

23. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person who is given access to a record or a part of a record under this Act shall be given a copy of the record or part unless it would not be reasonably practicable to reproduce it by reason of its length or nature, in which case the person shall be given an opportunity to examine the record or part.

Access to original record

(2) If a person requests the opportunity to examine a record or part and it is reasonably practicable to give the person that opportunity, the head shall allow the person to examine the record or part.

Copy of part

(3) A person who examines a record or a part and wishes to have portions of it copied shall be given a copy of those portions unless it would not be reasonably practicable to reproduce them by reason of their length or nature. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56, s. 23.

Application of Act

52. (1) This Act applies to any record in the custody or under the control of an institution regardless of whether it was recorded before or after the 1st day of January, 1991.

Non-application of Act

(2) This Act does not apply to records placed in the archives of an institution by or on behalf of a person or organization other than the institution. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56, s. 52.

Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

REVISED REGULATIONS OF ONTARIO

REGULATION 823

Amended to O. Reg. 480/97

GENERAL 2. (1) A head who provides access to an original record must ensure the security of the record. 3. (1) Every head shall ensure that reasonable measures to prevent unauthorized access to the records in his or her institution are defined, documented and put in place, taking into account the nature of the records to be protected. (3) Every head shall ensure that reasonable measures to protect the records in his or her institution from inadvertent destruction or damage are defined, documented and put in place, taking into account the nature of the records to be protected. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 823, s. 3. 10. (1) The following are the terms and conditions relating to security and confidentiality that a person is required to agree to before a head may disclose personal information to that person for a research purpose:

1. The person shall use the information only for a research purpose set out in the agreement or for which the person has written authorization from the institution.

2. The person shall name in the agreement any other persons who will be given access to personal information in a form in which the individual to whom it relates can be identified.

3. Before disclosing personal information to other persons under paragraph 2, the person shall enter into an agreement with those persons to ensure that they will not disclose it to any other person.

4. The person shall keep the information in a physically secure location to which access is given only to the person and to the persons given access under paragraph 2.

5. The person shall destroy all individual identifiers in the information by the date specified in the agreement.

6. The person shall not contact any individual to whom personal information relates directly or indirectly without the prior written authority of the institution.

7. The person shall ensure that no personal information will be used or disclosed in a form in which the individual to whom it relates can be identified without the written authority of the institution.

8. The person shall notify the institution in writing immediately if the person becomes aware that any of the conditions set out in this section have been breached.

Appendix II: Sample Municipal Archives Documents Elgin County Archives By-Law

COUNTY OF ELGIN

By-Law No. 01-21

“BEING A BY-LAW TO ESTABLISH THE MANDATE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE

ELGIN COUNTY ARCHIVES” WHEREAS by Subsection 45 of Section 207 of the Municipal Act, being Chapter M.45 of the Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990, a council of a municipality may pass by-laws for appointing such officers and employees as may be necessary for the purposes of the corporation; and WHEREAS the County did appoint an archivist in May 2001; and WHEREAS it is deemed necessary to establish the mandate and activities of the archives under the management of said position. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: 1. The archives shall be called the ELGIN COUNTY ARCHIVES (herein referred to

as the archives) and shall be administered by the Library Services Department. 2. The archives strives to be a comprehensive resource for records documenting the

County’s economic, political, geographic and social development. The mandate of the archives with respect to acquisition is therefore as follows:

a) to act as the repository for all inactive records in all formats of the County’s

executive, management and administrative functions and related agencies that are designated for permanent retention according to legislative requirements and/or the County’s records retention by-law (see Schedule “A” attached to and forming part of this by-law for a glossary of terms);

b) to establish policies for the management of active and semi-active records

within all County departments, including authority for the destruction of all corporate records as well as maintenance of the County’s records retention by-law;

c) to enter into transfer agreements for the management of inactive records of the

County’s former and current local municipalities; d) to acquire archival records from private sources that have bearing upon the

history of the County of Elgin as appraised by the archivist and in accordance with an acquisition policy approved by Council. It is generally understood that such donations are the property of the archives upon completion of a donation agreement unless otherwise stated;

e) to enter into agreements pending Council approval for the management of

records of other agencies and levels of government. 3. The archives exists to ensure the long-term preservation of records under its care.

The mandate of the archives with respect to preservation is therefore as follows:

a) to maintain the records in a suitable repository wherein temperature, relative humidity, lighting and air quality are all controlled according to archival preservation standards as defined by the Canadian Conservation Institute and the archivist;

b) to promote the security of records against potential hazards such as fire, water

damage and theft;

c) to promote responsible care and handling of the records at all times; d) to engage in active conservation treatment of records when necessary, either in-

house under the direction of the archivist or under contract to a qualified conservator as warranted;

e) to engage in reproduction of records by various means in order to preserve their

evidence or reduce their care and handling. 4. The archives exists to provide access to the records to the general public, County

staff and officials in order to promote accountability, efficient delivery of County services and historical research. The archives mandate with respect to access is therefore as follows:

a) to offer access to holdings at a minimum of five days per week and at all

reasonable hours, with an adequate number of professional, technical and clerical staff on duty during these hours. Ample space will be provided in the archives to conduct this research;

b) to ensure that records are adequately arranged and described according to

archival principles to facilitate their efficient retrieval and use;

c) to permit reproduction of records for research purposes according to established fees and within bounds of Canadian copyright law. The archivist reserves the right to prohibit such reproductions should this be deemed harmful to the originals;

d) to abide by pertinent legislation with regards to access and privacy, specifically

the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ;

e) to respect the privacy of donors and their records when applicable and as stipulated in donation agreements;

f) to establish fees from time to time for research services provided by staff at the

archives on behalf of patrons; g) to engage in community outreach and public awareness activities, including

promotion of local tourism and economic development. 5. This mandate shall be carried out by the archivist in accordance with the Employee

Code of Ethics as established by County Council and the professional Code of Ethics as established by the Association of Canadian Archivists.

READ a first and second time this 26th day of June, 2001. READ a third time and finally passed this 26th day of June, 2001. M.G. McDonald, J. R. Wilson Chief Administrative Officer. Deputy Warden.

Schedule “A”

By-Law No. 01-21

GLOSSARY OF TERMS Records: Information, however recorded, on paper, on film, by electronic means or otherwise possessing identifiable authorship and having integrity as evidence of a transaction; Archival Records: Primary records (generally unpublished) in all formats permanently preserved because they possess enduring evidential, administrative or cultural value; Active records: Records in all formats that continue to be maintained in their place of origin and are regularly used to conduct the business of a department or institution. Semi-active records: Records in all formats required less frequently in the conduct of current business resulting in their transfer from offices to a records centre or other holding area, pending their ultimate disposition and review by the archivist. Inactive records: Records in all formats no longer needed for current business and transferred to the archives for disposition.

Appendix III: Archives of Ontario Local Government Records by Municipality Townships Alfred Amaranth Ameliasburgh Amherst Island Artemesia Athol Augusta Bagot and Blythfield Bathurst Bertie Bonfield Brant Brantford Brock Bromley Brudenell and Lyndoch Brunel Burford Burleigh and Anstruther Caistor Canborough Cartwright Chaffey Charlottenburgh Clarke Conmee Cornwall Cramahe Crowland Darlington Dereham Dover Drummond Dunn East Camden East Garafraxa East Gwillimbury East Hawkesbury East Luther East Nissouri East Oxford

East Whitby East Williams Elizabethtown Ernestown Fenelon Fitzroy Front of Leeds and Lansdowne Gainsborough Grattan Griffith and Matawatchan Grimsby Hamilton Harwich Hillier Hilton Houghton Howard Hullett Humphrey Kennebec Kitley Lancaster Lochiel Longueuil Loughborough Manvers Mariposa Marysburgh Matachewan Matilda McKillop McNab Middleton Minto Mono Monague Moore Morrison Moulton Muskoka Nassagaweya

(Appendix III continued) Niagara Normanby North Cayuga North Fredericksburgh North Grimsby North Marysburgh North Monaghan North Norwich North Oxford North Plantaganet North Walsingham Oneida Osnabruck Otonabee Pakenham Pelee Pelham Percy Perry Pickering Pittsburgh Proton Rainham Raleigh Ramsay Reach Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne Rochester Russell Ryde Saltfleet Sandwich South Sandwich West Scott Scugog Seneca Seymour Sherbrooke Shuniah Snowdon

Sophiasburgh South Cayuga South Dumfries South Gosfield South Grimsby South Marysburgh South Monaghan South Norwich South Plantagenet South Sherbrooke South Walsingham Stafford Stephenson Sistead Storrington Sullivan Thorah Tisdale Torbolton Toronto Townsend Trafalgar Tyendinaga Uxbridge Vespra Wainfleet Walpole Walsingham Waterloo West Gwillimbury West Hawkesbury West Oxford West Zorra Westmeath Whitby Whitchurch Williams Williamsburgh Wolfe Island Wolford Woodhouse Worthington

(Appendix III continued) Villages Beaverton Bolton Caledonia Cannington Cayuga Colborne Courtright Crystal Beach Dundalk Embro Fonthill Grimsby Hagersville Holland Landing

Jarvis L=Orignal Newboro Newcastle Norwich Point Edward Port Perry Port Rowan Port Sydney Stoney Creek Stouffville Sturgeon Point Westport

Towns Bowmanville Bridgeburg Brockville Campbellford Cobalt Cobourg Dunnville Eastview Fort Erie Gananoque Gravenhurst Harriston Hespeler Huntsville Ingersoll LaSalle Leamington Milton Newmarket Niagara

Oakville Orangeville Orillia Pembroke Perth Petrolia Picton Port Dover Port Hope Preston Streetsville Sudbury Timmins Trenton Uxbridge Walkerton Waterford Welland Whitby

(Appendix III continued) Cities Belleville Chatham Oshawa Sarnia

Toronto Waterloo Woodstock

Counties Brant Bruce Elgin Essex Grey Haldimand Halton Hastings Huron Lanark Leeds and Grenville Lincoln Norfolk

Northumberland and Durham Ontario Oxford Prescott and Russell Prince Edward Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Victoria Waterloo Welland Wellington Wentworth York

Improvement Districts Cameron Renabie Districts* Bathurst Eastern Gore Huron Johnstown

Newcastle Niagara Ottawa Talbot

Western *Districts were responsible for some municipal functions prior to the mid-nineteenth century.