CONTENTdm
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia
British Columbia. Legislative Assembly
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PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Department of Trade and Industry REPORT For the Year Ended December 31st 1950 VICTORIA, B.C. Printed by Don McDiarmid, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty 1951 To His Honour Clarence Wallace, C.B.E., Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia. May it please Your Honour: I beg to submit herewith the Report of the Department of Trade and Industry for the year ended December 31st, 1950. LESLIE HARVEY EYRES, Minister of Trade and Industry. Office of the Minister, Department of Trade and Industry, Victoria, British Columbia. Honourable Leslie Harvey Eyres, Minister of Trade and Industry, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—I have the honour to submit herewith the Report of the Department of Trade and Industry for the year ended December 31st, 1950. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, EDWIN G. ROWEBOTTOM, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. Report of the Department of Trade and Industry For the Year Ended December 31st, 1950 The completion of the first half of the twentieth century marked a period of time outstanding in many ways, not the least of which was the spectacular growth in the commercial and industrial life of British Columbia. This Province has come a long way since the turn of the century. As proof of this, it is only necessary to compare the gross value of production total of $19,447,778 for 1900 with the estimated gross value of production of $1,100,000,000 for 1950. As a side-glance, it is interesting to note that British Columbia's production in 1880 amounted to $2,926,784, made up almost entirely of manufactures in their simplest forms. Where 392 firms employing five or more persons operated in 1900, the total of such firms manufacturing at the present time is numbered in the thousands and the range of production has increased in proportion. The year covered by this Report was one of increased production in most primary products and particularly in manufacturing. For the first time in the history of this Province the estimated gross value of manufacturing production topped the one-billion- dollar mark—a fitting climax to development over the last fifty years and a solid basis to work on in the years ahead. New products mentioned elsewhere in this Report will help to maintain and increase the present high level. Pulp and paper continues in the limelight, and the past year has seen the coming into production of a large mill near Nanaimo, the final stages of construction of a high- alpha pulp-mill near Prince Rupert, and the announcement of the start of a large newsprint-mill near Campbell River. In addition, existing mills have increased their production facilities, and as proof that the eyes of the world are on the wood-pulp industry of this Province, Eastern Canadian and foreign interests have made and are considering other substantial investments. Adequate hydro-power has made many of these projects possible. Great interest continues in aluminium production, and the coming year might well see the start of a project estimated to cost $500,000,000. Extensive surveys have been made to determine the extent of development necessary to produce the tremendous hydro- power required for an undertaking of this magnitude. British Columbia has always been known as an exporting Province and, in spite of restricted markets, has managed to maintain a high export trade. Traditional markets such as the United Kingdom have signified intention to increase purchases of such British Columbia products as lumber, canned salmon, and apples. There is no question that increased imports from foreign countries have helped our export volume, and the public generally is to be congratulated for subscribing to the principle of two-way trade. All the usual indicators, such as retail sales, life-insurance sales, bank clearings, gasoline and electric-power consumption, and salaries and wages paid, show substantial increases over the previous year, and the outlook for 1951 is for continued advance along all fronts. An optimistic sign of development is reflected by continued activity in the construction industry. Contracts granted in 1950 totalled the sum of $81,240,000, exceeding the record set in 1949 by $1,811,000. A successful programme of tourist and industrial advertising was carried out in 1950. These advertisements appeared in the leading national publications of Canada and the United States, ensuring world-wide circulation. A complete report of the activities of each division of this Department follows. HH 6 BRITISH COLUMBIA 800 775 725 i / 700 \ / \ / 675 \ / 1 650 625 Graph Showing TOTAL PRODUCTION OF FOUR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES1 600 IN BRITISH COLUMBIA 1920-19502 575 j 550 500 13_ -J Q 450 LL O Z d 400 5 Z 375 2 350 8 ilb Q. 275 250 200 150 125 100 75 50 • 25 0 1925 1930 1 Agriculture, Forestry. Mining. Fishing 2 1950 Figures Subject to Revision. 1935 YEARS 1950 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 7 SPECIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT Interdepartmental Industrial Advisory Committee This Committee meets at the call of the Chair to consider industrial problems which affect various departments of the Government service. The Committee has been extremely helpful in furthering industrial development throughout the Province. The following is the personnel of this Committee:— E. G. Rowebottom, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (Chairman). J. V. Fisher, Deputy Minister of Finance (Vice-Chairman). E. S. Jones, Deputy Minister, Public Works Department. Dr. J. F. Walker, Deputy Minister of Mines. J. T. Gawthrop, Director, Regional Development Division, Department of Trade and Industry. C. Hopper, Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands. R. Bowering, Public Health Engineer, Branch of Public Health. James Thomson, Deputy Minister of Labour. J. E. Lane, Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights, Water Rights Branch. Dr. C. D. Orchard, Deputy Minister of Forests. G. Melrose, Deputy Minister of Lands. W. H. Robertson, Deputy Minister of Agriculture. E. MacGinnis, Marketing Commissioner, Department of Agriculture. R. S. O'Meara, Trade Commissioner, Department of Trade and Industry. T. L. Sturgess, Administrative Assistant, Department of Trade and Industry. W. A. Carrothers, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission. G. T. Hatcher, Director, Bureau of Economics and Statistics, Department of Trade and Industry. H. Sargent, Chief Mining Engineer, Department of Mines. G. Alexander, Deputy Minister of Fisheries. Col. F. T. Fairey, Deputy Minister of Education. BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH COUNCIL Under the chairmanship of the Minister of Trade and Industry the Research Council held monthly meetings at which were considered many scientific problems of vital interest to the Province. Industrial advancement is contingent upon scientific research, and it is very gratifying to the directors of the Council that industry is taking advantage of the services which the Council provides. The Council was organized in order to perform the following functions:— (1) To co-ordinate the work of existing and prospective research units within the Province of British Columbia. (2) To initiate and undertake research work in any field of particular interest to the Province; to apply the results of research toward the development of new products, the improvement of industrial processes, and the establishment of new industries based on the resources of the Province. (3) To assist in the development of the technical status of the industries in the Province of British Columbia through a fuller utilization of scientific methods and industrial research. (4) To provide fellowships, scholarships, bursaries, and rewards, and pecuniary and other aids, in order to facilitate and encourage original scientific and industrial research. (5) To provide for the publication of the results of the research work and to enter into such arrangements as may be necessary with regard to patents arising out of the work done by or for the Council. HH 8 BRITISH COLUMBIA The present board of management consists of the following personnel:— Chairman—Hon. Leslie H. Eyres, Minister of Railways, Trade and Industry, and Fisheries of the Province of British Columbia. Provincial Government— G. Melrose, Deputy Minister of Lands. Dr. J. F. Walker, Deputy Minister of Mines. E. G. Rowebottom, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry. Dominion Government— C. E. Webb, District Engineer, Water Resources Division, Department of Resources and Development, Vancouver, B.C. Dr. R. E. Foerster, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B.C. National Research Council—Dr. G. M. Shrum, University of British Columbia. University of British Columbia— Dr. W. A. Clemens, professor and head of Department of Zoology. Prof. A. H. Finlay, Department of Civil Engineering. Dr. G. F. Laird, Department of Agronomy. Industry— G. A. Barrat, British Columbia Fruit Board. S. J. Hammitt, manager, Morrison Steel & Wire Company Limited, Vancouver, B.C. Prentice Bloedel, president, Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Limited, Vancouver, B.C. H. R. MacMillan, president, H. R. MacMillan Company Limited, Vancouver, B.C. James Eckman, Canadian Fishing Company Limited, Vancouver, B.C. M. M. O'Brien, Bralorne Mines Limited, Vancouver, B.C. Labour—H. Neelands, Typographical Union, Vancouver, B.C. Ex officio—R. S. O'Meara, Trade Commissioner, Department of Trade and Industry. INDUSTRIAL ADVERTISING As in 1949 the Department continued to advertise the opportunities for new industrial enterprise in the Province. This advertising stressed the natural resources of the Province and their relation to secondary production. The advertisements were placed in the following selected publications in Canada and United States: Fortune, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News & World Report, Nation's Business, Business Week, Time (Canadian), Canadian Business, Industrial Canada, Saturday Night, and Financial Post. This advertising was supported by an illustrated industrial brochure. The results of this campaign have been most gratifying, and from the thousands of inquiries received, it is evident that world-wide attention was drawn to the advantages of British Columbia. NEW INDUSTRIES AND PRODUCTS In 1950, as in previous years, the Department made many valuable contacts with firms and individuals interested in establishing new industries in British Columbia. In some cases complete surveys were made, including raw-material supply, market possibilities, freight rates, labour-supply, housing facilities, plant location, and other essential information. Interest continues in steel production, and prospects for establishment appear to be brighter than ever in view of defence-planning requirements and the over-all shortage of steel. It is fairly well established that supplies of necessary raw materials are at hand in sufficient quantities for economical production. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 9 The opportunity was taken by Departmental officials while in Eastern Canada to renew old and make new contacts leading to new industry establishment in this Province. A determined effort is being made to increase the range of textile products manufactured in British Columbia and to obtain a glass-manufacturing plant. Through the efforts of the Department a new nylon-hosiery factory is now being constructed in the Province. This plant will be the first ladies' nylon-hosiery mill to operate in Western Canada. Although not classified as new industries, it should not be forgotten that many firms expanded their production capacity during the year or have made similar plans for 1951. One notable example is the announced programme for increased production of zinc and fertilizer at Trail and at Kimberley. Of outstanding interest is the drive by some of British Columbia's leading firms to completely utilize the by-products of secondary production. This tertiary production is taking place in the meat-packing, fish-canning, and sawmilling industries, yielding such products as glues, emulsions, resins, vitamins, and building-board. Under the heading of new products, the past year has seen many new items take their place with the growing list of British Columbia manufactures. Scheduled to be produced is drawn copper and aluminium wire for the manufacture of electrical wires and cables. Other items produced for the first time are oil-pumping units, power-driven fastening-tools, and Vitamin F preparation for skin treatment. Many new cement products, including moulded plaster articles and building materials, were placed on the market this year. In the metal trades, in addition to those previously mentioned, are box springs, fans, ventilators, metal furniture, hydraulic hoists, metal-spinning, refrigerators, sprinklers, builders' hardware and locks, oil-well drilling-bits, and armoured cable. In food-processing, many new specialty products have been produced, and they have contributed to a substantial increase in the value of production of our secondary industries. The woodworking industry is producing many new lines in furniture, fixtures, school and institution equipment, and building requirements. CO-OPERATIVE CONTACTS The Department has consistently co-operated with the British Columbia Boards of Trade, Chambers of Commerce, and the British Columbia Division of the Canadian Manufacturers' Association, and the assistance which these organizations have so willingly and cheerfully provided is appreciated. INDUSTRIAL AND TRADE REPRESENTATIVE, LONDON The Department of Trade and Industry's representative in British Columbia House continues to interview many United Kingdom business-men on the possibility of establishing branch plants in British Columbia. It is to be borne in mind that the difficulty of sterling transfer and the dollar crisis mitigate against many of the branch-plant inquiries being brought to fruition. However, in some cases exploratory parties have made surveys. There have been many inquiries from the smaller type of business-man, tradesman, craftsman, engineer, research chemist, etc. Many of these cases have proceeded beyond the inquiry stage and are either making arrangements to emigrate or have already arrived in the Province. Many inquiries have been received of a diverse nature, for information on not only trade and industry, but on other aspects of life in British Columbia. HH 10 BRITISH COLUMBIA To immigrants or visitors, letters of introduction have been supplied, not only to Department of Trade and Industry officials, but to Boards of Trade, business associations, etc. It has been found that these introductions are very much appreciated by the recipients and have had the result of saving them time and assuring them of the best possible contacts. Contact with the commercial counsellors at Canada House, Ontario House, and with other Canadian Government offices in London has been well established. Relations have been well established with British Government ministeries, and the assistance given by the Export Trade Promotion Department of the Board of Trade is most appreciated. The co-operation of the London Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of British Industries, the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Trade Commissioners in Liverpool, Glasgow, and Belfast has been a great help in furthering the interests of our Province. Many exhibitions or fairs held in London or in other centres, such as Birmingham, Manchester, and Lincoln, were attended by the Industrial and Trade Representative. One of the most pleasant duties falling to the lot of the Office has been the assistance rendered to British Columbia business-men. Visits to trade fairs, introductions to Canada House and United Kingdom Government departments, itineraries suggested, and in some cases hotel accommodation and transportation space have been secured. The Office is well organized to cater to the requirements of any British Columbia buyers, salesmen, etc., who might visit Great Britain or the adjacent Continent. Since many people in this country wish to emigrate, it will be realized that it is comparatively easy to convince them that they should settle in British Columbia. However, the system adopted, not only by the Industrial and Trade Representative, but by others concerned at British Columbia House, is to tell such applicants that they must make up their own minds, and when they do, assistance in the way of advice and letters of introduction will be given to help them become established in their new environment. It has been established that the majority of business and trade inquiries stem from an individual's desire to emigrate to British Columbia. For this reason the line of demarcation between an emigration inquiry and an industrial or trade inquiry is sometimes hard to define. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT FUND Statement of Loans Outstanding, December 31st, 1950 Loans Interest B.C. Livestock Producers' Co-operative Association $4,000.00 $135.62 Charles Cormack 101.82 4.83 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 11 OFFICE OF TRADE COMMISSIONER REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL SURVEYS While the Office is still charged with direct responsibility for some phases of work on new plant establishment, area surveys are now undertaken by the Regional Development Division. Individual placement inquiries are handled by the Office of Trade Commissioner, sometimes in co-operation with Bureau of Economics and Statistics and sometimes by direct survey. The Office continues to collate industrial material for publication, or for special reports to Ottawa and elsewhere. DOMINION DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND COMMERCE Mention is made again of the very useful pattern of co-operation maintained with the office of the Western Representative of the Dominion Department of Trade and Commerce, Vancouver. This post was established April 1st, 1947. It has extended its own services to exporters and importers. It uses the Office of Trade Commissioner at Victoria as a central contact to ensure the closest co-operation with all Provincial units, and with the overseas offices of the Foreign Trade Service. PATTERN OF LIAISON WITH OTTAWA With the Dominion Department of Trade and Commerce, contact has been maintained direct and through the clearing-house of the Western Representative of the Foreign Trade Service. Main objectives are as follows:— (1) Local planning in production and industry surveys. (2) Surveys of plant capacity. (3) Surveys of overseas markets, in direct co-operation with the firms or industries concerned and the Federal Trade Commissioner Service. (4) Co-ordinated effort with commodity divisions at Ottawa to indicate sources of supply in British Columbia. (5) Co-ordinated planning in two-way trade, in co-operation with Import Division, Foreign Trade Service; United Kingdom Trade Commissioner Service; consulates; banks; transportation companies; and importers in the Province. (6) Intimate assistance for procurement and routing problems of the foreign purchasing missions, direct and through the Canadian Commercial Corporation. (7) Surveys and interpretative assistance to the import control units at Ottawa. (8) Co-operation with Information Division in selection and screening of industrial films for overseas distribution. (9) Co-operation with Information Division in co-ordinated publicity programmes, in preparation of special brochures, and in advertising programmes for the International Trade Fair. (10) Effective liaison with International Trade Relations Division at Ottawa, under two main headings:— (a) Special tariff information. (b) Review and presentation for revision of tariff structures affecting British Columbia industry. Closer contact with Ottawa departments has been secured through British Columbia membership in the Provincial Governments' Trade and Industry Council, to which detailed reference is made elsewhere in this Report.* ' Montebello Conference, September, 1950. HH 12 BRITISH COLUMBIA Presence of Ottawa officials at the 1950 conference of the Council presented opportunity for intimate discussion of a number of problems of special interest to British Columbia. As example, a plan has been worked out for mutual assistance with the Economic Research and Development Branch, Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, for:— (1) Analysis of primary industries. (2) Forecast reports on secondary industries. (3) Listing of new plant establishments. (4) Contribution of statistical data which is available from Provincial sources. OTHER OTTAWA CONTACTS The Office has maintained effective co-operative contact with:— (1) Industrial Development Bank, direct and through the regional organization in the Province. (2) Export Credits Insurance Corporation. (3) Canadian Standards Association. (4) National Research Council and Federal departments concerned with industrial research. (5) British Food Mission and purchasing agencies of foreign governments. (6) Canadian Commercial Corporation. (7) International Trade Fair Administration and Exhibition Commission, Toronto and Ottawa. (8) Defence Planning Staff. The Trade Commissioner has maintained this liaison by personal visits to Eastern Canada, and by assistance to officials and representatives who have been encouraged to come to the Province, and who work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry while they are here. The Trade Commissioner has again been associated with reorganization in some of the branches at Ottawa. Objective has been to ensure (1) that local industry is informed of new or improved facilities, and (2) that Ottawa departments are aware of our special interest under selected headings. NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS PROGRAMME The Trade Commissioner has been the convening member of a small group which has been quietly studying the position of industry in the Province, in relation to the undesired event of a national emergency and the currently increased tempo of defence programmes. This informal committee is recognized by the Defence Planning Staff and others in Ottawa. It works closely with all commercial organizations in the Province. It is concerned with survey or action under four main headings:— (1) Procurement by normal or accelerated defence purchases through the usual channels of the Canadian Commercial Corporation. (2) Procurement under production allocation planning. (3) Procurement through any purchasing structures of the Crown companies— Canadian Arsenals, Defence Construction, and others. (4) Procurement for civilian defence. (5) Assistance in the Canadian-United States priorities and procurement arrangements, including possibilities for sub-contracts to British Columbia from United States suppliers. (6) Responsibility for fisting of existing plant capacity, and plans for new facilities in the event of full mobilization. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 13 ACCELERATED DEFENCE PURCHASES The Office has always received excellent co-operation from Canadian Commercial Corporation, Ottawa, and the year has been marked by further developments under this heading. The functions of the corporation have been considerably extended, for accelerated defence purchases and for emergency allocation planning. Following representations made through the Trade and Industry Council, in September, the corporation commenced in November to issue lists of defence contract awards. As indication of the stupenduous purchasing task now undertaken by the corporation, it can be noted that the total of contract awards (over $5,000) during the last ten working-days for the year 1950 was approximately $15,000,000, covering 200 awards in all parts of Canada. The Trade Commissioner's liaison in this has four main objectives:— (1) Information on Provincial sources of supply. (2) Adequate spread of invitations to tender. (3) Equitable delivery terms for British Columbia suppliers. (4) Co-operative response from local industry to ensure fair percentage allocation of awards to British Columbia. CIVIL DEFENCE PLANNING The Trade Commissioner is a member of the Provincial Civil Defence Plarining Committee chaired by the Deputy Provincial Secretary. Apart from other duties as a member, he is charged with responsibility for listing facilities and co-ordinating assistance which is available to the Committee through divisions of the Department of Trade and Industry. These include Office of Trade Commissioner, Regional Development Division, Bureau of Economics and Statistics, Travel Bureau, and Photographic Branch. SPECIAL PRODUCTS BOARD April 1st, 1950, saw the termination of a long-standing arrangement in which the Trade Commissioner has acted as agent of the Special Products Board, Ottawa, for movement of fruit-pulps and S02 fruits to the United Kingdom Ministry of Food. There have been no United Kingdom contracts since the 1947 crop-year, due to dollar shortage and fact of available supplies in sterling areas. Indeed, the year 1950 saw small tonnage movement of fruit-pulps from Holland to Canada. The last outward tonnage movement handled by the Trade Commissioner's Office was effected in 1949, following Dominion Government purchase of surplus inventory which was shipped to the United Kingdom through the Special Products Board. The liaison arrangement between the Trade Commissioner's Office and Ottawa was a very happy one indeed. The Department of Trade and Industry, for the Board, was the actual shipper of approximately 14,000 tons (net) of fruits in S02 and fruit-pulps during the period. This substantial movement over seven difficult years had a marked and beneficial effect on the small-fruit industry of the Province. All contractual, warehousing, and payment arrangements were centred in the Trade Commissioner's Office. The following table shows the comparative net fruit tonnage moved to the United Kingdom by the Trade Commissioner's Office during the years 1941 to 1949, inclusive. 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947, 1948J SO2 raspberries — — SO2 strawberries Greengage-pulp— Tons* 112 1,362 821 985 64 Tons 500 Tons Tons 700 100 Tons 1,345 205 Tons 2,341 ~374 Tons 2,910 450 403 Tons 1,300 * Tons net fruit. t Peak year. t Crop season 1948, shipped 1949. HH 14 BRITISH COLUMBIA UNITED KINGDOM SURVEY The Office of Industrial and Trade Representative in London, at British Columbia House, has completed nearly four years of successful operation. Once again it has served effectively to emphasize the problems of the Province in the United Kingdom trade structure. The work has been carried out in close co-operation with the Federal authorities at Canada House, with the transportation companies, banks, and other central contacts. The Industrial and Trade Representative is attached to the executive staff of the Agent-General. He reports directly to the Trade Commissioner in many phases of his work. He plans itineraries for visitors, from British Columbia and arranges introductions and contacts for United Kingdom industrialists and trade missions. He maintains close liaison with the Commercial Relations and Export Department of the United Kingdom Board of Trade (through the Office of Trade Commissioner at Victoria) and the United Kingdom Trade Commissioner Service in Canada. Further outline of London activities is contained in the general section of this Report. TRADE AND INDUSTRY BULLETIN The institution of the Trade and Industry Bulletin was outlined in the last Report of this Department. This Bulletin has now passed its first full year of publication and has proved to be a worth-while contribution to the commercial life of the Province. Issued monthly, it reports trade inquiries, licence manufacture opportunities, new products, publications, manufacturing news, and other information of interest to importers, jobbers, agents, manufacturers, Boards of Trade, and similar agencies. As a check on the acceptability of the Bulletin, a reply card was included with the October Bulletin asking recipients to advise if they wished to be kept on the mailing list. The high percentage of " Yes " replies returned was very gratifying. At present some 250 copies are sent out each month. Many of the trade inquiries originate with our Industrial and Trade Representative at British Columbia House, London. The majority of United Kingdom firms interested in this market are seeking suitable agents to represent their products in British Columbia. Opportunities for licence manufacture are received through the co-operation of the Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, and include the manufactures of many foreign countries. INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH The Office of Trade Commissioner continued as a clearing-house for application of research results, and for assistance in public-relations phases of the work of the British Columbia Research Council. The Trade Commissioner is ex officio a member of the board of management of the Council. As noted in the last Annual Report, the Advisory Committee structure of the Council was revised during the last months of 1949. Effective June, 1950, the Advisory Committees were replaced by an Advisory Panel, available to the Director under selected project headings. The Trade Commissioner had chaired the Industries Advisory Committee. He serves in liaison capacity on the broader Advisory Panel. He co-operates directly in securing and maintaining the support of industry for the work of the Council. INDUSTRIAL DESIGN The British Columbia Industrial Design Committee was created on September 15th, 1949, and fifteen months of operation have been marked by definite results. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 15 The Committee is directly associated with the National Industrial Design Committee, Ottawa, and the British Columbia Committee is the first and only regional committee of the kind. The Trade Commissioner is chairman, and as at December 31st, 1950, the personnel of the Committee was as follows: Chairman—R. S. O'Meara, Trade Commissioner; honorary secretary—Prof. B. Paul Wisnicki, Department of Architecture, University of British Columbia; executive secretary—R. D. Cameron, 608 Marine Building, Vancouver; members—Prof. Fred Lasserre, M. M. Frazer, A. C. Foreman, Dr. S. E. Maddigan, C. H. Scott, H. A. Jones, R. V. Robinson, J. W. K. Melville, Col. Moore Cosgrave, E. J. Broome, B. J. Manlove, Lome Bateman, and L. C. Hanson. The Committee has been enlarged from last year by new members from the furniture industry and the engineering trades. The list provides representation from the Provincial Department of Trade and Industry; Department of Architecture, University of British Columbia; British Columbia Division, Canadian Manufacturers' Association; Vancouver Board of Trade; British Columbia Research Council; Provincial Department of Education; Vancouver School of Art; and the Federal Department of Trade and Commerce. One main objective is the greater use of Canadian talent in the design of all types of consumer goods. ■ The Committee assists and encourages British Columbia industry to adopt and develop modern industrial design in its products. It attempts to educate the consumers to the advantages inherent in goods manufactured to standards of modern industrial design. It feels that industrial design is now a very important factor in production and market problems. During the year the Provincial Committee has assisted:— (1) By distribution of information and literature, and by showing of films. (2) By arrangements for a second Industrial Design Exhibition to be held in Vancouver during February, 1951. In this, outstanding co-operation has already been extended by the departmental stores. (3) By window displays and in panel exhibits under auspices of conventions and trade organizations. (4) By series of night classes, to commence in January, 1951, in direct co-operation with the Vancouver School Board. (5) By co-operation to the National Committee in plans for a design competition, to be sponsored by the Ottawa authorities, the Aluminum Company of Canada, and the Canadian Lumbermen's Association. (6) By building up reference libraries on industrial design. The Provincial Committee emphasizes the place of our secondary industries in the national programme. Two members of the British Columbia Committee are members of the National Committee at Ottawa, which meets three times a year. One appointment, that of M. M. Frazer, came directly as a result of the local planning. Mr. Frazer is past chairman of the Metal Trades Section, British Columbia Division, Canadian Manufacturers' Association. The other National Committee member is Prof. Fred Lasserre, University of British Columbia. HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION In 1949 a plan to promote handicraft production in British Columbia was instituted, and as a first step a questionnaire was sent to all known producers. Replies to this questionnaire indicated a universal difficulty in marketing. To offset this condition in some measure, this Department, in May, 1950, published and distributed a Directory of Handicraft Products and Producers in British Columbia. This Directory listed the products and names and addresses of some 125 producers in the Province and was distributed to all retail and wholesale firms in British Columbia considered to be HH 16 BRITISH COLUMBIA interested in carrying stocks of handicraft items. Copies were also sent to agencies throughout Canada, including the Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, which co-operated in making possible suitable placement in the United States. As a matter of fact, so many requests for copies were received from unexpected quarters that the supply was quickly exhausted. It is hoped that funds will permit a new and revised edition in 1951. In addition to this effort, the Department was represented at various handicraft displays and exhibits. Assistance was given in many cases on source of supply of materials needed for production, and on location and establishment of retail outlets for handicraft articles. Contact has been maintained with other Canadian Provincial Government departments, and ideas and methods have been exchanged. Although it has not been possible to have representation at Eastern Canadian handicraft meetings, the work done by this Department has been brought to the attention of all concerned. It has co-operated in the proposal that a national exhibit of handicrafts should be developed, and that Canadian handicrafts be placed on display in Canadian Government offices abroad. CHARTING OF EXPORT MOVEMENT—EXPORT SURVEY One function of the Office is continuous and intensive review of export markets in co-operation with industry. Cumulative monthly exports passing through British Columbia customs ports showed a decline for the ten months ended October, 1950, compared with this same period of the preceding year. However, a detailed examination of the trade reports shows a more healthy pattern of export movement than has been recorded for many years. The United States has replaced the United Kingdom as the best customer of the Province, but there has been an improved position in our trading structure with the United Kingdom, as noted elsewhere in this Report. The total volume movement to other traditional markets continues relatively small. It is gratifying to note the increased spread in lists of commodities and the improved market conditions in South America and some Commonwealth countries, including West Indies, British Malaya, and Ceylon. There was heavy movement of fertilizer to India, and a temporary large tonnage market for flour developed in Ceylon. Record prices were recorded for fish oil and meals. The main factors contributing to a more healthy condition include:— (1) Easing of import restrictions overseas. (2) Adjustment in foreign-exchange controls. (3) Some improvement in dollar shortages. (4) Easing of export controls from Ottawa. (5) Appearance of surplus inventory in selected secondary-industry production. (6) Export priority for strategic materials and for a wider range of consumer goods. (7) Access by British Columbia producers to markets receiving foodstuffs and other items under E.R.P. financial schemes. (8) British Columbia access to new agreements with the British West Indies. Trade with the Orient Normal trade with China has never been resumed since the war years. During the year under review there have been further curbs imposed, to a point of virtual embargo, resulting from the Korean crisis. There was heavy movement of wheat to Japan through British Columbia ports. There was considerable volume movement to Japan of fresh meats, and lesser totals were newly recorded under a wide range of foodstuff lines. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 17 560 480 400 360 > 2 !<■= _j D 5 280 240 200 Passing Through British Columbia Customs Ports ^ y 1949 1947 19 50 1946 1948 ■ FEB. MAR APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV DEC. HH 18 600 r BRITISH COLUMBIA Pass ng Th ough EXP< British 1930 DRT5 Colurr -1950 bia Cl stoms Ports \ \ 550 500 450 400 350 Q 13 300 250 200 150 100 50 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 YEARS 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 19 However, resumption of private trade channels with Japan has not created much new opportunity for British Columbia exporters. In particular, there have been difficulties in arrangement of so-called " private barter " transactions, either direct or through the intermediary of United States contacts. GRAIN MOVEMENT There was a drop in total grain exports from British Columbia ports in 1950 as compared with the previous calendar year. Total for 1949 was shown as 75,547,229 bushels, as compared to 52,971,510 bushels for the year under review. However, this is a healthy movement pattern as compared with the years immediately following the war, and there was a new spread of destination countries, which now include South Africa, Central and South America, Belgium, Japan, India, Israel, and Egypt, for quantities in excess of 1,000,000 bushels. The principal importer was the United Kingdom, which (with the Continent) took 29,677,026 bushels of grain during the year, including wheat, oats, barley, and rye, through all British Columbia ports. Small tonnage movement was recorded to California, Cuba, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Italy, and Switzerland. UNITED KINGDOM TRADE SITUATION The Trade Commissioner's Office has been actively associated with negotiations, surveys, and representations. The year has been marked by improvement under a number of headings, as follows:— (1) Increase of total imports from the United Kingdom, which is represented in proportion of well over 50 per cent by the commodity group " Iron and Its Products." The main item under this heading is English cars. New imports also include steel rails, machinery items, and oil-well equipment. The Provincial Government has co-operated directly under the steel heading. The over-all percentage increase noted for the first seven months of 1950 is proportionately greater than the preceding year. It is out of all comparison with the corresponding totals for years previous to 1948. (2) New United Kingdom contracts for British imports of softwoods, estimated at approximately $50,000,000. (3) Resumption of canned-fish purchases, although the volume is not comparable to United Kingdom movement during the war years. (4) Improvement in apple sales to the United Kingdom. A $2,000,000 apple contract was announced in the latter part of the year. (5) Improvement in "token shipments" to the United Kingdom. British Columbia manufacturers have not to date been able to share heavily in this, but the gesture itself is proof of the improved dollar position, and of United Kingdom response to pleas from government and business levels during the year. British Columbia can take some credit in this connection. A Darker Picture The statistical tabulations cannot portray the loss to industry groups and individual shippers resulting from the buying curbs imposed by United Kingdom and Australian authorities. Even where contracts have finally materialized, industry has had no assurance of return to normal buying. Serious disruption of plant operations has also resulted in a number of items not disclosed in the statistics. A good example of this is the loss of the wooden-handle HH 20 BRITISH COLUMBIA market for the United Kingdom, and the effects which other curbs have had on the cooperage and container industry. Reference is made elsewhere in this Report to the fact that no further fruit-pulp contracts have been secured from the United Kingdom Ministry of Food. Approximately $4,000,000 in payment to suppliers in this item alone went through the office of the Provincial Trade Commissioner in the five years ended 1948. The impact effect was mainly directed to the Fraser Valley. Shell-egg contract movement has not been resumed. Seed-growers have lost their important United Kingdom outlet, but attempts are being made to revive these possibilities with the United Kingdom and Australian authorities. It is of interest to note the fact that Great Britain has shipped to British Columbia a great volume of commodities totalling well over 800 items. Even our traditional and normal movement covers less than fifty items to Great Britain. CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR The Trade Commissioner's Office was active in plans for British Columbia participation in the Canadian International Trade Fair, Toronto, May 29th to June 9th, 1950. Elsewhere in this Report there is a special section devoted to the Department of Trade and Industry exhibit at the fair. For 1951 the Trade Commissioner is again co-convener of the British Columbia Fair Committee. With Col. Moore Cosgrave, Western Representative of the Federal Department of Trade and Commerce, Vancouver, the Trade Commissioner chairs the Steering Committee and directs the interests of all commercial organizations, firms, and individuals for (1) exhibitor, buyer, and visitor participation, and (2) advertising, publicity, and general public relations in the Province. Exhibit at Canadian International Trade Fair The Department of Trade and Industry placed a combined information booth and exhibit in the Canadian International Trade Fair at Toronto, May 29th to June 9th, 1950. This exhibit, built of British Columbia plywood, consisted of four sectional displays of primary and secondary industry depicted by means of lighted transparencies. On the walls of the booth were displayed indirectly lighted scenic views of the Province. This layout attracted much attention and many favourable comments. The number of industrial inquiries was satisfactory, and, in addition, there was considerable interest in source of supply of British Columbia products. Over 6,000 pieces of literature dealing with industrial development, travel, and settlement were distributed from the booth, which was attended by a senior official of the Department. The fair attracted a total of 35,364 business-men from fifty-seven different countries, in addition to thousands of visitors from all over Canada. Merchandise from thirty-four countries was displayed in an area of 160,000 square feet. During the course of the fair every opportunity was taken to interview exhibiting firms which might be interested in establishing a branch factory in British Columbia. At the 1950 Fair this Department occupied a minimum-space booth of 120 square feet. It has been decided to enter the 1951 Trade Fair, May 28th to June 8th, occupying a booth of 240 square feet. This larger space will allow a more adequate presentation of the advantages of British Columbia for industrial development. INTERPROVINCIAL CO-OPERATION The Trade Commissioner represented the Department at the meeting of the Continuing Conference, Provincial Government Trade and Industrial Development Agencies of Canada, which was held at Montebello, Que., September 25th, 26th, 27th, 1950. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 21 This second annual conference resulted in further co-ordination of the activities of the Provincial Government Trade and Industry Departments in all Provinces of Canada. The intimate discussions on working-level have cemented a medium for interprovincial co-operation on commercial matters. Representation from Ottawa has helped to encourage greater national understanding of development problems in the various regions. New Council Established At the 1950 Conference there was representation from every one of Canada's Provincial Government Trade and Industry Departments, or their equivalent, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. There was added representation from the Canadian chartered banks, the national railways, and the Federal Department of Trade and Commerce. The Continuing Conference is now constituted as a Provincial Governments Trade and Industry Council, with permanent secretariat at Toronto. There can be no doubt of the success of this move for interprovincial co-operation, initiated by the events which led up to the first meeting held in Lindsay, Ont., September, 1949. Special tribute is paid to the splendid co-operation afforded through the secretariat in Toronto, and by the Trade and Industry Branch there, and by the Department of Trade and Commerce of the Province of Quebec, host Province for the second meeting. CO-OPERATION WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS Co-ordinated effort and happy association has continued. In the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Trade Commissioner is a member of the executive of the Foreign Trade Bureau, active member of the B.C. Products Bureau, and special representative for the Department on the executive of the Transportation and Customs Bureau. While special surveys may have centred in Vancouver, sincere tribute is again paid to the active help and co-operation of the New Westminster Board of Trade, the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, the smaller Boards of Trade throughout the Province, and the British Columbia representative of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Direct liaison with the Chamber head office, Montreal, has been extended during the year. TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS There has been another active year of effective co-operation with the transportation companies, through their industrial development, freight traffic, and public relations departments. The Office has also worked with the air lines in development of air cargo, and in routing and documentation problems. Financial assistance was again extended by grant to the Vancouver Board of Trade through its Transportation Bureau. In this way it was possible to reach the Boards of Trade in other parts of the Province for reports to them on car-loading, routing, and related transportation problems. The Vancouver Board sent out twenty-one comprehensive service bulletins to 126 Provincial Boards of Trade during the year under review. PUBLIC RELATIONS, ITINERARIES AND INTRODUCTIONS This field has again proved to be one of the more important functions of the Office of Trade Commissioner. Assistance has been given under six main headings, where the Trade Commissioner or the Administrative Assistant have been actively concerned:— (1) Attendance at annual and special meetings of Provincial and National and International trade organizations. HH 22 BRITISH COLUMBIA (2) Itineraries and other arrangements for business visitors from Eastern Canada and overseas. (3) Arrangements for visits of commodity officers and other officials from Ottawa, Department of Trade and Commerce, and for tours of Federal Trade Commissioners. Fifteen Foreign Trade Service officials from different parts of the world were on tour in British Columbia during the year under review, as compared with sixteen reported for last year. The Department helped also in survey arrangements for Assistant Trade Commissioners (and Specialist Trade Commissioners) on tour of industries prior to overseas appointments. The Provincial Department has repeatedly urged on Ottawa the importance of allowing all these officials to stay long enough in British Columbia to take back a clear picture of industrial development in the Province. (4) Co-operation with United Kingdom and other trade missions. Practical assistance has been given in their surveys and itineraries. (5) Arrangements for visits of diplomatic representatives, Department of External Affairs officials, and High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries, or their staffs. (6) Co-operation with local consular corps and with offices in Commonwealth and foreign governments. Special reference is made again to the happy and effective basis of co-operation maintained with the Vancouver office of the Australian Government Trade Commissioner, and with the United Kingdom Trade Commissioner's office at Vancouver. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 23 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS Before proceeding to review the work accomplished by the Bureau of Economics and Statistics during 1950, it may be useful to explain that the Bureau is, as its name implies, a fact-finding and advisory body. It has two primary functions: the first is to provide economic counsel and, when necessary, to conduct investigations into economic questions affecting the Province; the second function is to collect and compile economic statistics of interest to the Province. In order to carry out these objectives, the Bureau is divided into several sections dealing with statistical services and one section dealing with economic research. To ensure technical proficiency, the Bureau has endeavoured to follow the policy of building up a small corps of professionally trained persons who could be relied upon to perform a variety of difficult economic analyses. It has also been the policy to make the services of the technical personnel continuously available to all other departments of the Government. Since other Governmental agencies are also concerned with the collection of statistics, a series of working agreements designed to prevent overlapping or duplication has been arranged in recent years between this Bureau and the "Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Ottawa, as well as with the Provincial Departments of Mines, Labour, Provincial Secretary, and Health and Welfare. During 1950 the essential statistical services performed for the other Provincial departments, as well as for the Department of Trade and Industry, were maintained. A brief description of the research and statistical services performed during the year has been provided under the appropriate divisions which follow. REVIEW OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA Preliminary statistical returns indicate that business activity in British Columbia during 1950 reached an all-time high after possibly suffering a slight recession during 1949 from the high established during 1948. The basic industries, with the possible exception of agriculture, will probably show substantial dollar-value gains over the 1949 figures. In addition, the dollar value of production in the manufacturing industries will probably run moderately ahead of 1949 statistics, reflecting a favourable exchange situation as regards exports to the United States and partly as a result of the impetus given by the Korean War. Once again price increases will contribute to most of the gains shown, as volume of production has shown only moderate increases. Incomplete returns indicate that the net value of production of primary and secondary industries amounted to some $870,000,000* in 1949, as compared with $883,651,000f in 1948 and $769,392,150f in 1947. * Preliminary estimate. .. t Dominion Bureau of Statistics. H 200 150 100 50 0 200 150 100 50 0 H 24 BRITISH COLUMBIA ECONOMIC INDICATORS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE (In Millions of Dollars) FORESTRY 450 375 300 ^ 150 75 50 PRODUCTION In Millions of Dollars 80 60 40 20 50 ° PRICES (Index Nos.) 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 50 ° CONSTRUCTION In Millions of Dollars 100 75 50 25 50 ° 1939—58mur Figures Subject to Re y- -~ 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 19 MINING 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 ' FISHERIES / s / S .-» / / / ^ / ^ 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 19 RETAIL PRICES 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 WHOLESALE PRICES 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 0 •00 75 50 25 100 1935-1939=100 1926= -- 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 19 CONTRACTS AWARDED 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 19 ' VALUE OF BUILDING PERMITS 50 / f s 19 40 19 42 19 44 EAR 19 s 46 19 48 19 950 19 icipc /isio 40 ilitie 947 i 19 rep -195 42 Ktin 0—5 19 r. i' 07 rr 44 r'EAR M0- unic 19 S 946 pah 46 —2C tes r 19 4 mi .port 43 nici| ing 19 ia 1 it] 50 >s reporting. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY ECONOMIC INDICATORS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA HH 25 240 180 EMPLOYMENT 120 Q Z 60 1926=100 1940 1942 1944 1946 YEARS 1948 1950 10 9 BANK DEBITS 8 u-i o_ < 7 _j -j O 6 Q "- 5 O 55 4 Z co 2 1 0 1940 1942 Z O RETAIL TRADE 800 600 n INTERNAL TRADE 400 2 §200 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 YEARS 100 1944 1946 YEARS 1948 1950 WHOLESALE SALES ' 1935- 1939 = 100 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 YEARS 6.0 CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICAL POWER I. 4.5 5 u_ ° 3.0 Z _i _i m 1.5 1940 1942 1944 1946 15 YEARS 1950 160 SALES OF LIFE NSURANCE to S= 120 _J -J o a fe 80 Z o - 40 n 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 YEARS FREIGHT LOADED 105 .n 9.0 z o r- 7.5 z 2 4.5 5 3.0 1.5 0 19 40 19 42 19 44 19 46 19 48 19. YEARS 1950 Figures Subject to Revision HH 26 BRITISH COLUMBIA Table 1.—Economic Activity in British Columbia, 1948 and 1949, with Preliminary Estimates for 1950 Unit or Base Period 1950 Preliminary Estimates10 1949 1948 Mining— Total value of production1.. Gold production1 Silver production1 Copper production1 Lead production1 Zinc production1. Coal production1 Forestry— Total value of production2.. Timber scaled2. Paper production2 Fisheries— Total value of production6.. Pack of canned salmon3 Agriculture— Total value of production4.. Apples— Total shipments5.. Domestic shipments5 Export shipments5 External trade— Export of canned salmon8 Export of planks and boards, Douglas fir"~ Export of red-cedar shingles8 Internal trade— Index of wholesale sales8 Total retail sales0 Department stores.. Food-stores Gasoline consumed7.. Railway freight loaded in British Columbian- Consumption of electric power8 Sales of life insurance8 Construction— Contracts awarded6 Building permits issued Finance—Bank debits Tourist trade— Automobile entries on sixty-day permits8- Estimated expenditure of the United States tourist in British Columbia8 Employment—6 All employment Manufacturing. Iron and steel products- Lumber products Pulp and paper Textile products Other manufacturing Mining Logging. Construction Communication.. Transportation... Services Trade Salaries and wages9 $ MB.M. Tons $ Cases Boxes Boxes Boxes Cwt. M Ft. Sq. 1935-39=100 000$ 000$ 000$ Gallons Tons 000 Kwh. 000$ 000$ 000$ 000$ Number 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 1926=100 $ 139,000,000 468,371,000 62,000,000 1,482,561 131,000,000 350.0 820,000 156,000,000 10,300,000 3,960,000 124,000 81,000 86,000 8,400,000 221,543 33,000,000 201.0 718,000,000 133,012,968 10,911,780 5,669,769 10,956,550 41,645,726 36,604,700 12,462,424 331,589,549 4,049,682 462,282 56,456,260 1,433,723 139,960,500 6,742,203 3,046,298 3,695,905 414,259 824,097 2,121,636 332.1 766,649 109,910 132,720 142,307,270 10,394,769 3,601,317 110,976 79,429 89,293 7,540,592 214,805 30,609,000 200.4 213.9 239.5 190.0 219.7 241.8 228.8 113.3 165.0 195.2 213.9 158.2 243.3 278.1 690,000,000 152,524,752 10,603,250 5,038,592 9,616,174 60,072,542 41,234,603 10,854,108 363,786,000 4,293,465 407,210 58,703,803 1,308,137 144,225,000 6,249,429 3,716,845 2,532,584 275,724 802,306 2,323,933 333.8 731,520 102,378 127,260 131,367,552 10,325,427 3,436,778 103,301 70,584 96,953 7,043,620 191,572 28,879,200 202.6 223.0 285.5 196.3 221.7 240.1 228.7 109.4 207.9 180.1 202.2 154.9 254.5 265.7 639,995,979 1 British Columbia Department of Mines. 2 British Columbia Department of Lands and Forests, Forest Service. 3 British Columbia Department of Fisheries. 4 British Columbia Department of Agriculture. 5 British Columbia Tree Fruit Board. 8 Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 7 British Columbia Department of Finance. 8 Bureau of Economics and Statistics, preliminary estimate: 1948 and 1949, Dominion Bureau of Statistics estimates. 9 Bureau of Economics and Statistics, Labour Division. 1 ° Subject to Revision. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 27 THE RESEARCH DIVISION External Trade of British Columbia The agreement between this Bureau and the External Trade Branch, Dominion Bureau of Statistics, consummated in the fall of 1938, has continued in force. Under this agreement the Bureau receives monthly a duplicate set of punch-cards showing in detail the importation and exportation of every commodity normally listed in the Federal trade reports which has been recorded at customs ports located in this Province. While these records do not distinguish the exported merchandise originating in British Columbia nor the imports destined for consumption in this Province from the other goods passing through these customs ports, the records do provide the basis for a very comprehensive annual report on the foreign trade of British Columbia. Preliminary statements showing the external trade through British Columbia customs ports covering commodities with an aggregate value of $50,000 and over are now published annually. Until June, 19.50, detailed monthly statements were also published. For reasons of economy, this publication has now been condensed and combined with an abbreviated form of another discontinued publication, Business Activity, to form the major components of the Bureau's Monthly Bulletin. The discontinuance of fairly detailed monthly published external-trade figures has resulted in increased requests for import and export information, which has been supplied to all inquirers. Tables 2 and 3 give a brief insight into British Columbia's foreign trade for the eleven-year period 1939 to 1949. The peak year for exports was 1948, with 1949 figures slightly lower. Imports almost doubled since 1945. Preliminary figures for the first eight months of 1950 indicate a further slight decrease in exports and another increase in imports. HH 28 BRITISH COLUMBIA 1 .a S SO K 3 O fe CO £•3 "S3 s §^ §<* 1.1 ■s § S g <^ Si § "5 T o °V §•£ S-. 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E i •a g c 0 I 1 c c z s s E ■- T E s ■ ZL rt 1 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 29 Table 4.—Eleven Leading Exports of British Columbia, 1949 Value Rank Commodity ($000,000) 1. Planks and boards, Douglas fir 54.1 2. Lead in pigs, refined 36.7 3. Newsprint 30.7 4. Planks and boards, hemlock 19.1 5. Planks and boards, cedar 17.7 6. Shingles, red cedar 16.6 7. Copper, fine in ore 10.5 8. Ships sold 10.3 9. Fertilizer, other, manufactured 9.1 10. Fertilizer, phosphate 8.6 11. Pulp, sulphite, bleached, dissolving 8.5 The importance of our lumber, mining and smelting, and pulp and paper industry is clearly presented in the above table. The item " ships sold " includes older ships as well as new ones produced on the West Coast. British Columbia products, exported through all Canadian ports, went to ninety- eight countries in 1949; however, 75 per cent of these exports were bought by the United States and the United Kingdom. Moreover, ten countries took over 90 per cent of all our exports. British Columbia's leading customers are set out as follows:— Table 5.—Ten Leading Countries to Whom British Columbia Exported in 1949 Rank Country 1. United States 2. United Kingdom 3. Australia 4. Hawaii 5. Union of South Africa 6. Belgium 7. France 8. Panama 9. India 10. Hong Kong All other countries. Value Percentage of Total $182,276,061 56.6 62,088,998 19.3 7,864,318 2.4 7,331,115 2.3 6,873,807 2.1 6,778,903 2.1 5,908,333 1.8 5,387,066 1.7 3,171,499 1.0 2,508,345 0.8 31,952,631 9.9 Total, all countries $322,141,076 100.0 A continental breakdown of British Columbia exports shows America bought 59 per cent, Europe 25 per cent, Oceania 6 per cent, Asia 5 per cent, Africa 4 per cent, and South America 1 per cent. HH 30 BRITISH COLUMBIA Table 6.—Eleven Leading Imports from Foreign Countries for Consumption in British Columbia, 1949 Value Rank Commodity ($000,000) 1. Crude Petroleum, for refining 18.7 2. Sugar, raw, imported by refiners 8.9 3. Automobiles, passenger (under $1,200) 8.0 4. Coffee, green, imported direct 7.1 5. Gasoline, under .8236 specific gravity 6.8 6. Ores of metals, n.o.p . 5.5 7. Copra, not prepared 4.7 8. Rum 3.7 9. Traction engines, gasoline 3.3 10. Diesel fuel ; 3.1 11. Phosphate rock 2.7 Cheap water transportation evidently makes it possible for California oil-producers of petroleum products to retain the major portion of the British Columbia market. It will be noted that three of the eleven leading imports were petroleum products. Although British Columbia imported from ninety-four countries in 1949, 80 per cent of her imports were of British or American origin, while fully 92 per cent of all imports came from the top ten countries listed below. Table 7.—Ten Leading Countries from Whom British Columbia Imported in 1949 Percentage Rank Country Value of Total 1. United States $135,756,982 65.1 2. United Kingdom 30,365,136 14.6 3. Fiji 7,962,799 3.8 4. Brazil 3,637,143 1.7 5. Philippines 3,318,100 1.6 6. India 3,057,358 1.5 7. Colombia 2,475,989 1.2 8. Peru 2,178,784 1.0 9. Bolivia 1,957,271 0.9 10. Australia 1,880,882 0.9 All other countries 16,024,866 7.7 Total, all countries $208,615,310 100.0 A breakdown of our imports by continents reveals that North America supplied us with 67 per cent, Europe 16 per cent, Asia 6 per cent, South America 5 per cent, Oceania 5 per cent, and Africa less than 1 per cent. Comment should be made of the trend toward a closer balance between British Columbia's foreign exports and imports. Around 1939, imports were close to 50 per cent of exports; by 1949 this ratio had increased to 64.8 per cent. In other words, two out of every three dollars earned by British Columbia exports to foreign countries are now being spent on foreign imports. THE COST OF LIVING On the fourth day of each month the Dominion Bureau of Statistics releases the Canadian cost-of-living index as at the first working-day of the previous month. Toward mid-month the index numbers of the cost of living for eight Canadian cities, including Vancouver, B.C., is given to the public. These releases are made available to those persons on the Bureau of Economics and Statistics' mailing list. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 31 The Dominion index numbers are now used in labour negotiations and for all official purposes within the Province since discontinuation by this Bureau in August, 1947, of the preparation of the British Columbia cost-of-living index. The budget base for the Ottawa cost-of-living index was derived through an expenditure survey of some 45,000 homes in twelve Canadian cities, which resulted in 1,439 families being chosen as typical household units with incomes ranging between $600 and $2,500 a year. All these typical families consisted of a husband and wife and from one to five children living in self-contained quarters, neither sharing kitchen nor bathroom facilities. These 1,439 families, with the help of Government representatives, prepared careful records of their living expenses from October 1st, 1937, to September 30th, 1938. From these records the Dominion Bureau of Statistics determined that the average family consisted of 4.6 persons and spent $1,414 of their $1,453 average income on items which could be included in the cost of living, the rest being used as gifts, charitable donations, etc. Of the $1,414, 31 per cent was spent on food, 19 per cent on housing, 6 per cent on fuel and light, 12 per cent on clothing, 9 per cent on home furnishings and services, and 23 per cent on miscellaneous items, including medical costs, personal equipment, transportation, life insurance, and amusement. These percentages provided the expenditure weights used in the index base. Prices for the commodities used in the expenditure budget were already recorded in the Dominion Bureau of Statistics for the period 1935-39, and the average of these prices for each item was applied to the weighted commodities and computed to form a base-year expenditure upon which comparison costs in the future could be made. Thus the base period is 1935-39=100. The index can be adjusted to a base period, August, 1939=100, using prices as at August 1st, 1939. The Bureau of Economics and Statistics still computes the quarterly cost-of-food index but has ceased to publish the report in which this information is contained. There were two specific reasons for discontinuing this publication. Primarily, the information contained therein was often misquoted or misinterpreted by the lay reader or republished by him without the qualifying statements necessary to justify the dollar-and-cents figures recorded as a Provincial average cost for a minimum diet in this report. Secondly, the base of this index, including both the individual commodities and their respective weights, is under review by the Board of British Columbia Nutritionists. It is planned to rebase the index in order that the resultant average dollar-and-cents food costs may also be of use to the general public. Table 8.—Dominion Bureau of Statistics Index Numbers of the Cost of Living in Canada, 1939-50. Adjusted to Base 100.0 for August, 1939 On Base of Average Prices 1935-39 as 100 Month Total Food Rent Light and Fuel Clothing Home Furnishings and Services Miscellaneous 1939, yearly average 101.5 100.6 103.8 101.2 100.7 101.4 101.4 January. . ~ 100.3 101.1 99.9 103.4 101.0 100.2 101.7 101.1 February 99.9 100.7 98.7 103.4 101.0 100.2 101.7 101.1 99.8 99.8 99.8 100.6 100.6 100.6 98.5 98.3 98.2 103.4 103.4 103.8 100.4 100.4 100.2 99.9 99.9 99.9 101.2 101.1 101.1 101.1 101.4 May. ~ — . 101.4 June 99.7 100.5 98.1 103.8 99.8 100.1 101.0 101.3 July 100.0 100.8 99.0 103.8 99.3 100.1 100.9 101.3 August 100.0 100.8 99.3 103.8 99.0 100.1 100.9 101.3 September.. 100.0 100.8 99.4 103.8 98.9 99.6 100.8 101.3 October 102.7 103.5 106.3 104.4 104.4 99.6 101.0 101.7 November .. 103.0 103.8 107.1 104.4 105.3 99.6 101.0 101.9 December- 103.0 103.8 104.7 104.4 105.4 103.3 104.1 102.0 1940, yearly average 105.6 105.6 106.3 107.1 109.2 107.2 102.3 January —i 103.0 103.8 104.5 104.4 105.5 103.3 104.3 101.8 February. 103.0 103.8 104.5 104.4 105.8 103.3 104.3 101.9 March 103.8 104.6 104.8 104.4 105.7 107.8 105.9 101.9 HH 32 BRITISH COLUMBIA Table 8.—Dominion Bureau of Statistics Index Numbers of the Cost of Living in Canada, 1939-50—Continued Month Adjusted to Base 100.0 for August, 1939 On Base of Average Prices 1935-39 as 100 Total Food Rent Light and Fuel Clothing Home Furnishings and Services Miscellaneous 1940—Continued April May- June July August September- October November- December— 1941, yearly average- January February- March April May June July- August September- October.— November- December— 1942, yearly average- January- February- March April- May— June- July.- August September- October November- December— 1943, yearly average - January .. February.. March April May June July August September- October November- December— 1944, yearly average. January- February.. March April May June July- August September- October.— November- December.- 1945, yearly average.. January.. February.. March April May June 103.8 104.1 104.1 104.8 105.1 105.8 106.2 106.9 107.1 107.4 107.3 107.3 107.7 108.5 109.6 111.0 112.8 113.8 114.6 115.4 114.9 114.5 114.8 115.0 115.0 115.2 115.8 117.0 116.8 116.5 116.9 117.7 117.9 116.2 116.0 116.3 116.7 117.2 117.6 117.9 118.3 118.5 118.4 118.5 118.4 118.1 118.0 118.1 118.2 118.3 118.1 118.1 118.0 117.9 117.7 118.0 117.6 July August.. 117.7 117.7 117.8 117.8 118.1 118.7 119.3 119.5 104.6 104.9 104.9 105.6 105.9 106.6 107.0 107.8 108.0 111.7 108.3 108.2 108.2 108.6 109.4 110.5 111.9 113.7 114.7 115.5 116.3 115.8 117.0 115.4 115.7 115.9 115.9 116.1 116.7 117.9 117.7 117.4 117.8 118.6 118.8 118.4 117.1 116.9 117.2 117.6 118.1 118.5 118.8 119.2 119.4 119.3 119.4 119.3 118.9 119.0 118.9 119.0 119.1 119.2 119.0 119.0 118.9 118.8 118.6 118.9 118.5 119.5 118.6 118.6 118.7 118.7 119.0 119.6 120.3 120.5 104.8 104.4 103.8 105.3 105.4 105.4 106.1 108.7 109.1 116.1 109.7 108.8 109.0 110.1 109.7 112.5 116.6 121.3 123.3 123.2 125.4 123.8 127.2 122.3 123.1 123.7 123.7 124.3 126.2 130.3 129.6 128.5 129.8 132.4 132.8 130.7 127.3 126.7 127.7 128.7 129.9 130.9 131.8 133.2 133.5 132.9 133.1 132.7 131.3 131.5 130.9 131.1 131.5 131.7 131.1 132.0 131.5 131.2 130.8 131.6 130.3 133.0 130.2 130.6 131.0 131.0 131.7 133.4 135.6 136.2 104.4 106.9 106.9 106.9 106.9 106.9 107.7 107.7 107.7 109.4 107.7 •107.7 107.7 107.7 109.7 109.7 109.7 109.7 109.7 111.2 111.2 111.2 111.3 111.2 111.2 111.2 111.2 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.5 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.3 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 111.9 112.0 112.0 112.0 112.1 112.0 112.0 112.0 112.0 112.1 112.1 112.1 112.1 105.9 106.1 106.0 107.9 108.4 108.5 108.0 108.5 108.5 110.3 108.6 108.7 108.9 108.9 109.2 110.2 110.5 110.5 110.9 112.1 112.7 112.7 112.8 112.9 112.9 112.9 112.9 112.9 112.6 112.5 112.5 112.5 112.8 112.8 112.8 112.9 112.8 112.7 112.7 112.7 112.7 113.0 113.4 113.4 113.4 113.3 113.3 111.9 110.6 112.7 113.0 113.0 113.0 112.5 112.5 108.9 108.7 108.7 108.7 108.1 108.1 107.0 109.1 107.4 107.3 106.7 106.6 106.6 106.5 106.5 107.8 107.8 109.1 109.1 109.1 113.1 113.5 113.5 113.5 116.1 113.7 114.1 114.2 114.3 114.5 114.9 115.1 115.7 117.4 119.6 120.0 119.9 120.0 119.9 119.8 119.8 119.8 119.9 119.9 120.0 120.1 120.1 120.1 120.1 120.2 120.5 120.2 120.1 120.1 120.2 120.2 120.4 120.5 120.6 120.6 121.1 121.1 121.1 121.5 121.1 121.3 131.3 121.4 121.5 121.5 121.5 121.5 121.5 121.6 121.6 121.6 122.1 121.8 121.7 121.7 121.8 122.0 122.1 122.2 122.1 106.1 101.8 106.2 101.8 106.5 101.8 106.9 102.2 106.9 103.0 109.4 102.8 109.7 102.8 110.0 102.8 110.7 102.8 113.8 105.1 110.8 103.1 111.5 103.1 111.6 102.9 111.7 102.9 111.8 105.1 112.1 105.6 113.0 105.6 114.3 106.1 115.8 106.4 117.3 106.5 117.9 106.7 117.9 106.7 117.9 107.1 118.0 106.8 118.0 108.1 118.0 107.1 118.1 107.1 118.0 107.1 117.9 107.1 117.9 107.1 117.8 107.1 117.8 107.1 117.8 107.1 117.8 107.1 117.8 107.2 118.0 108.0 117.8 107.5 117.8 107.5 117.8 107.5 117.8 107.7 117.8 108.0 117.8 108.2 117.8 108.2 117.9 108.2 118.2 108.3 118.2 108.3 118.2 108.3 118.8 108.6 118.4 108.9 118.4 108.9 118.4 109.1 118.4 109.0 118.4 109.0 118.5 109.0 118.4 109.0 118.3 109.0 118.5 109.0 118.4 109.0 118.4 108.9 118.4 108.9 118.4 108.9 119.0 109.4 118.3 109.2 118.4 109.2 118.5 109.2 118.5 109.2 118.9 109.4 118.9 109.4 119.2 109.4 119.3 109.5 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 33 Table 8.—Dominion Bureau of Statistics Index Numbers of the Cost of Living in Canada, 1939-50—Continued Month Adjusted to Base 100.0 for August, 1939 On Base of Average Prices 1935-39 as 100 Total Food Rent Light and Fuel Clothing Home Furnishings and Services Miscellaneous 1945—Continued September 118.9 119.9 134.2 112.1 106.7 122.2 119.4 109.5 October 118.8 119.7 133.3 112.3 106.7 122.4 119.4 109.6 November 118.9 119.9 134.0 112.3 106.6 122.5 119.4 109.6 December „ _ . 119.1 120.1 134.3 112.3 107.1 122.5 119.5 109.6 123 6 140 4 112 7 107.4 126.3 124.4 112.6 January 118.9 119.9 132.8 112.3 107.1 122.6 119.5 110.9 February 118.9 119.9 132.5 112.3 107.1 122.7 120.1 110.9 119.1 120.1 133.1 112.3 107.2 123.1 120.4 110.9 April : 119.8 120.8 135.1 112.3 107.2 123.2 120.7 111.0 May 121.0 122.0 137.7 112.6 107.2 123.7 122.1 111.5 122.6 123.6 142.1 112 6 107.2 124.3 122.4 112.1 July 124.1 125.1 144 2 112 6 107.2 126.4 125.1 113.7 124.6 125.6 144.7 112.6 107.2 127.6 127.0 113.8 September 124.5 125.5 143.2 112.6 107.2 129.6 128.4 113.9 October - 125.8 126.8 146.5 113.4 107.3 130.2 128.8 113.9 November 126.1 127.1 146.6 113.4 108.6 131.1 129.2 114.1 December 126.1 127.1, 146.4 113.4 109.2 131.2 129.4 114.1 135.5 159.6 116.7 115.9 143.9 141.6 117.0 January 126.0 127.0 145.5 113.4 109.0 131.5 129.8 114.7 February 127.9 128.9 148.7 113.4 109.1 131.9 130.9 115.5 127.9 128.9 148.7 113.4 109.1 133.1 133.6 116.0 129.6 130.6 151.6 113.4 109.1 136.9 137.2 116.3 May. 132.1 133.1 154.9 115.4 116.2 140.0 138.6 116.8 June. - 133.8 134.9 157.7 117.8 116.7 142.4 - 139.8 117.1 July 134.8 135.9 159.8 117.8 117.3 143.2 142.5 117.2 135.5 136.6 160.6 117.8 118.6 145.5 143.8 117.2 September ~ 138.3 139.4 165.3 117.8 121.1 152.0 147.4 117.5 October 141.1 142.2 171.3 119.9 121.9 154.2 149.9 117.6 November.. 142.5 143.6 173.6 119.9 122.6 157.0 151.4 118.2 December 144.8 146.0 178.7 119.9 120.3 159.3 154.9 119.8 155.0 195.5 120.7 124.8 174.4 162.6 123.4 January — 147.1 148.3 182.2 119.9 120.4 161.2 158.4 122.6 February 148.9 150.1 186.1 119.9 120.1 165.1 159.9 122.8 149.6 150.8 185.9 119.9 121.0 169.9 161.2 122.8 150.4 151.6 186.8 119.9 121.3 172.9 161.9 122.9 152.1 153.3 191.2 120.9 122.7 173.6 161.9 122.9 June 153.1 154.3 193.9 120.9 124.3 174.8 162.0 122.7 July 155.7 156.9 201.3 120.9 124.5 175.4 162.8 123.1 August 156.3 157.5 202.6 120.9 127.7 175.9 161.4 123.4 September 157.6 158.9 203.9 121.0 128.5 179.9 164.2 124.4 October 158.3 159.6 205.4 121.0 128.8 181.0 165.1 124.4 November. 158.3 159.6 204.7 121.0 129.0 181.5 166.0 124.6 December 157.6 158.9 202.0 121.7 129.1 181.5 166.2 124.6 160.9 203.0 123.0 131.2 183.1 167.5 128.8 158.3 159.6 202.2 121.7 130.0 181.9 167.0 126.6 158.2 159.5 200.4 121.7 130.8 181.8 167.8 128.1 157.9 158.0 158.2 159.2 159.2 159.3 159.5 160.5 199.1 198.5 199.5 202.9 121.7 122.4 122.4 122.4 131.0 131.0 129.1 128.7 182.7 183.2 183.3 183.3 167.9 168.0 168.1 167.7 128.1 128.4 128.4 June 128.4 July 160.8 161.5 162.1 162.8 207.2 209.2 123.4 123.4 129.1 129.5 183.3 183.2 167.5 167.4 128.5 128.9 September— 161.0 162.3 207.0 123.9 130.1 183.5 167.4 128.9 October 160.9 162.2 205.0 123.9 134.1 184.1 167.2 130.2 160.4 160.2 161.7 161.5 203.3 201.9 123.9 125.0 135.1 135.2 183.7 183.7 167.4 167.1 130.2 December 130.5 166.5 211.0 132.9 138.3 182.3 169.2 132.6 January 159.7 161.0 199.4 125.0 135.6 183.3 167.6 131.6 160.3 161.6 201.3 125.0 135.9 183.0 166.4 132.1 162.4 162.7 162.7 163.7 164.0 164.0 204.0 204.5 204.6 132.7 132.7 132.7 136.3 138.0 137.5 181.4 181.2 180.8 166.3 166.4 166.4 132.1 132.3 May 132.3 164.1 162.2 167.2 165.4 167.5 168.5 209.9 214.3 216.7 132.7 134.9 134.9 137.1 137.7 138.4 180.7 180.7 180.9 166.9 166.9 168.9 132.4 July 132.5 August 132.5 September 168.5 169.8 218.8 135.5 140.8 182.3 171.1 132.8 169.3 169.3 170.7 170.7 220.1 218.6 135.5 136.4 141.0 140.6 183.5 184.5 172.7 174.8 133.3 November 133.4 December 169.7 171.1 218.8 136.4 140.7 184.9 176.4 134.1 3 - HH 34 BRITISH COLUMBIA Table 9.—Food Indexes for Canada and British Columbia The Dominion Bureau of Statistics food index adjusted to the base 1936=100 and the Bureau of Economics and Statistics cost-of-food index also on a base of 1936=100 are given below. Month Canada* British Columbia Month Canada* British Columbia First of Fifteenth First of Fifteenth 1939— Month of Month 1944—Continued Month of Month August 101.53 94.48 November 134.56 September 101.64 103.90 December 133.23 127.95 October 108.69 104.38 1945— 111.15 111.55 104.74 101.51 133.13 133.54 December February 128.82 1940— 106.85 100.43 133.95 133.95 January... April „ , February 106.85 100.97 May 134.66 129.33 107.16 107.16 101.22 102.53 136.40 138.65 April July. May 106.75 101.77 August 139.26 130.96 June 106.13 101.51 September 137.22 July 107.67 103.47 136.30 107.78 103.84 137.01 130.17 September.... 107.77 103.33 137.32 October 108.49 104.92 1946— November 111.15 106.30 135.79 December 111.55 107.39 February .' 135.48 127.87 1941— 112.17 107.03 136.09 138.14 January February 111.25 108.93 May 140.80 134.98 March 111.45 109.02 June — 145.30 April. 112.58 111.42 Tnlv 147.44 May 112.17 111.81 August _ 147.96 138.43 June 115.03 116.09 September 146.42 July 119.22 124.03 117.07 120.55 149.80 149.90 August _. November 144.64 126 07 121.10 144.69 October 125.97 121.24 1947— November 128.22 123.93 January 148.77 December.. 126.58 121.57 February 150.31 152.43 1942— 125.05 120.99 152.04 155.01 Jartuary April February . 125.87 122.55 May 158.38 159.38 March. 126.48 123.71 June. 161.25 April 126.48 July 163.39 127.10 125.12 164.21 166.07 June 129.04 September 169.02 July 133.23 October 175.15 August 132.52 128.39 November 177.51 182.36 September 131.39 182.72 October 132.72 1948— November ... 135.38 134.63 January 186.30 December 135.79 . February . ... 190.29 189.10 1943— March 190.08 130.16 191.00 February 129.55 May. 195.50 198.97 130.57 134.19 June. „ 198.26 131.60 July 205 83 May 132.82 August 207.16 207.38 June 133.84 135.46 September 208.49 July 134.76 210 02 136.20 209 30 209 12 September 136.50 132.45 December 206.54 October 135.90 1949— November.. 136.09 January.. 206.75 December 135.69 132.05 February __ 204.91 205.57 1944— March . 203.58 January 134.46 202 97 133.84 May....'. 203 99 208 61 March 134.05 128.28 June 207 46 134.46 July 211 86 May 134.66 213 91 209.77 134.05 128.42 July 134.97 October 209.61 134.46 205.82 134.15 128.06 133.74 * Adjusted to base 1936=100. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 35 Table 9.—Food Indexes for Canada and British Columbia—Continued Month Canada* British Columbia Month Canada* British Columbia 1950— January— February- March April May June First of Month 203.89 205.83 208.59 209.10 209.20 213.70 Fifteenth of Month 204.88 208.18 1950—Continued July August September October November December First of Month 219.12 221.57 223.72 225.05 223.52 223.72 Fifteenth of Month 218.73 1 Adjusted to base 1936=100. Table 10.—Index Numbers of the Cost of Living at Vancouver, B.C., at the Beginning of the Months from August, 1939, to December, 1950 (Base: August, 1939=100.) Month Total Food Rent Fuel Clothing Home Furnishings and Services Miscellaneous 1939— 100.0 99.8 102.1 102.3 102.6 103.7 102.1 103.0 103.2 103.5 103.8 103.1 103.4 103.8 103.9 104.1 105.1 105.4 109.1 105.5 106.2 106.3 106.6 107.0 107.5 109.4 110.5 112.1 112.3 113.0 112.5 114.2 112.0 112.2 112.3 112.3 112.8 113.3 115.3 115.3 115.4 115.8 116.9 117.2 117.3 116.1 115.1 115.9 117.1 117.5 100.0 99.3 106.3 106.9 106.0 105.9 103.4 106.1 105.0 106.0 107.3 104.5 105.2 105.8 105.3 105.6 108.1 109.0 117.0 109.2 110.9 111.1 112.0 111.5 112.7 118.2 120.4 124.5 124.0 125.6 124.1 128.8 122.3 122.8 123.3 123.3 124.5 126.0 132.2 131.9 132.3 133.1 136.6 137.5 134.8 132.6 129.4 132.0 135.8 136.3 100.0 100.0 99.1 99.1 99.1 99.6 99.4 99.4 99.4 99.4 99.6 99.6 99.6 99.6 99.6 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 100.6 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 100.7 100.7 100.7 100.7 100.7 101.4 101.4 101.4 102.0 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 102.1 100.0 100.0 103.5 103.5 103.5 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 109.5 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.3 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 111.5 100.0 100.6 100.6 100.6 104.6 108.8 104.6 104.6 108.1 108.1 108.1 109.3 109.3 109.3 110.7 111.2 111.3 111.4 114.8 111.4 112.8 112.8 112.9 113.0 113.2 113.9 115.0 116.6 118.3 118.8 118.8 119.2 118.8 118.8 118.6 118.6 118.6 118.6 119.4 119.8 119.8 119.8 119.8 119.8 121.6 119.8 119.9 119.9 120.1 120.1 100.0 99.8 100.0 100.0 100.2 104.3 102.2 102.1 103.7 103.9 103.9 104.0 103.7 103.6 105.0 105.3 107.1 106.9 109.5 107.0 107.4 107.6 107.6 107.7 107.9 108.5 110.7 111.5 112.3 113.0 113.1 112.9 113.0 113.1 112.8 112.8 112.8 113.1 113.0 113.0 112.9 112.9 112.9 113.0 114.1 113.0 113.0 112.9 113.0 113.1 100.0 100.0 100.3 100.3 100.3 1940 - 100.4 100.2 100.2 March April 100.2 100.2 99.6 99.6 July - ~~ - 100.0 101.0 September - 101.0 101.0 101.0 101.0 1941 103.4 101.3 February 101.3 101.1 101.1 103.7 104.2 July 104.2 104.7 104.9 104.9 104.9 December — 1942 104.9 105.2 105.0 105.2 105.2 105.2 May June July ~ 105.2 105.2 105.3 105.3 September — 105.3 105.3 November December — 1943 105.3 105.3 107.8 107.2 107.2 107.2 107.2 107.4 HH 36 BRITISH COLUMBIA Table 10.—Index Numbers of the Cost of Living at Vancouver, B.C., at the Beginning of the Months from August, 1939, to December, 1950—Continued Home Month Total Food Rent Fuel Clothing Furnishings and Services Miscellaneous 1943—Continued 117.3 117.9 118.2 134.7 136.5 137.2 102.1 102.1 102.1 111.5 111.5 111.5 122.1 122.1 122.8 113.8 113.8 113.8 107.7 July 107.8 107.8 118.1 118.3 118.4 118.1 117.9 117.4 117.4 117.8 136.0 135.9 136.0 135.5 133.5 132.1 131.9 133.5 102.1 102.8 102.8 102.8 103.4 102.8 102.8 102.8 111.5 111.5 111.5 108.9 114.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 122.9 123.2 123.2 123.3 123.6 123.3 123.4 123.4 115.7 115.7 115.7 115.7 115.7 115.8 115.5 115.5 107.9 108.5 108.5 108.7 1944 108.7 108.9 109.0 March 108.9 117.8 118.0 118.1 118.7 117.7 133.7 133.7 134.2 136.0 132.7 102.8 103.5 103.5 103.5 103.5 114.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 123.4 123.4 123.3 123.6 123.6 115.5 115.8 115.8 115.8 115.8 108.6 108.6 108.6 July - - 108.6 August 108.6 117.9 118.1 118.5 133.5 133.2 134.6 103.5 104.2 104.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 123.6 124.0 124.1 115.8 115.8 115.7 108.6 108.7 November 108.7 December - 117.9 132.6 104.2 114.2 124.1 115.7 108.7 1945 119.2 118.0 118.4 118.5 118.6 119.1 136.0 133.1 134.1 134.6 134.8 135.5 104.8 104.2 . 104.2 104.2 104.2 104.9 114.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 114.2 125.5 123.9 124.1 124.4 124.4 125.4 115.7 115.7 115.7 115.6 115.7 115.7 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 108.8 May 108.8 120.0 120.3 138.2 139.1 104.9 104.9 114.2 114.2 126.1 126.1 115.8 115.6 108.8 July 108.8 120.4 139.4 104.9 114.2 126.1 115.7 108.8 119.4 119.0 136.2 134.6 104.9 105.6 114.2 114.2 126.1 126.1 115.6 115.6 108.8 October . . 108.8 119.5 119.7 123.0 135.9 136.8 142.2 105.6 105.6 106.2 114.2 114.2 116.1 126.4 126.4 128.9 115.7 115.7 122.1 108.8 108.8 1946 111.1 January 119.1 134.2 105.6 114.2 126.4 115.8 109.6 119.2 119.5 120.4 134.1 135.0 137.6 105.6 105.6 105.6 114.2 114.5 114.5 126.5 126.5 126.5 117.1 117.3 117.4 109.6 109.6 April 109.6 122.0 123.7 140.8 145.3 106.3 106.3 114.5 114.5 127.2 127.9 121.7 122.3 109.7 June 110.3 July 124.6 124.7 145.5 145.6 106.3 106.3 114.5 114.5 129.7 129.8 124.3 124.9 112.3 August .. 112.3 September. — 124.5 144.5 106.3 114.5 130.3 125.6 112.4 October 125.9 148.0 107.0 114.5 131.8 125.6 112.4 November 126.3 147.7 107.0 123.3 132.0 126.1 112.4 December — .. 126.6 147.8 107.0 126.0 132.4 126.5 112.4 1947... .. 134.9 161.9 109.4 128.6 146.6 137.0 115.8 January 126.1 146.0 107.0 126.0 132.7 126.4 112.8 February ... 127.7 149.6 107.0 126.0 133.1 127.4 114.3 March .. 129.0 151.5 107.0 126.0 134.7 131.0 114.7 April 130.1 152.8 107.0 126.0 138.7 134.1 114.7 May. 132.6 156.9 107.9 130.0 143.6 135.4 115.5 June 134.3 159.7 110.1 130.0 145.6 135.8 115.8 July 135.1 161.1 110.1 130.0 146 6 138 9 1159 August 135.6 160.5 110.1 130.0 150.7 140.6 116.0 138.2 167.3 110.1 130.0 154.1 141 0 116 2 October ~ 141.3 175.0 112.1 130.9 155.7 141.5 116.4 November.. 143.4 180.1 112.1 130.9 159.2 142.8 116.5 December 146.0 182.1 112.1 127.3 164.5 148.6 120.9 1948 155.6 198.7 112.1 135.1 182.5 157.4 126.2 January 147.8 184.4 112.1 127.3 165.9 150.5 124.1 February 148.7 185.1 112.1 127.3 168.8 152.0 124.9 March . 149.7 185.5 112.1 129.8 174.9 153.3 124.9 April 151.0 187.4 112.1 129.8 178.5 154.8 125.5 May.-. 153.5 193.7 112.1 137.5 178.8 155.3 125.8 June 154.3 195.5 112.1 137.5 180.9 155.9 125.8 July 159.2 207.1 112.1 137.9 186.8 159.9 126.7 August 159.5 207.1 112.1 138.9 187.6 160.6 127.1 160.6 209.3 112.1 138 9 190 7 161 0 October... „ 161.3 210.9 112.1 138.9 192.3 161.0 127.3 November 161.1 210.0 112.1 138.9 192.3 162.1 127.3 December 160.8 208.8 112.1 138.9 192.3 162.6 127.3 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 37 Table 10.—Index Numbers of the Cost of Living at Vancouver, B.C., at the Beginning of the Months from August, 1939, to December, 1950—Continued Month Total Food Rent Fuel Clothing Home Furnishings and Services Miscellaneous 1949 January February- March April May June July August September October November. December. 1950 January. February- March April May June July August September October November. December. 162. 160. 160. 160. 160. 161, 162. 163. 164. 163 162. 162. 161 167 161 163. 165 165 166. 167 169 169 170. 170. 171. 172. 208.7 207.4 206.7 206.4 205.2 206.8 209.7 214.2 214.4 211.6 209.3 207.5 205.8 218.2 205.6 210.5 212.2 212.7 214.1 216.1 221.4 223.3 225.7 224.2 225.0 227.1 113.9 112.1 112.1 112.1 113.2 113.2 113.2 114.8 114.8 115.3 115.3 115.3 115.6 122.7 115.6 115.6 122.9 122.9 122.9 122.9 124.4 124.4 124.8 124.8 125.4 125.4 139.5 138.9 138.9 138.9 139.7 139.7 139.7 139.7 139.7 139.7 139.8 139.8 139.8 141.0 139.8 139.8 139.8 140.5 140.5 140.5 140.5 140.5 142.6 142.6 142.6 142.6 192.7 192.9 193.3 193.3 192.3 192.9 193.2 192.9 192.3 192.4 192.7 192.5 192.3 191.0 191.9 192.1 190.2 189.7 189.5 189.1 189.1 189.1 190.7 192.3 194.0 194.4 161.3 162.6 162.5 162.4 161.8 161.8 161.1 161.2 160.4 160.4 160.3 160.8 160.5 163.7 160.5 160.3 160.5 160.6 161.1 163.3 163.2 163.3 163.9 166.3 169.6 171.4 131.3 128.9 129.8 129.8 130.3 130.4 130.3 130.2 133.1 133.1 133.1 133.5 133.7 135.8 134.2 134.2 134.2 135.8 135.8 135.8 136.3 136.3 136.5 136.9 136.9 136.9 Source: Canada, Dominion Bureau of Statistics, "Prices and Price Indexes." THE TOURIST TRADE During the last four years the tourist movement to British Columbia has assumed such dimensions as to again make it one of the first-ranking industries in the Province. These tourists may be divided into four classes, of which the first and second are of major importance by virtue of volume and expenditure: (1) From the United States in automobiles; (2) from the United States by rail, steamer, and air; (3) via ocean ports; (4) interprovincial, via trains, highways, and air. The tourist trade between Canada and the United States is probably larger than that between any other two countries of the world, with the balance substantially on the credit side for Canada. It is also a considerable element in the international balances of payments. Systematic methods of measurement of this trade have been carried out by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, and estimates have been released periodically in its publication currently called " Travel between Canada and Other Countries." These estimates show a fairly consistent rise for Canada as a whole to a peak in 1949. The following table shows that the proportions of these estimates allocated to British Columbia for the same period have not followed the all-Canada upward trend, but have risen to an all-time dollar-high in 1946, dropped during 1947, dropped again still further in 1948, partly attributable to the Fraser Valley floods at the beginning of the tourist season, but showed some recovery in 1949 from the 1948 level:— HH 38 BRITISH COLUMBIA Expenditures in Expenditures in Year Canada British Columbia 1941 $107,000,000 $12,769,000* 1942 79,000,000 9,430,000* 1943 87,000,000 10,400,000* 1944 116,600,000 13,026,000* 1945 163,300,000 21,882,200 1946 216,100,000 34,576,000 1947 241,100,000 33,512,900 1948 267,400,000 28,879,200 1949 268,500,000f 30,609,000 * Purely tentative estimates based on the assumption that British Columbia followed the 1941-44 trend for Canada as a whole in its tourist revenue. t Subject to revision. The interprovincial movement of tourists has not been measured by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics because the money they spend on tour has been earned in Canada. However, this source of revenue is important to the individual Provinces. Preliminary estimates of the number of tourists entering British Columbia from the United States, based on statistics for the first 11 months of the year, seem to indicate that the total for 1950 will exceed that of 1949 {see Table 11). Chart 1. shows the distribution of American tourists visiting this Province in red figures as compared with those visiting Canada in black figures, by State of origin. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 39 co Vi Ih <o S3 1) cq S a, 3 >, U h ") PS cd rfj cj ts u T3 « 1 i u C4H "i o SU -w *-> M M 1) r ■g fe o «} ~ •< CO 5 i? Ol u a 43 O s o *-» o 3 rd tt »Cs o e Ih a <D ►•■a £> u a 3 -«r PI i»i C3 cq CJ Tt 0 a S . cn e*i o «) S" CCS *? G0 o 1, 1 ►«S Kl ~- ■— +-» -Si <l> -a 3 X) h o £ 0 4_) 3 < * O cn C © © ** O Q © © O R, *! °X H *» * ^. m on in t-T o vo r-T ts t- ON CN rH Tfr On ■** fN CN Hlf|»O00hH o\ rjomr-ooovvo ** fN OO IT) NO rH i-H Tj" ON O ^t OO *H Tf On r- Omh m cn cn CN CN rH t CN ON t" CO m VO 00 cn in On O cn cn O rf CT\ On rn f- ■"* fN r^ <n co On tt cn cn fN r-l i-H VO vo »n On rn co CN r- *n rn r- rn no On fN •<*■ m fN rn >n rn vo m as r> in VO 0\ CN 00 CN i> © ^t ^ cn cn fN rH vo m vo no cn © cn .5 t- ON cn rH cn VO rH -* r^ m oo no ^r t> m On On oo m vo t> Os no m r- IflON^tiH *H rH fN NO 00 t- Os © ■■* «n OOONMttO **■ rn m fN On On t- cn On rn r^ m o vo rn cn NtO ND t^ CO rH rH th -* r» O f* ** m NO On On CO On NO CS cn in TJ- rH fN VO oo cn IT) O ON rn *-h cn t- cn cn r> cn <n no t- rN 1-1 CO- r— t* O cn cN cn On tj- CN TT CN co O O -* in l> w in O CN cn ON t- 00 ^- rH i-H rH NO (N cn r> cn CN l-H cn r^ on O rn m t-- fN cn Th r> no as Tt rn a os r-t cn o Tt Tt -* ON so m tn so so oo Tt cn m cn r> rn co oo oo vo cn rn no -* Os oo cn >n r^ oo no no m On CN fN rH 1-1 On co m cn CO o r- r- t- os cn ON 1«t+-<1. ci *>„+- cn cn r- oo rn ^- On fN O rn rH cs cn l> ON O NO Tj" rH cn On ».«H 4-^^-1- •§- vo cn no r- ^t rn cn '^- tH rH H O £ O ■o a a Cfl 3 XI 0 B o t i N H s cd £ r J O v. i! cfl y-^-r" VI s- Vh CC dj 1- a 5 "a > k u 'T' Ph C •^ u ^= »M 0 CO U a >, H X) B 3 S3 1 « "u a s dj o 0 = o g u ! ■permi eller's mercii umbei i-i c Be 1 SPI^eS V 3 o icles) 1) N 2) T) 3) O :raffic traffic raffic plane o s^^^-u"o 3> T£ si co M 3 > do. U < r-i tfpc m < hH r- >> Hi > rt T. H X W jj a > § 3 05 •S Q HH 40 BRITISH COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 41 TRANSPORTATION AND FREIGHT RATES The Royal Commission on Transportation commenced its public hearings in June, 1949, one month before the decision of the Board of Transport Commissioners which removed the mountain differential; from that date to March of 1950, hearings were held in the major cities throughout Canada. The Provincial Government, realizing that transportation is a vital factor in the British Columbia economy, actively participated in these hearings. As in the mountain-differential case, the facilities of the Bureau were called upon to compile, present, and defend the Provincial brief. This necessitated considerable effort in the office of the Bureau plus the presence, for the greater part of the period between November 1st, 1949, and March 1st, 1950, of the Assistant Director at the hearings in Ottawa, who was a leading witness and also acted as adviser to the legal counsel. In line with the Bureau's policy of assisting industrialists where economic research is required, the services of a member of the Research Division have been made available to a group of Victoria manufacturers and business-men who are attempting to have reinstated the former parity in Victoria-Vancouver terminal rates. There has also been frequent reference by the Bureau to its library of freight-rate tariffs for prospective industries with locational problems, etc. In this regard it should be mentioned that the library of over 100 tariffs has proven adequate in dealing with most of the rate problems arising in Western Canada and is available to any interested party. PUBLICATIONS Monthly Bulletin This is a new publication, containing in summary form the statistics formerly shown in the publications Business Activity in British Columbia and Monthly Statement of External Trade (see below). The first issue covered statistics for the month of July and August. Business Activity in British Columbia and Monthly Statement of External Trade In order to meet the steadily increasing demand for these publications and at the same time reduce costs, it was found necessary to discontinue publication of these reports and publish in summary form the statistics in the above-mentioned Monthly Bulletin. The last issue of Business Activity was the July issue; the last issue of the Monthly Statement of External Trade was the June report. British Columbia Trade Index A new edition of the British Columbia Trade Index was released early in 1950. This publication serves as a directory of products manufactured by British Columbia industries. British Columbia Facts and Statistics This publication was first issued in 1948; the third edition was released early in 1950. It provides general facts and statistics relating to British Columbia under the following headings: Population, education, government, banking, transportation, communication, retail sales, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, mining, manufacturing, tourist, and economic activity. Co-operative Statistical Agreements The co-operative statistical agreements with the Dominion Bureau of Statistics continued throughout 1950. Census-of-industry schedules are forwarded regularly from the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, as are the monthly reports covering sawmill operations. The Provincial payroll statistics are forwarded monthly to Ottawa. HH 42 BRITISH COLUMBIA Advisory Services In addition to the projects previously outlined, the Bureau has prepared numerous reports and memoranda for officials of other Provincial Government departments. Members of the research staff were again loaned to many other branches of the Government, namely: Department of the Attorney-General, Department of Finance, Hospital Insurance Service, and Regional Development Division. In addition, many hundreds of reports and tabulations have been prepared for corporations, Boards of Trade, and private individuals, covering a wide range of topics. LABOUR STATISTICS DIVISION The collection and compilation of labour statistics for the Department of Labour has for some years been the primary function of the Labour Division of the Bureau of Economics and Statistics. In accordance with the existing interdepartmental agreement, the annual survey of British Columbia trades and industries was again completed during 1950, a summarization of the 1949 labour statistics being published in the Annual Report of the Department of Labour for that year. Continued expansion in the work of this Division has been the keynote during the year. With labour information currently in demand, it has been necessary to engage in the preparation of many special compilations, reports, and statistical studies in addition to the routine work of the Division previously mentioned. Segregation of industrial labour statistics by regional area was again maintained, an index of all industrial employers reporting for 1949 being compiled and segregated alphabetically by industry and geographical location to provide essential statistical data relating to employment and payrolls in any section of the Province. Further studies of occupational wage rates and the terms and stipulations of collective agreements were subjects of special assignments completed for the Department of Labour, while a publication of British Columbia industrial firms listed in size groups according to employment was made available to Provincial departments and private interests requiring this material. Distribution of the Provincial industrial payroll throughout the various regional areas of British Columbia is again presented in the attached Table 12, which sets out the totals attributed to each of the ten census divisions (see Chart 2) for the years 1945 to 1949. Inasmuch as the industrial survey is not inclusive of such payroll sections as Governmental workers, railways, wholesale and retail firms, financial houses, professional and service trades, the industrial totals do not represent the total of all salaries and wages paid in British Columbia. The totals shown, however, serve to indicate the fluctuations occurring periodically in the various regions of the Province. Table 12.—British Columbia Industrial Payrolls by Statistical Areas for the Comparative Years 1945 to 1949 Regional Area Total Payrolls (Salaries and Wages) 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 No. 1 $8,234,954 13,664,192 8,729,129 169,595,070 52,450,178 2,711,859 9,351,432 3,128,665 7,148,057 551,210 772,126 $8,792,650 15,409,997 11,047,243 158,098,206 52,609,451 4,477,339 10,680,963 4,132,464 5,592,647 1,279,858 835,686 $13,089,910 20,065,572 15,407,310 196,814,172 73,305,625 7,068,034 14,091,695 7,287,683 8,260,298 8,385,552 2,421,303 $13,731,856 23,578,250 16,857,531 245,729,208 85,360,435 6,070,725 15,593,568 8,009,315 7,170,882 1,557,047 2,731,389 $14,196,272 25,465,483 17,162,800 268,168,929 69,824,047 6,709,107 13,991,506 7,109,097 7,793,375 2,586,330 1,156,849 No. 2 - No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 - - - No 6 No 7 No 8 No. 9 No 10 Tot=>'» $276,336,872 $272,956,504 $366,197,154 $426,390,206 $434,163,795 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY Chart 2.—Census Divisions HH 43 MINING AND METALLURGICAL DIVISION In accordance with the agreement concluded in 1938 between the Provincial Department of Mines, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, and the Bureau of Economics and Statistics, all mining production statistics, with the exception of coal, are collected and compiled by this Division. Under this agreement, uniform statistics are compiled from the one set of returns prepared by operators, thereby avoiding overlapping or duplication of effort involved on the part of the above-mentioned agencies, which co-operate in the collection and use of mining statistics. The information, when collected, is made available for general use in a form which preserves the confidential aspects of individual company's or operator's returns. Mining statistics in detail will be found in the Annual Report of the Minister of Mines. Numerous special compilations, covering data not readily available in other departmental reports, were compiled during the period under review by this Division for Governmental departments, banking, and other institutions. Continued close contact with the Department of Mines has been maintained, and special statistical reports prepared for the internal use of that Department. Because of the continued interest in regional questions, the Division has prepared a tabulation of the value of mine production by census divisions covering the 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1949 calendar years (see Table 13). In addition, Table 1 of the Annual Report of the Minister of Mines for 1949 is also included in this report (see Table 14). This gives the Provincial quantities and value of the various classes of commodities produced by the industry. HH 44 BRITISH COLUMBIA The gross value of mineral production in British Columbia in 1949 was $133,012,- 968, and the value to the end of 1949 (1852 to 1949, inclusive) is $2,567,036,472. The value for 1949 is exceeded only by the value for 1948, which was $152,524,752. The average number employed in all branches of the mining industry in 1949 was 16,621. Some of the major expenditures were for salaries and wages, $41,023,786; fuel and electricity, $7,206,637; process supplies, $17,884,408; freight and treatment on ores and concentrates of metals, $19,613,185; Dominion taxes, $13,655,842; Provincial taxes, $3,769,785; municipal and other taxes, $511,037; workmen's compensation, silicosis, unemployment insurance, and other levies, $1,458,149. Dividends paid amounted to $33,651,096. The prices for the principal base metals, although less than the 1948 prices, are high compared with the long-time average. In the United States the prices for copper, lead, and zinc fell in the first six months of 1949 and rose again moderately in the final six months. The price of silver rose moderately from the low reached near the end of 1948. Following devaluation of British, Canadian, and other currencies in September, Canadian producers of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc received a 10-per-cent exchange premium or equivalent benefit. Some gold-producers benefited under the " Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act " throughout 1949. 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Gold, lode ___ IK Silver Tin Ih lb. Totals ... Fuel Coal ("2.000 lb.", NON-METALLICS tons Sulphur* . - tons 43,025,388 286,230 20,332 332,996,351 6,718,122 296,012,941 1,809,018 83,389 4,958 144,448 Totals.. Clay Products and Other Structural Materials Clay Products Brick- Common Face, paving, sewer-brick.. Fire-bricks, blocks ... Fire-clay.. ..No. ..No. 3,810,000 2,584,752 Structural tile—hollow blocks.. Drain-tile, sewer-pipe_ Pottery—glazed or unglazed.. Other clay products Totals- Other Structural Materials Cement Lime and limestone .. Sand and gravel Stone Rubble, riprap, crushed rock.. Totals 209,453 3,579 896,780 Total value- 54,856,808 288,396 17,886 263,580,549 7,636,053 276,324,451 $ 113,173 444,000 1,126,437 9,616,174 10,018,050 585,200 3/735 60,072,542 21,175 5,038,592 688,567 1,409,297 41,234,603 130,371,545 1,917,296 108,531 5,941 160,435 10,854,108 25,734 248,977 68,937 546,707 30,472 1,409,156 2,330,877 3,220,000 509,560 111,300 129,268 392,458 32,922 116,513 597,541 5,138 9,611 1,394,751 179,400 2,287 1,112,272 2,441,304 1,177,632 3,060,535 54,220 839,780 7,573,471 152,524,752 36,604,700 108,094,331 12,462,424 19,783 213,773 79,661 616,490 23,301 517 1,546,798 2,500,323 95,075 24,793 135,391 ' 22,339 145,512 265,098 5,176 9,676 703,060 3,029,425 1,295,087 3,967,132 44,345 916,841 9,252,830 133,012,968 * Sulphur content of pyrites shipped and estimated sulphur contained in sulphuric acid made from waste smelter-gases. MECHANICAL TABULATION DIVISION The general trend toward decentralization is obviously going to affect the work of the Mechanical Tabulation Division. Already the establishment of a separate machine installation by the Hospital Insurance Service has resulted in an appreciable reduction of staff and equipment in this Division, and we can expect further reductions if the proposed centralization of the Department of Finance work on their own machines is put into effect. We have also been advised that the British Columbia Forest Service has placed an order for punched-card equipment to handle the scaling and royalty records DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 47 in their Vancouver office. These three jobs represent by far the greatest part of the work done in this Division. The work for hospital insurance and scaling and royalty records has been handled in this office for the past two years and the tax billing job for approximately ten years. The punch-card procedures for each of these jobs was developed by this Division with the close co-operation of the departments concerned. The development work on these assignments represents many hours of careful planning and hard work by our staff. The slack caused by the loss of the hospital insurance job has largely been taken up by the development of work for the British Columbia Liquor Control Board, which is still in the embryo stage but shows great promise of developing into a very large operation, as will be outlined later. Surveys at present being conducted by Stevenson-Kellogg Limited have already revealed several typical punch-card applications, which it is hoped we will be given the opportunity of developing for the departments concerned. During the year, work was completed for the following departments, as well as our own Department of Trade and Industry:— (1) British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service. (2) Department of Finance— (a) Surveyor of Taxes. (b) Furniture inventory. (c) Purchase-order control. (3) Department of Lands and Forests— (a) Scaling and royalty records. (b) Forest inventory. (c) Forest economics. (4) Provincial Secretary—Civil Service records. (5) Department of Labour—Annual Report, earnings and wage rates. (6) Department of Education—Annual Report, teachers and pupils. (7) Department of the Attorney-General—Motor-vehicle accidents. (8) Department of Health and Welfare—Social-assistance cases. (9) Liquor Control Board— (a) Payroll. (b) Licensee beer stock. (c) Warehouse control. (d) Store stock control. (e) Interdiction lists. (/) Preparation of price-lists. No space will be devoted to jobs that have continued as in previous years, but a brief outline will be presented on each of the applications that have changed during the year. Hospital Insurance Up until September 1st, 1950, we were required to continue the punch-card work for the British Columbia Hospital Insurance Service, which included the coding, punching, and tabulating of work for the following sections: Registrations, Hospital Claims, and Payroll Billing. To facilitate the installation of their own machine section, we were required to transfer a large portion of our staff and equipment to the Hospital Insurance Service. A total of thirty-one machines, consisting of ten key-punches, nine verifiers, five sorters, three alphabetic printers, one collator, one reproducer, one gang-punch, and one interpreter, not to mention numerous control panels and other ancillary equipment, were released. Twenty-two members of our staff, including fourteen key-punch operators, three machine operators, two coders, and three clerks, were transferred through the co-operation of the Civil Service Commission. One senior machine operator is on loan to Hospital Insurance to assist them in setting up their machine section. hh 48 british columbia Surveyor of Taxes During the latter part of the year, plans were finalized for the expansion of work for the Surveyor of Taxes to include accounts-receivable records on punch-cards. To give the Department of Finance full control of this procedure, they are planning on expanding their installation as set up for the Social Security and Municipal Aid Tax Branch to handle this work. To assist them in expanding this section, we will be required to transfer staff and equipment to the Department of Finance early in the new year. Purchasing Commission As the result of a study by Stevenson-Kellogg Limited, the work being done on purchase-order control was discontinued in the latter part of the year. However, work is being continued on furniture inventory, and the punch-card files have proved most helpful in preparing statements of equipment transferred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. British Columbia Forest Service The punching, verifying, and tabulating of 40,000 cards per month, representing scaling and royalty accounts for the British Columbia Forest Service, was continued throughout the year. These same cards were utilized to prepare statements of timber cut for inventory records for the Forest Economics Branch. It is understood that this work will be discontinued with the installation of machines by the Forest Service in Vancouver early in the new year. We will be prepared, if called upon, to release machines and staff to assist in this work. Civil Service Commission The work as outlined in our previous report was continued throughout the year for the Civil Service Commission; however, commencing with the new year, certain changes in the procedure are being implemented which will eliminate some duplications and speed up the issuance of appointment notices. British Columbia Liquor Control Board Work at present being undertaken for the Liquor Control Board may be summarized under the following headings:— (a) Monthly Payroll. (b) Licensee Beer Records. (c) Victoria Warehouse Inventory Control. (d) Store Inventory Control, Esquimalt Store. (e) Interdiction Lists. (/) Preparation of Price-lists. (g) Semi-annual Stock Reports. Payroll.—The preparation of the payroll on punch-cards, as established last year, has proved most satisfactory and has been continued without change. Licensee Beer Records.—The procedure as originally developed for recording beer sales by licensee has been revised to take advantage of " mark sensing " procedures which will make this operation entirely automatic, since no punching will be required. The same system is being used to report sales to clubs. Victoria Warehouse Inventory Control.—By utilizing the end-printing feature of the new document-reproducing machine, we have established a tub file containing a card for each case of liquor held in the Victoria warehouse. This file is readily adjusted for all receipts from suppliers and issues to stores. A glance at this file gives the stock of any brand at any time. This file is balanced monthly to the actual stock in the warehouse. Store Inventory Control.—Punch-cards for store inventory control are being used in the Esquimalt store as an experiment in an attempt to iron out weaknesses before expanding the system to other Vendors in the Province. For the Esquimalt store, bottle DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 49 cards are automatically prepared from the case cards pulled from the warehouse tub file. These bottle cards are placed on the shelves with the bottles in the store. As a bottle is sold, a corresponding punch-card is pulled. These pulled cards are the basis of preparing daily sales statements and, when combined with receipts, can be used to prepare stock status reports as required by the Chairman. In the course of our duties we were requested to make surveys and present proposals on the application of punch-cards to the following work:— (1) Tax billing, Water Rights Branch. (2) Preparation of gazetteer, Geographic Division. (3) Pension cheques, Superannuation Branch. (4) Cost of drugs, Health and Welfare Accounts. (5) Social-assistance statistics, Bureau of Economics and Statistics. Earlier in the year an official request was received by the Premier from the Federal Minister of Trade and Commerce for the loan of two of the senior members of our staff to head the Mechanical Tabulation Section of the Vancouver Regional Office for the 1951 Census. It is anticipated that this work will last about six months, commencing June 1st, 1951. Special punch-card machines have been designed and developed for the Census, so it is felt that valuable experience should be gained by the staff selected for this work. In closing, we would like to express our appreciation of the co-operation we have received from the officials of the various departments with whom we have worked. Establishing new systems and the equitable distribution of staff and equipment, as in the case of transfers, has presented some obstacles which, through the patience and perseverance of the officials concerned, have been amiably settled. HH 50 BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION In reporting the third year of operation of this branch of the Department (established October, 1947), our field offices indicate increased activity in all branches of the work of the Division, which embraces area surveys, assistance to smaller industries, new industry development, industrial inquiries, and operations of the Regional Advisory Committees. FIELD OFFICES The field offices of the Division have continued to maintain close touch with industrial development in their respective regional areas through constant contact with the various local agencies, including the Boards of Trade and Chambers of Commerce of each district, municipal administration, and industrial and trade organizations throughout the Province. The regional offices of the Division are located as follows:— Nelson: Region 1—East Kootenay; Region 2—West Kootenay. Kelowna: Region 3—Okanagan; Region 6—Kamloops and South Central British Columbia. Prince George: Region 8—Central British Columbia; Region 9—North Coastal Area (Prince Rupert and Queen Charlottes). Victoria: Region 4—Lower Mainland; Region 5—Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands. SURVEYS IN THE FIELD Nelson Office—Region One (East Kootenay) and Region Two (West Kootenay) Our Nelson field-service office has rendered a wide diversity of assistance to industry and has handled a large volume of inquiries during the current year. Specific Assistance to Industry Hop-growing.—On behalf of a hop company, a comprehensive survey of the Castlegar and Creston areas was undertaken in conjunction with field officials of other departments. This survey included soil reports, water and power supply, labour-supply, climatic conditions, etc. Resulting from this survey, company officials visited the area with officers of the Division and decided to establish themselves on a portion of the reclaimed area at Creston with an anticipated investment of half a million dollars. Plaster-of-Paris Figurines.—Considerable information and data supplied to an interested party in the Balfour area resulted in the establishment of a new industry specializing in tourist souvenirs of local character. Frozen Foods.—An inquiry regarding the etablishment of a frozen-food factory in the Nelson district. Information and data supplied, and interested parties are considering this possibility. Lime-kiln.—An inquiry from the Salmo district regarding the cost of construction and types of construction of lime-kilns was dealt with, and an analysis of a lime deposit was made. Awaiting further data. Die Casts.—Data supplied to a machine-shop regarding the manufacture of children's toys from zinc alloys. Aluminium Ladders.—Data supplied to a machine-shop regarding construction of an all-purpose aluminium ladder. Interested parties contemplating production. Hard-board.—Inquiry received regarding the process used to produce hard-board. Information and data supplied. Awaiting decision of company. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 51 Cedar Poles.—Arrangements made for a cedar pole company regarding the marketing of 20-foot cedar poles. Ceramics.—Data and information supplied regarding the proposed establishment of a ceramics industry in the West Kootenay. Airport Development.—Arrangements made with War Assets Corporation regarding the sale of a caterpillar tractor to one of the district's airport committees. A number of industrial inquiries have also been referred to the British Columbia Research Council and the Technical Information Service of the National Research Council, and valuable information has been made available through the Division from these sources. Surveys in Course of Completion (a) A survey of a number of new businesses established during the past year is nearing completion. (b) A survey of the West Kootenay region similar to the report prepared by the field office for the Columbia River International Joint Engineering Committee is in the course of preparation. (c) A survey of the industrial potentialities in the Kootenays is being prepared in co-operation with the Associated Boards of Trade of Eastern British Columbia. Liaison with Other Provincial Departments or Agencies and Regional Offices (a) The full co-operation of the Nelson field-service office continued to be given to the Columbia River International Joint Engineering Committee. Three additional surveys were completed during the year, and these are dealt with later in this report. (b) Liaison with the Lands Inspection office of the Lands Service in Nelson continued regarding public parks, camp-sites, beaches, etc. (c) During the course of the survey for the hop company previously mentioned, the Nelson field-service office co-operated with and co-ordinated the efforts of the Dominion Department of Agriculture Experimental Farm at Creston, the Water Rights Branch of the Provincial Department of Lands and Forests, the Dominion Department of Agriculture (Creston and Nelson), and the Federal Unemployment Insurance Commission at Nelson. This combined effort resulted in the speeding-up of the company's decision, and facilitated the establishment of this important new industry into the Creston area. (d) Close liaison with the West Kootenay Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition, and arrangements made with the B.C. Products Bureau of the Vancouver Board of Trade regarding the Bureau's exhibit at the West Kootenay Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition. (e) Co-ordinated certain field inspection work for the British Columbia Travel Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry, and supervised the interprovincial tourist-travel survey during the month of August at the Alberta-British Columbia Border. .(/) Maintained close co-operation with the British Columbia Research Council and the Technical Information Service of the National Research Council and the Nelson field- service office of the Division. Special Projects Reference was made in last year's Annual Report to a special survey undertaken for the Columbia River International Engineering Board by the Nelson field-service office. This year, three additional surveys were completed for the same committee, namely: Survey 1.—An industrial survey dealing with the possible losses incurred to industry by the potential flooding of the area. This refers to contemplated construction of a series of dams from Libby, Mont., to Canal Flats, B.C. Survey 2.—A second survey dealt with the potential market for hydro-electric power in the Rocky Mountain Trench and East Kootenay area. This HH 52 BRITISH COLUMBIA survey forecast the approximate power requirements for the region in 1960, and estimated the potential consumption. Survey 3.—A report was compiled of the natural resources of the East Kootenay and Rocky Mountain Trench area, and covered the present and potential development of the area by the utilization of the region's natural resources. Kelowna Office—Region Three (Okanagan) Regional Advisory Committee During the year under review the Committee covered the third phase of the over-all area study of the Okanagan region, carried out over the past three years, with completion of a brief on Public Playgrounds, in which a number of recommendations covering sites for parks, camp-sites, road-signs, lookouts, and roadside parkways for the region have been submitted and forwarded for consideration to the Parks Division of the Department of Lands and Forests. The Advisory Committee also had under consideration during the year the following:— (1) Grandview Flats.—A detailed soil-survey has been completed, and recommendations made to the Co-ordinating Committee. The question of an irrigation system has been referred to property-owners affected and is reported to have been approved. (2) Soil Conservation.—The progress of a proposed Province Soil Conservation Act was reported to the Committee. (3) Irrigation Survey.—A brochure entitled " Facts about Irrigation and Irrigable Lands in the Tree-fruits Area of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys " was approved by the Advisory Committee. This was published in August, 1950, and distributed at Victoria. (4) Annual Meeting of Association of Irrigation Districts.—The report of a committee set up by the association on the desirability of establishing an irrigation authority for the British Columbia Dry Belt Interior was reviewed by the Committee. The association was notified of the interest of the Advisory Committee, and their readiness to give further attention to the matter when advised of the final decision of the association. (5) Regional Development.—A survey of all available land and water resources of the region received general consideration of the Committee. (6) New Ditch Project of Black Mountain Irrigation District.—Now referred to Co-ordinating Committee. (7) Parks and Playgrounds.—A brief, issued under date of April 19th, 1950, being chapter III of the Regional Area Survey, made recommendations concerning reservation of areas not already under reservation to the Crown and suggesting the development necessary to increase the usefulness of existing recreational reserves, and those which may be developed in the future, also suggesting certain road-signs considered necessary. A list of sixty-four suggested sites was included, with the notation that additional sites were under review. A sub-committee was set up to continue consideration of other sites. The Committee's recommendations have been forwarded by the Division to the Parks Division of the Department of Lands and Forests. (8) Public Works, Flood-control, Drainage.—In view of the general conditions in the region, the need for consideration of instituting certain controls was drawn to the attention of the appropriate authorities. (9) Eating Establishments.—Control by licensing and a system of rigid inspection was considered and submitted to the appropriate authority. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 53 (10) Similkameen Watershed.—The importance of an early decision as to the issuing of water licences has been stressed. It is understood that action is pending decisions of the International Joint Boundary Commission. Irrigation Survey The year under review saw the completion of this survey and publication of the report entitled " Facts about Irrigation and Irrigable Lands in the Tree-fruits Area of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys." The report has been given wide distribution in the area, its purpose being to supply accurate statistical information about irrigation in the tree-fruits growing areas of the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. The irrigation districts and water-users' communities, as well as a large number of private irrigation projects, rendered most valuable co-operation and assistance to our regional field office in the compilation of this report. The material in this report will be of general use as:— (a) A source of information for groups proposing to install irrigation systems. (b) A reference work for schools and universities. (c) A reference for Government departments. (d) A comparative reference for irrigation districts. (e) A library reference. Specific Assistance to Industry Our field office at Kelowna continues to act as the nerve centre for industrial information under a wide diversity of headings in both our basic and secondary industries and, during the year just completed, has handled an increasing volume of inquiries, which are briefly summarized hereunder:— Boat-building.—Continued assistance to a Kelowna firm in obtaining red cedar and Sitka spruce stock in special dimensions for high-class line of racing- shells, and also plywood for small-boat hulls. Brick-Tile Plant.—Conferences with management of local plant On personnel and operation in liaison with British Columbia Research Council. Food-processing.—Regional information supplied re establishment of large cannery operation proposed for the region. Electrical Plant.—Information on regional data supplied. Fruit-processors.—Further surveys carried out re fortification of apple-juice, fruit pectin, etc. Fruit Concentrates.—Assisted in preliminary surveys looking toward establishment of a large processing plant. Hemlock Sawdust.—Surveys conducted in conjunction with Dominion Experimental Farm re use of Coast sawdust surplus for agricultural purposes. Upholstering Concern.—Inquiries into possibilities of local manufacture of loose covers—ironing out material-supply difficulties, etc. Water-resistant Cement.—Inquiries into local manufacture and information supplied. Candy-manufacturing.—Assistance in developing regional markets. Hardware, Woodwork.—Information secured re double glazing. Dairy.—Information supplied to new creamery. Chemical Concern.—Information concerning aluminium-pipe market. Pottery and Clay Products.—Assistance to small clay-modelling crafts in region. In line with the desirability of furthering greater departmental co-ordination, our field representative has maintained close contact with all field officials of the Provincial and Dominion service within the region, attending joint meetings of departmental representatives on matters relating to decentralization of industrial plants, berry-culture, HH 54 BRITISH COLUMBIA soft drinks from apples, community canneries, Okanagan Agricultural Club, restaurant supervision, power-development, water resources, coal deposits, carp-fishing, mineral deposits, and many other headings. A number of industrial opportunities through the bulletin of the Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, have been brought to the attention of industrial concerns throughout the region. Periodical surveys have been continued during the year with railways and transportation companies in the region, checking inward and outward movement of population. Liaison with and information supplied to Dominion Meteorological Service concerning the establishment of additional weather stations in the region. Information concerning the Industrial Development Bank has been supplied to several existing and prospective industries. Contacts have been maintained with the local branches of the Unemployment Insurance Commission concerning placement of displaced persons with special qualifications and technical knowledge. Five inquiries have been forwarded to the I.R.O., Hull, Que. Region Four (Lower Mainland) and Region Five (Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands) Industrial activity in these areas during the year under review was stimulated by the commencement of operation of the H. R. MacMillan $18,000,000 sulphate pulp-mill at Nanaimo, and by substantial progress in the construction of the $40,000,000 pulp and paper mill at Duncan Bay near Campbell River. Supplementing this activity was an extensive industrial building programme throughout both regions. Some of the major buildings under construction were large permanent additions to the Provincial Government buildings, including an addition to the King's Printer in Victoria, a pharmacy and biological science building at the University of British Columbia, and permanent offices of the British Columbia Power Commission, and also a new post-office building in Victoria. Numerous large office buildings, apartments, and industrial buildings have been constructed in the metropolitan areas of Vancouver and New Westminster, indicating the continuing industrial expansion of the Province. Business Inquiries An increasing volume of inquiries was handled this year by our field office in the Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland regions. Assistance to smaller industries was given many centres throughout Regions Four and Five. A cross-section of the inquiries is listed hereunder:— (1) Inquiry concerning the possibilities of establishing a roller-rink at a centre on Vancouver Island. (2) Inquiry from a United States citizen on possibilities of opening a ladies' ready-to-wear business in British Columbia. (3) A manufacturer of tile and bricks sought assistance in relocating the road through his property and adjacent property, and also a request for assistance in obtaining a brick-burner for his plant. (4) Logging-operator inquiry on market possibilities of cottonwood, and information on official procedure to remove cattle-guard gates to expedite his logging operations. (5) Several inquiries were received from professional men for information in determining the trading area, population, and basis of economy for various centres, to enable them to decide the area best suited for opening a practice. (6) An inquiry from the local Board of Trade for assistance in providing a dentist for a Vancouver Island centre, and referred to the College of Dental Surgeons. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 55 (7) A British Columbia representative of a large manufacturer of electric stoves was supplied with detailed information, in Regions Four and Five, to assist the company in forecasting future market possibilities. Vacant and Idle Plants A survey and inventory was made during the year listing a number of vacant or idle plants. Information is now available to interested manufacturers concerning this available industrial space. Close contact has been maintained by our field office on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland with officials of the Boards of Trade, Chambers of Commerce, and municipal officials, and also the British Columbia Research Council and the representative in British Columbia of the National Research Council. These frequent contacts have resulted in an increasing number of business and technical inquiries being handled by our field office. Region Six (Kamloops and South Central British Columbia)— Under Kelowna Office The Advisory Committee in Region Six was called together on several occasions during the year, and included in the year's activities the expediting of regional planning of the Kamloops district and designation of an industrial area for this important centre. The Industries Sub-committee, under the chairmanship of Harry Turner, of Kamloops, dealt with a number of important matters vital to the economy of the region, under the following headings: Fraser River Drainage Basin control, Nisconlith Bench irrigation project, irrigation for the district of Salmon Arm, over-all irrigation surveys for Region Six, high-production pasture for beef cattle, agricultural development of the region, power- development in the North Thompson area, control and inspection of country killing, predatory animals and wolf bounty, iron and steel production in the region. Recommendations on these subjects have been referred to a general meeting of the Advisory Committee, and resolutions were approved by the Advisory Committee for submission to the Department for appropriate reference and action. Action on the Industries Sub-committee's recommendation, mentioned in previous Annual Reports, on the dairying industry has now been taken, resulting in a substantial movement of dairy cattle into the region (Salmon Arm, Kamloops, and Vernon), with emphasis on new blood strains. The Advisory Committee has recommended an irrigation survey for Region Six similar to the Okanagan survey carried out last year, and plans for this will be included in the work of the field office in this region during the coming fiscal year. Close liaison has been established with officials of the P.F.R.A. administration in the region and the Superintendent of the Dominion Experimental Range Station, Tranquille, and their valuable assistance to the Committee in this region is acknowledged. Our field representative has dealt with several inquiries from private industry in the region during the year, followed up by a number of personal contacts with individual firms and supplying of technical information through the National Research Council's Technical Information Service. Region Eight (Central British Columbia) Conditions for logging and lumbering have been excellent during the year, and this is reflected in general growth throughout the region. Prices have remained high, and several new planers have been installed by mills already in operation. There are now fourteen planers operating in Prince George and the immediate vicinity. Along the Pacific Great Eastern Railway right-of-way between Quesnel and Prince George there has been some increase in activity, principally lumbering. At Red Rock a new mill has been built, and a small settlement has resulted. HH 56 BRITISH COLUMBIA In the City of Prince George, municipal improvements have proceeded at a good rate, and several of the principal streets are now hard-surfaced. Indicating the growth of population in the main centre of this region, the school population has increased tremendously, necessitating a shift system for Grades I and II. This condition will be relieved shortly by putting into use a temporary building for these grades. More school buildings will soon become an absolute necessity. Concerning industrial sites, interviews were held with city and Government officials and officials of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway regarding the release by the Provincial Government of sites suitable for industrial development, motels, etc. A number of inquiries regarding warehouse space have developed during the year. A thorough survey in the Prince George area has been made and information tabulated for the use of industrial concerns. A considerable number of important business executives have visited our field office during the year, indicating the continuing and increasing demand for information on this North Central section of the Province. The field office has been able to give information and service on the region which has proved valuable to these representatives of Eastern and United States corporations interested in exploring new enterprises in Northern British Columbia. Flood conditions on the Nechako River near Prince George have caused some difficulty to industry, and our field office has maintained close touch with the lumber interests in this vicinity on this matter. The field office has also continued to co-operate with Pacific Great Eastern Railway officials and engineers in connection with the railway's development. Region Nine (North Coastal Area—Prince Rupert and Queen Charlotte Islands) During the past year, mining development in this region has shown a great deal of activity. A large mine in the Smithers-Hazelton district is operating on solid base metals, and several former mining companies have reorganized and resumed operations. Greatly increased production has prompted consideration of a smelter for the area. Continued high prices for lumber and optimism over the success of the preliminary surveys of the Aluminum Company of Canada have created a prosperous condition of affairs in the Burns Lake district. Large discoveries of perlite deposits will also have significant bearing on the development of this district. Important Eastern concerns have recently become interested in ore deposits of this region. The Telkwa district will develop into an important coal-producing centre of the Province, and considerable expansion by a local company is contemplated immediately, and large coal contracts have been let. The Power Commission is supplying energy for this project and building power-lines to the company's operations. Adequate housing for industries continues to present a problem in the Prince Rupert area. With the completion of the cellulose plant at Watson Island and contemplated expansion in the fish-canning industry, the situation is likely to become more acute. Industry is not inclined under present conditions to invest large sums of capital in housing and is more disposed to rely on.some outside housing authority. This branch of the Department has endeavoured to clear inquiries under this heading from one or two large industries contemplating entering the northern field of operations. New construction has been active in the Prince Rupert area and includes a new theatre, newspaper plant, several private residences, and a Government breakwater. A new hotel for the district, projected at a cost of $225,000, has not yet materialized but is still under consideration. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 57 Queen Charlottes Operations of our field office were extended during the year to the Queen Charlotte Islands. Our field representative visited several centres in this area. Transportation facilities to the Islands continue to handicap development in this district, but despite lack of these facilities, industry in the Islands is showing healthy progress. The canneries reported an output of 8,000 cases of crab-meat from the Masset district during 1950. Lumbering and fishing continue to form the basic economy of this section of Region Nine. With the improvement of communication with the Mainland, settlement of land areas in the Queen Charlottes should develop agriculture to an increasing extent. Our field office is endeavouring, with some success, to find a market for a large quantity of fire-killed cedar located in the Islands for use as railway-ties, which are in short supply. Region Ten (Peace River Block) Plans for an initial survey of this region were indicated in last year's Report, and our field representative visited the area during the current year and made contacts with business and commercial interests and members of the Boards of Trade and Chambers of Commerce in the three main centres—Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Pouce Coupe. A visit was made to the Sudeten colonization project at Tupper Creek and the Swan Lake area. The establishment of natural-gas facilities in the main centres highlighted the industrial development of the region during the year, and with the anticipated opening of road connection to the west in 1951 a new era of expansion for this region can be confidently forecast. NEW INDUSTRIES A considerable increase in the number of new industries and commercial enterprises has been reported by our field offices and local Boards of Trade during the current year, and a partial list is appended herewith. Region One (East Kootenay) Cranbrook: (a) Contracting firm employing seven; (b) grocery-store employing three; (c) delivery service employing two; (d) recreational centre employing three. Kimberley: (e) Milk delivery employing six; (/) bus coffee-shop employing six; (g) plumbing and heating establishment employing five; (h) propane-gas sales and service employing four; (i) ladies' dress-shop employing four; (/) sports shop employing two. Windermere Valley: (k) Two auto courts employing six; (I) hotel employing five; (m) curio-shop employing three. Region Two (West Kootenay) Creston: (a) Hop company employing 100 permanent and 200 seasonal employees; (b) interior decorating establishment employing three; (c) second-hand store employing two; (d) curling arena employing three. Kaslo: (e) Laundry employing four; (/) garage employing three. Nelson: (g) Pharmacy employing two; (h) garage employing three; (0 store employing two; (/') auto court employing three; (k) medical clinic. Rossland: (/) Grocery-store employing three. Region Three (Okanagan) Grand Forks: (a) Dairy employing three to four, investment $27,000; (b) woodworking shop employing two, investment $3,000. Kelowna: (c) Retail trader, cedar specialty, employing one, investment $6,500; (d) cabinet-shop. HH 58 BRITISH COLUMBIA Osoyoos: (e) Machine-works and machine-shop employing two, investment $15,000; (/) garage employing one, investment $10,000; (g) milk delivery employing one, investment $2,000. Penticton: (h) New canning factory and warehouse employing 250. Rutland: (/) Manufacturer of detergents and polishes employing three to six, investment $20,000. Summerland: (/) Electric and radio-repair shop employing two, investment $10,000. Vernon: (k) Machine-shop and foundry, manufacturer of furnaces, employing five. Region Four (Lower Mainland) Burnaby: (a) Trailer-manufacturer. Hope: (ft) Wood-products plant. Ladner: (c) Vegetable-cannery. Mission City: (d) Motor rebuilding and machine-shop; (e) manufacture of plaster-of-Paris statuettes and table lamps. New Westminster: (/) Manufacturer of etched glass and plastics; (g) margarine- factory; (h) hardwood-milling firm; (i) mattress and bedding factory. Steveston: (/') Towel-products firm. Vancouver: (k) Hardware, locks, and lock-set assembly plant; (/) cement block and tile factory; (m) manufacturer of continuous forms; (n) manufacturer of plastic clothing; (o) sprinkler-manufacturing company; (p) manufacturer of base-board heating; (q) margarine-factory. Region Five (Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands) Port Alberni: (a) Fish-packing concern. Port Moody: (b) Chemical-manufacturing company producing resins, etc. Region Six (South Central British Columbia) Kamloops: (a) Seed-house employing fourteen, investment $25,000; (b) propane- gas dealer employing four, investment $20,000. Merritt: (c) Lumber-yard employing four to ten, investment $10,000; (d) sawmill (replacement) employing twenty to fifty, investment $500,000. Salmon Arm: (e) Sawmill (expansion) employing thirty to thirty-five. Region Eight (Central British Columbia) and Region Nine (North Coastal Area) Prince George: (a) Stationery and novelty business; (b) branch office of sewing- machine company; (c) tire-repair shop; (d) bowling-alley; (e) sheet-metal works employing five; (/) department-store expansion; (g) hotel expansion; (h) electrical contractor; (/) machinery and insulation dealer; (/) bakery; a number of existing firms have carried out expansions of their operations during the year. Quesnel: (k) Plywood plant; (/) several new sawmill operations. Williams Lake: (m) Grocery business. Prince Rupert: (n) Theatre; (o) newspaper office; (p) forty-room hotel (projected). Smithers and Hazelton: (q) Several mining companies have reopened. Telkwa: (r) Coal company expansion to 50,000-ton annual output. REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL INDEX The second edition of the Index was released early in 1950, and announcement of its publication brought an immediate response from commercial interests, industrialists, DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 59 and financial concerns all over the country and several inquiries from abroad. The constant and widespread demand for this publication, containing detailed information on the natural resources and industrial facilities of some eighty district areas of the Province, has been very encouraging and has justified the effort put forward by the Division in this direction. Keen competition exists to-day in regard to industry location. Business executives demand more and more information concerning potential and prospective spheres of operation. Our Regional Index provides industrialists and others with a convenient medium of basic information on a large number of British Columbia centres of population. The 1949-50 edition of the Index was enlarged to provide a broader coverage and included the metropolitan area surrounding Vancouver City and the Cities of New Westminster and Victoria. A revised 1951-52 edition will be compiled during 1951. INDUSTRIAL MAPPING OF REGIONAL CENTRES Considerable progress was made by our draughting section during the year on the preparation of the series of composite industrial maps contemplated by the Division in last year's Report. Maps have now been completed covering the metropolitan area of the Lower Mainland and the three important Okanagan centres of Vernon, Kelowna, and Penticton. These maps are designed to describe the industrial areas available for light and heavy industry, railway and highway communications, and other information essential to industry location. The Lower Mainland map also gives a breakdown of industrial areas by acreages in each municipal area. Advance inquiries already received by the Division would indicate a substantial demand for these maps, and distribution will be made directly to industrial concerns and through Boards of Trade and Chambers of Commerce, and through the next issue of the Regional Industrial Index. Work on the mapping of other centres of the Province will proceed throughout the coming year. ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL SURVEY OF REGIONAL AREAS In line with the over-all directive of the Regional Development Division, a decision to undertake a series of comprehensive economic and industrial surveys of certain regional areas of the Province was taken during the year. The Okanagan District, embracing Region Three (and sometimes referred to as Census Division Three), was chosen to initiate this major activity, the underlying reason being that this district offers a wide diversity of economic activity and contains the third largest concentration of population in the Province according to the existing breakdown of regional areas. It is also hoped to determine by this survey what steps can be taken to encourage secondary industries within the region to take up the slack periods after seasonal employment is over. This presents one of the basic problems of this section of British Columbia. This work will be undertaken by the Division, assisted by the research staff of the Bureau of Economics, and will embrace an exhaustive inquiry into all of the economic factors of the area. These will break down into a study of resources, population, land utilization, employment, production and markets, and an analysis of the imports into the region. It is also anticipated that a critical analysis of the factual information of the region showing past development and future trends, as well as ceiling limitations on ultimate production and possible markets, will conceivably be of value to prospective industrialists in assessing the opportunities of the region. The survey will also form a useful outline or pattern for continuing the inquiries into other areas of the Province. A great deal of preliminary study of the Okanagan region has already been accomplished by the research staff of the Bureau of Economics, and an encouraging response has been received following preliminary conferences with the Boards of Trade and Chambers of Commerce in the region, who have made generous offers of assistance in the local phases of the survey to be commenced early in the new year. HH 60 BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA GOVERNMENT TRAVEL BUREAU GENERAL The year 1950 was an exceptionally good " tourist year " for British Columbia. The steadily improving tourist economy of the Province was again reflected in the increased use of its parks and resorts, and in the tremendous influx of visitors to the metropolitan areas as well as to the resort centres. United States cars entering Canada through British Columbia ports on traveller's vehicle permits increased from 214,731 to 221,543, an increase of 3.1 per cent. This increase, while not large, was gained in face of heavier competition and such adverse factors as the Korean War and the rail strike. The increased dollar value of the traffic, however, is not reflected in the foregoing percentage, as many United States citizens took advantage of more liberal United States customs allowance, and their individual purchases of such commodities as china, woollen goods, etc., were definitely heavier than in previous years. A conservative estimate of the " tourist spending " in British Columbia is $60,000,- 000. This figure includes the tourist dollars spent by visitors from other Provinces, foreign visitors entering through other than British Columbia border points, and touring British Columbians, as well as those entering the Province direct on traveller's vehicle permits. A campaign on the part of the Bureau to encourage British Columbians to see their own Province first undoubtedly paid dividends in 1950, and while no statistics were compiled on this phase of the industry, reports from resort operators, service-stations, local Chambers of Commerce, and other sources indicate a much heavier domestic tourist traffic. The importance of intra- and inter-provincial tourist traffic may not be underestimated when it is appreciated that there are more than 36,000 hotel beds and 24,000 beds in auto courts and resorts to fill every day. In the spring and winter months only 36 to 40 per cent of the United States tourists entering the Province on traveller's vehicle permits stay three days or more. In June, July, August, and September this fluctuates between 54 and 62 per cent. In an endeavour to increase the length of stay and to promote additional mileage, the Government Travel Bureau secured the co-operation of the Canadian Customs Department, which permitted the erection of folder-racks at Border points, and also offered such encouragement as was within its means to locally sponsored directional bureaux throughout the Province where regional folders, road reports, and other directional aids were made available. The majority of local tourist or information bureaux are sponsored by the Chambers of Commerce or Boards of Trade, and they are performing an increasingly useful and important service. A number of them have been staffed during the season by paid counsellors who have been interested in securing accommodation for tourists as well as in furnishing information with respect to highway and fishing conditions, etc. The offices of the Vancouver Tourist Association and the Victoria and Island Publicity Bureau are, of course, in a class by themselves, in that they not only maintain large well-trained staffs, but also supplement the promotional work of the Government Travel Bureau by advertising their local tourist attractions, facilities, and amenities abroad. Seasonal special events are also promoted at home and abroad by local interests at Chilliwack, Mission, Nanaimo, New Westminster, Kamloops, Revelstoke, Nelson, Vernon, Kelowna, and Penticton, and there is do doubt that the cumulative effect of local promotions not only creates traffic for the special events, but also stimulates interest in the Province generally. The Bureau was able to extend helpful co-operation to the above- mentioned cities by producing special-event folders which received splendid distribution. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 61 PUBLICITY Advertising The general advertising campaign in 1950 embraced some fifty newspapers through the eleven Western States and also included the Christian Science Monitor. Total newspaper circulation of over 12,000,000 was purchased, giving a total number of impressions in the neighbourhood of 27,000,000. The basic newspaper campaign was supported by national advertising in nineteen United States national publications and six Canadian magazines, which included the Canadian edition of Time magazine. In the magazine field a total of 23,473,471 impressions were purchased through a prime circulation of 11,695,347. An invitation signed by the Honourable the Premier featured the first copy and resulted in a flood of inquiries which engaged the entire staff and necessitated temporary assistance. The balance of the copy was both general and regional in its appeal. In timing the copy, consideration was given the desirability of extending the tourist season at both ends, and the improved conditions last spring and the increased business in September may be a reflection of this policy. Every effort was made to dovetail our own advertising with that of the Canadian Government Travel Bureau, the Evergreen Playground Association, and other agencies, with a view to making repetitive impressions without duplication. In any event, the vast number and the quality of the inquiries received in response to newspaper and magazine advertising indicates that these media have contributed very largely to the maintenance of the tourist economy of the Province. In addition to the foregoing, the Travel Bureau maintained stream-lined painted bulletins north of Seattle, north of Portland, north of Tacoma, north of Grants Pass, and two north of Spokane. The bulletins were strategically placed, under contract, and bore the message " Visit Alluring British Columbia, Canada—000 miles north." Yearly gross circulation of the highway bulletins is 11,680,000. A winter advertising campaign was conducted through the Prairie Provinces and Eastern Canada as in previous years, but through the inability of the State of Washington to participate, the joint advertising in which the Bureau engaged previously with Oregon and Washington, this feature was held over until 1951. It is interesting to note, however, the joint advertisements in Holiday magazine which ran in 1948 and 1949 are still yielding returns in the way of positive and serious inquiries. All inquiries received in response to advertising are carefully answered, and personal letters go out to all whose queries cannot be answered by form or folder. Special folder- racks fitted to the desks of the travel counsellors enable them to handle this phase of the work expeditiously and, during the height of the season, at the rate of 250 to 300 per day. In addition to the foregoing, the Bureau also ordered and prepared copy for considerable general advertising, including special editions, and has acted as a clearing-house for all Government advertising, checking advertising invoices for all departments. Radio Following a pattern which was successfully laid down in 1949, the British Columbia Government Travel Bureau again broadcast a series of spot announcements over all British Columbia stations, the purpose of which was to induce our own people to spend their own vacations to a greater extent within the Province. The series of thirty-two spot broadcasts was begun early in the season and was undoubtedly a contributing factor to the increase in domestic traffic noted before. It is proposed to continue this feature, which was well supported by the radio stations, who followed the compaign with many gratuitous appeals of similar nature. Stations used were CHWK, CJDC, CKOV, CKLN, CJAV, CKOK, CFJC, CKNW, CKPG, CFPR, CJAT, CJOR, CKMO, CKWX, CJIB, CJVI, CKOA, and CHAB. hh 62 british columbia Literature The literature with which the promotions of the Government Travel Bureau are supported covers a wide field of general and regional interests. Constantly in revision, it is designed to meet specific requests and requirements, and the policy of the Bureau is to make available large quantities of informative material rather than to devote its appropriation to smaller supplies of " prestige " pieces. However, considerable colour was introduced this year, and through the co-operation of the King's Printer and by reverting to offset where practical, revisions and improvements were made without sacrifice of quantity or efficiency. Nevertheless, demands for information, specific and general, were so great that approximately 40 tons of printed material was distributed, leaving the Bureau with practically no carry-over for the 1951 season. In addition to heavier requests from travel agencies in the United States and Eastern Canada, demands at ports of entry were much heavier in 1950 due to the establishment of folder-racks, which, furnished by the Bureau, are supervised by the Customs Officers. There was also a heavier demand for regional folders from the Travel Bureaux, Chambers of Commerce, and other tourist interests in the Interior. The Bureau has endeavoured to arrange distribution without waste, its practice being to forward several small shipments over the season rather than to ship in heavy bulk, and the system evolved has resulted in as efficient distribution as possible. The extra demand both at the Border and through the Interior reflects the interest of the Department in securing extra days and extra mileage from visitors already in the Province. Regional folders, issued for the first time in 1950, featured the Gulf Islands, where the tourist traffic is not commensurate with the investment in accommodations due to several factors beyond local control, the Lower Fraser Valley, and the Kamloops-Cariboo region. The latter replaces the old Cariboo folder and now embraces the Kamloops- North Thompson region as well as the Cariboo Road. A new general folder, " Beautiful British Columbia," reproduced in full colour on a single sheet, replaces "Alluring British Columbia " as a general publication, and can be purchased by the Bureau at such a cost as permits distribution and use as an aid in convention promotion and other and like uses. " Skiing in British Columbia " was enlarged in format to provide adequate coverage for a recreational and tourist interest which has increased tremendously throughout the Province over the last two years. This folder is now in heavy demand. Bulk shipments of all literature in heavy demand in the United States were forwarded to our distributing agents in San Francisco, who made mail and express shipments as ordered. This new arrangement not only speeded deliveries, but eliminated customs brokerage. Settlement and general literature appeared with new covers but was substantially the same as 1949. It is now felt that the various publications issued by the Bureau are geared to the needs and demands of the trade, and no additions are planned for 1951. The Vancouver Island folder will be brought up to date; otherwise, with minor revisions, reprints only will be required. The one possible exception will be the Road Report, to which consideration is now being given with a view to our being able to build it into the pattern adopted by the American Automobile Association. FIELD WORK In the early part of the year the Assistant Commissioner made a two-month tour of Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah, in which he renewed Bureau contacts with travel agents, oil company travel bureaux, Automobile Clubs, and other directional agencies. Arrangements were made for the adequate distribution of literature on this trip, and every possible aid given the counselling personnel of the various travel offices. Pertinent information was given tour organizers, and full advice given with respect to British Columbia's highways and surfacing programme. The DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 63 value of this work was reflected in the further calls for specific advice received at the Travel Bureau during the year. Every opportunity was also taken to secure newspaper publicity along the route of the itinerary. Later, the contact work was extended to Montana, North-east Washington, and to feeder points in Alberta, from whence a large volume of business is diverted through British Columbia. The service rendered tourist interests in such places as Coutts, Spokane, Lethbridge, Calgary, Banff, and Lake Louise was reflected in considerably improved traffic over the Big Bend Highway and through the Columbia Valley. Some indication of this is given in the fact that visitors to Mount Revelstoke National Park doubled in 1950. TRAFFIC SURVEY The importance of travel through the Alberta Border points of entry was demonstrated in a six-day traffic check made over two week-ends in August, when a total of 7,325 cars was checked at the Provincial Border. This interprovincial traffic survey, made in co-operation with the Province of Alberta and at the instance of the Canadian Travel Bureau, showed 2,608 United States visitors east-bound through the Provincial Border points and 2,687 west-bound. The total east-bound tourist traffic amounted to 11,319 and the west-bound to 12,892, or a total tourist movement over the six days only of 24,211. Further contact work will counteract adverse reports on the Big Bend Highway, feature the Columbia Valley as a scenic loop, and encourage further penetration into the Interior of British Columbia and to the Coast regions. Work already accomplished along these lines has been richly rewarded. " TOURIST CAMP REGULATION ACT " At the end of the calendar year 1950, 1,170 premises throughout British Columbia were licensed or registered under the " Tourist Camp Regulation Act." In addition, some sixty permits had been issued for new construction. Altogether, these premises provided accommodation for 24,193 and were in addition to the 36,415 hotel beds reported available by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. As a result of the inspections and the desire of many operators to improve their star rating, an over-all improvement was noted which matched the appreciation of tourist-camp properties over the previous year. During 1950 forty-five tourist camps received increased star ratings, and in only three instances was it found necessary to lower the grades. Licence suspensions, based on sanitary grounds or failure to measure up to the requirements of the Tourist Camp Regulations, were applied to three premises only. Of the 910 tourist camps graded for star rating to date, 24 per cent earned four stars, 24 per cent three stars, 17 per cent two stars, 16 per cent one star, and 19 per cent, while meeting the minimum requirements, failed to earn one star. Two hundred and sixty licensed or registered premises remain ungraded due to the stage of their construction, inaccessibility to the Inspector, or for reasons beyond control. Practically all grading was carried out by the Assistant Commissioner, and a total of 378 inspections and reinspections was made during the year. While it would be desirable to have each licensed tourist camp visited by a representative of the Government Travel Bureau at least once a year, staff limitations have not permitted this as yet, but in so far as actual sanitation is concerned, the Bureau has received the co-operation of the Department of Health and Welfare wherever health units are maintained and where most tourist camps are covered by report from the District Sanitarian. In most cases likewise, the Bureau has relied upon the District Sanitarian to advise as to whether premises for which first licences or registrations are requested measure up to the minimum requirements of the regulations. As the checking HH 64 BRITISH COLUMBIA of tourist camps by the District Sanitarian must wait upon the convenience of his own Department, some lengthy delays have occurred, and, despite the whole-hearted cooperation of the officers concerned, this phase of administration of the " Tourist Camp Regulation Act" has been considerably handicapped at times and the Bureau has not been able to render the full public service desirable. In making calls, the Assistant Commissioner has, more often than not, acted in an advisory capacity to the operators and rendered service which has been greatly appreciated. However, much of this work has been conducted at the sacrifice of promotional Work. A very healthy relationship was maintained during the year between the Auto Courts and Resorts Association and the Bureau. Any problems affecting the industry were solved to mutual satisfaction. Problems arising out of the Act with respect to highway-signs, of which there were many, were solved by an agreement between the association and the Department of Public Works, which now permits approach-signs of approved design and with limitations which the operators consider fair. PHOTOGRAPHIC BRANCH During the year the Bureau's Photographic Branch released four new 16-mm. colour-sound productions: "Qualicum by the Sea "; "King for a Day," featuring the Mission Strawberry Festival; " Pacific Holiday," covering Vancouver and its parks; and the " Royal City," a pictorial coverage of New Westminster. Under production at the present time and to be edited and released by May 31st, 1951, are " West by Nor-west," covering the west coast of Vancouver Island; " Hope- Princeton Highway and Penticton Peach Festival"; " Peace River and Alaska Highway "; " British Columbia's Potato Industry "; and " The Inside Passage," which covers the area from Vancouver to Ketchikan. In the field the photographic staff completed shooting of the foregoing films in addition to considerable still- and motion-picture work for other departments, notably the Public Works and Health Departments. The camera-men also took every opportunity to improve the Bureau's library of still photographs, which covers every field of industrial, scenic, and recreational interest. The total audience circulation of the Bureau's films approximated 175,000 through British Columbia, other Canadian Provinces, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The Bureau staff showed to sixty-one various organizations in Victoria and environs and to thirty audiences at the Sportsman's Show, Vancouver. Darkroom production shows over 21,000 prints processed. Of these and the 2,600 negatives processed, a very large number were for other departments with which the Bureau has been pleased to co-operate. Over 6,000 prints were forwarded, upon request, to writers, publishers, and others for illustration purposes, as a result of which the Province gained much favourable publicity abroad. SETTLEMENT The Settlement Branch of the British Columbia Government Travel Bureau has continued to be the approach on immigration matters from all parts of the world. Inquiries have been received from practically every country outside Russia and Asia, the bulk coming from the United States, Eastern Canada, South Africa, England, the Netherlands, the East Indies, and Australia in that order. Those from the United States inquire mainly about pre-emption, homesteading, and cattle-raising. Others inquire in about equal proportions in respect of land settlement and opportunities in the trades and professions. The Bureau confines its interest largely to providing initial informative material, the follow-up usually being undertaken by the other Government departments DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 65 concerned or by the Supervisor of Settlement Service, Immigration Branch, Vancouver. From the latter office the Bureau has received full co-operation and considerable help and advice. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Lands and Forests have also co-operated to the fullest extent, to the end that a great many experienced land-workers, artisans, and professional people have been encouraged to add to British Columbia's economic and cultural life. Exact figures are not available, as in many instances, in fact in most cases, no notice is given the Bureau of final establishment. However, many letters and personal calls through the year give assurance that the great lengths taken to provide full and detailed information are productive in a high percentage of desirable cases. The same observation is true in respect of those inquiries received from those with retirement interests. Of the hundreds who are encouraged by the Bureau each year to spend their retirement in the Province, we have every reason to believe that no small percentage make considerable local capital investments. There is no yardstick by which this phase of the Bureau's activities can be measured, but there is every evidence that it accrues considerably to the advantage of the Province. Migration from sterling countries fell off in 1950 and correspondence slackened toward the end of the year, which we take as a reflection of the Korean situation. The same situation and general condition in the East has no doubt stimulated the increased proportion in inquiries from the Netherlands, East Indies, and also from India, from whence a number of engineers and other professional men are anxious to migrate. MARKING HISTORIC SITES The Bureau has conducted research respecting historic sites and objects within the Province and prepared a comprehensive inventory, together with information relating to methods adopted elsewhere for marking such sites and for preservation and renovation of historic objects. Several sites were suitably marked during the year, notably Fort Sheppard in the Kootenays, the first Legislature site in the City of Victoria, and Fort Victoria. The Bureau supplied a standard bronze plaque in each instance. TOURIST COUNCIL The annual meeting of the advisory body took place in Vancouver in February, and the general discussion and specific recommendations were of considerable benefit to the officers of the Bureau. Regional tourist problems were aired and discussed, and the general policy of the promotion aspect of the Bureau's work given thorough study. During the year the regional members of the Council have co-operated with the Travel Bureau in many ways and were particularly helpful in keeping it abreast of local conditions from time to time. The personnel of the Council was as follows:— Full Membership.—James T. Hunter, Kamloops Board of Trade; George I. Warren, Victoria and Island Publicity Bureau; Howard Faulkner, Kelowna Board of Trade; C. D. Orchard, Deputy Minister of Forests; F. R. Butler, Commissioner, British Columbia Game Commission; J. V. Fisher, Deputy Minister of Finance; E. G. Rowebottom, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry; Commissioner A. T. Belcher, Royal Canadian Mounted Police; E. Evans, Commissioner, Government Travel Bureau; Neil McCallum, Assistant Chief Engineer, Department of Public Works; P. E. Robertson, Prince George Board of Trade; T. D. Rosling, President, Nelson Board of Trade; Dr. G. H. Worthington, Vancouver Tourist Association. HH 66 BRITISH COLUMBIA Associate Members.—Earle Dickey, Revelstoke Board of Trade, Revelstoke; J. Pound, Auto Courts and Resorts Association, Vancouver; J. S. Brown, Burns Lake Board of Trade, Burns Lake; E. Ely, B.C. Hotels Association, Vancouver; Eric Atkins, Chilliwack; Les Young, manager, Odeon Theatres, New Westminster; Ralph Williamson, Dawson Creek Terminal Company, Dawson Creek; H. Kraupner, Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce, Prince Rupert; W. H. Wilson, Associated Boards of Trade of East and West Kootenay, Cranbrook; Dr. A. H. Bayne, Williams Lake and District Board of Trade, Williams Lake. CO-OPERATIVE ACTIVITIES As mentioned earlier, the Bureau received and gave full co-operation from and to the various Chambers of Commerce and officially sponsored Tourist Bureaux throughout the Province. Particular reference, however, should be made to the work of the Vancouver Tourist Association, which schedules a considerable amount of advertising to alternate with appearances of the Bureau's copy, handles many thousands of personal and mailed inquiries annually, and whose work, while local in particular, does much to stimulate interest in other parts of the Province. The local handling of Provincial inquiries by the association is of considerable help to the Bureau, and particular recognition is due A. L. Woods, comptroller, whose interest both at home and on tour is as much in British Columbia generally as in the city he serves. From the British Columbia Automobile Association and its manager, F. Bird, the Bureau has also received much assistance and counsel, as it has from G. I. Warren and his staff at the Victoria and Island Publicity Bureau. Through token membership in the Evergreen Playground Association the Department has had a voice in the timing and copy placed by the association which features the Pacific Northwest. Every courtesy and consideration has been shown by the officers of this association, which recognized British Columbia as one of the major attractions to the entire area. Joint advertising was dispensed with in 1950, but the officers of the Washington State Progress Commission and the Tourist Branch of the Oregon State Highway Commission took advantage of every opportunity to discuss mutual tourist-traffic problems with British Columbia, and their co-operative spirit considerably enhanced promotional work. The Canadian Government Travel Bureau has continued to co-operate with the Bureau on all matters of a general nature, and it was at its request that the interprovincial traffic survey was made. Through its offices considerable statistical material of value has been made available, as have large quantities of informative literature dealing with immigration and customs matters, and also the National Parks. While their offices are used to a large extent as an extension of the Canadian Government Travel Bureau, the Canadian Consul-General and his staff in San Francisco and the Canadian Trade Commissioner in Los Angeles have all rendered service to British Columbia beyond the call of regular duty. The Bureau has been able to call upon them time and time again for attention to specific detail and in every case has received prompt and whole-hearted co-operation. The relationship between the Bureau and the foregoing individuals and agencies is a source of keen gratification. CANADIAN TOURIST ASSOCIATION At the annual meeting of the Canadian Tourist Association held in Calgary, Alta., on September 13th to 15th, plans were made for the sponsoring of its Sixth Tourist Service Educational Week Campaign which will run during the month of May, 1951. DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY HH 67 This campaign has been planned and prepared by association members who are thoroughly conversant with their subject, and who, moreover, are well aware of the industry's strength and weaknesses as they exist at the present time. It has been designed primarily to bring home to Canadians generally the many-sided value of our tourist trade; to create, if possible, a greater public tourist consciousness; and to set out certain courses of action which must be followed, within this country and without, if maintenance of the huge and profitable business which Canada enjoyed in 1950 is to be assured for the future. At this meeting many resolutions were passed which, when carried out, will be of great benefit to the industry in Canada in general and British Columbia in particular. VICTORIA, B.C. Printed by Don McDiarmid, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty 1951 1,045-251-4985
Legislative proceedings
J110.L5 S7
English
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Victoria, BC : Government Printer
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Original Format: Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Library. Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Department of Trade and Industry REPORT For the Year Ended December 31st 1950
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