The fonds consists of records created by the Board of Commissioners. The records can all, with the exception of the Convention Centre files, be described as correspondence or subject files. From their establishment until the present, the Board of Commissioners have used simple file classification systems to arrange their files. These systems changed over time and the series, determined by the archivist, reflect changes to the classification system rather than changes in the types or nature of the records created. The first series consists of records created from 1909-1931 (predominant 1909-1921), the second from 1923-1945 (predominant 1923-1929), the third from 1945-1949, the fourth from 1950- 1959, the fifth from 1960-1970, and the sixth from 1971-1980. A separate series has been created for the records relating to the Calgary Convention Centre. For more information regarding the City of Calgary, Board of Commissioners scope/content information, please link to the City of Calgary Archives homepage and click on the "fonds level descriptions" link.

The fonds consists of correspondence, memoranda, reports, legal agreements, mechanical drawings, maps, a few field notebooks, and a few photographs. The fonds was formerly known as RG 20 (Record Group 20). Series I is an artificial collection of miscellaneous individual items and small series, dated before 1938. These materials originated from the City Engineer's office and from other departments which later became part of the Engineering and Environmental Services Department. Series II consists of the Annual Reports and other annual publications of the Department. The file list for Series II also indicates the locations of those Annual Reports which are not physically stored as part of the Engineering and Environmental Services fonds. Series III, the largest accumulation of the Department's records, consists of correspondence (including accompanying reports, drawings, maps, legal agreements, brochures, and photographs) which was filed in the City Engineer's office for reference purposes from 1949 onward (including a few 1938-1948 materials). Series IV consists of photographs (not included in other series) documenting the activities and facilities of the Department. Series V, the Safety Files, consists of the records of the Training and Safety Officer, 1967-1974. Series VI includes correspondence concerning the acquisition and early development of the Water Works (1899-1902), and correspondence of the Superintendent of Water Works (1915-1931). The City Archives collection includes other records from various divisions of the Engineering and Environmental Services Department, which have not yet been processed. The accession records and preliminary file lists (if available) are appended to the inventory.