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St. James – Winnipeg Airport Commission, City of Winnipeg (1874-1971).
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- Textual record
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Date(s)
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1930 - 1965 (Creation)
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1.25 M. Textual Materials.
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Biographical history
The City of Winnipeg was incorporated in 1873 by a charter granted by the legislature of Manitoba. At incorporation, the City established a committee system of government – while Council was the governing body for the City, it was in committee that civic policies were formed and executed. The initial task for the first and all subsequent Councils was to strike standing committees for the Council year. In addition to standing committees, Council established special committees and commissions to investigate and manage various projects, issues and questions placed before the City.
In 1936, after considering a number of sites for the establishment of an airport, the City of Winnipeg and the Rural Municipality of St. James agreed to develop Stevenson Field as a modern municipal airport. Stevenson Field had been operated by the Winnipeg Flying Club on land in the Rural Municipality of St. James since 1929. It was named for Captain F. J. Stevenson, a noted Manitoba flyer who died in a crash in 1928. Private flyers, commercial companies and the RCAF Non-Permanent Squadron used this field. The new airport was to be managed and controlled by a commission.
The St. James – Winnipeg Airport Commission Act was passed by the Legislature of Manitoba in 1938 and the inaugural meeting was held on March 30, 1938. The Commission was a statutory corporation with full control over the operation of the airport, with the added intent to work toward making the airport into a self-sustaining commercial entity. In 1940, the Government of Canada embarked on its Empire Air Training Scheme and Stevenson Airport was placed under the direction of the Minister of Transport for the duration of World War Two. During this time, the Commission continued in an advisory capacity. Following the war, the federal government retained control of the airport and the Commission continued in an advisory role. In 1962, the name “Stevenson Field” was changed to “Winnipeg International Airport”. In 1965, the Commission was wound up and its assets distributed. In 1997, Transport Canada transferred control of the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport to the Winnipeg Airports Authority, Inc.
The Commission was comprised of seven members: two were members of the Council of the City of Winnipeg; two were members of the Council of the Rural Municipality of St. James; two were non-Council members (one selected by the City of Winnipeg and one selected by the Rural Municipality of St. James); and one was a representative of the aviation industry in the Greater Winnipeg area appointed by the six other members. Under the terms of incorporation, the Commission was required to report to Council at the end of each year or as required.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Custodial history
City Clerk’s Department.
Scope and content
Forms part of Fonds 1. The series documents the development of Stevenson Field, which later became the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. Records consist of communications, plans and agreements relating to the development of the airport, operation of the airport by Transport Canada, and eventual transfer of control to the Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc. in 1997. An Index to File Numbers is included. Records were organized alphabetically by subject, each of which was assigned a number, and files were organized in file number order (in practice, the letter “A” precedes the file number). Files with no file number follow those with file numbers.
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A101-A110.
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There are no restrictions on access to these records. Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright regulations.
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Finding aids
File list available in Research Room.
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No further accruals are expected.