MMISSION OF CONSERVATION
CANADA
Civic Improvement
for Canada
ue
Report of
Preliminary Conference
Ottawa, 1915
COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
CANADA
Civic Improvement League
for Canada
Report of Preliminary Conference held
under the Auspices of the Commission
of Conservation at Ottawa
November 19, 1915
OTTAWA
PRINTED BY MORTIMER Co., LTD.
1916
Commission of Conservation
Constituted under "The Conservation Act," 8-9 Edward VII, Chap. 27, 1909, and amending
Acts, 9-10 Edward VII, Chap. 42, 1910, and 3-4 George V, Chap. 12, 1913.
Chairman:
SIR CLIFFORD SIFTON, K.C.M.G.
Members :
HON. AUBIN E. ARSENAULT, Summerside, P.E.I.
DR. HOWARD MURRAY, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S.
DR. CECIL C. JONES, Chancellor, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B.
MR. WILLIAM B. SNOWBALL, Chatham, N.B.
HON. HENRI S. BELAND, M.D., M.P., St. Joseph-de-Beauce, Que.
DR. FRANK D. ADAMS, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science, McGill University, Mon-
treal, Que.
MGR. CHARLES P. CROQUETTE, St. Hyacinthe, Que., Professor, Seminary of St.
Hyacinthe and Member of Faculty, Laval University.
MR. EDWARD GOHIER, St. Laurent, Que.
DR. JAMES W. ROBERTSON, C.M.G., Ottawa, Ont.
HON. SENATOR WILLIAM CAMERON EDWARDS, Ottawa, Ont.
SIR EDMUND B. OSLER, M.P., Toronto, Ont.
MR. CHARLES A. McCooL, Pembroke, Ont.
MR. JOHN F. McKAY, Business Manager, "The Globe," Toronto, Ont.
DR. BERNHARD, E. FERNOW, Dean, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto,
Toronto, Ont.
DR. GEORGE BRYCE, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.
DR. WILLIAM J. RUTHERFORD, Member of Faculty, University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, Sask.
DR. HENRY M. TORY, President, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
MR. JOHN HENDRY, Vancouver, B.C.
Members, ex-officio:
HON. MARTIN BURRELL, Minister of Agriculture, Ottawa.
HON. WILLIAM J. ROCHE, Minister of the Interior, Ottawa.
HON. P. E. BLONDIN, Minister of Mines, Ottawa.
HON. JOHN A. MATHIESON, K.C., Premier, President and Attorney-General, Prince
Edward Island.
HON. ORLANDO T. DANIELS, Attorney-General, Nova Scotia.
HON. GEORGE J. CLARKE, Premier and Minister of Lands and Mines, New Brunswick.
HON JULES ALLARD, Minister of Lands and Forests, Quebec.
HON. G. H. FERGUSON, Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines, Ontario.
HON. A. B. HUDSON, Attorney-General, Manitoba.
HON. GEORGE W. BROWN, Regina, Saskatchewan.
HON. ARTHUR L. SIFTON, Premier, Minister of Railways and Telephones, Alberta.
HON. WILLIAM R. Ross, Minister of Lands, British Columbia.
Deputy Head and Assistant to Chairman:
MR. JAMES WHITE.
To FIELD MARSHAL His ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ARTHUR WILLIAM
PATRICK ALBERT, DUKE OF CONNAUGHT AND OF STRATHEARN, K.G.,
K.T., K.P., &c., Governor General of Canada.
May it please Your Royal Highness:
The undersigned has the honour to lay before your Royal Highness
the attached Report of a Preliminary Conference, looking to the formation
of a Civic Improvement League for Canada, held at Ottawa, on Friday,
November 19, 1915.
Respectfully submitted
CLIFFORD SIFTON
Chairman
OTTAWA, December 28, 1915
OTTAWA, CANADA
December 27, 1915
SIR:
I beg to submit the attached Report of a Preliminary Conference, look-
ing to the formation of a Civic Improvement League for Canada, held under
the auspices of the Town-Planning Branch of the Commission of Conserva-
tion, at Ottawa, on November 19, 1915. As a result of this conference a
meeting will be held at Ottawa on January 20, for the purpose of inaugur-
ating the above League.
Respectfully submitted
JAMES WHITE
Deputy Head and Assistant to Chairman
Sir Clifford Sifton, K.C.M.G.
Chairman
Commission of Conservation, Ottawa
Civic Improvement League
for Canada
Report of Preliminary Conference at Ottawa
Friday, November 19, 1915
The Conference was called to order by Sir Clifford Sifton, K.C.M.G.,
Chairman of the Commission of Conservation, and among those present
were:
Dr. Frank D. Adams, McGill University, Montreal; Thomas Adams,
Commission of Conservation, Ottawa; Rev. J. L. Alexander, Calgary;
Dr. Wm. H. Atherton, Montreal; Rev. Chas. D. Baldwin, Westport;
G. F. Benson, President, Board of Trade, Montreal ; Harry Bragg, South Shore
Press, St. Lambert, Que.; Dr. Horace L. Brittain, director, Bureau of
Municipal Research, Montreal; Dr. P. H. Bryce, chief medical officer,
Dept. of the Interior, Ottawa; F. E. Buck, asst. horticulturist, Experi-
mental Farm, Ottawa; Noulan Cauchon, Ottawa; E. P. Coleman, Hamilton;
G. R. G. Conway, Vancouver; Frank Darling, F.R.I. B.A.,Toronto; Dr. Merrill
Desaulniers, M.P.P., St. Lambert; D. B. Detweiler, Berlin; Dr. E. Deville,
Surveyor General, Ottawa; W. J. A. Donald, McMaster University,
Toronto; H. B. Dunnington-Grubb, Toronto ; J.U. Emard,K.C., Montreal;
W. Sanford Evans, Winnipeg and Ottawa ; John Firstbrook, Toronto ; Control-
ler Harold Fisher, Ottawa; Hon. Sydney Fisher, Ottawa; Hon. J.J.Guerin,
Montreal; Prof. Franklin Johnson, Jr., Social Service Department, Uni-
versity of Toronto, Toronto; John Keane, Secretary, Associated Charities,
Ottawa; J. J. Kelso, Dept. of Neglected and Dependent Children, Toronto;
W. D. Lighthall, K.C., Montreal; James J. MacKay, Hamilton; Dr.
Helen MacMurchy, Toronto; Miss Marjory MacMurchy, Unemployment
Commission, Toronto; W. T. Macoun, horticulturist, Experimental Farm,
Ottawa; C. A. Magrath, International Joint Commission, Ottawa; W. A.
McLean, Ontario Commissioner of Highways, Toronto; Controller Thos.
S. Morris, Hamilton; Douglas H. Nelles, Geodetic Survey, Ottawa; Con-
troller J. W. Nelson, Ottawa; A. G. Parker, Manager Bank of Montreal,
Ottawa; Frank Pauz6, President, Le Chambre de Commerce, Montreal;
Geo. Phelps, North Toronto; Rev. W. M. H. Quartermaine, Renfrew;
Joseph Race, bacteriologist, Ottawa; Dr. J. W. Robertson, Ottawa;
Arthur H. Sharpe, Winona; Prof. Adam Shortt, Ottawa; Mrs. Adam
Shortt, Ottawa; Louis Simpson, Ottawa; Mrs. N. C. Smillie, Ottawa;
Bryce M. Stewart, associate editor, Labour Gazette, Ottawa; Mrs. Bryce
M. Stewart, Ottawa; F. J. Todd, landscape architect, Montreal; Septimus
Warwick, F.R.I. B.A., Montreal ; James White, Commission of Conservation,
2 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
Ottawa; R. B.Whyte, Ottawa; Dr. S. MorleyWickett, Toronto; Sir John S.
Willison, Toronto; J. S. Woodsworth, Canadian Welfare League, Winni-
peg, Man.; Fred. Wright, editor Municipal Journal, Montreal; R. O.
Wynne-Roberts, Toronto.
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS BY SIR CLIFFORD SIFTON
Ladies and gentlemen : I speak with the very greatest sincerity when
I say that it gives me unbounded pleasure to welcome you here this morning,
on behalf of the Commission of Conservation, under whose auspices the
preliminary steps for the formation of a Civic Improvement League for
Canada have been taken. I am aware that this is a meeting for business
purposes, and my remarks, which must be of a more or less preliminary
character, shall not be extended to any length so as to interfere with the
work which you have to do. The chair will be taken by Sir John Willison,
and he will be in charge of the proceedings this morning. It is not the
least part of the pleasure with which I speak to you this morning to know
that my old friend, Sir John Willison, has consented to take the part of
Chairman and to identify himself with the formation of this Civic Improve-
ment League. Whatever experience I may have had in connection with
matters of this kind goes to show that, after all, the success of these move-
ments depends largely upon the character of the man who takes the leading
part in connection with them, and to whom the others look, more or less,
for guidance and inspiration.
It is the function of the Commission of Conservation not so much to
do things as to start things. We are not an executive body; our functions,
our activities, are more or less limited, first, by the number of men that we
have to do the work, and the expense involved in doing it, and, second, by
the fact that a great many of the things in which we are particularly con-
cerned are not things which we ourselves can do, but things of the kind
which must be done by leading men throughout the country, who are
capable of taking up movements and carrying them on in a way that the
Commission of Conservation could not think of doing itself. Therefore
it is the function of the Commission of Conservation not so much to do
things as to start things, to investigate, to bring about co-relations be-
tween the different people, individuals and bodies, which result in getting
a movement started in the right direction and giving it our blessing and
helping it along as well as we can after it is started.
We have done a good deal of work, for instance, in connection with
forestry. One of the most pressing things we had to do when the Commis-
sion was organized was to deal with the question of fire protection along
the lines of railways. Railways were literally burning the country up.
We had a whole course of work to carry through, legislation to be procured,
plans devised, railway companies to interest in them. It took two or
three years before we could complete that work. We finally got it
^ CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 3
into good shape, and then passed on to other things. We eventually
decided that we would inaugurate an era of work in connection with Town-
planning, and we then sent for Mr. Adams. We have never regretted that
we sent for him and I -think that, in time to come, the people of Canada will
have cause to bless the fact that we did send for Mr. Adams. I hope so,
and I am quite sure it will be so.
What I want to do, in the two or three minutes I am going to speak,
is to make two or three suggestions, which have been the result of con-
sideration of my own, of a purely general character, and which may possibly
help you in the time to come when you are carrying on the work in which
you now propose to engage. My own view is that, in connection with the
work of municipal government in Canada, it is not right to say that it is a
failure. But, undoubtedly, it is a partial failure. Our system as it has
grown up, is, after all, only a village municipal system. In its essence it is
a system where the men of the rural township, the leading citizens of the
township or municipality, know everything that is going on, take an interest
in it, follow it up, and appoint the best men to do the work. On the whole,
it works fairly well, for a small community. But it does not suffice for a
large municipality, it does not suffice for a large city. One of the things
which is clear to my mind is that our system of municipal government,
as applied to large cities, is more or less of a failure. It is the same in the
United States. There, it is more of a failure — not a total failure — but not
anything like as good as it might be. I do not think you will ever get a
system of municipal government, as applied to large cities, which will
be anything like as good as it ought to be, if it depends on the individual
citizen following all the details of municipal affairs, forming an opinion
upon the merits of an administration, and selecting his aldermen after
going through that mental process. I have voted for aldermen here for
fifteen years or more. I cannot conceive of anything much less intelligent
than the votes I have been giving. Why ? I cannot find out for whom I
ought to vote. If I cannot find out, what about the working man, who gets
up at six o'clock in the morning, lights his fire, helps his wife to get breakfast,
and gets off to work at seven o'clock; returning, tired and weary, at six
o'clock in the evening. How can he find out whom he should vote for ?
When you consider the matter, the whole thing is preposterous. Take,
as an example, the city of Toronto. Is the average citizen of Toronto able
to investigate, to study up, and to form an opinion on the merits of the
administration of that city ? He cannot do it. Some other way will have
to be found. It is a difficult problem. But, then, many difficult problems
have been solved in this world before; very, very difficult problems, and
they can only be solved by men like you, who are not tied up by any affili-
ations, not tied to the interests of any municipal or political party, or
anything of that kind, but who will devote their attention to the effort
to work out a plan, then get it applied somewhere — get it put into effect,
4 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
so that people can see what it is like. That is the way great reforms are
brought about.
We in Canada suffer very largely from haphazard methods, a lack of
system, a lack of efficiency. There is always cause for things, and I have
a very strong conviction that I know one cause, at least, of this haphazard
and inefficient system. When the Ontario system of education was institu-
ted the result was to take every boy in the province of Ontario and get him
up to the point when he could make a critical examination of Shakespeare's
plays and other gems of literature, and generally give him a good literary
education. When that system was adopted it was thought that Ontario
then crowned the world, so far as education was concerned. I declare
I do not think anything has ever done as much injury to Ontario and to
Canada as that system of education. We have brought up two or three
generations of clever, capable boys, with an education which fitted them,
to be doctors or lawyers, or professional men or business men. It was a
fairly good education for such men, but it did not fit them for anything else.
We have a vast country, with great resources to develop, agriculture,
manufactures, mining, these were the things on which the future of
Canada depended, and we educated the boys in such a way that they would
not know anything about them; rather, in a way that would set their
minds in an opposite direction. I remember in the high school when
we could all write good essays on Shakespeare, but not a boy in the whole
school could take a line and lay out a piece of sidewalk so that it would
not be crooked. I think that has had its effect upon the whole national
development of Canada. Take the province of Quebec; the lower
grades of the system of education are admittedly more or less backward.
In the university education they have the Latin ideal, the purely
literary. It is a fine system, but it does not make business men; and
the result is that, in the great and wealthy province of Quebec, the
business is not done by the men who graduate from Laval, but almost
altogether by English-speaking men. The bulk of the business is not in
the hands of the French people of Quebec at all.
You cannot establish a system of education and train boys, and escape
the effect of that training; you must train your boys to do what you want
them to do. The result of our system has been that we have sent book-
keepers and business men all over the world, particularly to the United
States. I remember a few years ago that a presentation was proposed for
an old gentleman, Nicholas Wilson, who used to teach a class in the London
High School, which I attended when I was a boy. They sent out circulars
to ascertain the whereabouts of all the old boys who had attended Nicholas
Wilson's classes. Where do you think they were ? Not over ten per cent
of them were in Canada. They were everywhere in the world, and from
everywhere in the world each boy gladly sent his $10 for old Mr. Wilson.
That is what we had been doing. We had been giving them a literary educa-
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 5
tion and then they had to go away to a country where a boy with that kind
of an education could get something to do to earn his living.
I think we should be able to make some kind of an improvement in
Canada over what has gone before. We have the whole history of the world
to look back to. Can we not, in the Dominion of Canada, do a little better
than other countries have done. We have a virgin country; cannot we
learn to administer this country in some way better than they have done
it elsewhere ? Can we not so do it that the poor people will not get poorer
and more wretched and miserable, and the rich people more luxurious and
more callous in regard to the fate of others ? We are to-day reproducing
some of the very worst things that have characterized the old lands. We are
getting slums in the cities, But we are doing worse than that. Apparently
we are utterly failing to get to the root of the problem that makes slums.
We have not yet arrived at any kind of an understanding of the question
of the values of land. The other day some land near the city of Montreal
came into my hands owing to the failure of people to pay claims that were
against it. I had a valuation made of it. It was vacant land, away outside
of Montreal. I declare, I was amazed and ashamed when I saw the valua-
tion put on it — amazed and ashamed that the workingmen, the people who
had to get places to live in, had to pay such prices as were placed on that
land by responsible valuators, who based their valuation on the prices ruling
for land lying around it. How are you going to have happy, contented,
frugal, industrious, thrifty workmen if you charge them more for the
miserable few feet of land on which they build their poor habitations than
they can save in ten years ? You cannot do it. It is a problem that you
must solve. You have to find some way of doing it, even if we have to recast
our whole fiscal system. Some solution of the problem must be found.
There is one other thing: I am not going to stray into the question of
larger politics, but we do not yet seem to have got over the idea that the
summum bonum, the highest good of the human race, is to get the largest
possible number of orders for the largest possible quantity of the products
of our factories, to get the largest possible number of workingmen tramping
our streets, regardless of what happens to them when times get bad and
unemployment comes on. That is what brings the slum. Collect immense
numbers of workmen, under the influence of high pressure, and large orders
for goods; then, when unemployment comes, with bad times, what happens
to the man on the street ? Every economic writer says that unemployment
breeds unemployment. A man idle for three months in the winter is almost
unemployable in the spring. There you get the germ, not only of the slum,
but of what brings unemployment, lack of thrift and, ultimately, the social
degeneration which we have seen in other countries. It seems to me
that these are the things that are worth while, these are problems that
are worth studying. I do not care a straw whether the tariff is five per
cent higher or lower, and I do not think it makes any difference to anybody
6 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
in the world. If we are to have, in Canada, a better, nobler and happier
community than has ever existed in the world before, these are the questions
we have to solve.
I have much pleasure in calling on my friend Sir John Willison to
take the Chair.
ADDRESS OF CHAIRMAN
Sir John Willison then took the Chair and said :
Sir Clifford and gentlemen, I imagine my duty today is to be judicial
and ornamental rather than oratorical. I agree with the observations of
Sir Clifford Sifton and I think any of us will rejoice to be associated in any
public work with a man who has shown as much public spirit and as much
devotion to his country as the Chairman of the Conservation Commission.
In the years to come, I imagine we will look back to the work which has
been inaugurated by the Conservation Commission and the work that has
been done and will be done by the Commission as among the greatest ser-
vices that have been performed for Canada. Sir Clifford says that the
business of the Conservation Commission is to start things. That, I
believe, is the business of almost every citizen of Tipperary. This is done
in rather a different way. The real test of civilization is the condition of
the average man. The man at the top can look after himself. It ought
to be the business of all of us in a greater degree than ever before to look
after the man at the bottom, to see that there are fewer men at the bottom,
that the average of comfort and happiness is greater than it has been, be-
cause comfort and happiness mean greater industrial efficiency, a more
contented and happier people.
I agree with Sir Clifford Sifton that we have comparatively honest
municipal government in Ontario. I think we have also comparatively
feeble city government. One does not desire to be too critical or too cen-
sorious. I think perhaps we are not as grateful as we ought to be for the
services which men give in the municipal field, because when all is said there
are groups of men in all our communities serving in city councils who do
sacrifice a great deal and set a good example to the men at the clubs who do
nothing but criticise and who profess only contempt for services which they
refuse to perform themselves. One fault, I think, in municipal government
in Ontario and in Canada, is that our councils do not learn as well as they
should learn how to use voluntary associations. Jealousies develop too
easily, the suspicion grows that a voluntary association, anxious to do
public service in some way or other, infringes upon the prerogatives of the
elected council. It does seem to me that the wise mayor and the wise
alderman are the men who will use voluntary associations to the best ad-
vantage; and just in proportion as councils can use voluntary associations
they become stronger themselves and do better service for the community.
The first test of capacity to govern wisely is the ability to use all possible
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 7
agencies in the public service, and the man who can use those services, if
he would only know it, does not impair his own dignity. He becomes more
effective in what he has to do, and becomes himself a more powerful influence
in the community.
Anyone who motors through the villages of Ontario must be struck with
the reflection that nature has been very kind and man often very careless
and neglectful. I do not believe that all the defects are in the cities, al-
though, of course, city government is the chief problem of municipal govern-
ment always. But if you will think for a moment of many of the villages
in this province, how easily and how cheaply they could be made beautiful
and how unkempt and ragged they are, you will see how necessary it is to
have some such source of inspiration leading to a change of these conditions
as is furnished by Mr. Adams and those associated with him. It is so easy,
if you get a community in the right spirit, to produce emulation leading to
more comfort for all the citizens. If this movement goes on, if it is wisely
directed, as I am sure it will be, as great a revolution will be effected in the
country communities as in the city communities.
It is an extraordinary fact that all over Ontario you will find fair
grounds of five, six, eight or ten acres that are used for two days in the year
for fall fairs and during all the rest of the year are closed up. Why, it
does seem to me that these fair grounds ought to be the sporting grounds
of the people, that they are worth a little care and should be open to the
public for recreation, for the entertainment of young people all the time.
It is much the same with school grounds. There are a hundred problems
of a similar character affecting the health, the character and the efficiency
of the people to which, if attention were directed by wise agitation, the
results would be so startling that a quarter of a century hence, we would
have one of the most beautiful provinces in the world. We have as much
natural beauty in Canada as they have anywhere else and, as Sir Clifford
Sifton has said, we have the example of the United States, the example of
the old world before us and should not fail to produce here more happy
conditions for the masses of the people, more attractive surroundings, a
better civilization.
There are many other things one might say. There are so many prob-
lems when one approaches the thing we call Town-planning, it has so many
phases, there is so much to do, so much that can be done easily and cheaply,
that one rejoices that a movement of this kind has been started and so far
as I am concerned I shall be glad if in any way I can promote its success.
Mr. White, I think, has some intimations to make.
MR. JAMES WHITE: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen: apologies have
been received from Sir William Meredith, Chief Justice of Ontario; Sir
Edmund Walker, of the Bank of Commerce; Sir Frederick Williams-
8 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
Taylor, of the Bank of Montreal; and Mr. George Burn, of the Bank of
Ottawa.
MUNICIPAL BORROWINGS
The following are extracts from the replies of Sir Frederick Williams-
Taylor and Mr. Burn: Sir Frederick Williams-Taylor says: "Speaking
generally, I may say that, in my opinion, the outstanding matter calling
for municipal reform in this country is with regard to borrowing powers.
A good many of our cities, particularly in the west of Canada, have bor-
rowed in excess of their legitimate requirements, with the result, that they
have accumulated debts at a rate per capita out of proportion to cities in
any other portion of the world. The same condition prevailed in England
some forty years ago, with the result that the Government stepped in and
created a system of what is known as 'local loans.' Under this plan no
city, with the exception of London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Birming-
ham, Leeds, Dublin, Belfast, and possibly one or two others, is permitted
to borrow without reference to and through the medium of the Govern-
ment. The result has been highly advantageous to the municipalities
themselves, and to the country as a whole; in addition to which, the rate
of interest to the Government is very much lower than would have been
the case had the municipalities been permitted, as formerly, to borrow in
competition with each other."
In expressing his regret for inability to be present, Sir Frederick asks
to be represented by Mr. A. G. Parker, the Ottawa representative of the
Bank of Montreal.
Mr. Burn says: "It goes without saying that the formation of such a
League will be a step in the right direction, and I am heartily in accord with
the movement and the object mentioned, of promoting the study and ad-
vancement of the principles and methods of civic improvement and develop-
ment. It seems to me that anything which will create intelligent interest
in a subject of this kind should be heartily welcomed by the best citizens
in the country. I regret all the more therefore that time will not permit
me to be present."
The following copy of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Town-
planning and Housing Committee of the St. John Board of Trade on Nov.
11, 1915, has been received:
"Resolved that, while regretting its inability to send a delegate to the
preliminary conference, to be held in Ottawa, on the 19th instant, with
regard to the formation of a Civic Improvement League for Canada, the
Town-planning and Housing Committee of the St. John Board of Trade,
wishes to express its approval of and sympathy with the movement to that
end, inaugurated by the Commission of Conservation, and to hereby
convey to the conference its desire to co-operate with any organization
that may be formed for the purpose set forth in the article on 'A Civic
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 9
Improvement Organization for Canada,' published in the October issue
of Conservation of Life.' Signed, W. BURDITT, Chairman.
The following telegram has been received from Mr. John J. Fitzgerald,
of Sherbrooke: "Regret exceedingly that unforeseen events prevent me
from attending the preliminary conference. Best wishes for success of
deliberations. Am sure that under your guidance satisfactory organization
will be made."
Mayor Walters of Hamilton writes as follows: "I regret that I will
be unable to be with you on Friday, but will be pleased to receive a copy of
the report of the Conference. I have set my heart on taking a very great
interest in the proposed Civic Improvement League for Canada, and will
esteem it a very great honour to be permitted to act upon any of the Com-
mittees or in any capacity where I may be of service."
Mr. R. M. Hattie, Halifax, writes: "It is with great regret that I
find it is impossible for me to be in Ottawa on the 19th to attend the meeting
in connection with the organization of a Dominion Civic Improvement
Association. So far as the Halifax League is concerned, you can be quite
sure of its participation in the movement."
SIR JOHN WILLISON: I beg to introduce Mr. Adams, who has a statement
to make to the meeting.
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS
MR. THOMAS ADAMS: Sir John Willison ladies and gentlemen : I should
like first of all to draw your attention co the article which appeared in Conser-
vation of Life for October. I think it might be well to remind ourselves,
before we start any discussion, ( f the outline which is submitted there by
way of introduction of this subject. The question was first raised at the
Conference in Toronto in May, 1914, when a resolution was passed asking
the Commission of Conservation to take up this question of general civic
improvement, particularly as it related to town-planning. Partly in con-
sequence of this resolution the Commission proceeded to form a Town
Planning Branch, and subsequently the work has advanced in various
directions. Representations have been made to the several Provincial
Governments asking them to pass legislation which we have framed. They
have the matter under consideration now. In Nova Scotia they have act-
ually gone further perhaps than any country in the world in the matter
of town-planning legislation and we have now compulsory town-planning
there. In the other provinces, New Brunswick and Alberta have Acts
in force; in Ontario, while the Legislature has not yet taken the matter up,
scores of towns and cities have either petitioned the Legislature to pass
a Town-Planning Act or have passed resolutions in favour of their doing
so. We have, I think, some forty or fifty towns in Ontario pleading for
legislation which will enable them to take steps of that kind. But town
planning is not the principal matter that we are here to discuss this morning.
10 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
It is one of the matters that will come under the subject of general
civic improvement, and in Conservation of Life some indication is given
of the general scope of the proposed organization. For one thing there
is the suggested grouping; the Commission of Conservation to provide
such materials as may be required by a bureau of information, and of expert
advice for such leagues as may be formed in the different cities and towns;
the provincial conferences, to be held perhaps yearly, and the Dominion
conference occasionally, as may be justified, perhaps every two years;
and, finally, the small leagues formed in the cities, towns and villages. It is
important to notice that it is not required in every case to form new bodies.
We have in a town like Hamilton, a Civic Improvement Committee of the
Board of Trade, which is one of the most active civic improvement organiza-
tions I know. Out of that has evolved the Town-Planning Commission
of the City of Hamilton, with Mayor Walters as chairman, which has
received a grant of money from the City Council to proceed with its work.
Then, as for the general considerations and objects, these will come under
your discussion as the matters are brought before you in the form of resolu-
tions.
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION
The rapid growth of urban populations and the relatively stationary
character of rural populations has been a cause of anxiety in older countries
for more than a generation and in Canada we have gradually been made to
realize its seriousness for the last twenty years. In 19 11, out of a total
population of 7,206,643 there were 3,280,964 or 45^ per cent living in cities
and towns in the Dominion. It is certain that that proportion has increased
and is probably now over one-half. Of the 3,280,964 urban inhabitants in
191 1 — 25 per cent were living in two cities (Montreal and Toronto) ,7 • 2 per cent
were living in two cities of over 100,000, 14-9 per cent were living in eight cities of
over 25, 000,4- 7 per cent in 12 towns over 25,000, 14 per cent in 11 towns over
15,000, 36 per cent in 453 towns of between 500 and 15,000 and 3 per cent in a
large number of villages under 500. Thus half of the urban population in Canada,
or one fourth of the whole, lives in 464 towns having between 500 and 25,000
people. In these 464 towns we have perhaps on the average as healthy
conditions as can be found in any country, but, notwithstanding all the
advantages we derive from starting well with the development of our towns,
we seem to be incapable, when they become larger, of rising to higher stand-
ards than in any other country. In Montreal and Toronto we are going
on repeating the evils that have long afflicted London, Paris and New York.
As these cities have grown in size, and as they have increased in importance
and wealth, they have been getting less healthy and even less efficient.
This is in spite of the application of higher sanitary and hygienic standards
and all that science and invention has done in the last generation. Not-
withstanding all our progress in science, our accumulation of knowledge and
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 11
experience, our growing recognition of the value of healthy living con-
ditions, we may well ask whether our large cities have made any progress
at all in regard to the things that really matter in civic life in the last 50
or 100 years. In our large cities we see the same evils of congestion, waste
and inefficiency, the same physical and moral deterioration that you find
in the old aggregations of population in Europe, where such conditions are
more excusable than with us. But we have only about four cities that
have begun to develop slums to any serious extent, whereas we have nearly
500 cities in which we can kill the seed that germinates into the slum if we
care to do it. Because the evils of the crowded city are new in Canada
we have power to arrest them, but, also because they are new, we are in
danger of allowing them to eat into our national life so that the efforts of
future generations will be powerless to have them removed.
GROWTH SHOULD BE CONTROLLED
There is no reason why we should try to stop the growth of cities and
towns, but there is every reason why we should properly control that
growth. It is not the fact of growth to which objection may be taken;
it is the method and character of growth that is wrong, and that produces
the evils of which complaint is made. We can not prevent large cities
from expanding, but we can prevent their expansion in an unhealthy way.
We must endeavor to remedy the evils that have been created in the past,
but an equally urgent task is to prevent similar evils being created in future.
The importance of this is seen in the fact, already alluded to, that, whereas
we have only two cities of large size in Canada, we have perhaps hundreds
of potential cities of large size — in addition to the fact that the cities that
are already large are going to be larger.
Recognition of the need for proper control of future growth and greater
civic efficiency is calling forth the exercise of the best intelligence to secure
civic betterment in every civilized country. In Canada we cannot ignore
our responsibilities in that direction. All around us we see systems of
administration and development that have become discredited; we see the
need of adjusting old forms to suit new conditions, of revising old ideas in
the light of experience; of reconstructing our municipal machinery and of
relieving the pressure of evils which have been plainly caused by lack of
foresight and care. All of these things impress us with the need of watchful
vigilance on the part of an organized body of citizens in regard to civic
and social development.
In a country having democratic government it is more necessary than
in a country under any other form of government to secure a high level of
intelligence on the part of the citizens. It is they who rule, and, in the
measure in which we allow their physique and intelligence to be lowered
as a result of their environment in that measure will we lower the quality of
our national and civic government. Moreover, even with the best of
12 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
governments and the best of measures passed into law, we can make little
headway, under our conditions, unless we secure effective administration,
which is only possible with an educated public opinion.
PUBLIC REQUIRE GUIDANCE AND ENLIGHTENMENT
To some extent we have to consider systems of civic government,
but the more vital matter is the consideration of the right principles and
methods of civic improvement and development under any system. The
people require guidance and enlightenment on both these matters. We
cannot give that guidance and enlightenment effectively by preaching, we
must arouse public interest sufficiently by local organization to cause the
truth to be sought after by the people themselves. All the expert advice
that can be given will be more or less futile unless the people are aroused
to an intelligent appreciation of the advantages of the advice that is prof-
fered to them. It is, however, one of the most encouraging features of
Canadian life that there is to be found a great mass of citizens keenly awake
to the need for improvement, and only lethargic in seeking improvement
because they are unable to see clearly how it is to be attained. Study and
investigation by some of the best minds in the country is needed to give
the lead that is required.
This is not a time to be idle in regard to civic affairs because of the fact
that we are at war. To be at war means that we are losing much valuable
life and much of our wealth. Therefore, this is a time more than any other
to consider how we can conserve both life and wealth. The character of
the present war also means that after it is over there will be a tremendous
struggle for trade supremacy and for means of recoupment for losses en-
dured. Whatever degree of success we finally emerge from that
struggle in Canada will depend very largely on the degree of our civic
efficiency and upon the measure in which a higher phase of industrial civili-
zation may be attained in civic communities.
In using the words "civic" and "citizenship" we should give them the
broad meaning of applying to rural as well as to urban communities. For
instance, regional planning of our agricultural areas to secure more efficient
means of distributing produce, and better facilities for social intercourse,
education, etc., are as necessary as what is called town planning To plan
for the future is to apply foresight to the development of our social con-
ditions generally and particularly to all developments relating to the use
of the land, and that is needed in the country as much as in the town.
The Civic Improvement League, therefore, is needed in the village as well
as in the city.
SHOULD BE MORE UNIFORMITY IN MUNICIPAL SYSTEMS
In order to attain effective civic improvement in Canada we must
reconsider our system of local government, particularly in regard to the
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 13
relationship between city or town, on the one hand, and the province,
on the other. There should be uniformity of system as far as possible
without undue interference with local discretion. Some method must
soon be devised to secure greater stability in regard to the finances of our
municipal undertakings and more co-operation between adjacent local
authorities. We need as a people to discuss these matters as they affect
each separate province and each separate city and town, and we have to
consider the ever-increasing importance of city and town planning and
their close relationship to the city government. The costly process of
removing slums and reconstructing existing bad development in the larger
cities requires investigation. In one English city it cost at the rate of
$8,000,000 per mile to widen a street, and in the same city it will cost at the
rate of about $4 per acre to prepare a town-planning scheme which will
lay down the principles of development so that future widening of streets
would be unnecessary. The relative advantage of reconstruction and town-
planning schemes needs much study, and we may find that a good deal of
the former is unnecessary. Everyone realizes how great the need is in
Canada to preserve our industrial and physical resources, and how im-
portant it is to prevent the physical deterioration which usually follows
industrial concentration in any country.
Since I have come to Canada I have been astonished to find how
splendid are the sites of the cities and towns. For natural beauty the
sites of Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Vancouver and scores of
other cities must be difficult to surpass anywhere, but in every case there
has been lamentable destructiveness to attain no real gain. When will
we learn that to preserve natural beauty costs little or nothing, whereas to
create it costs large sums of money ? That is peculiarly brought home to
us when we realize that much of what we do create is a poor imitation of
the real beauties our want of care has permitted to be destroyed. Few
cities anywhere can have any finer environment than that which is given to
Ottawa by Rockcliffe Park. The preservation of that park in its natural
condition and of many other features in Canada is a tribute to the intelli-
gence and foresight of our people, but they also provide us with an example
of the need of care in hundreds of cases where natural beauty is in danger
of being destroyed.
PROPER MAPS OF OUR CITIES AND TOWNS ESSENTIAL
We need better maps of our cities and towns, surveys of our social
conditions, investigations into questions relating to good roads, transpor-
tation and public utilities and more education of our children in civics and
citizenship. A matter of vital concern is the reform of our existing system
of developing suburban land with its deplorable effects of putting large
areas of productive soil lying nearest our markets entirely out of use. We need
consideration of our unemployed problem and our emigration problem and
14 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
their relation to the development of our civic life in town and country.
In a country such as Canada, with its vast natural resources, it is a sign
of bad management that any money has to be given in charity to relieve
conditions of unemployment.
All these matters require public discussion and investigation. There
must be expert study and enquiry and some guidance must be given from
central authorities and committees, but the local point of view must always
be considered, and the organization and education of public opinion is
essential.
The proposal to form a Civic Improvement League is a first step in
trying to accomplish that task. It is a task of great magnitude and we
may not be able to attain ideal results, but even if we do not attain the goal
we seek we shall not be unsuccessful if we go forward even a few paces in
its direction.
Briefly, then, our objects must be wide enough to cover all phases of
civic improvement and development, whether in the larger city, the small
town, or the village community. We must proceed on the lines that can
alone be effective in a democratic country, those which involve securing a
sympathetic and critical interest on the part of the people and which result
in inspiring our provincial and civic rulers with confidence in our methods
and conclusions. We need not overlap with the work of such excellent
institutions as the Union of Canadian Municipalities, necessarily restricted
in its membership to those who compose municipal councils, but we may
do much by co-operation with such an institution in advancing objects
in which we have a common interest.
EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT
It seems unlikely that any existing league, society or committee which
has been formed in Canada will withhold its co-operation in forming
this Dominion League. They all heartily endorse the proposal. In addi-
tion to the support promised in that direction we have received intimation
from about 700 individuals in about 400 cities and municipalities in Canada
that they will be glad to join and lend support to the movement. With
such a beginning at such a time as this, it seems difficult to anticipate any-
thing but great success to the movement we are met to inaugurate, and
personally I feel assured that it has enormous potentialities for the future
welfare of Canada.
It may hardly be considered the function of the Commission of Con-
servation to do more than take a paternal interest in such an organization.
Its duty may be limited to deal with those things which have, more or less,
the direct object of conserving national resources, including public health,
but that object cannot be adequately and properly attained without
proper civic organization and higher civic ideals on the part of the people.
It is with the object of promoting that organization and cultivating these
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 15
ideals that the proposal is made to form a Civic Improvement League for
Canada with the scope and objects which I have outlined in a general way.
I agree with the Chairman in saying that on the whole we have a
large number of men devoting themselves to public life who want encour-
agement in the work which they are doing and we want to inspire in them,
if we form these voluntary associations, some confidence in what we are
doing. We must not confine ourselves to criticism but put forward
constructive suggestions. But there is no reason why we should not
criticise, if we do so in the right spirit, and because we see certain things
are good for the community and we are prepared to convince others
that they are good. We need not overlap with such excellent institutions
as the Union of Canadian Municipalitites, represented by Mr. Lighthall,
but rather look forward to acting with them in the work which they are
doing, and in which they and we have a common interest.
In conclusion, having had something todowith this conference, I should
like to express the great personal indebtedness I feel to those who have
travelled so far and given up so much of their valuable time to come and
take part in our deliberations today. I am sure history will prove that the
work you are about to do will be worth the efforts you have made to be
here.
DISCUSSION
MR. FIRSTBROOK: As I was leaving Toronto I talked to two of my
friends, one of whom is a senator and the other a leading business man,
neither of whom is a resident of Toronto. The message I was to give you
was this: "See that the farmer learns to paint his barn." Now, I think
that is quite an important message, from an economic standpoint as well as
from the standpoint of the improvement of the landscape. As we go through
the country, and as travellers from other countries go through our country,
the importance of this subject is at once seen. It was pointed out that in
the United States they pay more attention to this than we do in Canada.
Some years ago there was a movement in Toronto for raising the tracks
along the water front. It was very actively advocated and pressed through
the newspapers, by important and influential citizens. Sir Edmund Walker,
then the general manager of the Bank of Commerce, was the president of
the organization. But it was dropped for the time being. Twenty years
afterwards the trade and the Manufacturers' Association revived it,
and we had a number of meetings. A luncheon was held by the Manu-
facturers' Association, at which Sir John Willison was one of the principal
speakers; another was Mr. D. E. Thompson, one of our leading lawyers,
who had been secretary of the association twenty years previous. Both
these gentlemen spoke about the viaduct question. Dr. Thompson desig-
nated it as a campaign that had failed and which we were reviving. But
within a very short time an order was issued for the construction of the
viaduct along the front. It has taken a long while, but it is coming. So
16 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
we know not, therefore, what a proposition of this kind may bring forth.
We had a similar case in the northern portion of the city of Toronto, where
the railroads go through. It was with great difficulty our Civic Guild
got the city to apply for an order of the Railway Commission to have the
separation of grades in the north. But within two weeks the order was
given by the Railway Commission, although our leading municipal men
were afraid the time was not opportune. It is a great thing to have an
organization such as the Railway Commission, which is in sympathy with
movements for the improvement of conditions and the preservation of life
in our cities and towns.
Our Civic Guild has been working for many years. At first it was
called the Guild of Civic Art, and later the Civic Guild. If the members
were not the pioneers in Canada they certainly were in Toronto in this
great work of municipal improvement. They have been working along
and have got our city council to appoint a committee to investigate and
make suggestions with reference to the improvement of conditions in Toron-
to. One of the things they did was to draw a plan and make suggestions
with reference to the improvement of the water front. The city took it
up, not very actively, but one man took it up and did a great deal, spent
$700,000 in carrying out this plan of the Civic Guild, and then, as the result
of that, we have our Harbour Commission, patterned after the example of
Montreal. The Harbour Commission took the matter in hand and extended
the harbour work 700 feet farther into the lake than the committee had
proposed. As a result, we are going to have one of the most beautiful
harbours, if not in the world, at least on this continent, in a few years time.
I also wish to draw attention to the fact that some three years ago the
Toronto Civic Guild promoted an Association of the various municipal
improvement or district organisations into a clearing conference, for dis-
cussion of all matters of interest in the various districts.
I make these illustrations to show that we should not despair of im-
provement but should press forward in these matters. I am sure that if
we form this association, which it is proposed to form to-day, great good
will come from its organization.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: If anyone has any general observations to
make as distinct from the specific resolutions to be introduced later on, we
would be glad to hear from them just now.
NEED OF UNOFFICIAL ASSOCIATION
MR. W. D. LIGHTHALL (Montreal): Having, as most of you
know, been very closely associated with the Union of Canadian
Municipalities for a number of years, I have had very strongly im-
pressed upon me the necessity of a different sort of organization
— of very much the kind that is suggested to-day. The Union of
Canadian Municipalities has felt, or some of us connected with it have
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 17
felt, greatly, its limitation to official connections. It has had as members
the various cities and larger towns of the Dominion, as well as a large repre-
sentation of the smaller towns and villages. But everywhere we have felt
there was the need of an unofficial organization, that there were a great
many people in the Dominion who were doing, in many respects, better
work than the aldermen could be expected to do. The aldermen, of course,
have their limitations; the city councils can only act under political con-
ditions for the most part, and include a very considerable proportion of a
type of men who take no interest at all in the sort of improvement suggested.
The need is very great of an unofficial association. The town-planning
movement can never make anything like proper progress without banding
together the idealists and the enthusiasts, to form a different and comple-
mentary element to the official element in the councils and the official
bodies connected with the cities and towns.
MR. SHARPE (Hamilton): Sir John Willison, ladies and gentlemen:
I have had some experience in a professional way with this call for civic
improvement. I know something about the condition which has brought
about the present development and the activity of the civic improvement
element across the line, and I find that the question here in Canada is the
organization. We want some body that will control the activities or the
interests of the different towns and cities throughout the Dominion. I
know of one hundred and eighty municipalities that are interested in the
improvement of some features in connection with the surroundings of their
schools. In advising regarding the improvement of these school sites
I have always felt the need for comprehensive schemes, so that isolated
improvements could be made in relation to the general scheme of develop-
ment for a whole district.
I therefore welcome the formation of an organization which will help
to carry through this work. Isolated movements such as that carried out
at Raleigh, North Carolina, are effective in a way, but are not completely
satisfactory. Generally speaking, town-planning in the United States is
not efficient. It is accomplishing good work, but the direction of that
work is not on true lines. There is too much attention paid to esthetic
development, without proper regard for the economy and efficiency of the
city as a whole. The work of Great Britain is much more efficient than that
of the United States, but the work in Great Britain can be improved upon.
Our task in Canada is to organize a central organization, or rather a net-
work of organizations, which will cover every community in the Dominion
and will link the provincial and local organizations into the Dominion
organization. I think the result of this meeting will be that we will establish
an efficient and economical method of administering the town-planning
movement throughout the Dominion.
18 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
LARGE SCALE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS NECESSARY
MR. DOUGLAS H. NELLES,: To my mind the most important part
of the Commission of Conservation's work is the Town Planning Branch.
The health, intelligence and morality of the community depend upon the
health, intelligence and morality of the individual, and this is to a great
extent the result of the environment in which the individual lives and grows
to manhood. Town planning has, then, for its basic object, the better-
ment of the individual through improving his environment.
In order that the planning may be done in the most intelligent, syste-
matic and economical manner, it is absolutely necessary that there should
be a large scale topographical map of the city and the surrounding district
which comes under the town-planning scheme. There should also be a
smaller scale map, on a scale of about six inches to a mile. The six-inch
map is for planning the scheme in its general outlines, The large scale
map is for working out the details of the scheme and the engineering prob-
lems encountered when the plan is put into action. These maps will
also form the basis of all the work and records of the city engineering and
other city departments.
The mapping of the cities and towns in Canada on a large scale has
not yet been attempted, but it is most important that such maps should
be prepared. This is especially so because of the extent to which land has
been subdivided beyond the limits of the built-upon areas of most of our
Canadian cities.
USE OF MAPS FOR GENERAL CITY WORK
The uses to which such a map may be put are in part as follows: —
For city planning, for planning relief and storm sewers, or a complete sani-
tary system and the location of disposal works, for planning and laying out
a complete water system and extensions, for the location of new roadways,
for laying out subdivisions, for improving creeks, for landscape and park
work, for bridge works, for railways, their terminals and yards, for tunnels
and canals, for gas pipe lines, for electric wiring and telephone lines, and
even for architectural work.
In Great Britain, maps on a scale of 1-10,560, or 6 inches to the mile,
have been prepared, covering the whole of the United Kingdom; and
maps on a scale of 1-2,500, or 25-34 inches to the mile, have been prepared
which cover the whole of the cultivated districts. The first scale adopted
for town and city maps was 1-1,056, and maps of London, Dublin, Belfast,
towns in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the south of Scotland were prepared
upon this scale. But the rule since 1855 has been to prepare town plans
of all towns of 4,000 inhabitants and upwards on a scale of 1-500, or 10-56
feet to the mile.
The city map of St. Louis, U.S.A., is on a scale of one inch equals 200
feet, or a natural scale of 1-2,400, and has a contour interval of 3 feet.
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 19
The city map of Cincinnati, U.S.A., is on a scale of one inch equals
400 feet, or a natural scale of 1-4,800, and has a contour interval of 5 feet,
and 2\ foot contours when the slope is less than 6 degrees.
For Canadian city maps I would suggest a scale of one foot equals
1,000 feet, or a natural scale of 1-1,000. This would enable us to show all
the necessary detail. It would be an easy scale for an engineer to make
calculations from, a scale economical from the standpoint of the topogra-
phical surveyor and one from which measurements could be taken either
in feet or meters. As the metric system is coming more and more into
use by scientific men, we should provide for future changes in this respect.
It would, therefore, seem that the 1-1,000 scale would be the best for Cana-
dian cities, lying as it does halfway between the English practice of 1-500
and the American practice, as represented by the Cincinnati map, of a
scale of 1-4,800.
COST OF FIELD WORK FOR A CITY MAP
The possession of city survey results would mean a tremendous saving
in cost of future engineering work undertaken by the city possessing them.
As an example, the Ottawa Federal Plan Commission found it necessary to
spend the sum of $7,000 in rough preliminary surveys, none of which
would have been necessary if they had had a proper city survey. Since the
year 1904, the city of Ottawa has spent, for reports upon its water problem,
close to $120,695, according to a detailed list furnished me through the
city auditor. It is safe to say that half this sum could have been saved on
the surveys if they had had a satisfactory map of the city and surrounding
district. It is also probable that a further saving could have been made
in not requiring the advice of so many experts. Many other cities of Can-
ada are probably in much the same position as Ottawa in regard to the cost
of various engineering works.
When precise surveying of any kind is undertaken the cost of instru-
ments is much higher than it would be advisable for individual cities to
invest, as they would be used very seldom after the mapping was finished.
A primary triangulation instrumental outfit costs about $1,800. A precise
level instrumental outfit for one party costs about $400, and other classes
of work in proportion. I have made an estimate of the cost of the field
work for a city map of Ottawa on a scale of 1-1,000, and it comes to $1.55
an acre, for an average area embracing 144 square miles. The city of
St. Louis map, on a 1-2,400 scale, cost $1.15 an acre. The map of London,
Eng., on a 1-1,056 scale, cost $3.25 per acre.
Sir Clifford Sifton has just said, "We want to do our town planning in
Canada better than it has been done in any other country," and, in reference
to the map-making part of it, I think we can do it. In order to have it
done systematically and the cost kept down to the lowest possible point,
there should be a branch of one of the government survey departments
20 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
organized especially for city surveys. If we have good plans of our Cana-
dian cities and towns, upon which to base our town-planning, we can easily
work up a general enthusiasm for improvement in. civic life.
REV. FRANK D. BALDWIN: Long ago they used to send for preachers,
bellmen and others to bless and to curse everything that was started, or
wanted to be started, as the case might be; and I am thankful to be here
today, as a sort of bellman, to pronounce a blessing, because many people
have thought, and rightly thought, that the churches lagged behind on
all these great questions of civic improvement. I am not so hopeless as to
the future situation in that regard as one might have been years ago. I
think the churches are realizing that we have to take as much care of
men's bodies as we have been expected to take of their souls. It is a pecu-
liar feature of the country, particularly, but you will find that nearly all
the cemeteries are under control of the churches. I have been grieved in
going through the land to see how little care — at least when under the
church's control, is taken of those cemeteries. Sir Clifford Sifton has said
that the object of the Commission of Conservation is to start things, and
you have said that that was the method of Tipperary, but not our method.
Why not our method ? I think it necessary sometimes to employ the methods
of Tipperary to a certain extent to knock some things on the head, in order
that better things may live. That is good science. And so we have
in our towns, fire protection and sanitation, provision of public grounds
and esthetic surroundings, that may uplift the life of all, to make these
towns better places to live in. If we preachers are not in sympathy with a
movement to make this world a better place to live in we had better go out
of business. I have no sympathy with these men of ancient generations,
who go around saying that "the only object they have in this world is to
get well out of it." I have a great deal of sympathy with the Yankee of
the New England States, who said — and I am not responsible for his lang-
uage, it is not the kind I use — "This here town is so darned lonesome that
I am sorry I did not get out of it ten years before I was born." We have
got to make our towns, our little towns as well as our large ones, places
worth living in, and I am glad to give my benediction to the effort.
EXPERIENCE IN A TOWN-PLANNED GARDEN SUBURB
MR. GEORGE PHELPS (Toronto): I had the privilege of living in a
garden suburb a few years ago, and, from having lived in it and taking part
in the life there, that very fact has fired me with an enthusiasm for town-
planning and housing I cannot get rid of. I know the project from the
inside, and I also know that the place where I lived was one of the most
beautiful places anywhere — the Hampstead garden suburb in England.
Anything I can do to forward a movement to improve conditions in the
way that the town-planning movement has been carried on there I will do
to my very utmost ability, simply because I know, from living in it and being
21
connected with the movement, what a tremendous benefit it is, not only in
beautifying the town but in uplifting the people who live there.
MRS. ADAM SHORTT: I want to say a word for the ladies. The
National Council of Women, of which body I have been a member since
its inception, has, throughout all Canada, been trying to do something in
the way of civic improvement. I am not boasting when I say that we have
done a little. Our work has been along the lines of what this organizaton
is planning, namely, civic improvement. We inaugurated a playgrounds
movement, we have helped to extend the parks, and have sought, in every
way, to help civic improvement. I think one gentleman mentioned that
the English machinery was better than the Canadian, that it was more
efficient. Professor Munroe, of Johns Hopkins University, I believe,
states the reason for this to be that the gentlemen who compose the munici-
pal authorities in England are more or less gentlemen of leisure, having
ideals and positions to maintain, who devote themselves to this work as
the English statesman devotes himself to his task. On the contrary, in
Canada, this being a new country, our municipal bodies are made up of
men whose various callings occupy their whole time, thought, and energy,
or nearly all of it. I can quite agree with the chairman that we really
do not give them that meed of encouragement and that meed of support
which is their due, because, in a great many instances, they do their best.
But I think none of us will disagree in this, that in almost all municipal
councils, at least, so far as we have known, from Halifax to Vancouver,
there is an element of politics which enters into municipal administration
and sometimes ties up the machinery, which, at its best and without politics,
might be more efficient. Moreover, this entrance of politics into the muni-
cipal situation frequently leads to the appointment of men for outstanding
positions which affects our morality, our beauty and our efficiency — not
because they are men fitted for the positions, but because they are men who,
for some reason or other, it is thought must have a job. It is, in many
cases, as has been said, not the man's fitness for the occupation, but there
is an occupation to which they may fit the man who needs a job. I am
not speaking locally, because we have here found most kindly attention
from our civic authorities and co-operation in many instances, also, in some
instances, an invitation to co-operate. I am speaking of the experience of
women's associations from coast to coast, and therefore I hail with joy the
formation of such an organization as this, whose basic object, I believe,
is to secure the health and efficiency of our people. In our social work we
find that health and all these other matters overlap and interlace — when
you touch one social problem, all problems are affected. I understand the
object of this Association is to be one of inspiration, encouragement, activity
and supervision so that good men in municipal councils, or some good men
in such councils, will feel behind them an organization of free-handed men
and women, who will back them up in their best efforts and help them to
22 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
withstand all the heavy pulls that have hindered their past administration.
I am hoping to see the day when this organization, in every locality, will
not only help in the way of inspiration and encouragement, but also in
activity and supervision, so that when the body of electors in a city say that
they want a thing — whether it is an incinerator, or whatever it is — when
they have expressed their desire by a vote of the people and the council
undertake to get what they desire, they will get an incinerator that inciner-
ates.
CITIES ARE SHOWING LACK OF A GUIDING HAND
DR. FRANKLIN JOHNSON, JR. (Social Service Department, University
of Toronto) : I am reminded of what Theodore Roosevelt, who has proven
himself at a particular time a prudent and far-sighted statesman, said when
he was asked his opinion of woman suffrage. He said, "If the women of
the country made up their minds on a thing that they wanted, they were
certain always to get it;" and, I might add, if the women of Canada make
up their minds that they are going to take hold of a movement like this they
will be a great strength to the movement. In the formation of the commit-
tees and board of this coming organization, I hope it may be found feasible
and possible to have a representation of women. This movement is one
of the wisest that could possibly be launched at this time, it seems to me.
It is timely, because we already have need for it in Canada. Our great
cities are showing the lack of a guiding hand and some wise, far-seeing plan
in their development. It is also timely because there is not yet the apparent
need for it. We ought not to wait until the horse is stolen before closing
the stable door, and we ought not to have to look back, like Boston, and
see how the streets were laid out along the traditional cow path, as in the
case of Tremont street in that city. We should not wait until it takes an
expenditure of millions to bring into effect a slight improvement like that
made in Cleveland, or even in a city like Washington, where a splendid plan
was laid by M. L'Enfant, and then neglect what you might call the social
side of the development of a city. If we have a competent organization,
which can command intelligence and the details of the system, and that
organization can be placed at the service of smaller communities as well as
of the larger communities, we will have an intelligent development of our
great Dominion here such as no nation has had. We are familiar, with the
rate of growth of the United States, how it has jumped from 7,000,000 to
100,000,000 in one hundred years, and, of course, we all expect Canada to
do the same. But the Canadian rate of growth is greater than that of the
United States for most of that period, and our cities will probably grow
faster than theirs. I do not think there is any city in the world that has
grown as fast as Toronto.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: Except Montreal, Hamilton, Winnipeg and
Vancouver.
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 23
CONDITIONS IN THE SMALLER CITIES
DR. JOHNSON: And the other Canadian cities. But, without dis-
criminating, Toronto has doubled its population in nine years. The great
growth of Berlin, and the great growth of London, New York and Chicago,
have been nothing in comparison, and we have to come to Toronto and the
other Canadian cities to have that sort of thing duplicated. We must have
some central board, with wise heads, where we may come, in order to syste-
matize our work and obtain advice. I was in one of the smaller cities of
Canada quite recently. The business men there wanted to talk over cer-
tain city problems, and invited me to go there and meet certain representa-
tives of business organizations, to discuss these matters with them. They
told me they had no city problems; and, to prove the statement, they took
me around. They told me how the situation was splendid, how they had a
park, and no slums, and they had no need whatever for any city planning.
I pointed out to them that they had no parks inside the city limits that were
intelligently planned, they did not have any recreation centres for
the children; as Sir John Willison said, they had a fair ground,
very accessible, absolutely ideal, but not in use. They had the
commencement of housing problems, immigrants were coming in and
settling in immigrant districts, and they had the commencement of slum
districts — and yet they did not see the necessity to commence any work
for that city. There was a gathering of business men that evening, to
confer about certain things, and as this question came up, it was discussed
quite a bit and these business men said they did not see why any town-
planning was necessary in that city. I tried to point out that, when the
need apparently did not exist, then was the time to commence their plans.
The ordinary cities of Canada cannot afford to employ a Town-Planning
Commission or to expend much money in this sort of thing. But, if we can
have a Dominion-wide organization of this sort, we can afford to get the
best intelligence and information available anywhere and place it at the
service, through the proper organization, of any community in Canada.
This is something that will develop all our cities and rural districts in a way
that the world will look at as an example. I think, therefore, that this is a
very timely thing, and, as coming from an educational institution, I am
glad to give my hearty co-operation to it.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: The time immediately available for discussion
has pretty well passed. Mr. Parker is here, and, I think, may not be able
to be here this afternoon. Mr. A. G. Parker, of the Bank of Montreal,
will now address a few words to us, after which you will be asked to consider
the resolutions which we have to bring forward. I would call on Mr.
Parker.
24 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
RESTRICTIONS ON MUNICIPAL BORROWINGS
MR. A. G. PARKER: Sir Frederick Williams-Taylor said in his
letter which was read at the beginning of this meeting, that he was
much concerned at the frequent over-borrowing of Canadjaan Munici-
palities, a habit which has been practically universal in our Northwest.
He is speaking from his experience in London, where he was manager of
the Bank of Montreal for seven or eight years, during which time
he watched the marketing of Canadian municipal securities, and took
part in it, sometimes, in the case of our larger cities. I think the
bankers, as a whole, know more about the shortcomings of our cities than
anybody else. While in Ontario most of the towns are under honest ad-
ministration, as the chairman has just said, they are sometimes managed
by men of little experience. In the Northwest the difficulty has been much
greater, and promises to continue to be so in the future, unless some co-
operation between the provinces and the municipalities, under the Do-
minion's supreme care and direction, can be brought about. Some towns
are established up there by men who carefully choose their location and where
the conditions are good. Towns are also established by people of hopeful
and adventurous dispositions, who go into it for the benefit of their own
particular pockets. And then the town-planning of which we are now speak-
ing begins and over-runs itself. If it could be curtailed, instead of being
encouraged, in certain respects, it would be a good thing for the North-
west. You cannot expect men of the character of the usual founders of
the Northwest towns, hopeful and speculative, to be very good mayors and
councillors. They are too hopeful, and, if they are not so themselves, they
want to make others hopeful. In some cases, for instance, local improve-
ment debentures run for thirty years, the improvements crumbling away in
ten, and posterity paying the bill. Canadians, of course, do not care to
have their liberties in any way restricted. The idea of adopting the system
in force in England relating to local loans, to which my General Manager
refers, would be irksome to them at first. If, however, that system could
be generally introduced in some form in Canada it would be of immense
benefit. Even before the war the people had a year or so of depression,
and to some extent realized the evils of the freedom under which their towns
had borrowed. I think they might eventually come to some agreement
by which they would submit to what the English cities, the small cities at
all events, submit to, the supervision and sanction by some kind of local
board, of all their borrowings. The Local Government Board in England
takes great care to see that when a town wishes to borrow it does so for good
reasons, and that it is able to pay for its borrowing within a reasonable time.
They send inspectors to it, who, if necessary, examine all the conditions
from which the demand arises. In England, of course, the borrowing is
from the Government itself, through the Local Government Board. Here
I do not suppose the Provinces, with all the guarantees they have already
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 25
given to railways, could guarantee all their municipal bonds or lend the
money to the municipalities, but they could, at all events, give their open
sanction to the issuing of bonds, and by that means facilitate the sale of
them, and for a better price. That would reconcile people, as much as
anything else, to such a system as I understand has been advocated for
Ontario. As a matter of fact I believe that some of the western provinces
have already begun legislating in this direction.
RESOLUTIONS
NEED FOR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
MR. G. FRANK BEER, (Toronto): I rise to move a resolution to the
effect that a civic improvement league be formed for Canada.
World events of an unprecedented character are showing us the neces-
sity for greater national and individual efficiency. The perversion by a
great nation of its ideals should not blind us to the advantages of scientific
organization, collective effort and a measure of central control. If we leave
effective organization for the forces that hinder progress we are guilty of
social treason — and we admit our inability and unworthiness to mould the
future development of Canada toward the fulfilment of a great national
purpose.
Social progress has in many cases been obstructed, not alone or chiefly
by general indifference, but by the lack of clear thinking and definite pur-
pose on the part of social leaders. We must not blame either governments
or peoples for their failure to accept all the "solutions" which we have thrust
upon them. Part of the blameworthiness has been ours, because of our
failure to study adequately the problems with which we are concerned.
National problems can find no solution in superficial thinking. We must
work our heads more and our hearts less. It is because of our recognition
of the necessity for wise leadership, deeper study and effective organization
that we are here to-day. No movement in Canada, so far as my knowledge
goes, has been launched with such reasonable prospects of success.
It has never before been my pleasure, at a meeting of this character,
to listen to three such inspiring addresses as those we have heard this morning
from Sir Clifford Sifton, Sir John Willison and Mr. Adams. The reason
we all feel this way, as I am sure we do, is because of the clear thinking and
definite purpose which characterized, to an unusual degree, these addresses.
The economic and social problems which will face us at the close of the
war call for serious consideration and well informed study now. Problems
of this character will find no solution if we postpone action until they are
thrust upon us for immediate action. Failure to recognize this may result
in consequences of a far reaching character. The plan we have before us
shows a realization of facts and a study of conditions which give us great
confidence in the successful outcome of the enterprise upon which we are
now entering.
26 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
Experience has convinced me that a national organization is necessary
— is indeed indispensable — to the success of the objects we have in view.
I had the honour, upon the invitation of Sir Clifford Sifton, of advocating
this course before the Commission of Conservation two years ago. The
events of these two years have but made more apparent and more urgent
the desirability of concerted Municipal, Provincial and Dominion action.
The problems are great national problems and transcend local, party or
other considerations. It is fortunate for us, as I hope it will be for Canada,
that the Commission of Conservation has provided an opportunity to unite
local and provincial forces for the achievement of a great and worthy
national purpose. I therefore move: —
"That a Civic Improvement League for Canada be formed, with
the general object of promoting the study and advancement of
the best principles and methods of civic improvement and develop-
ment and to secure a general and effective interest in all municipal affairs."
I esteem it a great honour to move this motion and I think we all feel
that by whole-hearted co-operation nothing can stand in our way or make
our efforts ineffectual.
HONEST MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
DR. DESAULNIERS, M.P.P. (St. Lambert, Que.): To deal properly
with such an important subject as civic improvement, with all the duties
inherent to such a league, the functions and work that devolve on all de-
voted members and the wonderful results that can be obtained by continu-
ous efforts, is a task, I say, that I cannot fulfil just at present with skill
and in a manner equal to the standard of the distinguished gathering listen-
ing to me.
I highly appreciate the fact of having been selected to speak on this
resolution, as much as I appreciate having been included in the list of citi-
zens of the Province of Quebec to attend the preliminary conference of the
founders of this useful League.
In seconding the resolution just read, I want to say that I fully under-
stand, I believe, the real sense of the resolution. And it embraces the study
of the best principles in the honest management and administration of civic
affairs; the advancement of economical and progressive methods in the
improvement and development of our towns and rural municipalities, and
also the awakening of the people so as to secure from all a general and
effective interest in all municipal affairs.
Of course, the discussion is limited to-day to a civic point of view only,
but allow me to say that the successful achievement of the work undertaken
by the League, if well directed, would, as a consequence, bring good results
in higher and broader spheres of action. The development of a good civic
spirit means also the creation of high national ideals.
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 27
There is no doubt that the Federal League, as well as the Local Leagues,
will attain the object for which they are created if the members will all
co-operate in the necessary initiative, and in an active campaign. Farmers,
business and professional men all are, in this country, ambitious — and being
desirous to improve their condition, they will at once understand the neces-
sity and the importance of the League when the objects are explained to
them, as denned in the circular in Conservation of Life.
As I said before, our population is open to conviction, and all are de-
sirous to learn, but, I am sorry to say, only a percentage of our people
possess the real knowledge and the true principles of civics. There is a lack
of education among the masses throughout Canada.
How many times, during my twenty years of public life, have I heard
men of all classes making the statement that the only objects in filling
public offices of any kind, and the idea — and even ideal — are of a speculative
and personal nature ? In my humble opinion, the most important duty of
the members of the League would be under the title of the study of the best
principles in the honest management and administration of public affairs,
to start a campaign of education in all the different classes of the community,
and so to develop the sense of responsibility and honesty in civic affairs —
to create the sentiment! in every citizen that public affairs must be managed
in the interest of the community, and not from a personal point of view.
Allow me to say that such education should not be spread only to the
present generation, but in our universities and colleges, and even in acade-
mies, lectures on, and explanations of, the duties of citizenship and the
interest they should take in public affairs, should be taught, to inculcate
sound principles in every future man and woman in the country. I have
the honour to second the resolution proposed by Mr. G. Frank Beer.
CULTIVATE A LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL
CONTROLLER MORRIS (Hamilton) : I feel so grateful for the good work
that has been done by the Commission of Conservation for Canada that
I wish to add my testimony to the value of the work, and at the same time
to support the resolution now before us.
What is the reason for the villages being in an unkempt condition, as
the Chairman has truly stated ? It is because the people lack knowledge,
because they do not know anything of beauty, they do not understand
it or appreciate it — they do not want beauty. Now, how can we cultivate,
in the hearts of the people, a love for the beautiful ? We will do much by
creating a Civic Improvement League in every city, town and village in
Canada, to give people guidance and enlightenment along these lines.
I have been in city life for upwards of twenty years. For twenty years
I had a scheme, a vision, of a magnificent park, a natural park, along the
Niagara escarpment, along the base. After working upon that, off and on,
for the last twenty years or more, I am happy to say that the scheme is
28 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
just now reaching maturity. If there had been a Civic Improvement
League in existence that work would have been accomplished years ago
and at a very much smaller cost than at present.
Three or four years ago I brought the matter of having a Town-Plan-
ning Commission in Hamilton up before the City Council time and again;
but it was only this year, because of the assistance and the backing of the
Civic Improvement League in Hamilton, and because of the earnest backing
of the Commission of Conservation, that we got it through the council.
It is necessary that we should have such improvement leagues in every
city, town and village, in order to help the men in the councils get through
the various practical schemes. The Hamilton Commission has started
out to get their topographical map, they are helping in preparing legis-
lation and in many other ways. We in Hamilton are determined to assist
in the formation of the proposed League and to do all we can to make this
Canada of ours a better place to live in.
NEED OF A SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION
MR. SANFORD EVANS: I should like to say just a word of my hearty
personal support of the proposition which is before this Conference; and,
further, to say that, from my knowledge of western Canada, I am confident
the idea will appeal strongly to the people throughout the whole of that sec-
tion of Canada. I agree with those speakers who have paid a tribute to
the work which has been done in this important subject by the Commission
of Conservation. Some few years ago, in Winnipeg, we took up the ques-
tion of town-planning, appointed a Commission, arranged a town-planning
exhibit, at which we had material of very great interest not only from this
continent but from Europe, and invited a conference, which was attended
by representatives from all parts of Canada. At that conference a Domin-
ion Town-Planning Association was appointed. No practical result fol-
lowed, and for that failure I, probably, am a good deal more responsible
than anyone else. But the point of difficulty came in the fact that all the
membership was of the voluntary quality, which has been referred to to-
day, that is, it was a participation by men who were overwhelmed by other
things, both public and private. I came to the conclusion at that time
that it would be exceedingly difficult to strongly establish such a movement
unless some organization could be found which would take the matter up.
A most happy and altogether fortunate solution to that difficulty has been
found in the fact that this Commission of Conservation has had wisdom
enough and patriotism enough to take hold of the work in the way it has
done. I would like to say that I hope the attitude of this Commission
will not be simply that it has now taken steps to initiate this new form of
organized effort, but that it will regard itself as the very, foundation of the
organization; and, unless it is prepared to give time and also professional
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 29
advice and assistance in this movement, the success will not follow which
would otherwise be the case.
Having had some little part in municipal affairs I have felt many times
this morning like trying to defend the member of the municipal council in
Canada, for there is something to be said from the point of view of the
municipal councillor which is not always recognized by one who has not
filled that position.
DEVELOP THE IDEAL OF THE TOWN AND VILLAGE
But one point which I would like to emphasize, because the point has
been raised several times this morning, is the importance of the development
of some adequate idea of the town. In taking hold of the problems of the
smaller places in Canada it is not a question of providing against slums, or
against other things which may come if those towns should happen to be-
come great cities. I believe that in Canada we have had the ideal of the
city ; we have not yet developed the ideal of the town or the village. We
have heard a good deal to-day about the conditions in western Canada,
particularly the financial condition. There is no doubt that, along the
lines of Sir Frederick Williams-Taylor's letter and of Mr. Parker's address,
we must give that the very strictest attention and must consider that of
the very greatest importance. I could give certain explanations of what
appears like over expenditure, as compared with eastern towns, which
might make the situation appear not quite as unwise as it does perhaps to
those who have not been quite familiar with all the conditions in western
Canada; but outside of what can be explained, there was an extravagance,
due to what ? There has never been a territory in the world in which so
large a proportion of the total population was called upon to found new
towns, new school districts, new organizations every year. Who did
this ? The men who did that and the women who did that were the young
men and the young women who came from Ontario and Quebec and the
Maritime provinces and some from the United States. These young men
and young women did not have the ideal of the town or the village ; every one
of them had the ideal of the city, and it was the only ideal they had, and
they started their development, not wisely, according to town-planning
methods probably, but their whole conception was the conception of a
metropolis; and I think that what happened in the west should reveal to
us the condition of the public mind in all Canada, because the men and
women who did that were but the boys and girls whom you raised down here.
If there is any one thing important, from a sociological and national point
of view, it is to develop the town as a town, the village as a village, the rural
community as a rural community, that those places may be so attractive
and so wholesome as to retain the best men and women in this country.
Unless we have something that will hold the best men and women outside
30 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
of our cities we will be in danger of the gradual deterioration which cities
may bring about.
DR. WM. H. ATHERTON (Montreal) : I know that there are a number
of interests in this room of a humanitarian order, such as the National Coun-
cil of Women of Canada, that are not so strictly municipal in the high and
dry form of the phrase.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: I think perhaps we had better put the resolution
first.
DR. ATHERTON: I was going to suggest an amendment, which could
be incorporated by Mr. Beer, because I have spoken to a number of dele-
gates and we fail to see in the statement of the objects of the League read
by Mr. Beer anything to cover certain broad activities which I think the
statement of objects ought to cover. I would suggest that Mrs. Smillie
move the addition of some such words as the following to the motion now
before the meeting:
"And to encourage and organize all those community forces which
make for efficient citizenship, and so inculcate a ripe Canadian national civic
pride in every centre — village, rural community, town, city, or municipality
of Canada."
That, I think, will be the broad view, and will meet the objection which
many have who want to come in and do not see anything in the preliminary
statement of objects which would include them. I think it is necessary to
have some such additions. It rounds off the whole thing by making for
efficient citizenship. It includes every association, for town-planning or
housing or any other branch of social activity, that they will have a right-
ful place in this Association. It would be clearly laid down in the statement
of objects as I propose it to be amended.
MR. ADAMS: May I suggest that the main object of the resolution
now before the meeting is that a league be formed. Later on a motion will
be brought before the meeting stating the objects.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: Had we not better confine ourselves for the
moment to the adoption of the simple resolution:
"That a Civic Improvement League for Canada be formed, with the
general object of promoting the study and advancement of the best prin-
ciples and methods of civic improvement and development, and to secure
a general and effective interest in all municipal affairs."
MR. FIRSTBROOK: Why have the word improvement? Why not
Civic League of Canada ? The objects will all be stated here. If you
adopt this the name will be The Civic Improvement League. Why not
simply The Civic League of Canada ?
MR. ADAMS: The object of the resolution before you is simple to de-
cide whether it is desirable to form a league or not. This resolution will
be followed by others, dealing with the name, the object, etc. We could
discuss these details when the other resolutions are reached.
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 31
SIR JOHN WILLISON : Are you in favour of adopting this resolution ?
Resolution carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned until two o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The meeting resumed at two o'clock, Hon. Dr. J. J. Guerin in the
chair.
DR. GUERIN: Ladies and gentlemen, my first duty is to thank you
for having invited me to take the chair this afternoon. I consider it no
small honour to preside over such an assembly of ladies and gentlemen com-
ing, as you do, from all over the Dominion. It shows your appreciation
of the efforts of those who undertook this good work of civic improvement.
I must, in the first place, thank the Commission of Conservation for having
inaugurated this national movement, for having given us our existence, so
to speak ; that is, if we organize ourselves according to the resolutions that
will be placed before this meeting. At the same time, I want to say, it
behoves us, when this Central Organization has been formed, to make
every possible effort to form and assist local organizations in the com-
munities from which we come. The Civic Improvement League, as we all
know, is something that is calculated to improve the surroundings and the
conditions of our fellow citizens. It is by improving the homes, and con-
sequently the municipalities, that we can make people happy. When a
person is in a state of contentment and his environment is agreeable, then
he will be satisfied with his conditions, and that person will be a loyal citizen
of Canada. Consequently our effort is toward the creation of loyalty and
contentment among all the citizens of this country. I think, ladies and
gentlemen, that we are assuming an immense task, but one that will be
very easily accomplished, if we only extend our good will and work with
determination. I heard a few speeches after I entered this room, unfor-
tunately a little late, this morning, all expressive of good will; but I hope
whatever speeches we hear this afternoon will be more expressive of de-
termination and consideration of the best means to put into operation this
great organization which we are founding here in Ottawa to-day. I am not
going to set a bad example by making a long speech myself, because I am
going to ask you gentlemen to be as brief as possible in the remarks you have
to make. I do not mean to imply by that that I intend to apply the closure,
or anything of that kind. I want to have everything argued within reason;
but I want the speakers, as much as possible, to deal with the point at issue,
so that we can get through our business and then, after we have concluded
the consideration of our resolutions, we can continue speaking on the
organization itself as long as it pleases us to do so. You understand, there-
fore, that I do not wish to interfere at all with discussion but I should like
to get through the programme that we have before us.
32 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
MR. BEER: I would move the reconsideration of the resolution which
I moved just before we adjourned.
Motion agreed to.
MR. BEER: I move that this motion be amended by striking out the
word "and" before the words "to secure," and by adding the following
words, "and to encourage and organize in every community all those social
forces that make for an efficient Canadian citizenship." The object of
this amendment is to broaden out the meaning of the word "civic" and to
make it quite sure that it includes rural as well as urban communities.
MR. ADAMS: I think the more proper form would be to add this as a
rider, to make it an addition to the resolution passed this morning.
Motion as amended agreed to.
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE UTILIZED
DR. BRITTAIN: (Toronto): I have been asked to move a resolution
as to the name of the association, and, in line with the request of the chair-
man, I will simply consider what I have to say as a confession of faith, and
of determination to forward this movement, as far as I can and as far as
the organization that I represent have it in our power to forward it.
Perhaps it would not be amiss for me to say in a few words what I think
the movement means. In the first place it seems to me it is a mobilization
of all the forces, all the personalities, all the organizations, looking toward
the improvement of citizenship. Several speakers this morning alluded to
the fact that governments do not use the reserve of training and of faith in
government that they might utilize. This is an attempt to utilize everything
we can get in Canada that makes towards good citizenship. That is
the fundamental thing and that is the main thing we wish to take away
to-day. The second thing is that this is an educational programme. Per-
sonally, I would not feel like putting my whole faith in it, unless it were an
educational programme. Education can do more than anything else in
this matter. The old rural school, where a boy received an elementary
education, which was supplemented by his having to do many things at
home, provided something we have lost, and the public school, in some way,
will have to develop that form of education again. In the first place we
are trying to provide an association which will be an outside association, a
non-official association. I think it was Darwin who said that dogs could
not exist in good health unless they had a few fleas. The fleas stimulated
the dog to action and kept the dog's mind employed and kept him from
thinking about himself. I do not want to carry that simile too far. It is
our business, by just existing, to stimulate thought and action of the official
body. Any official body, like the canine, is apt to get fat without certain
stimulus from the outside.
In moving this resolution I think it should be moved with the under-
standing that it is more or less provisional, that all of these resolutions are
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 33
subject to change afterwards if it is thought wise to do so. An organization
that is worth anything is always bigger than its constitution. A boy
worth anything outgrows his suit of clothes. So our constitution has to be
so elastic that at any time we can change it with our growth; therefore,
I have much pleasure in moving that the name of this Association, which
we are about to form, be "The Civic Improvement League of Canada."
I believe that is a good name. Both the French and English understand
the meaning of the word civic. It is almost the same in each language.
We all know the meaning of improvement and of league. It is a name we
all thoroughly understand. I therefore have much pleasure in moving
that this be the name of the Association.
CANADA TO EDUCATE HER OWN EXPERTS
DR. ATHERTON (Montreal) : I have been asked to second this resolu-
tion, that the name of the association be "The Civic Improvement League
of Canada." I should like to add to the argument given by the last speaker
further reasons which, in my mind, point to this name as a popular name.
If I may be permitted to give a little history with regard to this movement
it may help your understanding of it. I have, first of all, to convey to this
meeting the expression of appreciation and approval of the great effort being
made in Canada to raise up a school of Canadian experts, who are able to
carry on their own investigations, and study their own questions, and meet
one another as a Canadian school. This expression comes from Clinton
Rogers Woodroffe, who has a great name in the United States, as secretary
of The National Municipal League. They are watching us with great
interest. There are three other associations watching us, because they
want to know how close they can come in touch with us. No doubt many
of you have received invitations to become members of The National
Municipal League, the American Civic Association, the National Housing
Association and the National City Planning Association. The majority
of the men running those four associations are the same men. America
is a big place and they need different associations for different branches of
their work. They wonder how far we can come in, they are wondering
whether we will take any of their names. The National Municipal League
would like us to have a Canadian National Municipal League, but if we do
that we are identifying ourselves with a movement that is one-sided. Their
movement is principally towards municipal affairs, dealing with the high
affairs of financing city government, and all kinds of technical questions.
While we will consider them in this Association, they will not be the only
things we will consider. Then, if we take the name corresponding to the
American Civic Association, which looks after aesthetic beauty and play-
grounds, beauty spots, etc., alone, we are again narrowing our purpose.
If we take the name of the Housing Association we are again narrowing our
scope, and similarly with City Planning. Therefore, many of us agree that
34 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
as Canada is, in one sense, so small yet, it would be best, in order to save
money, time and experience, and act as a conservation force, that we should
form one organization at the present, under the name Civic Improvement
League. That takes in all four different phases of the civic question referred
to above. Therefore I think that the name Civic Improvement League
hits the thing pretty well. The reasons given by a previous speaker are
simple. Civic is broad, it shows the civic spirit going right through; no
matter whether it is city, town or village, it affects the citizen as a citizen.
It embraces all kinds of improvement and progress in general along the lines
I have spoken of. Everyone understands improvement at once. If you
had the name Civic League everyone would ask what it was. Civic improve-
ment means civic improvement in every form of municipality and civic
life and league means confederation: it means a loose or a very close con-
federation. It is elastic. Is it a name that will apply and appeal to people
all over the Dominion, and we can get every association to come in under
that title, perhaps paying a fee to join us and help finance the movement.
We can get associations from small communities to join us. We will have
a great field to fall back upon. By having one broad association all our
people may assist in any municipal movement. I think we are doing some-
thing in using a name that hits off the various aspects of civic life, and,
therefore, I have much pleasure in seconding the motion that the name
be "The Civic Improvement League of Canada."
MR. ADAMS: I would suggest, in order to meet the point raised by
Dr. Brittain, that the motion be amended as follows: "That the name of
the League be provisionally agreed as "The Civic Improvement League of
Canada." That will leave it open for further consideration by an executive
committee.
DR. ATHERTON: As the seconder I accept the word provisionally,
but my own belief is that it will carry as it now stands.
Motion as amended agreed to.
PROPOSED STATEMENT OF OBJECTS
DR. S. MORLEY WICKETT (Toronto) : I have been asked to move a
resolution setting forth the proposed objects of the League, as set out at
page 5 of Conservation of Life. That statement is as follows :
To assist in promoting the highest interests of the city* of
and the welfare of its citizens by the study and advancement of the best
principles and methods of civic improvement and development, and by
securing a general and effective public interest in all municipal affairs,
with special regard to such questions as the following:
(1) The form and character of local government and the appli-
cation of sound economic principles in regard to the administration
of municipal business.
*Or town, municipality or village, as the case may be.
35
(2) The preparation of town-planning schemes for the purpose*
of securing proper sanitary conditions, convenience and amenity in
connection with the development of land within and surrounding the
area of the city.
(3) The replanning of old districts, the removal of slum areas,
the widening of public thoroughfares, and other reconstruction schemes.
(4) The conservation of the industrial and physical resources of
the city, with special regard to the housing conditions and health
of its citizens and the adequacy and efficiency of its public services.
(5) The preservation and increase of natural and structural
beauty, the character and position of public monuments, the laying
out of parks and open spaces, the planting and preservation of trees,
the regulation of public advertising, and the abatement of smoke and
other nuisances.
(6) The preparation of civic surveys and maps, and the carrying
out of investigations into housing, transportation and industrial con-
ditions, methods of land valuation and assessment, etc.
(7) The promotion of school and college courses in civics and civic
design, of exhibitions of works of art and of architectural, engineering
and other designs relating to civic improvements, and of public per-
formances of music; and the provision of facilities for the recreation
and physical development of the young.
(8) The means of securing increased production from the soil
within and in the neighbourhood of the city by encouraging the culti-
vation of idle suburban land and a more widespread interest in garden-
ing.
In doing so let me say first that personally I welcome with enthusiasm
the formation of a national municipal league, under the name approved of,
under the auspices of the Conservation Commission of Canada. I dislike
very much the old illustration of the Federal Government as a milch cow.
I would rather say that this splendid work upon which the Conservation
Commission is embarking makes it appear rather as the beneficent, goddess
of the people of Canada, because municipal government touches every
interest, all through the country, of every man, woman and child, in so
many ways that it brings home the benefit of the services to us all. The
objects of the association, I take it, are as broad as the objects of all the
organizations affiliated with this association and making up this associa-
tion, so that to enumerate them is simply to go through a formal enumera-
tion. Our object will be to co-ordinate the effort of all local associations,
of whatever kind exists, looking to the improvement of municipal conditions
in Canada. Now their efforts are as manifold as one can well conceive.
The work of municipal reform in this country at the outset is to create a
public opinion. I think any man who is engaged in municipal work in this
country feels the absolute necessity of live public opinion. If public opinion
is not alert and sympathetic very little can be accomplished. So you will
notice that at the very outset, in the statement of objects, that one of the
aims of this association is to secure a general and effective public interest
in all municipal affairs. Our government is a democracy. It is well enough
36 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
in an autocracy to leave to higher powers the working out of details, but in
our democracy we must rely on ourselves. The safety of our government
is, therefore, necessarily, alert public opinion. Alert public opinion is the
very basis on which we must build. The careful study of municipal ques-
tions is, therefore, necessarily, what follows. We must work out carefully
the various plans suggested and decide as wisely as possible on their merits.
When I was at the University of Toronto, whenever we had exhausted a
subject of debate, we used to debate on protection and free trade, and I
really forget what we decided as to their relative merits.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: Have not settled it yet.
DR. WICKETT: We debated that man was equal to woman and woman
equal to man in all respects. I forget what we decided about that. And
whenever we exhausted temporarily our subject of debate we came back
to a constitutional question and always found a perennial source of dispute
there. I take it that it really does not matter so very much what we
enumerate here as the detailed objects of our study, as long as we have the
general platform promoting the highest interests of the city, town or munici-
pality and the welfare of its citizens by the study and advancement of the
best principles and methods of civic improvement and development — as
long as we have a general statement of that kind we are quite safe in adopting
a detailed resume.
IMPROVEMENTS ADAPTED TO CANADIAN CONDITIONS
But let me refer briefly to one or two points. First, the form and char-
acter of local government and the application of sound economic principles
in regard to the administration of municipal business. In discussing the
form of government it may be that a local association is carried away with
enthusiasm, for example, for Commission Government, which has merits
in the United States to overcome an evil situation there which they have
inherited but which may not be suited to Canada. A local association
may advance certain arguments in favour of a certain form of government;
but the influence of the general association will be to broaden out that dis-
cussion and safeguard it in the interests of the country at large. So I
believe that, while the local associations are working according to their
own lines, the broad association will help each local association to come
to the wisest possible decision. In the administration of municipal busi-
ness the Federal Government comes very actively to the front. We can
do very little in the control of municipal affairs without comparative statis-
tics. The mayor of Hamilton wrote me the other week and wanted to
know what our prices for certain contract work in Toronto were. He sub-
mitted to me a list of, for instance, crude oil contract, asphalt contract, etc.,
and the cost of various road and sidewalk constructions, and said: "Will
you get me figures of these costs for Toronto." It was quite an interesting
comparison. In some cases Toronto was paying a good deal more than
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 37
Hamilton, and in some cases Hamilton appeared to be paying more than
Toronto. Why ? Different explanations are possible. It may be that a
local ring is busy. But we have no comparative statistics in Canada, no
national tabulation of statistics as they have in the United States. I
believe the new Dominion statistician is very enthusiastic with regard to
national comparative statistics for Canada. The very form of a village
municipal organization will help along in a way that is hard to appreciate
in the development of comparative statistics.
PREPARATION OF TOWN-PLANNING SCHEMES
Then, under section two the preparation of town-planning schemes for
the purpose, etc. That has been well discussed already. With reference
to the latter part of section (2), "the development of land within and surround-
ing the area of the city," I believe the consideration of a metropolitan area in
connection with every municipality, the relation of town to country, is a
matter of great importance and one that should not be overlooked, that
cannot be overlooked, if we are to work out satisfactory municipal govern-
ment.
Then (4) "The conservation of the industrial and physical resources
of the city." In Ontario we have a business tax that is admitted on all
hands to be based on an extremely crude system Under it you may have
two stores or warehouses side by side, and they are taxed, not on the income
of the plant, but on the value of the building. Although the man in one
building may have a turn-over four or five times a year and the man next
door a turn-over once or twice a year — in other words, although a man's
business in one place may be good and in the other extremely bad, they will
pay the same tax. That is absolutely unscientific.
Under section seven, the promotion of school and college courses in
civics and civic design. In this country we have had very little instruction
in municipal affairs. Dr. Brittain's magnificent work in Toronto is helping.
Those of us, citizens of Toronto, who have gathered around Dr. Brittain
and support his work, realize its importance. We feel in Toronto that the
public needs to be advised by thoroughly capable men, and we put Dr.
Brittain and his staff at work to tell us the truth about a great many things
we have not the time to investigate and his work is educative. If the
colleges and universities of the country, ^with their experts, who have some
leisure, I hope, are able to devote part of their energies to municipal work,
it will mean a great deal for the future of this country.
Those who have seen exhibitions, which comes under section
seven, know how immensely educative these exhibitions are.
Then finally under section eight comes "The securing of increased pro-
duction from the soil within and in the neighbourhood of the city by encour-
aging the cultivation of idle suburban land." That is more or less covered
by the previous idea of a metropolitan area. Of course it is not so important
38 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
in a young country like Canada as, for instance, in an old country like
Belgium, where it is necessary to use every foot of land. At the same time
there is such tremendous waste in this country that there is great scope for
economical cultivation of land, which means great savings and lower costs
of living, which mean comfort and a brighter industrial outlook for the
country.
Thus, the objects of association as here outlined are as broad
as local effort. In other words, the objects of the association are truly
national and I have the greatest possible pleasure in moving the adoption
of this resolution.
IMMIGRATION QUESTION IN WESTERN CANADA
MR. J. S. WOODSWORTH (Winnipeg) : I should like to offer a sugges-
tion, although I do not know that it should come now. The weaknesses
of our municipal and community life in the west are at the present time owing
very largely to the lack of go-aheadness in our population. We have
had an immense immigration, more than one-half of our people are of
foreign birth. We have a very large number of those whom we erroneously
call foreigners. I think without doubt the immigration question must be
recognized as the outstanding question in western Canada. We have had
an immigration of three millions and it is very difficult to secure municipal
administration unless we have some definite education of our foreign-born
population. Speaking generally for the three or four western provinces
it seems to me that one of the first things we must undertake is the better
care of our immigrant people. We have in this last clause spoken about the
importance of increased production from the soil. All along we are speak-
ing about conserving our national resources. Perhaps it is of sufficient
importance to include the need of conserving our human resources, our
population resources. To bring the matter definitely before the attention
of our committee I would suggest that another clause be added to this
resolution something like this: "(9) The care of our immigrant population
and the incorporation of our divers people into a worthy national life."
I think that is quite in harmony with the addresses given by the presi-
dent this morning, by Mr. Adams, and by the Chairman of the Commission.
I think, this, perhaps, would call the attention of the public at large to
the wide scope of this work, the care of our immigrant population and the
incorporation of our divers people into a worthy national life. Might that
go in as an amendment ?
MRS. SHORTT: Under what clause would such things come as infant
mortality and public health ? Would it not be well to have another clause
which would cover public health in regard to municipal affairs ?
MR. ADAMS: Clause 4 speaks of all resources, with special regard
to public health and housing of the citizens. I take it that would cover
such questions as Mrs. Shortt refers to.
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 39
MRS. SMILLIE: Would it not be well to put in the words "child wel-
fare" ? Then it would be easy to co-ordinate the action of the Women's
Council and other organizations that are taking special steps in regard
to child welfare in view of the diminishing birth rate.
DR. GUERIN: You might add "and child welfare."
MR. BEER: A general statement is always stronger than a specific
one. If you begin to specialize you may weaken the statement.
MRS. SHORTT: Could you not put in "housing and health" ?
SIR JOHN WILLISON: We have housing now in clause 4.
MR. ADAMS: If you put in "with special regard to housing conditions
and child welfare," it would tend to put up child welfare as something differ-
ent from the general health of the citizens. I would like to make a sug-
gestion to the effect that it be referred to the committee to further consider
in the objects the question of the inclusion of the words "child welfare."
It is merely a question of draftsmanship, we must see that we do not
weaken it. Owing to the fact that you altered the previous resolution
there is a consequential amendment to this resolution. It is that at the
beginning of the proposed statement of objects the wording should
be "To assist in promoting the highest interests of the city of
and the welfare of its citizens by the studying and advancing of the best
principles and methods of civic improvement and development, by encour-
aging and organizing in each community those social forces which make for
efficient Canadian citizenship, and by securing a general and effective public
interest in all municipal affairs, etc." That was incorporated in a previous
resolution and must come in under this one.
Motion agreed to, and proposals of Mr. Woodsworth and Mrs. Shortt
referred to committee to be appointed.
MR. JOHNSON: Under paragraph 7, "The last clause, the provision of
facilities for the recreation and physical development of the young."
Would not that go better in paragraph 3 ? I think it would be
more harmonious and systematic if it was moved up there from 7 to 3.
If the mover agrees I. would make that suggestion.
DR. GUERIN: We will take note of that recommendation.
MR. ADAMS: Everything is being taken down in shorthand and every-
thing will go before the committee.
QUESTION OF LAND VALUES
MR. CAUCHON: There is mention here of land values. Would you
consider that that includes movements towards securing a different system
of land tenure and taxation of land values, such as will best insure sufficient
land for the housing of the people in keeping with their sanitary and econo-
mic necessities ? I do not want to bring up a discussion of single tax; but
is that, in its broad way, covered in the scope of these investigations ?
40 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
*
MR. ADAMS: Personally, it seems to me that that suggestion would
very properly be considered by the committee, and, where sufficiently im-
portant, any suggestion of that kind should be put in. Obviously the more
information the committee has the better.
MR. CAUCHON: Then, as I understand that the suggestion with
reference to immigration stands as number 9, I would move the following
as sub-section 10 of this resolution: "The urging, through united action,
of legislation to secure such system of land tenure and of taxation of land
values as will best insure sufficient land for the housing of the people in
keeping with their sanitary and economic necessities.
I think Dr. Bryce will second that.
DR. BRYCE: I will be pleased to do so, because the Chairman said
this morning that the question of land values seemed to lie at the very base
of the whole problem of economic improvement.
MR. BEER: I would prefer to have the resolution remain as it is, as
there are so many things involved. I am interested in building houses
for instance.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: It is only to go before the committee.
MR. BEER: All right.
DR. GUERIN: The original motion as proposed I put, with the sugges-
tion to be laid before the committee when considering the toute ensemble.
Is it your wish that it shall be carried so?
Motion agreed to.
FORMATION OF DOMINION AND LOCAL BRANCHES
MR. G. R. G. CONWAY (Vancouver) : There has been such unanimity
with regard to the forming of a Civic Improvement League that I think
you will all agree to the next resolution.
"That a Dominion Council of the League be formed representative of
the nine provinces of Canada, and that steps be taken by such Council to
secure the formation of branches of the League in each city, town, and
municipality in the Dominion, or the affiliation with the League of existing
local Civic Improvement Leagues, Board of Trade Committees or other
bodies interested in civic affairs."
The word National Council has been changed to Dominion Council
so as not to conflict with the name of The National Council of Women.
There is no doubt that in every town in Canada there is a necessity for some
society that can be the nucleus of a Civic Improvement League. In Van-
couver we have a Civic Centre Commission, which arose originally out of
the situation of a town hall. That movement became a wider one and the
Civic Centre Commission is important and representative of the city.
Practically every interest of the city is represented on that committee.
In addition to that Commission there is the Town-Planning and Beauti-
fying Association, and also a Society dealing with Civic Art, so, in a place
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 41
like Vancouver, and this is true all over Canada, there is the nucleus of a
league such as has been suggested to-day.
The necessity of such a League in a growing town is obvious, especially
in a place like Vancouver, where I think at the present time there are
1,200,000 subdivisions. So the people there are looking forward to a city
of four millions or five millions of people. I have very much pleasure in
proposing the resolution which I have already read.
Mr. R. O. WYNNE-ROBERTS (Toronto) : I wish to propose an amend-
ment. There is no doubt that a National or Dominion Council is very
desirable, and also that the local branches in different parts of the country
are very desirable, and we should certainly have both; but there is a missing
link mentioned in the next paragraph, the Provincial Council. I cannot
but believe that to make this a success in its initial stages we must have the
three, a national Council, working in conjunction with the Commission of
Conservation, and through them guiding the Provincial Councils, and the
Provincial Council, which will be organizing and directing the local branches.
The object I have in mind is this: I have had to do with societies of this
kind, and in one case I have had to organize one where, in order to prevent
it getting too partisan, I managed to get members of every denomination
in the city on the Council and got it working very enthusiastically. Mr.
Thomas Mawson was there addressing us one night, and a friend from the
Town-Planning Association for a series of nights. The whole thing went
well until we came to some particular notion, or an advocacy of some par-
ticular point which members wished to press forward, and with that the
people began to fail in their interest and to-day the society is practically
dead. That is exactly what we want to avoid. I am heart and soul with
this movement. We all agree with the object, but I cannot agree with the
methods proposed nor do I think we are going to attain the result. I
cannot but feel that we should have in these initial stages the representative
members of different provinces acting on a Council themselves as a Provin-
cial Council for the time being until the next conference takes place. If
the representatives from the different provinces who are now present were
constituted Provincial Councils for their respective provinces, they will
endeavour to get the local branches started in every village, town and muni-
cipality in their province. At the present time you are going to work entire-
ly through a Dominion Council directing the local Councils, and you will
have great difficulty in finding out who are the best men in each province to
act; whereas, by acting as I suggest, appointing Provincial Councils pro
tern, they will be able to suggest the best men to act next year. Consequently,
I take the opportunity to suggest as an amendment :
(1) "That the Dominion Council of the League be formed of provi-
sional representatives of the nine provinces of Canada. (2) The provi-
sional respresentatives of each province constitute the Provincial Council.
42 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
(3) That the Provincial Councils take such steps as may be deemed
expedient for the forming of branches."
These clauses to be followed by the wording as appears in the original.
DR. GUERIN: I wish to draw your attention to the next clause. I
think, if you move your resolution, it would be considered more in place in
reference to that clause. The next clause is that the question of Provincial
organization be deferred, pending the formation and grouping of local
Leagues in each province.
MR. ADAMS: The whole intention is that the provinces should be
consulted.
MR. WYNNE-ROBERTS: My point is that they should be consulted at
once.
MR. ADAMS: If you defeat the next resolution (e), it will meet the
point; then, instead of delaying the question of provincial organization,
we at once proceed to organize provincially.
MR. WYNNE- ROBERTS : The gentlemen whom you elect from each
province will represent that province. They will form the nucleus of a
local Association for the province until next January, and next year they
will be able to advise who will be the best men to appoint. I want them
to come direct from the provinces themselves. Therefore I move that the
provisional representatives of each province constitute the Provincial
Councils.
DEFER FORMATION OF PROVINCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
MR. ADAMS: Resolution (e), "That the question of provincial or-
ganization be deferred," is based on a suggestion made by Mr. Lighthall,
honorary secretary of the Union of Canadian Municipalities. His point,
I think, was that it was undesirable to cumber the organization at present
with too many councils or committees. One central council, constituted
from the different provinces, namely, the Dominion Council, will be repre-
sentative of the nine provinces and that Council will naturally form itself
into sub-committees for each province. Perhaps it will be best to defer
creating independent Provincial bodies, until the Constitution is framed and
the League is set on its feet. Then the suggestion could be made by the
Dominion Council to its provincial members to form themselves into
Provincial Leagues. So far as this resolution (e) is concerned it is not
inserted with the idea of doing away with provincial co-operation but,
simply as a matter of expediency, deferring provincial organization until
we get the central organization formed.
MR. WYNNE-ROBERTS: I recognize that you will come to the Pro-
vincial Councils. My argument is that you should have the provincial
body as the active body at once. I made my suggestion, as I thought that
was the best plan.
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 43
DR. P. H. BRYCE: In connection with this, if I may speak from the
standpoint of experience. During the last fifteen years we have had the
National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis. This same ques-
tion has come up for fifteen years in connection with that association. We
have had a central secretary. It has been found inexpedient to multiply
the provincial councils. We all do the same work, it is common work,
and, as Mr. Wynne-Roberts will find out, after trying to administer from
Vancouver to Halifax it is very undesirable to multiply the subsidiary
organizations. I would therefore second the suggestion to leave the question
of provincial organization over until the central council is formed.
Mr. Wynne-Roberts having withdrawn his objection, the motion
was agreed to.
DR. ADAMS: I take pleasure in moving the next resolution (f) "That
a provisional committee be appointed to prepare a draft constitution and
to take the necessary steps, in co-operation with the Commission of Con-
servation, to promote a National Conference, to be held in January next.
That it be referred to such committee to suggest a representative list of
names of citizens who will form the first National Council of the League,
and to prepare an agenda for the proposed conference."
As a member of the Commission of Conservation I am interested in
leaving in as general a way as possible the question of the exact status of
the Commission of Conservation in relation to this committee which it is
proposed to form ; so it is merely stated here that the Commission will co-
operate, without definitely stating what relation it shall bear. I have
much pleasure in moving this resolution.
The motion was seconded by Mr. J. J. Kelso, and agreed to.
SYSTEMATIC DISTRIBUTION OF CHARITY
MR. CHARLES A. MAGRATH: A few words on a very practical matter
in connection with civic affairs. I am not coming forward with any amend-
ment, but I simply wish to offer a suggestion to the provisional committee
which I see is about to be appointed, that they may keep the matter in
mind. Perhaps I am disposed to bring it forward from feeling that there
is a certain amount of Scotch in me, that I know the winter season is coming
on, and that we have the question of meeting the needs of the people of this
country. Every year we have a very fine class of citizens in the various
centres of Canada taking up the question of meeting want, and it is the
duty of every citizen to support that movement as far as possible. As
one who is appealed to from time to time, who would like to give more
than he does, I would like to know that the fullest value is being had for the
money so given. That work is carried on in this city, and in various cities
throughout Canada, and, it appears to me, it is essential and desirable
there should be a conference of the men and women engaged in that work,
and who put their hearts in that work, to develop some system which will
44 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
attain the best result for the money so invested. I think it is a practical
question, it is a question that touches the pockets of the people, and, there-
fore, I am putting that suggestion forward now. I feel, for instance, in the
city of Ottawa, in the city of Montreal, it is advisable to know if there is
any statistical material from the various activities of this country that will
enable men to take hold of the problem and get some grasp of it. I simply
make the suggestion. I have been running from pillar to post trying to get
this idea brought forward, because I have reached the point where, unless
I am satisfied that we are getting the best results, I feel disposed to say:
"I will give no more." I merely make the suggestion for the consideration
of the provisional committee about to be appointed, that, when dealing
with the subjects for that future meeting, possibly it may be disposed to
consider it.
DR. WICKETT: Section 6, industrial conditions may cover that.
MR. F. WRIGHT (Montreal): In answer to Mr. Magrath, I might
say that the Union of Canadian Municipalities has been trying to get data
regarding the condition of labour in the different municipalities of Canada.
We have been fairly successful, and have had round table conferences on
the subject. Ontario has the Commission of which Sir John Willison is
Chairman, and it has published a valuable interim report.
The resolution was adopted.
PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE
MR. ADAMS: Did Mr. Magrath hear the addition which was pro-
posed to be made to the objects of the Association with regard to the matter
of immigration ? That proposal was referred to the committee.
A statement is on the programme that a list of representative names
will be handed to each person present. The printed list on the programme
is practically complete and so a separate list will be unnecessary. There
are also present, representing other bodies, Mr. W. D. Lighthall, of the
Union of Canadian Municipalities, Montreal; Dr. Deville, Surveyor Gen-
eral; Mrs. Smillie, Ottawa; Mr. J. S. Woodsworth, Winnipeg, Welfare
League; and Dr. Franklin Johnson, University of Toronto. One point
that should be borne in mind is that the committee should be as representa-
tive of the different provinces as possible. Although it will be impossible
to-day to select a committee fully representative of the western provinces,
the matter of representation might be considered so far as Ontario and
Quebec are concerned, and beyond that I would suggest that you leave the
committee with power to add to its number. Selection of a list of names at
a meeting of this kind is very difficult. I had some consultation with
Dr. Bryce as to what might be a representative committee, and I under-
stand he is willing to move a resolution on the subject. It is one of those
difficult problems which could be most easily settled by deciding that all
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 45
the names on the list should be on the committee. The other way is to
make a selection. Either way is open to the meeting.
After some discussion with regard to making a selection of names from
the list of representatives on the printed programme, the following resolu-
tion was moved by Sir John Willison, seconded by Dr. Bryce, and agreed to:
"That the names of those mentioned on the back of the programme
who have attended, together with those whose names were read by Mr.
White, constitute the provisional committee and that the committee itself
determine what additions shall be made."
Mr. F. PAUZE: Mr. Chairman, I wish to move that Sir John Willison
be Chairman of the Provisional Committee. Motion agreed to.
MR. ADAMS: I suggest that we constitute ourselves into a committee
for a few minutes and appoint a small sub-committee to prepare a way for
another conference of this committee. A sub-committee from Montreal,
Toronto and Ottawa would be desirable, because of the greater convenience
they will have in meeting.
DR. BRYCE: I would move that the chairman be directed to nominate
such a Committee. Motion agreed to.
Dr. GUERIN : Are there any suggestions or any further resolutions ?
GENERAL DISCUSSION
PUBLIC SHOULD BE CONSULTED IN TOWN-PLANNING SCHEMES
MR. CAUCHON: As I understand, the discussion was held over until
these resolutions had been passed. I want to make a few remarks with
regard to this conference itself. The conference is an acknowledgement of
the fact that the public should be the prime movers in any question of
education or improvement. It is axiomatic all over the world, where town-
planning is taken up, that the public should be constantly consulted in
the movement. I bring this matter forward owing to a recent example in
Ottawa, where there is a Town-Planning Commission. That Commis-
sion has adopted the policy of telling the people they do not know what they
want and prescribing for them — but the prescription has not come yet.
There has been no public discussion. The public has not been consulted,
there have been no hearings to discuss what might be or might not be
desirable. The result has been that the large interests were able to make
themselves heard, whereas the ordinary citizen who had any suggestions or
objection to make was cut out from any discussion. I think it fundamental,
if town-planning is to be a success, it should first secure the sympathy of
the people who are going to be town-planned. I am not worrying about
being town-planned myself; it is the principle at stake. This conference
is an indication of that point of view. When the Town-Planning Act was
passed in England, in 1909, I undertook a voluntary propaganda to educate
other people on the advantages of town-planning, and I think that is the
system that should be followed ; in fact, that is the system that this confer-
46 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
ence is apparently endorsing, as they are going to the people for their
suggestions and their help.
MR. WARWICK (Montreal): I would like to say, speaking as an archi-
tect, that I am sure the members of my own profession would be very glad
of any opportunity to collaborate with local civic bodies to plan the cities
in which they live, both for present and future needs. There is no doubt
that a mean street makes a mean man, and it is incumbent on us to make
our conditions of life as ideal as possible, I am sure the members of my
own profession will be glad to give their voluntary help in any way that is
a means to that end.
MR. G. FRANK BEER: Speaking for the people of Toronto, we would
appreciate it very much if we had a representative of the City of Montreal
acting with us on our committee in some official capacity. I would there-
fore like to nominate Mr. Pauze in his capacity as president of the Mon-
treal Chambre de Commerce, to act as vice-chairman of the Provisional
Committee. Motion agreed to.
DOMINION-WIDE CIVIC IMPROVEMENT
DR. ATHERTON: I wish to propose a vote of thanks on behalf of those
attending this meeting, to the chairmen of the morning and afternoon
meetings. We had a Toronto representative in the morning and a Montreal
representative in the afternoon, and, if we had been going on further, we
might have had Ottawa and all the other cities represented in the chair.
That is the spirit of this meeting. There is great unanimity, and I feel
that the two chairmen are a sign that we are going to get together in this
matter of civic improvement and that there will be no distinction of cities
or rivalry of any sort; we are all going to work together for the civic im-
provement of the whole Dominion. I feel that this vote of appreciation
of your services and of those of Sir John Willison will be accepted by this
meeting. — Carried.
SIR JOHN WILLISON: There are only one or two observations that I
desire to make before we separate. First, I wholly agree that the success
of this movement will depend almost entirely on the extent to which we
interest the people themselves. It must be largely a campaign of educa-
tion. We have to carry the people with us and it must be understood that
it is not a movement for a class, or a section, or a city, but a movement for
the whole population.
Just one other observation, which I think of supreme importance.
We must have associated with us from the beginning the women as well as
the men. When the Unemployment Commission of Ontario came to make
certain important representations, we took, I think, one somewhat radical
departure which, in my judgment, is the best thing we did. In case our
legislation is adopted by the Provincial Government — and I have no doubt
it will be — we are proposing, in the constitution of labour bureaus, that on
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT LEAGUE 47
all those bureaus there will be a representative of the women; because,
surely the conditions under which we live, the conditions of citizenship,
child welfare and child education, and all the rest of it, all the associated
problems, surely touch the women as deeply as they touch the men; and
one of the faults of our civilization, up to this time, has been that we have
forgotten that the women are as profoundly interested in these problems as
we are, and as capable, and more capable, on many of these questions, of
giving advice. I thank you for electing me chairman and I assure you that
all I can do, until you appoint your permanent chairman, to make this
movement successful, I shall be glad to do.
DR. GUERIN: All I can say is that I thank you most profoundly for
the kind manner in which you have received this vote of thanks tendered
to Sir John Willison and myself. I feel that I have not been called upon to
do a great deal to merit your thanks. I sympathise in every way with what
Sir John has said, because I know that, in all the organizations I have had
to do with, I depend on the ladies. Anything that does not meet with the
good will of the ladies is not worth undertaking, Sir John, and I am sure
that that is one of the reasons why you and I are connected with this
League.
RESULTS SECURED BY LOCAL ASSOCIATION
It is a matter of some distinction to any of us to belong to this Civic
Improvement League. We have had it in Montreal for the last seven or
eight years, and it has always been an agent of great good. It has been
the forerunner of every movement calculated to benefit the condition of the
people; and it has been a kind of neutral ground, where all the different
elements might meet and discuss matters in a friendly way; whereas, if
speaking from their own pulpits, as you might say, they would be in an-
tagonism. We are, for instance, at the present moment considering amend-
ments to the Charter of Montreal. I have called together representatives
of the Labour Organization, the manufacturers, the merchants, and the
Boards of Trade, the Chambre de Commerce, and all the different organiza-
tions of the city. As president of the Civic Improvement League, I sat
at the head of the table, and they all sat around me, and we discussed these
questions. One would have one view and another another. We discussed
these views, and, by a policy of give and take, we boiled things down to such
a point that we became practically unanimous, in so far as the changes we
wanted to have put into our Charter are concerned. That is what the Civic
Improvement League is for. It is to try and formulate such legislation as
will benefit the largest number of people in our cities as well as in our country
communities. I am sure that all our efforts have been most successful.
The question of infant mortality was taken up some years ago, and,
in co-operation particularly with the National Council of Women and
other organizations, it was dealt with in a manner that was a most pheno-
48 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION
menal success. Mothers were taught things they never dreamed of before,
and, I am happy to say, it has had some effect in diminishing the infant
mortality. We also dealt with the tuberculosis question, and then the
other questions in reference to which people require to be educated. During
the last five or six years of our existence we have succeeded in doing a great
deal of missionary work. That is what you are all supposed to contribute
towards when you are properly organized after the meeting of this Pro-
visional Committee. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
MR. ADAMS: Before the meeting breaks up I would like to make a
suggestion, or rather throw out a hint. Each of you has acquiesced in your
appointment as a member of the Provisional Committee, and I hope I
may, therefore, look upon you as each willing to undertake some share of
responsibility in regard to future work. So far as any work which will
fall upon myself, as Town-planning Adviser to the Commission of Conser-
vation, is concerned, I will do my best, and I am sure I can look upon each
of you in your several localities as being willing to co-operate with the Com-
mission in the further developments which will be necessary to carry on
this League. Work will have to be done. It is not all done by speaking or
attending these conferences, and this is a difficult time to get it done. I
agree with all that Sir John Willison has said in regard to the ladies. I
realize that some of the best social movements in England would not have
been successful had it not been for the ladies. But the ladies now are fully
occupied with Red Cross work and anything we ask of them will be addi-
tional sacrifice to them at the present time. I am sure we shall be all the
more grateful to them for any help they can give to this movement without
neglecting the more urgent task in which they are engaged.
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