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The Evolution of NRCan

Although Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) was created by an Act of Parliament in 1994, the department can trace its roots back more than 150 years to the beginnings of one of the Government of Canada's oldest organizations

1842 The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) is established as Canada's first scientific agency. Out of a "small and dark room" in Montréal, it conducts a geological survey of Canada to determine if the mining industry is viable enough to support the development of an industrial economy in Canada. It will grow into Canada's premier agency for geoscientific information and research.

1845 The GSC's mandate is renewed and its funding guaranteed for five more years. As Canada's territory grows, the scope and workload of the GSC expand steadily. It will eventually conduct rigorous exploration, create maps and maintain a public museum.

1854 The GSC Library is established. It will eventually become the Earth Sciences Information Centre (ESIC) and house Canada's largest collection of earth sciences books, journals, maps and photos. ESIC celebrates its 150^th anniversary on November 10, 2004.

1863 The GSC publishes the 983-page Geology of Canada, an account of the organization's work to date and everything known about Canadian geology at the time. It receives national and international acclaim.

1877 Parliament grants the GSC permanent status and expands its mandate to include the study of modern flora and fauna, ancient human history, traditions, languages and current living conditions in undeveloped parts of the country. This new status promises stable funding and ends the practice of renewing allocations every five years.

1890 Parliament makes the GSC a separate government department, reporting to the Minister of the Interior.

1891 GSC headquarters moves from Montréal to Ottawa.

1899 The Federal Forestry Service is established within the Department of the Interior, with a budget of $1,000 and one surveyor. It will eventually become the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) within NRCan, with more than 1,000 dedicated individuals leading the world in sustainable forest management principles and practices.

1901 The Mines Branch is established within the Department of the Interior to compile mining statistics, examine technical processes and publicize opportunities in Canadian mining.

1907 The Department of Mines is created and GSC becomes a branch of the new department.

1923 The Forestry Branch is renamed the Dominion Forest Service.

1930 The Dominion Forest Service becomes part of the newly created Department of Conservation and Industrial Development.

1936 The new Department of Mines and Resources takes responsibility for mines, forestry and the GSC.

1947 The Surveys, Mapping and Remote Sensing Sector of the GSC is created. The sector has since evolved into Geomatics Canada, which provides surveys, maps, remotely sensed data and geographically referenced information describing Canada's land mass.

1949 The newly created Department of Mines and Technical Surveys takes over responsibility for the GSC. Parliament passes the Forestry Act, and the Forestry Service becomes part of the Department of Resources and Development.

1960 The Department of Forestry becomes a separate organization.

1966 The Department of Resources and Development assumes responsibility for energy development and becomes the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.

1960s-70s The Forestry Service changes names several times and, at various times, is part of the departments of Environment, Fisheries and Agriculture.

1969 The Forestry Branch became part of the Department of Fisheries and Forests and is called the Canadian Forestry Service.

1990 The Forestry Service becomes a separate department known as Forestry Canada.

January 12, 1995 The Department of Natural Resources Act comes into force. It creates NRCan by merging Energy, Mines and Resources with Forestry Canada.

Today NRCan employs about 4,200 people and has a budget of $812 million (2003-04). It is one of the largest science-based departments in the Government of Canada, specializing in the sustainable development and use of natural resources - energy, minerals and metals, forests - and earth sciences.