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The Office of the City Clerk oversees all departments of the municipal government and the operations of City Council. Major responsibilities of the City Clerk include; presenting proposed by-laws to Council; preparing agendas for Council; providing secretarial services for Council and Committees of Council; administering vital statistics registrations; managing municipal elections, ensuring that city government is operating in accordance with provincial statutes; licensing and regulation of City services; and overseeing property tax assessments.

Other items more recently added to the portfolio of the City Clerk include corporate records management and ensuring that the City is compliant with the provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, emergency planning, heritage designation, and the Aboriginal Liaison division. The Office of the City Clerk also contains two permanent committees; the Heritage Advisory Committee and the Official Recognition Committee.

In the first years following the amalgamation of the City of Thunder Bay until 1973, the City Clerk shared responsibilities with the City Coordinator’s Office and reported directly to the City Coordinator. As of April 1980, the Office of the City Clerk was a division of a larger department, Administrative Services, headed by a Director and accountable to the Chief Administrative Officer. At this time, the City Clerk reported directly to the Director of Administrative Services. In 1989, the City Clerk reported directly to the Chief Administrative Officer. In 1996, the City Clerk’s Office was positioned under the Corporate Services department and reported to the General Manager, Corporate Services. With the dissolution of the Corporate Services department in 1998, the Office of the City Clerk became a division of the City Manager’s Office. At 2014, the City Clerk reports directly to the City Manager. City Clerk appointments for the City of Thunder Bay include: D. B. Morris (1971 - 1979); H. T. Kirk (1980 - 1994); Elaine Bahlieda (1995 - 2003); John Hannam (2004 - present).

As the Office of the City Clerk oversees all functions and responsibilities of City Government, this series consists of records relating to all aspects of government. Predominant in this series are records relating to City Council, the preparation and management of municipal elections, legal agreements and the establishment of by-laws, liaisons with other institutions and levels of government over issues of health, education, road development, planning and engineering (including zoning and urban renewal), correspondence and other records regarding vital statistics registrations, records relating to finance and taxation, the Parking Authority, police and fire services, historical preservation within the City and the management of corporate records.

Also included are records relating to the administration and organizational development of the City. Some files from the Chief Administrative Officer can also be found in this series.

Also included in this series are plans relating to highway improvements and zoning of areas within the City.

Subject to By-law 139-2006, all members of Council participate in Committee of the Whole Meetings, chaired by an elected member of Council. Committee of the Whole Meetings are divided into four key areas designed to cover the broad range of issues relevant to the overall management of the City. At 2011, the arrangement of Committee of the Whole Meetings is divided into; Community Services, Planning, Operations and Administrative Services. Council may also address specific, ongoing matters in Committee of the Whole sessions. Under Chapters 16 and 17 of the City of Thunder Bay Municipal Code (amended by By-law 171-2001), City Council has the authority to establish Corporate Administrative SubCommittees that investigate and make recommendations on a particular subject or area of concern within a particular session of a Committee of the Whole meeting. Additionally, Committee of the Whole Meetings also hear deputations to Council, where individuals and community groups can bring matters of public interest to the Council’s attention in formal proceedings.

Prior to the establishment of Committee of the Whole Meetings in The City of Thunder Bay, policy committees had been established to address core areas of government administration. In July 1970, Council approved the establishment of four policy committees which were divided into the following categories; Protection of Persons and Property, Health and Social Services, Recreation and Community Services and Planning. With changes to the corporate organization of city government throughout the 1970’s, policy committees had been reorganized. In 1978, under By-law 303-1978 (amended in 1979, 1981 and 1982) three Standing Committees were established. These Standing Committees were comprised of members of Council who wished to serve on them, with no fewer than seven members per committee.

Series consists of agendas from Committee of the Whole Meetings and meetings of the City Council covering a broad range of issues pertinent to the ongoing management of The City of Thunder Bay. Included are agendas relating to transportation, city facilities, infrastructure and development, parking, parks and recreation, city personnel, accessibility provisions and civic beautification. Also included are meeting agendas from related institutions such as the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board and various ad-hoc committees designed to address specific issues. In addition to these agendas are operating budgets and capital budgets, applications for financial assistance, Agendas for Inaugral meetings of City Council, petitions from the public and public hearings over planning issues.

Meeting agendas are bound and separated based on the date of the meeting. Minutes include additional attached material relevant to the matters discussed such as minutes from other committees and correspondence and reports from various corporate and administrative departments within the city government.

Series consists of photographs acquired by the Office of the City Clerk. Included are group photographs of City Councils for Fort William, Port Arthur and Thunder Bay from various years, photographs of children at sporting events and in school settings and portrait photographs of Aldermen, Mayors and City Clerks from various years. Also included in this series are early photographs of construction and development within the Thunder Bay region, photographs of accidents including train accidents and ship wrecks and a variety of early photographs showing the landscape of the region. Landscape photographs include images of industrial areas such as grain elevators, mills and mines in the district, Kakabeka Falls, views of the Kaministiquia River and Mount McKay, early street views of downtown Fort William and various railway bridges in the region, and photographs of the old Fort William City Hall.

Series consists of photographs collected by Thunder Bay Fire Rescue and include photographs from the former fire departments of Fort William and Port Arthur. Included are photographs of formal ceremonies and other activities of the fire department, photograpghs of fire fighters combating fires in various areas of Thunder Bay and group photos of fire personnel.

Thunder Bay Fire Rescue consists of the following divisions; Fire Prevention and Investigation, Apparatus and Equipment, Fire Suppression, Training and Administration. Each division is led by a Director and is overseen by the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief. At 2011, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue is positioned under Community and Emergency Services and reports to the General Manager of this department. The key responsibilities of the department include fire suppression, emergency planning, auto extrication, handling of hazardous materials, industrial accidents, medical assistance, fire prevention (including education and awareness strategies), and investigations and rescue operations in situations that involve high and low angles, water and ice and confined spaces.

Under the provisions of the Municipal Act (2001), City Council votes on the passing of new by-laws and the amendment of existing by-laws in Council meetings, based on recommendations and advice from the Office of the City Clerk. Council also delegates statutory responsibilities to sub-committees, and through Committee of the Whole Meetings, Council discusses critical issues covering the broad mandate of the City. It is through Council Meetings that decisions are made and resolutions are achieved.

This series contains minutes from Council meetings of The City of Thunder Bay. The City of Thunder Bay was officially incorporated under the City of the Lakehead Act (1969) when the former municipalities of Port Arthur, Fort William, Neebing and McIntyre were amalgamated. The merging of the municipalities occurred following a regional study prepared by the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs in 1968. The study had been proposed by Saul Laskin, former Mayor of Port Arthur and first Mayor of Thunder Bay, and jointly signed by the Mayors of all five councils. The report recommended the merging of the municipalities citing benefits such as the economic promotion of the area and benefits of scale such as cost reductions and development opportunities. In 1969, a formal Organization Committee was established to prepare for the administration of the new City.

Following the formal amalgamation of the City, by-laws were established to set out the rules for procedure for Council meetings and the organization of policy committees to cover the various elements of government administration. In July 1970, Council approved the establishment of four policy committees which were divided into the following categories; Protection of Persons and Property, Health and Social Services, Recreation and Community Services and Planning. With changes to the corporate organization of city government throughout the 1970’s, policy committees had been reorganized. In 1978, under By-law 303-1978 (amended in 1979, 1981 and 1982) three Standing Committees were established relating to Engineering and Operations, Community Services and Community Planning and Development. These committees comprised of members of Council who wished to serve on them, with no fewer than seven members per committee. At 2011, Committee of the Whole Meetings are attended by all City Councilors and are divided into; Community Services, Planning, Operations and Administrative Services.

Between 1973 and 1976, Councilors were elected representatives from each of the four wards established for The City of Thunder Bay at that time; Fort William, Port Arthur, Neebing and McIntyre. From 1977, Council consisted of representatives from the newly established ward system which included the creation of seven distinct wards within the City; Current River, McKellar, Red River, Northwood, Westfort, McIntyre and Neebing. As of 1986, Council consisted of 12 members and the Mayor; one representative from each of the seven wards and 5 representatives reflecting the at large areas surrounding Thunder Bay. In accordance with Bylaw
139-2006, the 13 members of Council each serve a term of four years.

Mayors presiding over Council in the time reflected in this series include; Saul Laskin (1970-1972), Walter Assef (1973-1978 and 1981-1985), Dusty Miller (1979-1980), Jack Masters (1986-1991), David Hamilton (1992-1997) and Ken Boshcoff (1998-2003). The Office of the City Clerk is responsible for maintaining the records of proceedings for Council.

Series consists of meeting minutes of City Council for the City of Thunder Bay and include the adoption and consideration of minutes from the Committee of the Whole meetings, particularly relating to key issues such as capital expenditures, community plans and development, transportation, infrastructure, education, zoning applications and the approval or rejection of by-laws for the City. Also included are the minutes of the Organization Committee prior to the formal amalgamation of the City in 1970. Major issues discussed in these minutes include the organization study, plans for birthday celebrations for the City of Thunder Bay, and the establishment of an organizational structure for the amalgamated City.

Early minutes cover key establishment issues such as urban renewal schemes for the South and North ward, establishment of a Citizen Advisory Committee to encourage citizen participation in civic affairs, development of traffic systems and transportation for the City and the establishment of the Thunder Bay Public Library Board. Recent meeting minutes include issues relating to social services, the redevelopment of well-known properties in the City, civic recognition ceremonies, civic beautification, crime and capital budgets.