| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Dates of founding and/or dissolution:
The Alberta Research Council Inc. was founded as the Scientific and Industrial Research Council in 1921 by means of Order in Council 30/21. The Council was reconstituted as a Crown corporation in 1930 with the name Research Council of Alberta by means of the passage of The Research Council Act, S.A. 1930 c. 37. In 1981, the Council was reconstituted under the Alberta Research Council Act (S.A. 1981 c. A-35.1). On March 31, 1999, the Council was reconstituted as a wholly-owned subsidiary corporation of the Alberta Science and Research Authority, by means of Order in Council 142/99 under the authority of the Financial Administration Act s. 80.1.
Functional responsibility:
The mandate of the Scientific and Industrial Research Council was to engage in and supervise research related to the determination and development of the Province's mineral and energy resources. For much of its existence, the Council has acted as the principal research agency of the Government of Alberta. The council's activities were of four main types: 1) work of direct support to industry, resulting in new processes or products; 2) mapping and evaluation of resources; 3) research on finding new and potential uses of a specific resource; 4) joint projects with other agencies on matters of general public interest.
In its early years, the Council's activities focused on the exploration and development of coal, oil sands and forestry resources and road building technologies. As well, the Council was also involved in geological surveying in support of fuel and mineral resource development. The Council has also engaged in extensive research on the properties and potential uses of Alberta coals. Beginning in 1928, the Council began research on the uses of natural gas, and began to conduct soil surveys to support agricultural development.
When the Council was reconstituted as a Crown corporation in 1930, this had little effect on its mandate and responsibilities. The Council became responsible for the development of scientific and research policies for the Government of Alberta and administration of funds voted by the Legislative Assembly for science and research. The Council's research activities continued until funding from the Legislative Assembly was halted in 1932. From 1933 to 1942, the Councils' research activities were severely curtailed, as its only source of funding came from the University of Alberta. All Council staff were either taken on by the University or their salaries were funded by the National Research Council of Canada. During the period of reduced funding, the Council's work was largely restricted to research on the properties and uses of various fuels and limited geological surveying.
When funding from the Legislative Assembly was restored in 1943, the first area of research to be resumed was studies of uses of bituminous (oil) sands and research on oil separation processes. Also at this time, the Council resumed research on natural gas and began research on rural electrification and agricultural economics. In 1945, the Council resumed its program of soil surveys and research on the commercial utilization of native tree species. At this time, the Council began zoological research on specific native animal species.
In the post-war period the research of the Council expanded into examining the commercial prospects of various material and mineral resources and the beginning of industry-sponsored research and gasoline and oil testing with regards to production, processing and transportation. The Council also engaged in research on behalf of or in conjunction with other agencies, notably various Government of Alberta departments, the Dominion Experimental Farms Service, the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys (Canada), the University of Alberta, the Geographical Survey of Canada, and the National Research Council.
During the 1950's, the Council greatly expanded the scope of its geological research in support of both fossil fuels resource development and soils research. The Council also began research on groundwater and microbiological research related to coal and oilfield development and research on river hydrology in conjunction with its highways research program. In the early 1960's, approximately one quarter of the Council's resources was directed to mapping and classification of natural resources, approximately ten percent went towards joint projects with other agencies, nearly half of all resources went to long-range research projects directly or indirectly related to natural resources development and utilization, with the rest of the Council's activities directed towards projects with direct industrial significance and industry-sponsored research.
Beginning in the 1960's, the Council focused more of its efforts on applied industrial research on projects with higher potential for commercial development and industry sponsored and directed research. This activity fell under the Product Development and Research Division of the Fuels Branch. By the late 1970's, oil sands research was the single largest activity of the Council, making up approximately twenty-five percent of Council research activities. It was also in the late 1970's that the Council began to shift its focus to research more closely directed by industry. By the late 1970's, approximately half of the revenues of the Council were derived from contracts for research on behalf of or joint projects with other agencies or the private sector.
In 1979, the Council completed and began implementation of its first Long Range Plan. The plan identified five major research programs: oil sands research, coal research, natural resources research, frontier sciences, and industrial assistance. In the early 1980's the Council began to direct a greater proportion of its resources to "high technology", mostly computing-related projects and biotechnology. Much of the work of the Advanced Technologies Department took place at the Council's Calgary facilities. In 1984, part of the Industrial and Engineering Research group was moved to Calgary to allow greater interaction with the petroleum industry.
By the end of the 1980's, virtually all research done by the Council was on adaptive and applied technologies, and technical assistance and technology transfer to the private sector. Basic research all but disappeared in favour of industry-directed and private sector funded research and the development of testing facilities for the use of the private sector and outside agencies, particularly in the energy, biotechnology, forest products and computing fields.
In 1995, the Alberta Geological Survey was transferred to the Alberta Department of Energy. Also in 1995, the Council sold the Electronic Test Centre to a private sector organization. In 1996, the Alberta Environmental Centre was merged into the Council. In 1999, the Council acquired ownership of C-FER Technologies Inc. and the Petroleum Resource Centre.
Predecessor and successor bodies:
The Alberta Research Council had no predecessors.
Administrative relationships:
In its early years, the Research Council was attached to the Ministry whose Minister has acted as the Council's Chairman (see below). Beginning in 1930, the Council reported to the President of the Executive Council. In 1971, administration of the Act was transferred to the Minister of Industry and Commerce. Since then, the Council has reported to the Minister of Business Development and Tourism (1975-79), the President of the Executive Council (1979-86), the Minister of Technology, Research and Telecommunications (1986-92), the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism (1992-94), the Minister responsible for Science and Research (1994-97), and the Minister responsible for Science, Research and Information Technology (1997-99). Since 1999, the Council has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Alberta Science and Research Authority.
Since 1999, the Council has acquired a number of subsidiary corporations of its own. These have included the Petroleum Recovery Institute and its subsidiary PRI Solutions (both wound up in 2000), C-FER Inc. and its subsidiary C-FER Technologies Inc.
Administrative Structure:
At the time that the Council was founded in 1921, the members were the Provincial Secretary, the President of the University of Alberta, the Chief Inspector of Mines, the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science of the University of Alberta, two faculty members of the University, and an Honorary Secretary. In 1928, a second Member of the Legislative Assembly was added to the membership of the Council.
When the Scientific and Industrial Research Council was reconstituted as the Research Council of Alberta, the Act stipulated that the Council should be made up of no more than ten members (amended to fifteen in 1972) appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, including three Members of the Legislative Assembly (one of who acted as Chairman) and the President of the University of Alberta (who acted as Director of Research and Chief Executive). From 1933 to 1942, when the Council's activities were funded solely by the University of Alberta, the Council's Board was not active. The Council's staff and activities were greatly reduced and only the Fuels Division and Geological Division continued.
In 1943, when funding from the Legislative Assembly was restored, the Council's Board resumed meeting with a newly-appointed membership as per the Act. Beginning in 1951, the position of Director of Research became full-time and separate from that of the President of the University of Alberta, who continued to serve on the Council. In 1978, the position of Director of Research was renamed to President. At this time, due to an amendment to the Act, the Council members were renamed as the Board of Directors of the Research Council of Alberta.
From the time that the Council was first formed until the 1950's, the research operations of the Council were closely tied to the University of Alberta. Research was conducted at the University, faculty members often headed the research teams, and until the late 1940's Council membership was dominated by members of the University. The staff of the Council's research laboratories were referred to in the University administration as the Industrial Research Department. The Council's operational units included the Geological, Fuels, Forest Products, Mining Engineering, and Road Materials Divisions.
As the Council's research broadened into new areas in the post-war period, new corresponding divisions and sections were created, including the Industrial Projects Section, later renamed Industrial Engineering Services. In 1953, the staff of the Council was divided into the following units: Administration, Coal, Oil Sands, Gasoline and Oil Testing, Natural Gas, Industrial Projects, Geology, Soil Survey, Irrigation and Solonetzic Soils, Highway Research, and Biological Cycles. In 1953, the Industrial Projects Section assumed responsibility for the Technical Information Service for Alberta previously supplied by the National Research Council.
By the late 1950's, the units of the Council were the Coal Division (including the Coal Analysis, Basic Research, Applied Research, and Coal Reserves Sections), Petroleum Division, Natural Gas Section, Geology Division, Soils Division, Hail Studies Section (later renamed Atmospheric Sciences), Highway Research Section, Gasoline and Oil Testing Laboratory, and Industrial Engineering Services. Other, smaller units were created on an as-needed basis for specific shorter-term projects.
In 1959, the geology, groundwater and soils programs were brought together into the new Earth Sciences Branch. As well, the coal, petroleum, natural gas, and gasoline and oil testing programs were brought together into the new Fuels Branch.
The Council's staff organization remained largely unchanged until 1971, when the Fuels Branch was renamed the Physical Sciences Branch, made up of the Fuel Sciences Division, Engineering Division, Chemistry Division, Special Projects and Microbiology, and the Gasoline and Oil Testing Laboratory. At this time, the Product Research and Development Division of the former Fuels Branch became a separate branch.
In 1977, the Highways Research Section was renamed Transportation and Surface Water Engineering Division. At this time, a new division, the Technical and Economic Evaluation Division was created. This Division was responsible for evaluation of existing and developing technology to identify development opportunities for the Province's industry and resources.
In 1978, the Council underwent another reorganization. The Atmospheric Sciences Division was placed under the Earth Sciences Branch. A new Industrial Sciences Branch was created, under which the Industrial and Engineering Services Division, Product Research and Development Division, Technical and Economic Evaluation Division, Transportation and Surface Water Engineering Division, Oil Sands Research Centre and Solar and Wind Energy Research Program were placed. An Executive Branch was also created to consolidate administrative and technical support services.
Beginning in 1980, the Council underwent a number of regular reorganizations of its research units. The first of these occurred in order to implement the Council's first Long Range Plan. The major units of the Council became the Energy Resources Division, Frontier Sciences Division (created in 1979), Industrial and Engineering Division, Natural Resources Division, and Finance and Administrative Division. The Energy Resources Division was responsible for coal research and oil sands research programs and the Oil Sands Information Centre. The Frontier Sciences Division was responsible for expanded research programs in the biological sciences, chemistry programs, and computing services. The Industrial and Engineering Division was made up of the previous Industrial Sciences Branch, technical support services, and the new Forest Products Research program. The Natural Resources Division was made up of the former Earth Sciences Branch.
Also in 1980, a new management system was implemented at the Council. An Executive Committee was created, made up of six members of the Board of Directors. New management committees were also created, responsible for policy development and program evaluation, facilities development, and liaison with universities and other institutions.
In the early 1980's, the Council participated in the development of a coal research centre in Devon, operated in conjunction with the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.
In 1984, the Council was reorganized again. At this time, the units of the Council were the Industrial and Engineering Research Division (made up of the Electronics Test Centre, the Advanced Technologies, Program Development, Industrial Development, Civil Engineering, and Materials and Testing Departments), the Applied Sciences Division (made up of the Chemistry and Biotechnology Departments), the Energy Resources Division (made up of the Oil Sands Research and Coal Research Departments), the Natural Resources Division (made up of the Geological Survey, Terrain Sciences, and Atmospheric Sciences Departments), and the Finance and Administration Division.
In 1987, the reorganization of the Council reduced the number of divisions to four, each headed by a Vice-President: the Operations Division (administrative, financial and computing support), Energy and Biotechnology (Coal and Hydrocarbon Processing, Oil Sands and Hydrocarbon Recovery, and Biotechnology Departments), Natural Resources (Forestry, Geological Survey, Resource Technologies, and Terrain Sciences Departments), and Industrial Development (Industrial Development, Advanced Technologies, and Industrial Technologies Departments and the Electronics Test Centre).
In 1989 and 1996 the Council's operations were reorganized again. In 1996, a new Marketing Division was created. Its subordinate units were seven portfolio areas organized by client group which were responsible for primary interface with industry, marketing the Council's research to the private sector and identifying new business opportunities. The Council's research units were reorganized into eleven business units which reported to the new position of Vice-President of R&D and Operations. In 1999, the Council reorganized again, re-combining research and marketing under business which were organized based on research and technology area.
Beginning in 1929, a number of senior scientists and engineers who worked for or with the Council were used as technical advisors to the Council. When the Council was restored in 1943, a Technical Advisory Committee, chaired by the President of the University of Alberta, was created to provide scientific and technical advice to the Council. In 1950, three subject-based advisory committees were formed, the Fuel and Power, Industrial Projects, and Surveys Advisory Committees. The Fuel and Power Advisory Committee had two sections: Coal, and Petroleum and Natural Gas. The Surveys Advisory Committee had three sections: Geology, Soils, and Highways. In 1954, an Advisory Committee on Industrial Pollution was formed. In 1957, some of the Advisory Committees were reorganized. The three sections of the Surveys Committee became the Geological Surveys and Research, Agricultural Matters, and Highway Research Committees. At this time, a committee for Hail Studies was formed. In 1962, the Geological and Soils Advisory Committees were reorganized again into the Earth Sciences Advisory Committee with three sections: Geology, Groundwater Geology, and Soils. This structure mirrored that of the Council's staff organization. In 1971, the Fuels Advisory Committee was restructured to mirror the changes in the Council's staff organization in the corresponding Branch.
In the early years of the Council, its research was conducted at facilities provided by the University of Alberta. In 1956, the Council moved into its own facilities on the edge of the campus. In the middle 1960's, the Council built and operated a research facility and pilot plant operation in south-east Edmonton, in the Clover Bar area. Also at this time, the Council also began research at an affiliated facility, the Petroleum Recovery Research Institute, at the University of Calgary. This facility was jointly funded by the petroleum industry and the Government of Alberta and administered by the Council. The Council also conducted hail research each summer at Penhold.
In 1975, the Oil Sands Research Centre was opened as a unit of the Research Council. The Centre was responsible for coordinating Council research projects related to oil sands development, and to provide technical assistance to the Council in evaluation of project proposals, providing consulting and analytical services and monitoring projects. From 1976 to 1981 research was performed under contract on behalf of the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA). Beginning in 1981, the oil sands research program was a joint venture with AOSTRA.
Names of the corporate bodies:
Advisory Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of Alberta (1921-1930)
Research Council of Alberta (1930-1981)
Alberta Research Council (1981-1999)
Alberta Research Council Inc. (1999-present)
Names of chief officers:
Chairmen of the Board/Board of Directors of the Alberta Research Council:
J.L. Cote (Provincial Secretary) (1921)
Herbert Greenfield (Provincial Secretary) (1921-1924)
Herbert Greenfield (President of the Executive Council) (1924-1925)
Alex Ross (Minister of Public Works) (1925-1927)
J.E. Brownlee (President of the Executive Council) (1927-1933)
N.E. Tanner (Minister of Lands and Mines/Mines and Minerals)(1943-1952)
Dr. J. L. Robinson (Minister of Industries and Labour) (1952-1953)
G.E. Taylor (Minister of Highways and Minister of Telephones) (1953-1958)
A.R. Patrick (Minister of Economic Affairs/Minister of Industry and Development/Minister of Industry and Tourism/Minister of Mines and Minerals) (1958-1971)
F.H. Peacock (Minister of Industry and Commerce) (1971-1975)
R. W. Dowling (Minister of Business Development and Tourism (1975-1978)
Eric C. Musgreave, M.L.A. (1978-1986)
Fred D. Bradley, M.L.A. (1986-1993)
Lorne Taylor, M.L.A. (1993-1997)
Victor Doerksen, M.L.A. (1997-present)
(Minister of Innovation and Science 2001-present)
Directors of Research/Presidents/Managing Directors of the Alberta Research Council:
Robert C. Wallace (1930-1936)
William A.R. Kerr (1936-1941)
Robert Newton (1941-1951)
Nathaniel H. Grace (1951-1961)
A.W. Lang (Acting) (1961-1962)
Ernest J. Wiggins (1962-1977)
Brian Hitchon (Acting) (1977-1978)
Gilles G. Cloutier (1978-1983)
Robert W. Stewart (1984-1987)
Clem W. Bowman (1987-1991)
Brian L. Barge (1991-1995)
George B. Miller (1995-1997)
John R. McDougall (1997-present)
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