| HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | Dates of Founding and/or Dissolution:
The Department of Public Works, Supply, and Services was officially created in 1983 when the Department of Public Works, Supply, and Services Act (S.A. 1983, c. D-25.5) came into force, although restructuring had begun in late 1982. The department was dissolved in 1999.
Functional Responsibility:
The Department of Public Works, Supply, and Services Act gave the department four main functions: administration of land held and/or used for government public works; acquisition of land for government public works; management of the design, construction, and maintenance of all government public works; and disposal of land held, used, or occupied for all government public works.
By the mid-1990s the Department of Public Works, Supply, and Services functioned as a central government agency responsible for providing government departments, boards, and agencies with the services needed to deliver government programs. The department's responsibilities included constructing and maintaining capital infrastructure, providing accommodation, providing real-estate services, delivering information technology and information management services, and acting as the central procurement and surplus disposal agency for the government.
Predecessor and Successor Bodies:
Alberta Government Services was responsible for functions of the former Public Works Department concerned with realty and operation and maintenance; the Purchasing Agency; Data Processing Centre; Bureau of Public Affairs; and government aircraft and other operations that serviced government departments. In 1982 the Department of Government Services merged with the function of public works from the Department of Housing and Public Works to form the Department of Public Works, Supply, and Services. The Department of Housing and Public Works, upon its dissolution, transferred housing functions to the newly created Department of Housing.
The Department of Public Works, Supply, and Services merged with the Department of Transportation and Utilities to form the Department of Infrastructure in 1999.
Administrative Relationships:
The Minister of Public Works, Supply, and Services was a member of the Executive Council appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and reported to the Legislative Assembly for the department. A number of agencies, boards, councils, and institutes reported to the Minister of Public Works, Supply, and Services.
Administrative Structure:
At its inception, the department was divided into two sectors: Public Works, with seven divisions, and Supply and Services, with three divisions. It 1994 the administrative structure was reorganized to accommodate the growth in departmental responsibilities. Restructuring gave the department three business units and three resource groups: Property Development, Property Management, Information Technology and Supply, Finance and Administration, Human Resources, and Communications. The department maintained this structure until its dissolution in 1999.
Names of the corporate bodies:
Public Works, Supply, and Services
Also known as Alberta Public Works, Supply, and Services, and by its acronym, PWSS
Names of Chief Officers:
Ministers of Public Works, Supply, and Services
Thomas William Chambers 1982-1986
Ernest Douglas Isley 1986-1989
Kenneth R. Kowalski 1989-1993
Thomas G. Thurber 1993-1994
Robert A. Fischer 1994-1996
Stan Woloshyn 1996-1999
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