Royal Commission to Inquire into, Review and Report on the Rentals Payable under the Leases in the Townsites and Subdivisions of Banff and Jasper National Parks and the Minimum Value of Buildings which May Be Erected on a Lot in a Townsite or Subdivision in Said Parks (Canada) : The Royal Commission to Inquire into, Review and Report on the Rentals Payable Under the Leases in the Townsites and Subdivisions of Banff and Jasper National Parks and the Minimum Value of Buildings which may be Erected on a Lot in a Townsite or Subdivision in said Parks was established under Order in Council (P.C. 216/4422, 5 September 1950) later revoked by Order in Council (P.C. 81/5955, 9 December 1950) under Part I of the Inquiries Act (R.S.C. 1927, c.99) and on the recommendation of the Treasury Board. The Commission was mandated to inquire into and report on the rentals payable under the leases in the townsites and subdivisions of Banff and Jasper national parks and the minimum value of buildings which may be erected on a lot in a townsite or subdivision in these Parks. The Commissioner was Harry O. Patriquin.
In 1950 most park land leases in the townsites and subdivisions of Banff and Jasper National Parks expired. Consequently, new rental charges had to be determined. Following the procedure used in 1939, park superintendents were requested to submit recommendations for any revisions of lot rentals that they considered desirable in the parks under their supervision. As the decisions reached would chart the course for 10 years, ending in 1960, the superintendents were asked to consider especially the increase in the cost of maintaining townsites, such as Banff and Jasper, and in extending public services. Replies from all park superintendents indicated that prevailing rentals were low. These opinions stemmed not only from the cost of providing public services in townsites, but also from the enhanced valuations placed on improved leaseholds by lessees offering them for sale. Increases suggested by the park superintendent for Banff ranged from 20 to 30 per cent, and for Jasper from 35 to 90 per cent. There were also recommendations for rental increases in other national parks. A statement of existing and suggested rentals for the various park townsites was submitted to the Director, Development Services Branch, by the Controller of the National Parks Bureau, with the recommendation that the proposals be confirmed. The director forwarded the submission to the Deputy Minister of Resources and Development with the comment that the recommendations were fair, but that any recommendation of a departmental officer was bound to be met with opposition from the leaseholders. The director expressed the view that to make any revision of leasehold rent acceptable to park residents, an investigation must be conducted by an independent authority. The Deputy Minister of Resources and Development, H.L. Keenleyside, agreed and subsequently the Minister, R.H. Winters, asked his Parliamentary Secretary, George Prudham, to suggest the names of several individuals whom he considered qualified to undertake a study of rentals at some of the larger parks. Prudham suggested that Harry O. Patriquin, a chartered accountant from Edmonton, undertake the investigation to which the Government of Canada agreed. (See W.F. Lothian, A History of Canada's National Parks, Ottawa, Parks Canada, 1977, volume II, p. 61.) RG33-29 General Inventory
