Series consists of records maintained in the central registry system of the Department of Industry. The Department of Industry (DOI) was established in 1963 with the responsibility of fostering the efficient development of the Canadian manufacturing industry. Its objects were to create new employment opportunities in manufacturing; improve the balance of payments; foster research and development; and promote efficiency in industry. In addition, the Department through its Area Development Agency was responsible for formulating and implementing activities to encourage economic development in designated areas.
The DOI had branches to deal with each industrial sector: Aerospace, Apparel and Textiles, Chemicals, Electrical and Electronic, Food Products, Wood Products, Marine and Rail, Mechanical Transport, as well as "Materials" which dealt with construction, mining and metal processing. Most branches kept extensive correspondence with the relevant trade associations as well as individual companies. To varying degrees the branches sought to interest the private sector in expanding its export potential, in incentives for research and design, and in an industry-wide construction information system database. The private sector concerns were the provision of more precise statistics on imports, complaints about foreign goods "dumped" on the Canadian market, appeals for more favourable interpretations of tariffs (and other agreements such as Autopact) and inquiries about available subsidies. The DOI sought to interest Canadian firms in bidding on foreign projects, including contracts under the Canada-US Defence Sharing Agreement and its reciprocal agreement on a "qualified products list". Branches worked to promote a federal drug manufacture standard. The Publicity Branch files show both how DOI sought to advertise its programs and the Department's perceptions of the news media. The industrial sector files also include correspondence with other departments, within DOI itself, as well as reports, draft contracts, design specifications, minutes and agendas of inter-departmental or government-industry working parties all related to the Department's central function.
From its inception in 1963 and until it was amalgamated with the Department of Trade and Commerce in 1969, DOI shared a common registry system with the Department of Defence Production. The Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce adopted a new central registry system in 1969 but officers of the department continued filing correspondence on Department of Industry files until 1971.
Volumes 2173-2175 contain operational central registry files of the former Department of Industry which were created by the International Defence Programs Branch (block IDPB 6730, 6731, 6800, 6835).
