The Ottawa Board of Control was an important part of the governance of Ottawa, Ontario from 1908 until 1980 when it was abolished. Through the 19th century Ottawa had been governed by a mayor and city council, but most councillors were only part-time and could spend only a few hours per week on municipal issues.
The board was elected across the entire city of Ottawa with the four candidates receiving the most votes being added to the board. The member of the board of control who received the most votes was also made deputy mayor, and was the legal successor to the mayor should they resign or die in office. The board of control was abolished in 1980 by the Ontario Municipal Board after a council vote for its abolition.
History Mayor Arthur Ellis found this problematic as there was little time for real scrutiny of important issues. He thus proposed creating a five member board of control consisting of the mayor and four members elected at large from across the city. At the same time the number of councillors would be reduced by a third.
The city council rejected this plan, as it would reduce both their authority and their numbers. In the 1908 municipal election the question was brought to a referendum, and was approved and the new board was created. In 1910 city council held a second referendum on whether the board should be abolished, and the people of Ottawa overwhelmingly voted in favour of keeping the board.
Controllers Council Controllers 1908 Napoléon Champagne (until Nov. 12) James Davidson (until Oct. 7, 1911) Robert A. Hastey Charles Hopewell Edward P. McGrath (from Nov. 18) 1909 Napoléon Champagne George H. Wilson 1910 Edward H. Hinchey 1911 W. E. Brown (from Nov. 6, 1911) 1912 Stewart McClenaghan Rufus H. Parent 1913 Joseph Kent John W. Nelson 1914 E. R. McNeill 1915 Harold Fisher James A. Ellis Napoléon Champagne 1916 Joseph Kent 1917 Edward H. Hinchey 1918 James Muir Ainslie W. Greene 1919 Frank H. Plant John W. Nelson (until Dec. 1) Walter Cunningham (from Dec. 1) 1920 John Cameron 1921 Arthur Ellis John P. Balharrie 1922 1923 Joseph McGuire 1924 Napoléon Champagne Charles J. Tulley 1925 Herbert McElroy Frank H. Plant 1926 Arthur Ellis 1927 Frank LaFortune 1928 Frank H. Plant 1929 Gerald Sims 1930John J. Allen 1931 George Mackinley Geldert James Warren York J. E. Stanley Lewis George Harrison Dunbar 1932Fulgence Charpentier Daniel McCann 1933 J. E. Stanley Lewis 1934 Tom Brethour 1935 J. Edward McVeigh 1936 George Harrison DunbarAllan B. Turner 1937 E. A. Bourque 1938 J. Edward McVeighFinley McRae 1939 John Harold Putnam 1940Jim Forward 1941–42 Chester E. Pickering 1943–44 Finley McRaeGrenville Goodwin 1945–46 1947–48 1949–50 Len Coulter Daniel McCann (until Sept. 8, 1954) Paul Tardif Chester E. Pickering1951–52 Charlotte Whitton (until Oct. 1, 1951) John Powers (from Oct. 11, 1951) 1953–54 Roy Donaldson 1955–56 George H. Nelms Ernie Jones 1957–58 Wilbert Hamilton Sam Berger 1959–60 1961–62 Lloyd Francis (until May 20, 1963) Don B. Reid 1963–64 Ellen Webber Ernie Jones Jules Morin (from May 22, 1963) 1965–66 Kenneth Fogarty Murray Heit 1967–691970–72 Claude Bennett (until Aug. 28, 1972) Pierre Benoit (until Apr. 24, 1972) Lorry Greenberg Tom McDougall (from Sept. 5, 1972) Garry Guzzo (from May 1972) 1973–74 1975–76 Marion Dewar Don B. Reid Bill Law 1977–78 Pat Nicol Ralph Sutherland 1978–80 Brian Bourns Bill Law
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