Fonds ccg-2053 - City of Calgary. Land Department fonds

From 1884 to 1916, the city's government's involvement in land an real estate, as defined by legislation, was confined to the purchase of land for roads, utilities, public works and parks, and the seizure and sale of property for which city taxes were in arrears (Ordinances of the North- west Territories, 1893, c.33, ss. 58-89, 117). A series of six tax sales were held during this period under the supervision and authority of the City Treasurer. With the decline in economic conditions in the city after 1913, the number of city land owners with property taxes in arrears increased dramatically, So too, many more city residents began to default on mortgages held by the City of Calgary (Ordinances of the North-west Territories, 1893, c.33, s.115-116). These conditions were exacerbated by the World War 1914-1918: a substantial proportion of the male population was engaged in military service overseas and their families were often left with inadequate resources to pay the required city property taxes or meet mortgage payments. As a result, the amount of land subject to tax recovery proceedings by the City grew markedly and much of this land came into the possession of the city government. These conditions persisted until the mid 1920s.