Ministry established

1.  (1) There shall be a ministry of the public service of the Province called the Ministry of Health.

(2) The minister shall preside over and be responsible to the Lieutenant Governor in Council for the direction of the ministry.

(3) The minister may establish branches or divisions of the ministry he considers advisable.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1; 1977-75-1.

Deputy and employees

2.  (1) Deputy ministers of the ministry and other employees required to carry out the ministry's business may be appointed pursuant to the Public Service Act.

(2) [Repealed 1985-15-35, effective March 2, 1987 (B.C. Reg. 248/86).]

(3) The minister may, notwithstanding the Public Service Act but subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, engage and retain persons he considers necessary as consultants, experts or specialists, and may fix their remuneration.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1; 1977-75-1; 1985-15-35, effective March 2, 1987 (B.C. Reg. 248/86).

Agreements

3.  The minister may, for the purposes of any Act under his administration, enter agreements with any person.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1.

Minister's duties

4.  (1) The duties, powers and functions of the minister extend to and include all matters relating to health that are assigned to the minister under any Act or by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and that are not, by law or by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, assigned to another minister, ministry, branch or agency of the government.

(2) The minister may in writing delegate any or all of his duties, powers and functions granted or imposed by any Act.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1; 1977-75-1.

Purposes and functions of ministry

5.  The ministry, under the minister's direction, shall have charge of all matters relating to public health and government operated health insurance programs.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1; 1977-75-1.

Annual report

6.  The minister shall make and submit to the Lieutenant Governor in Council an annual report of the work performed by the ministry, which shall be laid before the Legislative Assembly during the first session in the calendar year next following the end of the fiscal year for which it was made.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1; 1977-75-1.

Regulations

7.  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1.

Appropriation

8.  On the requisition of the minister, the Minister of Finance shall pay money required for the administration or for any of the purposes of this Act.

Historical Note(s): 1974-106-1.

Statutory references

9.  (1) Where, in a statute, order in council, regulation, order, contract, licence or other document made before the coming into operation of this Act, the Minister of Health and Welfare or Minister of Health Services and Hospital Insurance is mentioned or referred to in connection with a duty, power or authority cast on or given to the Minister of Health and Welfare or Minister of Health Services and Hospital Insurance in his capacity as the minister in charge of the Branch of Public Health, the mention or reference shall be deemed to be to the Minister of Health.

(2) Where, in a statute, order in council, regulation, order, contract, licence or other document made before the coming into operation of this Act, the Provincial Secretary is mentioned or referred to in connection with any duty, power or authority cast on or given to him in his capacity as the minister in charge of the Provincial Mental Health Services or, without restricting the foregoing, in connection with a duty, power or authority cast on or given to him under the

(a) Mental Hospitals Act;

(b) Clinics of Psychological Medicine Act;

(c) Provincial Child Guidance Clinics Act;

(d) Provincial Mental Health Centres Act;

(e) Psychiatric Nurses Act;

(f) Provincial Homes for the Aged Act; or

(g) Schools for Mental Defectives Act,

the mention or reference shall be deemed to be to the Minister of Health.

(3) Where, in a statute, order in council, regulation, order, contract, licence or other document made before the coming into operation of this Act, the Minister of Health and Welfare or Minister of Health Services and Hospital Insurance is mentioned or referred to in connection with a duty, power or authority cast on or given to the Minister of Health and Welfare or Minister of Health Services and Hospital Insurance in his capacity of minister in charge of the Hospital Insurance Service, the mention or reference shall be deemed to be to the Minister of Health.

(4) Where, in a statute, order in council, regulation, order, contract, licence or other document made before the coming into operation of this Act, the Commissioner of Hospital Insurance is mentioned or referred to, the mention or reference shall be deemed to be to the Minister of Health.

(5) Where, in a statute, order in council, regulation, order, contract, licence or other document made before the coming into operation of this Act, the Deputy Provincial Secretary is mentioned or referred to in connection with a duty, power or authority cast on or given to him in his capacity as the deputy minister in charge of the Provincial Mental Health Services or, without restricting the foregoing, in connection with a duty, power or authority cast on or given to him under the Acts mentioned in subsection (2), the mention or reference shall be deemed to be to the Minister of Health.

Historical Note(s): RS1960-102-11; 1968-27-20; 1973-109-1; 1974-106-2.