Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | The Grande Prairie Electric Co. fonds |
| Reference code: | 0359 |
| Date: | 1919-1923 (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 3 cm textual records |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Mary Nutting April 2009 Added to new database September 2024 – TD |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
The first electrical power in Grande Prairie was produced by the Grande Prairie Flour Mill in 1915. This source was very limited and by 1918, there was high demand for better services. Because the village did not have the finances to install an Electrical Plant, 93 residents signed a Memorandum of Association, and formed The Grande Prairie Electric Company on April 16th, 1918. After negotiating an agreement with Village Council and the Board of Public Utility Commissioners of the Province, a ten year franchise was authorized on October 1, 1919. The Company then installed the Electric Plant and service started on December 15th, 1919. The power plant operated from sundown to midnight and from 5:00 a.m. to sunrise, and the rate was 25 cents per kilowatt hour. The idea was to finance the capital payments by selling additional shares, but by June 1920, they had an $8,800.00 deficit. They asked the Town of Grande Prairie to take over the plant over as a Municipal Utility rather than let it be seized by the Manufacturer who held a lien on the equipment. The town took the company over as of January 1, 1921. After all debts were paid, the shareholders received 32 cents on each dollar they had invested.
After the Town of Grande Prairie took over the company, they continued to sell shares in the company. A recession in the early 1920s made it difficult to collect all the accounts owed, or finance it with debentures, but by the fall of 1923, the Town was able to pay out the debt incurred by the company and have clear title to the Electric Plant.
Custodial history
The records were donated to the Grande Prairie Public Library with Charles Spencer’s book collection in 1952. In 2008-2009, GPPL passed them on to South Peace Regional Archives.
Scope and content
The series consists of a share certificate book, complete with the share certificates for the members. They are signed by J.H.E. Fitzallen and Charles Spencer.
Notes
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Business (subject)
- Government (subject)