Stewart Young

(1884.09.02 - 1967.?.?)
SLS, DLS
Commission #060
(1913.07.02)

Mr. Young, best known for his work in community planning for the Province of Saskatchewan, was a true gentleman and a long time civil servant. I had the privilege of knowing Stewart for a number of years.

Born in Owen Sound, Ontario and graduated from the School of Practical Science in 1912 at the University of Toronto. His first assignment, in 1910, was as an inspector and junior engineer with the Waterworks Department, Cobalt, Ontario. He then moved to the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1911, as a draftsman. Not satisfied with this position he went with the Federal Government under Surveyor General Deville, operating in British Columbia with Mr. M.P.Bridgeland, Dominion Land Surveyor. They were doing triangulation work along the railway belt.

Like many other easterners who came West in those days he obviously fell in love with the West and remained here during the rest of his distinguished career.

In 1913 he commenced work with the Department of Public Works, Saskatchewan and obtained his Commission as a Saskatchewan Land Surveyor, number 60, in 1913, He was appointed as District Engineer and Surveyor with the Saskatchewan Department of Highways in 1916.

Because of his interest in Community Planning he became the Director of the Community Planning Branch, Province of Saskatchewan, in 1924, and retained that position until his retirement in 1951.

The book ‘’Men and Meridians’’ states:

He (Young) firmly believed that the rights of individual property owners as well as the interests of the community as a whole would be well guarded by the appointment of trained engineers to a permanent town planning board.

Because of his views and his dedication to planning the Government of the day saw fit to pass a new Saskatchewan Planning Act in 1928. He was also the author of the Saskatchewan Community Planning Act of 1945, the Saskatchewan Municipal Expropriation Act of 1946, and many other articles on Community Planning. His preparation of legislation for fringe area control on planning was considered, at the time, as new and untried in North America and ahead of other areas. His address to the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association in 1960, about the Development of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association is an item that should be read regarding our history on surveying. He was made a life member our association in 1952.

It was a tribute to his professionalism when he was made the first and only member, at the time, of the Saskatchewan Engineering Institute to be made an honorary member of the Engineering Institute of Canada. With all his other activities he still found time to be President of our Association for two years 1945 and 1946. His other achievements included involvement in many community associations, member of the board of Knox United Church, Regina and a charter member of Lakeview United Church, Regina in 1947.

After his retirement in 1951 he delved into research on the best method for the physical development of the entire collegiate plant in Regina. The Regina Collegiate board authorized his 26-page report. The above projects are a few of the many efforts that Mr. Young undertook during his lifetime in the Province of Saskatchewan.

In 1966 the Province named a bay in Sulphide Lake in Northern Saskatchewan as ‘’Stewart Young Bay’’.

His wife Anne passed away in 1949. They were blessed with two daughters of which I remember one daughter, Mary, accompanied her dad at our annual meeting dinners, in the 50’s and early 60’s. He will be remembered for many years as a conscientious and dedicated civil servant.

By J.H. Webb, SLS (LM), CLS - Spring, 2002