SUTHERLAND, Charles Devlin (1879-1957) was the Chief Architect of the federal Department of Public Works in Ottawa from 1936 until his retirement in 1945. Born in Ottawa, Ont. on 28 November 1879, he was educated at Ottawa Collegiate, but did not receive a formal university education in architecture. Instead, he gained much of his knowledge of building and construction while articling as a student and apprentice in the office of J. Albert Ewart, a prominent Ottawa architect, from 1897 to 1901. During this period, he also studied part-time at the Ottawa Art School, and obtained a temporary appointment as a draftsman and staff architect in the D.P.W. on 2 October 1901 (Canada, Sessional Papers, 1919, No. 30, Civil Service List, 431-35). This appointment was made permanent on 1 September 1908, and he rose through the ranks of the Department. By 1918, he was acting as the department’s Supervising Architect, overseeing the reconstruction of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill, working with Dr. John A. Pearson (of the Toronto firm of Darling & Pearson), and rebuilding the structure which was heavily damaged by fire in 1916.
He was appointed Acting Chief Architect of the D.P.W. in June 1936, and on November 1, 1936 he succeeded Thomas W. Fuller (1865-1951) as Chief Architect of the department (R.A.I.C. Journal, xiii, Oct. 1936, 196). This marked a particularly prolific period for the construction of new post offices and armoury buildings in Canada, and Sutherland can be credited with over 100 new post office buildings in cities and towns across the country, many of them designed in a more progressive moderne style which differed from the work of his predecessor. Sutherland’s role was primarily one of supervision and coordination, overseeing a team of staff architects who designed these buildings and prepared the drawings and specifications. A selection of their designs appeared in the R.A.I.C. Journal, xxi, January 1944, 8-9, illus.
Sutherland retired from his position of Chief Architect in late 1945, and resigned from the Ontario Association of Architects on 31 December 1945. He was succeeded by Joseph C.G. Brault as Chief Architect. Sutherland later died in Ottawa on 20 February 1957 (obit. Ottawa Journal, 21 February 1957, 5; Ottawa Citizen, 22 Feb. 1957, 5; inf. from Ontario Assoc. of Architects)
Post Office Buildings
(inf. extracted from Canada, Sessional Papers, 1936 to 1947. Drawings for virtually all Post Office Buildings and Dominion Public Buildings designed by Sutherland and his staff during his tenure as Chief Architect of the Department of Public Works are now held at the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa)
1936 (arranged alphabetically by province)
MELITA, MAN., Main Street, 1936-37
ROBLIN, MAN., Main Street at Third Avenue, 1936-37
CAP-DE-LA-MADELEINE, QUE., Toupin Street at Dorval Avenue, 1936-37
1937 (arranged alphabetically by province)
CARDSTON, ALTA., First Avenue North, 1937
INNISFREE, ALTA., First Avenue South, 1937
CRESTON, B.C., Victoria Avenue, 1937
KELOWNA, B.C., Bernard Avenue at Ellis Street, 1937; demol. 1973
PRINCE RUPERT, B.C., Third Avenue at Third Street, 1937-38
BEAUSEJOUR, MAN., Park Avenue at Derwent Street, 1937
MORRIS, MAN., Main Street at Charles Street, 1937-38
STEINBACH, MAN., Main Street at Reimer Street, 1937
BERWICK, N.S., Commercial Street at Cottage Street, 1937
TRENTON, N.S., Main Street, 1937
BOBCAYGEON, ONT., Main Street, 1937-38
HALIBURTON, ONT., Queen Street, 1937
HAVELOCK, ONT., Ottawa Street at Oak Street, 1937-38
KITCHENER, ONT., Duke Street at Queen Street, 1937 (Kitchener Daily Record, 24 July 1937, 3, illus. & descrip.)
NIPIGON, ONT., Front Street at Second Street, 1937-38
POWASSAN, ONT., King Street, 1937
RAINY RIVER, ONT., Fourth Street, 1937
SIOUX LOOKOUT, ONT., Front Street, 1937-38
VANKLEEK HILL, ONT., Main Street near High Street, 1937; still standing in 2023
BEDFORD, QUE., Upper Main Street at Bridge Street, 1937-38
L’ISLET, QUE., 1937
STE. ANNE DE BEAUPRE, QUE., 1937
STE. MARTINE, QUE., Highway 4, 1937
ST. CHARLES DE BELLECHASSE, QUE., 1937
TIMISKAMING, QUE., Thorne Avenue, 1937-38
1938 (arranged alphabetically by province)
PEACE RIVER, ALTA., Main Street, 1938
ST. PAUL, ALTA., Main Street, 1938
POWELL RIVER, B.C., Second Street, 1938
MINTO, N.B., King Street, 1938
NORTH HEAD, N.B., 1938
ROGERSVILLE, N.B., 1938
LOUISBURG, N.S., Main Street at Warren Street, 1938
MULGRAVE, N.S., Main Street at Stafford Street, 1937-38
STEWIACKE, N.S., Main Street at Kitchener Street, 1938
BARRY’S BAY, ONT., 1938
COBDEN, ONT., John Street at Main Street, 1938
FOREST, ONT., King Street at Washington Street, 1938
LUCKNOW, ONT., Inglis Street at Campbell Street, 1938
TARA, ONT., Yonge Street at Matilda Street, 1938
AMOS, QUE., First Avenue, 1937-38
L’ASSOMPTION, QUE., Notre Dame Street, 1938
NORTH HATLEY, QUE., Main Street, 1938
PERCE, QUE., 1938
POINTE-AU-PIC, QUE., 1938-39
POINTE CLAIRE, QUE., Lake Shore Road at Cartier Avenue, 1938
QUEBEC WEST, QUE., Third Street at Fourth Avenue, 1938
ST. ANDREW’S EAST, QUE., Main Street, 1938
ST. RAYMOND, QUE., St. Joseph Street, 1938-39
STE. SCHOLASTIQUE, QUE., St. Jean Baptiste Street, 1938-39
SCOTSTOWN, QUE., Victoria Street at Ditton Road, 1938
BARRY’S BAY, ONT., 1938
COBDEN, ONT., John Street at Main Street, 1938
FOREST, ONT., King Street at Washington Street, 1938
LUCKNOW, ONT., Inglis Street at Campbell Street, 1938
TARA, ONT., Yonge Street at Matilda Street, 1938
BIRTLE, MAN., Main Street, 1938-39
CARBERRY, MAN., Main Street, 1938-39
GIMLI, MAN., Centre Street at First Avenue, 1938
MANITOU, MAN., Main Street at Fuller Street, 1938-39
ST. VITAL, MAN., St. Mary’s Road, 1938
WINKLER, MAN., Mountain Street at Sixth Street, 1938
FOAM LAKE, SASK., Main Street at Bray Avenue, 1938
MEADOW LAKE, SASK., Second Avenue at First Street East, 1938 (Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 64, illus. & descrip.)
WADENA, SASK., Main Street at First Avenue, 1938 (Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 65, illus. & descrip.)
1939 (arranged alphabetically by province)
JASPER, ALTA., Elm Street at Patricia Street, 1939
ALBERNI, B.C., Johnstone Road at Gertrude Street, 1939 (Tim Morawetz, Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, 2017, 65, illus. & descrip.)
ARMSTRONG, B.C., Railway Avenue, 1939
MERRITT, B.C., Vought Street at Granite Street, 1939
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C., Third Avenue at Quebec Street, 1939
GILBERT PLAINS, MAN., Main Street at Minto Avenue, 1939
ST. JAMES, MAN., Inglewood Street at Portage Avenue, 1939 (Winnipeg, 1986-The Year Past, 1988, 55-6, illus.)
ST. LEONARD, N.B., Main Street, 1939
CHESTER, N.S., Queen Street at Union Street, 1939-40
PORT HAWKSBURY, N.S., North Granville Street, 1939
BEAVERTON, ONT., Simcoe Street, 1939
BLIND RIVER, ONT., Woodwoard Avenue, 1939
BRIGHTON, ONT., Main Street, 1939
DRYDEN, ONT., King Street, 1939
KAPUSKASING, ONT., Queen Street at The Circle, 1939
MILLBROOK, ONT., King Street at Union Street, 1939
OAKVILLE, ONT., Colborne Street at George Street, 1939
SCHREIBER, ONT., Scotia Street at Sudbury Street, 1939
STIRLING, ONT., Charlotte Street at North Street, 1939
SUTTON WEST, ONT., High Street, 1939-40
THESSALON, ONT., Main Street at Algoma Street, 1939-40
WOODVILLE, ONT., King Street, 1939
CABANO, QUE., 1939-40
LENNOXVILLE, QUE., Main Street at Belvedere Street, 1939
MONTREAL, QUE., Rosemount Post Office, Masson Street at Third Avenue, 1939
QUEBEC CITY, QUE., Postal Terminal, Ramsay Street at Henderson Street, 1939-40
ST. GEORGES DE BEAUCE, QUE., First Avenue, 1939
THEDFORD MINES, QUE., Notre Dame Street at St. Alphonse Street, 1939
THURSO, QUE., Galipeau Street at Victoria Street, 1939
LANIGAN, SASK., Railway Avenue at Cavendish Street, 1939
NIPIWIN, SASK., Centre Street, 1939-40
WYNARD, SASK., Bosworth Street, 1939
1940 (arranged alphabetically by province)
DAWSON CREEK, B.C., Tenth Street, 1940
LOCKEPORT, N.S., Beech Street, 1940
MATTAWA, ONT., 1940
DISRAELI, QUE., St. Joseph Street, 1940
GATINEAU, QUE., Maple Street, 1940
ST. HENRI-DE-LAUZON, QUE., 1940
ST. OURS, QUE., St. Francois Xavier Street, 1940
SUTTON, QUE., Main Street, 1940
ST. WALBURG, SASK., Main Street, 1940
Armoury and Drill Hall Buildings
(inf. extracted from Canada, Sessional Papers, 1936 to 1947. Drawings for virtually all Armoury & Drill Hall buildings designed by Sutherland and his staff during his tenure as Chief Architect of the Department of Public Works are now held at the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa)
HULL, QUE., Armoury, St. Joseph Boulevard at Aylmer Road, 1938
CORNWALL, ONT., Armoury, Marlborough Street at Fourth Street, 1938
MONTREAL, QUE., new facade for existing armoury, Craig Street at Bullion Street, 1939
(with David Webster) YORKTON, SASK., Armoury, Smith Street at Betts Avenue, 1938-39 (Star-Phoenix [Saskatoon], 1 Sept. 1938, 6)
ROCK ISLAND, QUE., major addition to Armoury, 1941
Other Public Buildings
(inf. extracted from Canada, Sessional Papers, 1936 to 1947. Drawings for most, but not all, public buildings designed by Sutherland and his staff during his tenure as Chief Architect of the Department of Public Works are now held at the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa)
ST. JEAN, QUE., Customs Building, Richelieu Street, 1939
OTTAWA, ONT., Wind Tunnel and Administration Building, Hwy. 17 at Skead Road, 1939-40
ARMSTRONG, QUE., Canadian Customs Border Station, 1940
CALGARY, ALTA., Veterans Hospital, 4th Street West at 12th Avenue West, 1942
OTTAWA, ONT., Daly Building Annex, Mackenzie Avenue near Wellington Street, 1942 (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxi, Jan. 1944, 8, illus.)
OTTAWA, ONT., Temporary Office Buildings No. 5 and No. 6, 1940-42 (C.R., liii, 9 Oct. 1940, 20; R.A.I.C. Journal, xxi, Jan. 1944, 9, illus.)
VANCOUVER, B.C., major addition to Shaughnessy Hospital, West 30th Avenue at Laurel Street, 1943-44 (C.R., lvi, 22 Dec. 1943, 28; lvii, 21 June 1944, 46, t.c.)
LONDON, ONT., Westminster Ponds Hospital, Wellington Road, 1946 (Brianne Curry & Kyle Gonyou, “Lovely London Landscape – Westminster Ponds Centre” in ACORN [Toronto], Vol. 46 No. 1, Spring 2021, 20-21, illus. & descrip.;