As chief government architect he was responsible for many of the federal buildings constructed in this period.
Drawings for public buildings such as 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.
As federal architect, 1936–1947, Charles D. Sutherland oversaw the design and construction of public buildings such as post offices, customs offices, and armouries across Canada.
He designed a Customs Building in St. Jean, Quebec, Richelieu Street, (1939) and Armstrong, Quebec, Canadian Customs Border Station, (1940).
He designed the Daly Building Annex, Mackenzie Avenue near Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, 1942.