Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce
Encyclopedia
The Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce (MRCC) is a Canadian
non-profit organization
that acts as an advocate for economic development in the region and promotes area tourism to visitors and locals.
It serves the businesses of Mission, British Columbia
, and acts as a Chamber of Commerce
, similar to a Board of Trade
.
In 1946, the Board of Trade suggested that a Strawberry Festival as well as a Soapbox Derby should be held on June 26. The event was successful and visitors travelled from different areas of the Fraser Valley
to attend the event. The festival was held annually until 1951, despite an interruption in June 1948 when the Fraser River
flooded causing the event to be postponed until July in its third year. In 1951, Langley, BC became the new host of the Strawberry Festival after the decline of berry farming and the increase in employment in the forestry industry in the Mission area.
The organization operated under the name of the Mission City and District Board of Trade until 1961 when its name was changed to the Mission City and District Chamber of Commerce. That name stuck until 1970 when it was changed to the Mission City Chamber of Commerce. In 1977, it was suggested by the organization's Vice President Dave Kenyon that the Chamber of Commerce should be terminated due to poor attendance and lack of participation by members. The Chamber persevered, avoiding termination, and in 1979 the name was changed for the final time to its present name, the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce. Since then, the MRCC has continued to serve the businesses of Mission and now houses a visitor centre.
The MRCC is a member of the BC Chamber of Commerce. It currently has 450 members and prints a bi-monthly newsletter titled “The Chamber Connection”. It hosts the Annual Candlelight Parade, the largest nighttime Christmas Parade in Western Canada and draws approximately 13 000 spectators every year.
The original Mission Soapbox Derby is still held annually by the Mission & District Soapbox Derby Association.
Category:Chambers of commerce in Canada
Category:Organizations based in British Columbia
Category:Mission, British Columbia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that acts as an advocate for economic development in the region and promotes area tourism to visitors and locals.
It serves the businesses of Mission, British Columbia
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
, and acts as a Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, similar to a Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
History
The MRCC was created on June 19, 1893 as B.C.'s first Board of Trade by Harry Brown French, an American sent to Mission after the town's founder sold land to a New York railway corporation. French was elected the Board of Trade's first president, and upon its creation the Board took out advertisements in local newspapers, offering a package of free land, free water, free power and property tax exemptions to potential industrialists, as well as offering to construct factories, mills and other commercial buildings at no charge.In 1946, the Board of Trade suggested that a Strawberry Festival as well as a Soapbox Derby should be held on June 26. The event was successful and visitors travelled from different areas of the Fraser Valley
Fraser Valley
The Fraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. The term is sometimes used to refer to the Fraser Canyon and stretches upstream from there, but in general British Columbian usage of the term refers to the stretch of the...
to attend the event. The festival was held annually until 1951, despite an interruption in June 1948 when the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
flooded causing the event to be postponed until July in its third year. In 1951, Langley, BC became the new host of the Strawberry Festival after the decline of berry farming and the increase in employment in the forestry industry in the Mission area.
The organization operated under the name of the Mission City and District Board of Trade until 1961 when its name was changed to the Mission City and District Chamber of Commerce. That name stuck until 1970 when it was changed to the Mission City Chamber of Commerce. In 1977, it was suggested by the organization's Vice President Dave Kenyon that the Chamber of Commerce should be terminated due to poor attendance and lack of participation by members. The Chamber persevered, avoiding termination, and in 1979 the name was changed for the final time to its present name, the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce. Since then, the MRCC has continued to serve the businesses of Mission and now houses a visitor centre.
Description
The MRCC describes its mission as to “foster a network for entrepreneurial leaders to partner in representation, communication and education." It acts on behalf of local businesses, and as an unbiased advocacy group, they serve as a direct liaison between their members and the local government. They also provide their members with networking opportunities, group benefits, educational seminars, as well as marketing and advertising opportunities. The current president, as of 2011, is Cal Crawford of the Landmark Realty Corp. Mission.The MRCC is a member of the BC Chamber of Commerce. It currently has 450 members and prints a bi-monthly newsletter titled “The Chamber Connection”. It hosts the Annual Candlelight Parade, the largest nighttime Christmas Parade in Western Canada and draws approximately 13 000 spectators every year.
The original Mission Soapbox Derby is still held annually by the Mission & District Soapbox Derby Association.
Past Presidents
| Year | President |
|---|---|
| 1893 | Harry Brown French |
| 1924 | W.G Gamble |
| 1926-27 | A.B. Noble |
| 1929-30, 36 | Rex Cox |
| 1935 | L.R. Wilson |
| 1937 | G.V. Ogle |
| 1938 | A.D. McRae |
| 1939 | A.N. Lawrence |
| 1940 | James Muir |
| 1943 | F.C. Lightbody |
| 1944 | Peter Grant |
| 1945 | W.H. Monk |
| 1946 | C.S. Thompson |
| 1948 | A.C. Fisher |
| 1949 | Harry W. Davis |
| 1950 | C.I. McMurdo |
| 1951 | Albert McMahon |
| 1952 | Frank Kearney |
| 1953 | K.A. "Ken" Shore |
| 1954 | N.S. Thompson |
| 1955-56 | E. "Ted" Boulter |
| 1958 | R.L. "Bob" Fletcher |
| 1960-61 | Lang Sands |
| 1967 | Vic Wallace |
| 1977 | Bert Chapman |
| 2002 | Lynn Christensen |
| 2002–2003 | Ted Adlem |
| 2004 | Stacey Crawford |
| 2005 | Cal Crawford |
| 2006 | Sheron Vallance |
| 2007 | Stuart Rosenberg |
| 2008–2009 | Sean Melia |
| 2010 | Helen Secco, ASM Printing Inc. |
External links
- MRCC Website
- Tourism BC Website
- BC Chamber of Commerce Website
- The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Website
- Vancouver Board of TradeVancouver Board of TradeThe Vancouver Board of Trade is a non-profit organization which seeks to "promote, enhance and facilitate the development of the region as a Pacific centre for trade, commerce and travel." It serves Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in a fashion similar to the Board of Trade or Chamber of...
Category:Chambers of commerce in Canada
Category:Organizations based in British Columbia
Category:Mission, British Columbia