Vancouver Board of Trade
Encyclopedia
The 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 Commerce
.
According to its website, the Board believes that it is only the market system that is effective in allocating scarce economic resources to allow for stable economic growth and job creation. The Board does, however, recognize the need for publicly funded social services such as health and public education. The Board ascribes to the philosophy of less government involvement in the business sector.
destroyed the city. 31 men - compromised of merchants, lumbermen, bankers and manufacturers - founded the Board of Trade to "protect the interests of merchants, traders and manufacturers, to advance the trade of the area and to promote the advancement and general prosperity of Vancouver." In addition to lower taxes, early lobbying efforts pushed for the construction of schools, a land registry office, a court house, a submarine communications cable
to Australia
(completed in 1902) and the establishment of mail delivery
.
By 1952, the Board had grown to ten bureaus and ten standing committees which worked on campaigns, exhibitions, luncheons, educational products, endorsements and representations to all levels of government on behalf of the business community.
In 1983, the Board became a member of the World Trade Centers Association and in 1986 moved into the Vancouver World Trade Centre office complex at Canada Place
. It hosted the General Assembly of the World Trade Centers Association the same year.
In 1990 the Board launched its Federal Debt Clock, a 1500 lb (680.4 kg), 15 ft (4.6 m) by 10 ft (3 m) computerized calculator that tracked the rise in government debt
. At the time, Canada’s $363 billion debt was climbing at a rate of $53,300 per minute. In 1998, Finance Minister
Paul Martin
hit the gong and stopped the clock at a special Board of Trade luncheon. The board’s debt clock stopped just shy of $600 billion.
As of 2008, the Vancouver Board of Trade claimed over 5,600 members and 20 standing committees dealing with issues ranging from Canada-United States relations
and urban infrastructure to the 2010 Olympics and the Downtown Eastside
.
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...
which seeks to "promote, enhance and facilitate the development of the region as a Pacific centre for trade, commerce and travel." It serves Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
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...
, in a fashion similar to the 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...
or 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...
.
Mission statement and basic principles
The Vancouver Board of Trade describes as its mission "to promote, enhance and facilitate the development of the region [Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver area] as a Pacific centre for trade commerce and travel."According to its website, the Board believes that it is only the market system that is effective in allocating scarce economic resources to allow for stable economic growth and job creation. The Board does, however, recognize the need for publicly funded social services such as health and public education. The Board ascribes to the philosophy of less government involvement in the business sector.
History
The Vancouver Board of Trade was established on 22 September 1887, to help rebuild after the Great Vancouver FireGreat Vancouver Fire
The Great Vancouver Fire was a conflagration that destroyed most of the newly incorporated city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on 13 June 1886. The fire began as a brush fire to clear land between present-day Main and Cambie Streets that was spread out of control by a strong gale...
destroyed the city. 31 men - compromised of merchants, lumbermen, bankers and manufacturers - founded the Board of Trade to "protect the interests of merchants, traders and manufacturers, to advance the trade of the area and to promote the advancement and general prosperity of Vancouver." In addition to lower taxes, early lobbying efforts pushed for the construction of schools, a land registry office, a court house, a submarine communications cable
Submarine communications cable
A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean....
to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(completed in 1902) and the establishment of mail delivery
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
.
By 1952, the Board had grown to ten bureaus and ten standing committees which worked on campaigns, exhibitions, luncheons, educational products, endorsements and representations to all levels of government on behalf of the business community.
In 1983, the Board became a member of the World Trade Centers Association and in 1986 moved into the Vancouver World Trade Centre office complex at Canada Place
Canada Place
Canada Place is a building situated on the Burrard Inlet waterfront of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre . The building's exterior is covered by...
. It hosted the General Assembly of the World Trade Centers Association the same year.
In 1990 the Board launched its Federal Debt Clock, a 1500 lb (680.4 kg), 15 ft (4.6 m) by 10 ft (3 m) computerized calculator that tracked the rise in government debt
Government debt
Government debt is money owed by a central government. In the US, "government debt" may also refer to the debt of a municipal or local government...
. At the time, Canada’s $363 billion debt was climbing at a rate of $53,300 per minute. In 1998, Finance Minister
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
hit the gong and stopped the clock at a special Board of Trade luncheon. The board’s debt clock stopped just shy of $600 billion.
As of 2008, the Vancouver Board of Trade claimed over 5,600 members and 20 standing committees dealing with issues ranging from Canada-United States relations
Canada-United States relations
Relations between Canada and the United States have spanned more than two centuries. This includes a shared British colonial heritage, warfare during the 1770s and 1812, and the eventual development of one of the most successful international relationships in the modern world...
and urban infrastructure to the 2010 Olympics and the Downtown Eastside
Downtown Eastside
The Downtown Eastside is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is known as "Canada's poorest postal code"....
.
Initiatives
The Vancouver Board of Trade runs a variety of programs, including many symposiums, exclusive networking events and community fundraisers, in addition to programs like The Spirit of Vancouver, Leaders of Tomorrow and the Company of Young Professionals.Spirit of Vancouver
Spirit of Vancouver seeks to promote Metro Vancouver as a great place to "live, work, play, invest, and visit". Founded during an economic down-turn in 2001, Spirit of Vancouver uses public relations efforts and public events to "celebrate quality events", "local success" and generally raise community morale.Leaders of Tomorrow
Leaders of Tomorrow is a mentorship program, created by The Vancouver Board of Trade. The program selects 100 students in their final year at one of the 13 post-secondary institutions in BC and assigns each a mentor from the Board of Trade's membership.Company of Young Professionals
The Company of Young Professionals is a leadership development program designed for young professionals under the age of 32. Members can attend Board of Trade events at discounted rates and can be involved in the program for up to three years.Women's Leadership Circle
The Women's Leadership Circle is a professional network established to provide support for women in the business community. By deliving programs, speakers, topics and other events, the WLC empowers women to engage the community and the Board of Trade.Pacific Economic Forum
The Pacific Economic Forum brings world leaders together for speakers, seminars and conferences discussing globalization, interdependence and service to humanity.Miscellaneous facts
- Over 80% of the members of The Vancouver Board of Trade are small business owners.
- The Vancouver Board of Trade has over 5,800 members.
- The Vancouver Board of Trade publishes a monthly newspaper, Sounding Board, which reports on policy issues and membership news, and has an estimated total readership of 30,000.
- The Board does not receive funding from the government. It is funded by membership fees and by its speaker luncheons, seminars and other events.
Current chair
Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, Owner & President, Century Plaza Hotel & Spa and the Absolute Spa GroupPast chairmen
| Chairman | Period |
|---|---|
| David Oppenheimer David Oppenheimer David Oppenheimer was a successful entrepreneur, the second mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, and a National Historic Person of Canada.-Early life:... |
1887-1888 |
| Ebenezer Vining Bodwell Ebenezer Vining Bodwell Ebenezer Vining Bodwell was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Oxford South in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member from 1867 to 1874... |
1889 |
| Richard Henry Alexander | 1889-1890 |
| John Hendry | 1891 |
| G. E. Berteaux and William Ferriman Salsbury | 1892 |
| J. C. Keith | 1893 |
| G. R. Major | 1894 |
| Henry Ogle Bell-Irving | 1895-1896 |
| William Godfrey | 1897-1898 |
| Charles Edward Tisdall, MLA (Mayor) | 1899 |
| Frederick Buscombe Frederick Buscombe Frederick Buscombe , merchant, was the 11th Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, serving from 1905 to 1906. He served as President of the Vancouver Board of Trade in 1900.... (Mayor) |
1900 |
| F. F. Burns | 1901 |
| William Harold Malkin William Harold Malkin William Harold Malkin was the 21st mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia from 1929 to 1930, after serving as Chairman of the Vancouver Board of Trade in 1902... (Mayor) |
1902 |
| H. T. Lockyer | 1903 |
| H. McDowell | 1904 |
| A. B. Erskine | 1905 & 1912 |
| R. P. McLennan | 1906 |
| W. J. McMillan | 1907 |
| E. H. Heaps | 1908 |
| H. A. Stone | 1909 |
| Ewing Buchan | 1910 |
| A. G. McCandless | 1911 |
| Hon. Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton was a Canadian newspaperman, politician, and businessman.Born in Shoreditch , England, the son of Francis Cotton and Martha Ann Garrison, he was the co-owner and editor from 1887 to 1910 of the Vancouver, British Columbia Daily News-Advertiser newspaper... |
1913 |
| Jonathan Rogers | 1914-1915 |
| Nicol Thompson | 1916 |
| B. W. Greer | 1917 |
| P. G. Shallcross | 1918 |
| Chris Spencer | 1919 |
| W. J. Blake Wilson | 1920 |
| P. D. Malkin | 1921 |
| R. Kerr Houlgate | 1922 |
| J. B. Thomson | 1923 |
| J. K. Macrea, Q.C. | 1924 |
| Melville Dollar | 1925 |
| F. E. Burke | 1926 |
| Robert McKee | 1927 |
| T. S. Dixon | 1928 & 1935 |
| Hon. William Culham Woodward William Culham Woodward William Culham Woodward was a member of a successful merchandising family in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada... |
1929 |
| R. D. Williams | 1930 |
| Mayne D. Hamilton | 1931 |
| Harold Brown | 1932 |
| H. R. MacMillan H. R. MacMillan Harvey Reginald MacMillan, CC, CBE was a Canadian forester, forestry industrialist, wartime administrator, and philanthropist.... |
1933 |
| George Kidd George Kidd George Pirkis Kidd was the first Canadian ambassador to Israel in 1954 and was the ambassador to Cuba at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and later moved to Canada with his parents... |
1934 |
| J. Y. McCarter | 1936 |
| Walter M. Carson | 1937 |
| John Whittle | 1938 |
| G. Lyall Fraser | 1939 |
| H. R. Cottingham | 1940 |
| C. E. Anstie | 1941 |
| B. O. Moxon | 1942 |
| Hon. S. S. McKeen | 1943 |
| T. C. Clarke | 1944 |
| Charles A. Cotterell | 1945 |
| W. J. Borrie | 1946 |
| Thos. Braidwood | 1947 |
| H. T. Mitchell | 1948 |
| T. G. Norris, Q.C. | 1949 |
| Col. W. G. Swan | 1950 |
| Ralph D. Baker | 1951 |
| Hon. H. H. Stevens | 1952 |
| Ralph C. Pybus | 1953 |
| G. W. G. McConachie | 1954 |
| Howard N. Walters | 1955 |
| W. H. Raikes | 1956 |
| Brenton S. Brown | 1957 |
| David Kinnear | 1958 |
| A. H. Cater | 1959 |
| R. G. Miller | 1960 |
| E. L. Harrison | 1961 |
| D. T. Braidwood | 1962 |
| W. M. Anderson, C.A. | 1963 |
| Edward Benson Edward Benson Edward Benson may refer to:* Edward Benson , Archbishop of Canterbury* E. F. Benson , English writer, son of the above... |
1964 |
| Ralph T. Cunningham | 1965 |
| Sydney W. Welsh | 1966 |
| William G. Leithead | 1967 |
| J. N. Hyland | 1968 |
| G. R. Dawson | 1969 |
| Edward Disher | 1970 |
| Hon. W. M. Hamilton | 1971 |
| J. L. Dampier | 1972 |
| Alan F. Campney | 1973 |
| Hon. Henry Pybus Bell-Irving Henry Pybus Bell-Irving Henry Pybus "Budge" Bell-Irving, OC, DSO, OBE, OBC, ED, CD was the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1978 to 1983.... , OC, DSO, OBE, OBC, ED, CD |
1974 |
| D. G. McGill | 1975 |
| C. L. Goddard | 1976 |
| D. R. Fraser | 1977 |
| D. C. Selman | 1978 |
| A. H. Hart, Q.C. | 1979-1980 |
| W. R. Wyman | 1980-1981 |
| M. E. Nesmith | 1982-1983 |
| A. M. Fowlis | 1984-1985 |
| Arthur S. Hara Arthur S. Hara Arthur Shigeru Hara, is a prominent Japanese-Canadian businessman and philanthropist, renowned for his work in promoting Canada's relations with Pacific Rim nations .... , O.C. |
1985-1986 |
| G. P. Clarke | 1986-1987 |
| R. E. Kadlec | 1987-1988 |
| P. H. Hebb | 1988-1989 |
| L. I. Bell, O.B.C | 1989-1990 |
| W. B. McDonald, C.M. | 1990-1991 |
| R. T. Stewart | 1991-1992 |
| David G. McLean, O.B.C. | 1992-1993 |
| Iain J. Harris | 1993-1994 |
| George F. Gaffney | 1994 |
| Jill Bodkin | 1994-1995 |
| Wayne A. Nygren | 1995-1996 |
| Brandt C. Louie Brandt C. Louie Brandt C. Louie OBC is President and CEO of H.Y. Louie Co. Limited, and Chairman of London Drugs Limited. He succeeded his late father Louie Tong in 1998 on the elder man's death... |
1996-1997 |
| Robert A. Fairweather | 1997-1998 |
| A. Allan Skidmore | 1998-1999 |
| T. Richard Turner | 1999-2000 |
| Harri Jansson | 2000-2001 |
| Carole Taylor Carole Taylor Carole Taylor, OC is a Canadian journalist and former politician.She is currently serving as the Chancellor of Simon Fraser University since June 17, 2011. She previously served as British Columbia's Minister of Finance from 2005 until 2008 in the government of Liberal premier Gordon... , O.C. |
2001-2002 |
| Peter Legge | 2002-2003 |
| Jeff Dowle | 2003-2004 |
| Graeme A.G. Stamp | 2004-2005 |
| Dan Muzyka | 2005-2006 |
| Frank Borowicz, QC | 2006-2007 |
| Henry K.S. Lee | 2007-2008 |
| D. B. Rix Donald Rix Donald Blake Rix, CM, OBC, was a Canadian pathologist, philanthropist, community volunteer, and businessman. He was the founder and chair of MDS Metro Laboratory Services , the largest private medical laboratory in Western Canada.He was a member of several organizations and foundations including... , C.M., O.B.C. |
2008-2009 |
| Jason McLean | 2010-2011 |
External links
- Vancouver Board of Trade
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce
- Mission Regional Chamber of CommerceMission Regional Chamber of CommerceThe Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce 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...
- Spirit of Vancouver
- Leaders of Tomorrow Mentorship Program
- The Company of Young Professionals