Stephen A. Carter was born in Vancouver on February 22, 1946 and grew up in the Deep Cove/Dollarton area. He graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Education degree with specialties in History and Geography. He taught Social Studies for twenty-one years in Richmond and then finished his career in Kelowna. Following his professional teaching career, he became a pen and ink artist and started writing adventure/action historical fiction books about the American Civil War. He has published three books, written over 500 poems, and is working on screenplays for a film production company in New Zealand.

In 1889, the Ross, McLaren Mill was opened at Millside, an area near New Westminster, British Columbia. The mill had cost $350,000 to build, and was headed by President James McLaren, a Quebec timber investor and President of the Bank of Ottawa, and Vice-President Frank Ross. Production at the mill began in 1890. In addition to new facilities and a large amount of capital to support it, the mill also possessed the transportation benefits of frontage on the Fraser River and a spur line to the Canadian Pacific Railway system. However, despite these advantages, the mill soon faced several events that affected its production in a negative way. In addition to the death of McLaren, the mill also experienced a decreased demand for timber due to a general economic depression in 1892. Even when other mills began to recover in 1895, Ross, McLaren’s productivity was curtailed by the silting of the Fraser River, which made it impossible for large vessels to reach the mill.

All of these factors contributed to the company’s decision in 1899 to place the mill and its timber rights up for sale. An American investment syndicate, headed by Lester David of Seattle and Mr. Jenkins of Minneapolis eventually purchased the mill in 1903. The new owners sought to resolve the mill’s difficulties by dyking the area, and holding the federal government accountable for dredging the Fraser River channel and ensuring its accessibility to ships. Now called Fraser River Saw Mills, the mill was finally re-opened in 1905, as the largest mill in the Pacific Northwest. By 1906, the mill was already setting records for production levels and over 250 labourers were employed. As a result of the increased production levels and staff, both the mill and Millside were expanded; this included the construction of the Fraser Mills Sash, Door & Shingle Company Limited.

Production at the mill was so high by 1907, in fact, that the mill was nearly shut down due to a lack of available labour. The mill was taken over by an investment syndicate headed by A.D. McRae of Winnipeg and Senator Peter Jansen of Nebraska. The new owners instituted a major re-organization of the business. A half million dollar renovation and expansion of the original mill buildings was implemented and improvements made to increase transportation access to the mill via the Fraser River. The name of the town was changed from Millside to Fraser Mills.

The re-organization of the business culminated in 1910, with the purchase of enough timber rights in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island for the company, now called the Canadian Western Lumber Company Limited, to be considered to have the largest private holdings in the world. Through direct or indirect purchase, the Canadian Western Lumber Company Limited acquired full or partial ownership of the following companies by 1916: Canadian Tugboat Company Limited; Coast Lumber & Fuel Company Limited; Coast Lumber Yards Limited; The Columbia River Company Limited; Columbia Western Lumber Yards Ltd.; Comox Logging and Railway Company; Crown Lumber Company, Limited; Fraser Mills Sash, Door, and Shingle Company Limited; Lumber Manufacturers’ Yard Limited; Security Lumber Company Limited.; and Western Canada Sawmill Yards Limited. Later acquisitions include The Golden Light, Power and Water Company Limited. In 1954, the Canadian Western Lumber Company, Limited was acquired by Crown Zellerbach Canada Limited. The immediate successor company to Crown Zellerbach Canada Limited was Fletcher Challenge Limited of New Zealand, which purchased the company in 1983 and, with further acquisitions, became Fletcher Challenge Canada Limited in 1987. In 2000, Norske Skog, a Norwegian paper company, acquired all of Fletcher Challenge's pulp and paper assets, and a majority interest in Fletcher Challenge Canada Limited. This resulted in the formation of Norske Skog Canada Limited.

The Lockwood Survey Corporation Ltd. was an aerial photographic survey company based in the Toronto, Ontario area with divisions across Canada, the west coast division being located at 1409 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC.

It was formed out of a number of amalgamations, mergers and name changes of predecessor companies, beginning with the Toronto-based Photographic Survey Company, which began in 1946 under the direction of Douglas M. Kendall, with British financing from Sir Percy Hunting. From 1956-1965, the company was known as Hunting Survey Corporation, Ltd., later known as Lockwood Survey Corporation, Ltd. from 1965-1972. From 1972-1975 the company was called Northway Survey Corporation, Ltd., and then Northway- Gestalt Corporation Ltd. from 1975-1984. The company has been named Northway Map Technology Ltd. since 1985.

Pacific Survey Corporation was a mapping firm based in Vancouver. Its operations ceased prior to 1989.

The Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources was established in 1908 under its first name, the Dept. of Lands (Department of Lands Act, SBC 1908, c. 31). Before 1908 the agencies responsible for the functions of the Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water resources were: (1) the Dept. of Lands and Works (Crown lands management, sales, pre-emptions and leases, lands surveying and mapping, timber inspection, forest protection and log scaling), and (2) the Dept. of Mines (water rights in regards to mining operations). The Dept. of Lands, headed by the Chief Commissioner of Lands, was given responsibility for public lands and water rights, and all matters connected therewith. (SBC 1908, c. 31, s. 5). These responsibilities included: (1) the management of all public lands, as per the Land Act, (RSBC 1897, c. 113); (2) administration of water rights, as per the Water Clauses Consolidation Act, (RSBC 1897, c. 191) [in 1892 by means of the Water Privileges Act (SBC 1892, c. 47), the government had reserved to itself the right to manage all water resources in the province that were unreserved and un-appropriated as of April 23, 1892]; and (3) land settlement programs for returned soldiers. In 1909, the enactment of the Water Act (SBC 1909, c. 48) resulted in the creation of the Water Rights Branch of the Dept. of Lands, under the management of the Chief Water Commissioner (re-named Comptroller of Water Rights in 1912). This legislation also resulted in the creation of Water Districts under the management of District Engineers, who would be responsible for management in the field of the Branchs responsibilities. In 1911, the Timber Department, including Timber Inspectors, forest protection services and log scaling operations, was transferred from the Dept. of Public Works to the Dept. of Lands. In 1912, the management of timber resources was formally added to the departments responsibilities with the enactment of the Forest Act (SBC 1912, c. 17). To accommodate these new responsibilities, the Forest Branch, under the Chief Forester, was created in the Dept. of Lands. In 1945, the Dept. of Lands was renamed the Dept. of Lands and Forests (Department of Lands Act Amendment Act, SBC 1945, c. 45). At this time, the department was reorganized into two branches, the Lands Service and the Forests Service. In 1962, the Dept. of Lands and Forests was renamed the Dept. of Lands, Forests, and Water Resources (Department of Lands and Forests Act Amendment Act, SBC 1962, c. 22). At this time, the department was reorganized into three branches, the B.C. Lands Service, the B.C. Forest Service, and the B.C. Water Resources Service. On December 23, 1975, the Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources ceased to exist. The government established two new agencies, the Dept. of Forests and the Dept. of Environment, to replace it (OIC 3838/75). All activities associated with the forestry function were transferred to the Dept. of Forests (OIC 3849/75, 3868/75). With one minor exception, the remaining functions of the Dept. of Lands, Forests, and Water Resources were transferred to the Dept. of Environment (OIC 3843/75, 3844/75, 3846/75, 3852/75). In 1976, these organizational changes were reiterated in legislation (SBC 1976, c. 18)

Caisse Populaire Maillardville was a francophone credit union that grew to serve 9,500 members in Maillardville, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Chilliwack. It was founded in 1946 and originally called La Caisse Populaire Notre Dame de Lourdes Credit Union. It’s guiding vision was to “unite the French community through financial solidarity." As a closed bond credit union, it required that its members be French-Canadian Catholics and served solely the French-speaking community of Maillardville. In its very beginnings, the credit union was run out of the home of Alma and Arthur Fontaine at 405 Marmont Street.

As the community grew and its need for banking services expanded, a small stucco building was erected for the credit union’s use on the corner of Brunette Avenue and Nelson Street. In 1950, the name was officially changed to the Caisse Populaire de Maillardville Credit Union to gain support not only from Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners, but also those of the newly-opened Our Lady of Fatima church. In 1951, the credit union instituted a special savings program, or “school program” for children attending Maillardville Catholic schools.
In order to remain keep pace with larger financial institutions, in 1956 the credit union opened to non-Catholic francophone members. In 1957, their small building was moved to 1013 Brunette Avenue, and over the next forty years, underwent many expansions and alterations. To continue to offer competitive financial services, in 1968 a resolution was put forward and passed to open membership to English-speakers.

In 1989, the credit union decided to try and garner a greater market share for itself, and decided to change their name to one that would be meaningful in English and French. The credit union offered a thousand dollars to any individual who could come up with a suitable bilingual name. They received over six hundred submissions in the contest and the board selected "Village Credit Union." Village Credit Union expanded to other locations in the Lower Mainland during the 1990s, but due to loan delinquency and losses, Village Credit Union dissolved and merged with Vancity Credit Union in June of 2005.

Originally known as the King Albert High school, Como Lake High School opened in 1951, serving students from Grad 7-11. It is located at 1121 King Albert Avenue, Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Helen Mary Stiglish (nee Pietrasko) was born on March 30, 1920 in Coleman Alberta and grew up in Athalmer-Invermere, British Columbia. Helen met her future husband Fabian Jack Stiglish in 1938. In 1940, Helen and her family relocated from Invermere to Surrey and Jack followed suit. The couple married on December 5, 1942.

In 1943, the couple bought a mushroom farm at 1050 Keswick Ave near the Lougheed Highway. The farm had been established by W.T. Money around 1928 and is thought to be one of the first mushroom farms in B.C. The farm consisted of 4 acres of land, with one and a half acres devoted to growing mushrooms. Mushrooms were sold by the pound under the name “Money’s Mushrooms,” and mushroom manure was sold by the sack.

Jack and Helen were entrepreneurs throughout their lives. They briefly raised chincillas for their fur, owned a brick business, and owned the 4 Acre Trailer Court at 675 Lougheed Highway from the 1950s until 1979 when the trailer court was sold to Walter and Dennis Hohn.
The couple built their dream home at 703 Edgar Avenue in 1969. Jack and Helen were avid square dancers and were enthusiastic members of the Vancouver Heights Square Dance Club in Burnaby.

Helen was an accomplished homemaker. Her passions were crafting, gardening, oil painting, and experimenting with new recipes for all of the mushrooms that came from the family farm. Jack and Helen spent their summers at a summer home in Whatcom Meadows in Washington State. Helen passed away on July 3, 2009 in Burnaby.

Four Acres Trailer Court was a mobile home park located at 675 Lougheed Highway. It was owned and operated by Fabian and Helen Stiglish from the 1950s until 1979 when the trailer court was sold to Walter and Dennis Hohn. The mobile home park was rezoned and redeveloped by Mosaic Homes after 2006.

Established by an Act of the B.C. Legislature in 1992, the Coquitlam Foundation is a registered charity which provides a vehicle for compassionate citizens to build enduring legacies; gifts that keep on giving to their community in perpetuity.

In November of 1991 Norm Cook (Secretary) introduced the concept of a Community Foundation for Coquitlam to Gordon Fulton (Chair). The two concluded that it was a very valuable project and set out to find others who might be interested in starting a Community Foundation. The ‘Original 6’ consisted of Bill Brown, Brian Canfield, Norm Cook, Ted Nikiforuk (Treasurer), Larry Rose and Gordon Fulton (CHair). The first meeting took place on January 15, 1992. The Board was originally volunteer-based. But in 2008, the level of the Foundation's activity necessitated the move to a model with staffing.

Since 1992, visionary donors have built the foundation into a growing endowment that helps local individuals and non-profit organizations meet community needs. As an endowment, the capital is retained and earnings on funds are generated for the benefit of the community.

The Sun, Vancouver's largest daily newspaper, first appeared as The Vancouver Sun, 12 February 1912, "to consistently advocate the principles of Liberalism." Under publisher Robert Cromie and his sons, the Sun tended to support the Liberals but was often critical of them. The Sun expanded by buying out other newspapers.

With its 1917 purchase of the Daily News-Advertiser (est. 1886), it claimed to be the city's oldest newspaper; with its 1924 acquisition of The Evening World (est 1888), it became undisputedly the city's second most important newspaper. Not until its chief rival, The Vancouver Daily Province, suffered a prolonged labour dispute (1946-49) did the Sun emerge as the leading journal of the province. The majority of Cromie family holdings in Sun Publishing Co were sold to FP Publications Ltd in 1963, and in 1980 Southam Inc. bought the newspaper. In 1992, the Sun was taken over by Hollinger Inc. In 2010, it became part of the Postmedia Network group of newspapers, after the collapse of previous owner CanWest Global, which had purchased the newspaper as part of the sale of Hollinger, Inc assets in 2000.

Howard McAskill was born in the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster on November 23rd, 1948. His family moved from Victory Heights in New Westminster to the west end of Rochester Road in the historic Burquitlam area in 1956. He attended Alderson, Mundy Road, and Brookmere Elementary Schools, as well as Como Lake High School before graduating from Centennial School in 1967 and U.B.C. in 1971.

A life-long enthusiasm for cars and motor sports developed as a youth, with many weekends spent with friends at the Westwood Race Track or the Arlington drag strip in Washington. McAskill had relatives who worked as British car mechanics or for firms that were sponsors of Westwood events and McAskill was inspired by his family doctor, C.C. Wilson who was an avid racer and President of the Sports Car Club of BC. Wilson was instrumental in getting Westwood Race Track built and served as its Director of Development for many years.

McAskill enjoyed multiple employment experiences dominated by a 25 year membership in the I.W.A. covering his time at Fraser Mills, followed by 20 years in operations with Catalyst Paper and predecessor firms before his retirement in 2010.

The British Columbia School of Psychiatric Nursing was established at East Lawn, Riverview Hospital (then the Female Chronic Unit and Essondale Hospital, respectively) in 1930. It was the first training school of its kind in B.C. When the unit opened in 1930, there was an immediate need for trained psychiatric nurses. Firstly, a six-month post-graduate course was offered to train registered nurses quickly, whereupon they became supervisors for new nurses enrolled in the course. In 1931, a nursing instructor, Miss C. A. Hicks, was appointed and the School expanded from a single course to a two-year psychiatric nursing program. The first graduates from the School received their diploma in 1932. That year, the program was extended to a three-year term which continued until 1951 when it again became a two-year program.

Because of the historical gendered beliefs held by the medical profession at the time, psychiatric nurses and students were female. With roots in Victorian viewpoints on gender, women were considered to be best equipped for nursing because they were considered to possess a moral capacity and natural compassion suited to patient care. Men were initially only considered mental hospital attendants. However in 1937 the School opened its enrollment to male psychiatric nurses.

Prior to 1951, psychiatric nursing was not a regulated profession in British Columbia and students enrolled in the program were employed as civil servants. With the establishment of the Psychiatric Nurses Act (1951) graduates were bound by standards of practice and education and were not considered civil servants until the successful completion of the program.

Riverview Hospital remained the home of the School of Psychiatric Nursing until 1972. But due to a decline in patient population, the School moved to the British Columbia Institute of Technology in and was renamed the Psychiatric Nursing program. The last class from the Riverview Hospital program graduated in 1973.

Due to Provincial budget cuts in 1984, the Psychiatric Nursing program was reduced to a one-year program and moved to Douglas College, where it remains today.

The Burquitlam Community Association (BCA) was established in 1997 to advocate for the residents of Burquitlam and foster a strong sense of community in the area. It grew out of an effort by citizens to stop a proposed Sky Train route through the Miller Park area because of concerns over potential ecological damage to the forest and bird habitat. The BCA was instrumental in lobbying the City of Coquitlam and the RCMP to provide a satellite police station in the Burquitlam area, which was established in the Burquitlam Plaza. The group successfully advocated for the conversion of a city-owned lot at 515 Ebert Avenue into a community garden, which is now managed by the Burquitlam Community Organic Garden Society. The BCA was active in the consultation process with developers and contractors for the Millennium Line SkyTrain extension through Burquitlam. The BCA regularly organized all candidates meetings during elections to ensure the interests of Burquitlam residents were taken into account.

In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other outstanding issues, the Board of Directors determined that the time had come to dissolve the Association. In accordance with the Societies Act, a Special General Meeting was held on May 27, 2021 and a motion was approved to officially dissolve the Association. All funds were returned to major donors and distributed to local non-profit organizations.

Photograph studio operated by Maurice Krass.

Donald Luxton & Associates is a cultural and heritage planning consulting firm. Their award-winning, multi-disciplinary team ensures a creative and practical response to the management of cultural and heritage resources for both the public and private sectors. Donald Luxton & Associates has carried out numerous municipal planning projects, heritage inventories and the restoration of public buildings throughout British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon. The firm was founded by Donald Luxton around 1996.

Crehan, Meredith & Co. Chartered Accountants was founded ca. 1938. The offices were located at 402 West Pender Street in Vancouver. Lt.-Col. Maurice J. Crehan was a partner in the firm Crehan, Meredith & Co. Chartered Accountants. He was born on February 25, 1909 to Matthew Joseph Crehan and Mercy Ellen Crehan (née Wilkinson), also Chartered Accountants who operated Crehan, Mouat & Co. until ca. 1937. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps and was killed in action in Italy on October 20, 1944.

Glacier Media Group was founded on March 23, 1988. It provides business intelligence, marketing and advertising, and community media services. The company owns a large number (60 as of 2020) of community newspapers in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Pauline Jewett, educator, politician (b at St Catharines, Ont 11 Dec 1922; d at Ottawa 5 July 1992). Educated at Queen's, Radcliffe, Harvard and London School of Economics, she was a professor of political science (1955-74) and head of the Institute of Canadian Studies (1971-74) at Carleton before being appointed president of Simon Fraser University (1974-78), the first woman to head a major coeducational university in Canada.

Jewett was a Liberal MP for Northumberland from 1963 to 1965 and in 1966 she was vice-president of the national Liberal Party. In 1979, 1980 and 1984 she was elected MP for New Westminster-Coquitlam for the New Democratic Party. In Parliament she was NDP critic on education and external affairs, the constitution, federal-provincial relations, arms control and disarmament. Jewett did not seek re-election in 1988. She was an Officer of the Order of Canada. Jewett returned to university life in 1990 to serve as Chancellor of Carleton University until her death. Carleton renamed the Institute of Womens Studies (est 1987) the Pauline Jewett Institute of Womens Studies in 1992.

Deborah Smyth was Miss Congeniality of the Miss Coquitlam Pageant in 1986.

Thomas Gilbert Brian Caunt was born in Hull, Yorkshire, England to Harry Caunt and Louisa (Cuthbert) Caunt in 1898. In 1903, he came to Canada with his family who settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Caunt originally wanted to be a farmer and attended the Manitoba Agricultural College (later University of Manitoba) in 1914 and 1915.

In 1915, Caunt joined the 8th Battalion of the Winnipeg Rifles and was posted overseas with the 1st Division CEF, and served as infantry during The Somme, Ypres, and Passchendaele. He returned to Canada in late 1919. Caunt was a member of the Canadian Legion Post 2 for many years.

After serving in the war, he was determined to become a doctor. He graduated in medicine from the University of Manitoba in 1934. Caunt married Lucy Agnes Sybil Slaughter on April 24, 1935.

Following an internship at the Vancouver General Hospital, Caunt joined the staff of the Provincial Mental Hospital, Essondale in 1935. For many years he was in charge of the care of Veterans at the hospital. In 1952, he became medical superintendent of the hospital and Crease Clinic, a position he held until 1963 when he retired.

In 1954, Caunt became a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association as well as a certified specialist in psychiatry by the Royal College. He was also a charter member of the Canadian Psychiatric Association.

Caunt died on January 28, 1984.

Lillian Frances Touzeau was born to Ernest and Christine (Vaudin) Touzeau on June 22, 1920. They lived in the independent municipality of South Vancouver near 41st between Victoria Drive and Knight Road. Her parents and oldest brother had arrived in Canada from Guernsey, Channel Islands in 1911. Both her brothers attended UBC and one of Lillian’s dreams was to also study on the Point Grey campus to become a pharmacist.

Touzeau graduated from John Oliver High School in South Vancouver, after which she enrolled as student nurse at the Provincial Mental Hospital, Essondale in 1941. Lillian chose this profession as she had experience with mental health concerns; a neighbour and classmate suffered from depression and when the mother of this girl was unable to deal with her child she would ask Lillian to visit and ease the situation.

To Lillian, living with the other nursing students at the Nurses’ Residence was much like having sisters. The seventeen women in the Class of 1944 remained in close contact over many years. Lillian was an excellent student and was awarded the Deputy Minister’s medal for General Proficiency in 1944. From September 1943 – May 1944 she was president of the Student Nurses’ Association. In her report for the 1944 PMH Annual she wrote: “We have taken our difficulties to the training school and by talking over our problems we hope that the desires and ambitions of the students have been more clearly understood.”

Lillian required a leave of absence to provide hospice care for her mother in 1945. In 1946 she met Andrew Manzer, who had returned from the Second World War overseas and was employed at the Provincial Mental Hospital. They married in 1947 and lived near Campbell River until 1958 where they raised a family of 3 daughters. They moved to New Westminster and Lillian returned to work at the Woodlands School. She retired from there in 1980 at age 60.

Andrew died suddenly in 1989. Lillian remained active in the community as a volunteer for the Arthritis Association and in the kitchen at Century House Association. She practiced Taoist Tai Chi, was an avid reader of all kinds of literature. She died at Queen’s Park Care Centre in New Westminster, BC on the 26th of October in 2008.

Marie Celia Hinque was born and raised in Ponteix, Saskatchewan. Her father co-founded Notre Dame d'Auvergne parish. Her family moved to Maillardville in 1930. She attended Central School and then worked in a boarding house in New Westminster. She married Simon Bart Charpentier on July 16, 1935. They had seven children and lived in a house at 200 Hart Street.

Bob McLean was a racecar driver who was killed racing the very first GT40 chassis at the 1966 Sebring 12 Hours. McLean was born in 1933 in Port Pirie, in Southern Australia. He moved all over the world but eventually settled on the West Coast of Canada. He raced his MGA in the first race at Westwood Racetrack on opening day, July 26, 1959. In 1965, he dominated the Canadian Championship, winning 19 out of 21 races. His record caught the attention of Ford and he was offered a single-race contract to drive the Mk1 GT40 at the twelve-hour race in Sebring. Four people were killed during the race, including McLean.

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) is a not-for-profit, volunteer run environmental stewardship group, that conducts a salmon enhancement program in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada. HSWS is actively involved in watershed restoration, public awareness, education and preservation.

Before becoming a non-profit society, the group was originally known as the Hoy Creek Streamkeepers. They restored an old, 3-room trout rearing facility on the Frederick Brewer property in 1995, with the support of the DFO, the City of Coquitlam, and the Coquitlam Optimists Club. Coho from the Port Coquitlam Hunting and Fishing Club hatchery were placed in the rearing pond in July 1995. Following the completion of the rearing pond, the Hoy Creek Streamkeepers joined with Scott Creek stream-keeping groups to form the Hoy-Scott Streamkeepers in 1996. The hatchery itself was completed in 1997.

In 2002 the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society was formed and registered with an expanded mandate to promote watershed restoration and help raise awareness of our shared responsibility for the care of the creek and its surrounding habitat. Founding members who signed the Society document were: Keith Kozak, Linda Gorsline, Chris Hamming, Andrea Tubbs, and Shawn Tubbs.

Initially the goal was to help rebuild a population of coho in Hoy Creek. Now that coho are consistently coming back in encouraging numbers, HSWS is focused on supporting and maintaining returns, as well as carrying out other activities that keep the environment of the creek healthy. In 2015 their salmon enhancement program was expanded to include chum salmon.

HSWS spends a great deal of time in the removal of invasive plants, either during weekly work hours, or via special-planned events with the City of Coquitlam's Bad Seed program. The Society also undertakes activities including Adipose Fin-Clipping, In-Stream Creek Cleans, Rearing Pond Cleans, Hoy Trail Cleanups, and an annual pair of events called “Salmon Leave Home” and “Salmon Come Home.” HSWS received a Lifetime Achievement Group Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Coquitlam in 2018.

The history of the Columbian newspaper can be traced back to 1859. The New Westminster Times, the predecessor of the newspaper, was published on Sept. 17th, 1859 by Leonard McClure. In 1861, Leonard McClure sold the Times to a group of New Westminster citizens who renamed the paper, the British Columbian whose first issued appeared on February 13, 1861. John Robson, a future premier of the province, was appointed as its editor. The newspapers office was located at the south side of Columbia Street in Lytton Square. In March 1862, the office moved several doors east along Columbia. After the consolidation of the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia in 1868, the local economic conditions worsened and Robson moved the newspaper to Victoria in 1869 where it was eventually bought by a competing newspaper, the Daily British Colonist.;Robson returned to New Westminster in 1880 and purchased a local paper, the Dominion Pacific Herald in 1880. In August, 1881, his brother, David Robson, joined John Robson. Robson with the help of his brother published the first issue of the new British Columbian in January 1882. However, in 1883, John Robson again returned to Victoria to pursue his political ambitions and left the newspaper in the hands of his brother to manage until 1888, when the newspaper changed ownership. In this year, the newspaper was purchased by the five Kennedy brothers: George was the editor, Robert, the business manager, with the remaining three brothers being responsible for other duties. Throughout its early years the newspaper was published several times a week, but it was not until 1886, when the newspaper became a daily paper and was renamed the Daily Columbian. After the great New Westminster fire of 1898, the newspaper ceased publication for one month. The newspapers offices were destroyed and all its records lost. Forced to publish in Vancouver for the next year, on Oct. 8, 1898 the daily issues recommenced after the fire. The newspaper returned to New Westminster the following year. On Sept. 9, 1899 the newspaper moved into a building at Victoria Gardens, on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Clarkson. In 1900, a group of local citizens with the help of Richard McBride, another future premier, purchased the paper. Ownership of the paper was transferred from the five Kennedy brothers to the following new shareholders: G. E. Corbould, Fred Buscombe, Charles Wilson, T. S. Annandale, W. J. Mathers, J. W. Johnston and George V. Fraser. The new owners were shareholders in the Columbian Company Limited which was incorporated on May 17, 1900. The Kennedy brothers continued on the staff. In 1900, James Davis JD Taylor, a future MP and senator, was appointed as its managing editor (E). In 1902, JD Taylor became a shareholder. In April, 1906, J. D. Taylor became a director of the company. Subsequently, Taylor bought out the rest of the original shareholders. The Taylor family maintained ownership of the paper throughout the remainder of its history. For a time, the Columbian owned several other newspapers. In 1907, the company bought the Chilliwack Progress and operated until 1923. The Columbian also operated the Delta Times from 1909 to 1922.;C. Davis Taylor, J. D. Taylors only son, joined the paper in 1921. In 1924, he became a shareholder. In 1927, he became a director. At the time of his early death in 1940, he was the managing editor. In May, 1941, J. D. Taylor died at age 77. Subsequently, ownership of the Columbian Company was passed to his two daughters Miss Dorothy Taylor and Miss Mary L. Babe (Mrs. M. L. Emes), his daughter-in-law, Mrs. C. D. Taylor (Mrs. Walter Goodwin) and grandson, Richard D. Rikk Taylor. During WWII, there was only little or no growth as necessity and equipments were impossible; however, during the post WWII boom, the Columbian Company was able to expand its operations. Although during its early years, the newspaper was a political newspaper with several owners also being politician, the newspaper took a more independent line during its later period. The three successive editors were first, R. A. Mac McLellan, who retired in 1948. The next editor, Dorothy G. Taylor, daughter of Sen. J. D. Taylor, as also editor of the popular weekly edition of The Columbian that served the Fraser Valley until 1950. She resigned her position in 1954 and retired. I. E. Bill Hambly was editor from 1954. In 1972, the newspaper moved its operations to North Road in Coquitlam. In 1980, more than 200 staff member were working under the direction of R. D. Rikk Taylor. It was one of Canadas few remaining independent family-owned newspapers. In the early days, the circulation of the newspaper was only a few hundred copies. By 1941, daily circulation was 3,000. In the 1940s, the Columbian had reached 5,000 circulation and served only New Westminster. However, by 1964, the paper reached 22,000 circulation and served not just new Westminster, but neighbouring communities as well with five separate weekly editions: the Burnaby Columbian, the Coquitlam Columbian, the New Westminster Columbian and the Surrey Columbian, and Fraser Valley Columbian. In 1971, daily circulation was 36,000. In 1980, the daily press reached a high of 39,000. Including the affiliated Columbian weeklies, circulation reached 120,000. There were also community newspapers published under the name of Today from 1979 to 1983 for Burnaby, Coquitlam, Fraser Valley, New Westminster, and Surrey/North Delta. The Company also operated a commercial printing division, Craftsmen Printers. Circulation of the newspaper began to decline in the late seventies and burdened by increasing debt, the newspaper laboured to stay in business. A final attempt of the owners to raise more capital by selling a portion of their equity in the paper failed. Forced into bankruptcy, a receiver was appointed on October 11, 1983 to wind up the affairs of the business. The last issue of the newspaper was published on November 15, 1983. The Columbian Company was dissolved on November 10, 1988.