Vancouver Secrets

150 Years Old – Vancouver’s History

photo credit: Mikey G Ottawa

You’d think after 150 years there would be a lot to talk about, historic events that would capture imagination, and the web would be full of articles.

Some interesting sites inform us that Vancouver was know as the city of squatters for the first 100 odd years… and quite a few riots. Vancouver was named after Captain George Vancouver who spent only one day on the site.

Other notable achievements include the first Hudson Bay Store, the “Arena” that opened its doors in 1911 – Canada’s first artificial ice rink opens to the public, and we’re still waiting for the Canucks to win the cup.

I’ll probably end up on page one of Google, as there doesn’t seem to be a lot to talk about. You’d think Vancouver would have more sites covering important events from the past 150 years…

Being 150 years old would set the founding date at 1858. But the Dominion of Canada was not established until 1867, which puts Canada at 141 years old. The province of B.C. joined Confederation in 1871, so the province is really only 137 years old.

So how do they come up with 150 years?

Apparently in 1858, Sir James Douglas became the first governor of the new “Colony of British Columbia.” That same year Douglas also appointed the first public servants (now known as Government Agents) to collect taxes and issue licences in the new colony.

Vancouver also became know as the city of squatters for the next 100 odd years… and quite a few riots.

What the province is really celebrating is 150 years of British Columbians paying taxes. Very appropriate as the tend has continued unabated for all these years.

Here’s 150 years in a nutshell:

• One of the events that pushed the founding of BC was the discovery of gold in the interior Cariboo region of British Columbia. The region was being overrun by thousands of gold seekers and there was an urgent need to ensure that the sovereignty of the area was maintained and that there was law and order in the goldfields. Tax was invented.
• The first wave of Chinese immigrants to Canada moved north from San Francisco in 1858. They came to British Columbia to prospect for gold on the Fraser River. Working as gold miners, laundrymen and market gardeners, they also became teamsters, coal miners, salmon canners and servants. Mainly men, they had left their wives and families behind in China; much of their Canadian earnings was sent home to care for their families. Now they all are here… Personal tax was invented.
• Today they have taxes for environment, sales tax, gas tax, personal and property tax, disposal fees (taxes), recycling fees (taxes), government insurance (the most clever of taxes), property transfer fees (tax), and the list goes on and on.
• They are spending $6.6 million  to support activities commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the colony of British Columbia during 2008. More tax money needed.

So I’d like to wish the government of BC a happy 150 years… and the tradition of finding new and creative ways of taxing BC residents.