The West Coast Women and Words Society was incorporated in 1982 with the goal of supporting women's writing. The society held an influential conference for women in literary and related fields in Vancouver from June 30 to July 3, 1983; participants included Canadian women writers, editors, publishers, critics, printers, typesetters, academics, playwrights, librarians, distributors, booksellers, translators, and educational and cultural organizers. The conference featured presentations of papers, panel discussions, workshops and interviews relevant to such themes as: feminism, power and alternative structures doing it (i.e. developing work strategies), traditions and new directions. The proceedings of the 1983 conference in Vancouver were published by Longspoon Press as IN THE FEMININE in 1985.
Following the conference, the West Coast Women and Words Society continued to fulfill their mandate by organizing poetry competitions, hosting readings and events, editing and compiling anthologies of women's writing, and running a mentorship program designed to connect young women writers with more established ones. IN 1984, the Society published WOMEN AND WORDS: THE ANTHOLOGY/ LES FEMMES ET LET MOTS: UNE ANTHOLOGIE with Harbour Publishing.
From 1985-1994, the Society held an annual summer school and retreat for women writers, WEST WORD. They also sponsored weekend workshops, writing contests, and book discussion groups. The society was officially dissolved in 1998, after prolonged financial difficulties.
Terry Hunter and Savannah Walling have been collaborating creatively since early 1971 while studying at the Simon Fraser University. Savannah Walling (Savannah Tennessee Elain Walling) emigrated to Canada in 1968 as Elaine Walling Bryan. In the early years at SFU her work was credited as Elaine Bryan or Elain Walling Bryan. From 1972 she became known as Savannah Walling and legally changed it in 1975 to Savannah Tennessee Elaine Walling. In 1968, Savannah began working at the Simon Fraser University library as a clerk and began attending dance programs and workshops. She contributed choreography and performed at the SFU theatre productions. In 1969, Terry Hunter enrolled at SFU and began studying political science and geography as well as he participated in the SFU theatre productions and began working backstage. In 1971, Terry and Savannah paths met while they were both employed by the Simon Fraser Mime Troup that toured Burnaby parks. The couple married and have been collaborating since.
They worked and performed for various art companies: Vancouver Lab Theatre (1972), co-founded The Mime Caravan (1973-1974) and Terminal City Dance (1975-1982).
In 1983, Hunter and Walling co-founded the art company in Downtown Eastside named Special Delivery/Music/Theatre Society. In 1987, the name was changed to Special Delivery Moving Theatre Society and subsequently in 1992 to Vancouver Moving Theatre Society (VMT). Over three decades this art company produced, adapted, choreographed and performed various projects including: Festival Characters (1983-1985), Samarambi: Pounding of the Heart (1986), Ab audire, Blood Music (1987-1997), The House of Memory (1989-1990), Strathcona Artist at Home Festival (1999-2004), Wak (1993), Rhythm in Theatre (1995), Luigi’s Kitchen (1996-2002), The Good Person of Setzuan (1998), Awake (2000), Sucker Falls (2001), Tales of the Ramayana (2002), Hot Music/ Cool Takes (2003), In the Heart of the City: The Downtown Eastside Community Play (2003) Heart of the City Festival (2003-2022), Bah Hambug (2010-2019) and many others.
Vancouver Moving Theatre company performed at various events and festivals in Canada and worldwide, including Expo 86 in British Columbia and Expo 88 in Australia. The VMT collaborated with many local, regional and national partners in art and non-art environments. The collaboration with multicultural communities of Downtown Eastside resulted in creation of Strathcona Artists at Home Festival and Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival.
The VMT was involved in creating resources and educational programs, and in providing leadership and training for community-engaged arts programs and community symposiums as well as in organizing arts and dance workshops for children and adults.
Out On Campus (OOC) was established in 1972 as a student group to support and advocate for LGBTQIA2S+ members of the SFU community, as well as provide a space for social and cultural events. Out On Campus supports undergraduate, graduate, and Fraser International College (FIC) students. At the time of writing (2024), OOC is a department of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), with a referendum passed in 2012 (SFSS Space Expansion Fund - Reallocation) assigning $0.50 per full time student per year to OOC, and is partially funded by the Graduate Student Society (GSS). Originally named Gays of SFU (occasionally written as SFU Gay People), it was re-named Gay and Lesbian People of SFU (GLPSFU) in 1982. The group was then on-hold until 1988, when it was re-established as the Gay and Lesbian Association of SFU (GALA), before being re-named as Out on Campus in 1994. A new constitution was created for each name change, and OOC remains a safe space for people of all genders and sexualities at SFU.
Out On Campus joined the Rotunda groups in 1996, opening the Rainbow Room (now the Out On Campus Centre) after a successful proposal for an LGBTQ+ centre to the SFSS. It further joined the Rotunda libraries in 1997, with the Out On Campus Library focused on LGBTQ+ materials. The Rotunda groups, after years of negotiation with SFU and the SFSS for space as the Student Union Building (SUB) was being built, are now housed in the SUB.
While occasionally being referred to as a collective in previous structures of the organization, the Out On Campus constitution established the Out On Campus Collective, the official governing body of OOC. Largely and historically volunteer-run, the Collective continues this trend, and while not all volunteers are Collective members, any volunteer can be. A part-time staff position was added in 1999, and a second in 2005, now known as the Coordinator and Programming Assistant. In 2018, the Coordinator role was turned into a full-time position.
Out On Campus provides a number of services, including the Out On Campus Centre which in addition to being a safe space for LGBTQ+ community members and allies, has free safer sex resources, free gender affirming products (including chest binders, breast forms, packers, and tucking gaff), sanitary products, razors, refreshments, and kitchen facilities. OOC also offers peer support and crisis referrals, informational resources such as their Resource Guide for 2SLGBTQIA+ students, allies, and community at SFU, an LGBTQ+ library as part of the Rotunda libraries, and regular social, cultural, and educational programming.
The Nunaga Publishing Company was formed in 1972 by Rick Antonson, Brian Antonson and Mary Trainer upon the publication of a book they co-wrote, entitled "In Search of a Legend: Slumach’s Gold." Nunaga went on to publish books by other British Columbia authors, including "New Westminster: The Early Years" by Alan Woodland, "British Columbia Canoe Routes" by Canoe Sport BC, and "Highrise Horticulture: A Guide to Gardening in Small Spaces" by David Tarrant. Nunaga became a registered limited company in 1974. Rick Antonson was director and president, Mary Trainer was director and treasurer, and Brian Antonson was director and secretary. Nunaga purchased the rights to "Canadian Frontier Magazine" in 1974, and published the "Canadian Frontier Annual" from 1976-1978. The company’s Canadian sales representatives were McIntyre and Stanton in the West, and Belford Books in the East.
Nunaga changed its name to Antonson Publishing in 1977; that same year, Mary Trainer resigned as director. Under the name Antonson Publishing, the company continued to publish nonfiction books including "Vancouver Defended: History of the Men and Guns of the Lower Mainland Defences, 1859-1949" by Peter Moogk, and "Prison Doctor" by Guy Richmond. Over eight years, Nunaga/Antonson published twenty-five titles. In 1980, Antonson Publishing sold the rights to and backlist stock of its books to Douglas & McIntyre (D&M) and wound up its publishing activities. After the sale, Rick Antonson became Vice President and General Manager of Douglas & McIntyre. He left publishing to work in BC’s tourism industry in the mid-1980s, but remained a member of D&M’s board of directors into the mid-2000s.
Rattler was an experimental multimedia and poetry zine published between 1982 and 1987 in Hollywood, California. Heather Haley was the editor and publisher for all four issues, along with Peter Haskell, who is listed as associate editor for the first issue, and co-editor for the second and fourth issue. Haley stated that she wanted to produce a zine with presence and style, something that would make poetry accessible and readable.
Valhalla Wilderness Society (VWS) was founded in 1975, in New Denver, British Columbia; it achieved park status for what is now Valhalla Provincial Park in 1983. VWS went on to successfully spearhead campaigns for the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, Goat Range Provincial Park, and the Spirit Bear Conservancies on Princess Royal Island. VWS also played one of the key roles in the protection of South Moresby National Park Reserve (Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve on Haida Gwaii). Its Endangered Wilderness Map of 1988 helped to spark the movement to double BC’s park system to 12% of the province. Valhalla has led park campaigns for over 560,000 hectares of now protected land.
Mother Tongue Publishing is a small independent Canadian publishing company located on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, run by Mona Fertig and Peter Haase. Mother Tongue publishes books of B.C. fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction, and the series, The Unheralded Artists of BC, dedicated to recognizing forgotten 20th century B.C. artists (1900s-1960s). Mother Tongue started as a small international literary periodical. From 1994 until around 2008, Mother Tongue Press published letterpress limited edition books and broadsides of poetry by Stephanie Bolster, Lorna Crozier, Kate Braid, Cathy Ford, Maxine Gadd, Shirley Graham, Penn Kemp, Robert Kroetsch, Sylvia Legris, Peter Levitt, Sandi Frances Duncan, Patricia Young, Daphne Marlatt, Susan McCaslin, P.K. Page, Murray Reiss, Nadine Shelly, Peter Such and Phyllis Webb. The publications employed handmade endpaper, beautiful cover stock, recycled paper, embossing, letterpress printing, handsewing, non-adhesive binding, and tipped in photographs of paintings. Mother Tongue Press also held book art, letter press and writing workshops, and organized book launches and readings. In 2008, Mother Tongue Press expanded and entered trade publishing as Mother Tongue Publishing.
What's Brewing Magazine (BC) is a journal reporting on the British Columbia craft beer movement. It was originally established in 1990 as the newsletter of the Campaign for Real Ale Society of BC (CAMRA BC). CAMRA UK, CAMRA Canada and CAMRA BC all had newsletters by this same name. The BC version was launched by CAMRA BC's Victoria branch in June 1990 under the editorship of Phil Atkinson and typically published six times a year. In 2003 it was re-positioned as the magazine of CAMRA BC as a whole. At the end of 2013 long-time editor Atkinson stepped down. Only two issues were published in 2014 and it appeared that the journal might go under. In 2015 Dave Smith became editor to revive the magazine. What's Brewing remained closely associated with the philosophy and goals of CAMRA, but was now relaunched by Smith as an independent digital-first magazine reporting on the BC craft beer scene generally. In 2020 What's Brewing issued its final print edition, continuing as an online-only service.
Editors:
- Phil Atkinson, Editor (1990-1995)
- Steve Fudge, Editor (1995-1996)
- Phil Atkinson, Editor (1996-1998)
- Dave Preston, Editor (1998-2003)
- Phil Atkinson, Editor (2003-2013)
- Ian Lloyd, Editor (2014)
- Dave Smith, Editor (2015-)
The Simon Fraser University Society (SFUSS) was established on October 5, 1965. "University" was later dropped and it is now known as the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS). The SFSS still maintains its original constitutional objectives: "to promote, direct, administer, coordinate all student activities of, by and for the students of Simon Fraser University, and to promote cooperation amongst the students of Simon Fraser University and cooperation between the members of the Society and students within the Province and elsewhere." Its mandate has come to include advocating for students rights and providing services to graduate and undergraduate members. These include advocacy services, such as Legal Aid and Women's Centre, and retail services, such as Quad Books, the Print Shop and the Pub.
In its first year, the Society organized social events, co-sponsored Vietnam teach-ins, started a co-op bookstore, and protested against the poor quality food offered on campus. In the 1970s, the Society organized against tuition fee increases, lobbied for improved on-campus housing, started a women's centre, and opened a student-run pub. The 1980s saw the development of plans for a student union building and a continuation in the struggle for affordable education. In the 1990s the Society has constructed the Maggie Benston Centre, expanded its services and continues to advocate on behalf of students for accessible, affordable education.
The Executive Council originally consisted of 14 elected officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Ombudsman, Clubs Director, Public Relations Officer, Arts, Science and Education Presidents, Athletics Coordinator, Social Convenor, Cultural Director, and Housing coordinator. This remained until 1977 when changes to constitutional by laws established five at large positions: President, Treasurer, External and Internal Relations Officers, Secretary, and Public Relations Officer and the Ombuds Office. Currently, six elected Executive officers and 36 Student Union representatives elected by students from each academic department sit on the Forum, the student representative body responsible for all major Student Society decisions. The Departmental Student Unions and Standing Committees supply information and recommendations to the Forum. Student Society Standing Committees deal with every aspect of the Society's operations.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Canada was an advocacy organization based in Quebec and Ontario, formally incorporated under the national Cooperative Corporations Acts in January 1982. Its origins, however, trace back to 1978, when a homebrewers' cooperative was established in Montreal as CAMRA Montreal. Almost simultaneously a similar organization developed in Ottawa, and the two fused in the national organization created in 1982.
CAMRA Canada shared the overall philosophy and general aims of the UK Campaign for Real Ale that had been established in 1971 to revive the production of traditional cask-conditioned beer. There was no formal affiliation, however, as CAMRA UK has no provision for international branches. CAMRA Canada was a national organization with local chapters, and it produced a regular newsletter called (like CAMRA UK's) What's Brewing from 1982 to 1992. For its relationship to BC's CAMRA organization, see the SFU AtoM entry on CAMRA BC. By the mid-1990s, CAMRA Canada was defunct and the newsletter no longer appeared.
Canada’s first licensed microbrewery, Granville Island Brewing (GIB) officially opened its doors on June 9, 1984. However, the planning began several years earlier in 1981, when business partners Mitch Taylor and Bill Harvey were seeking out a new venture. Nearly a decade had passed since the pair had established The Creekhouse on Granville Island in 1972 and False Creek Marinas in 1973, paving the way for other businesses and the revitalization of the area.
Although at the time the BC beer market was dominated by the ‘Big Three’ (Molson, Labatt’s and Carling O’Keefe), Taylor and Harvey were inspired by the opening of an English-style ale brewpub, Horseshoe Bay Brewing in 1982, to establish a German-style lager craft brewery. Located at 1441 Cartwright Street, in an old warehouse in a high traffic area near the entrance to Granville Island, the proposed brewery would produce premium, unpasteurized beer to sell through its own retail store for at-home consumption as well as through the government liquor
stores and other licensed premises in the Lower Mainland. At the time, Granville Island received six million visitors per year (both tourists and locals) and had no liquor retailers although it did have six licensed restaurants.
In order to brew this premium lager, the pair decided that they should hire a German braumeister to direct the brewing process according to the Bavarian Purity Law. They travelled to Germany, selecting three brewers to visit Vancouver to compete for the honour. The successful candidate was Rainer Kallahne from Aalen, who had received his braumeister diploma from the University of Berlin and was assistant brewmaster at Koepf Breweries.
In addition to Taylor and Harvey, initial partners in Granville Island Brewing Company Limited were: former McDonald’s marketing vice president Larry Sherwood, in charge of marketing; UBC engineering professor Bob McKecknie, for engineering; lawyer Ian Robertson, for the legal work; and Ted Reichgeld, a building engineer and developer in charge of construction. The first five directors of the company were: Mitch Taylor, Ian Robertson, Robert Paterson, Norman Ross and Robert Hunt.
With personal equity, bank debt and a Limited Partnership, construction of the $3 million brewery building designed by Peter Busby began in the fall of 1983. The brewhouse equipment was sourced from the UK, the stainless-steel tanks from the Fraser Valley and the Krones bottling line and bottle washer from Germany. The brewery used fifteen 60 hectolitre aging tanks, with an initial capacity of 5,000 hectolitres or 125,000 cases per year.
After two years of negotiations with the BC Liquor Control and Licensing Branch, Granville Island Brewing Company Limited received its brewer’s license on January 18, 1984, becoming the first licensed microbrewery in Canada. When GIB opened its doors in 1984, it offered one beer: Island Lager. The first batch was produced in the spring of 1984 (brewing began in April), and it took a total of six weeks before it was shelf ready. Once the beer was produced it had a shelf life of only 60 days due to the lack of preservatives.
In June 1984, the first sales of 5.0% Island Lager were made in the GIB retail store, costing consumers $4.40 for a four pack and $12.50 for a twelve pack. In addition to onsite sales, Island Lager was sold at local pubs, restaurants and cold beer stores throughout the lower mainland. In the first seven months of operation, 40,000 dozen bottles were sold. Brewery merchandise and souvenirs were also sold at the store and free tours of the brewery were offered throughout the day, making it a popular tourist destination. With the addition of Okanagan wine sales in April 1985, the store was allowed to open on Sundays (the only place in Vancouver where one could buy beer on that day of the week) and long lineups were a regular occurrence. By December 1988, GIB beer was carried in 120 provincial government liquor stores, 40 cold beer and wine stores and approximately 600 licensed establishments throughout British Columbia.
Island Lager would be joined in April 1985 by the seasonal Island Bock, which became a permanent product in 1987, the 4% Island Light in May 1988, and Lord Granville Pale Ale circa 1991. Island Marzen was first produced for Granville Island’s 10th anniversary in 1988, and was kept on as a seasonal beer. The beer was sold in unique, tall necked bottles, more similar to imported beers than the stubby bottles preferred by the large brewers of the time. In May 1986, GIB began offering draft Island Lager in a take home Party Keg. The insulated kegs came in 10L, 15L and 20L sizes.
In December 1986, GIB signed a supply agreement with California’s Pasadena Beer Company and began exporting their beer as Pasadena Lager. In 1987, GIB sold 800 hectolitres to Pasadena Beer Company included in total sales of 6178 hectolitres of packaged and 4457 hectolitres of draught . Plans in 1986 and 1987 for an “Island Alt” ale, with reduced aging time, never came to fruition but an “ale” named Lord Granville Pale Ale was showcased at "A Celebration of Beer" on March 20, 1991.
Eventually, Bill Harvey pulled out of the brewery operations. Mitch Taylor continued as President and CEO until 1989 but was unable to make the brewery financially sustainable at its initial scale of production and with the constraints of the lager’s long aging cycle. For several years, he sought additional investors and for a time he took the business public on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. In 1989, Taylor accepted an offer from International Potters Distilling (owner of Calona Wines and Pacific Western Brewery) for a share exchange with GIB. This reduced Taylor’s shares from a majority position in GIB to a much smaller minority position in Potters. He remained involved with GIB for another three years, taking on the position of VP Sales and Marketing for Potters before resigning and selling his shares in 1992.
Under Potters’ ownership, the aging tanks capacity was doubled to 120 hectolitres, and in 1993 GIB became the first microbrewery to use cans. Production was moved to Kelowna, BC in the early 1990s. In August 2005, GIB was purchased by Andrew Peller Wines, and in 2009 it was acquired by Creemore Springs, a subsidiary of Molson Coors Canada, which still owned the brewery as of August 2023.
The Governance Working Group was formed to assess the effectiveness of the governance activities of the Board and make recommendations for improvement. The final report and recommendations issued by this group resulted in the formation of the Board of Governors' Governance Committee in July of 2004.
The Board of Governors is the University's primary governing body. As established by the Universities Act of 1963, the Board originally consisted of eleven members: the Chancellor, President, three members elected by the Senate, and six others who were appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. The Universities Act of 1974 increased the number of board members to fifteen (its current number). The Board now includes eight government appointees (two of whom are nominated by the Alumni Association), two elected faculty members, two elected students, 1 elected staff member, and the Chancellor and the President who serve as ex officio members.
The Board of Governors is responsible for the management, administration and control of property, revenue, business and affairs of the University. With the approval of the University Senate, the Board establishes procedures for the selection of candidates for President, deans, Librarian, Registrar, and other senior academic administrators as the Board may designate. The Board also appoints these officials as well as professors and other members of the teaching staff. The Board has the power to fix salaries and define the duties and tenure of office for its appointees, but members of the teaching staff may not be appointed, promoted or removed except upon the recommendation of the President. The Board receives from the President and analyses or adopts with or without modifications the budgets for operating and capital expenditures; fixes the fees to be paid by students; administers funds, grants, fees, endowments and other assets; and, with the approval of Senate, has the power to determine the number of students that may be accommodated at the University.
Chairs of the Board:
Gordon M. Shrum (1963-1968)
Richard E. Lester (1968-1971)
Kenneth P. Caple (1972)
Paul T. Cote (1972-1976, 1981-1982)
Ray Parkinson (1976-1981)
Fred H. Moonen (1982-1987, 1990-1994)
Donald J. Hudson (1988-1990)
Yvonne Cocke (1994-1996)
Tazeen Nathoo (1996-1997)
David Bond (1997-1998)
Jack Kowarsky (1998-1999)
Evaleen Jaager Roy (1999-2002)
Brandt C. Louie (2002-2005)