A Rich History

A few years after the Vancouver Police Department was established in 1886, the members of the Vancouver Police Department organized the Police Mutual Benevolent Association ("PMBA"). It is the oldest organized Association within the Department. and was incorporated under the "Benevolent Societies Act" on July 15th, 1911. This makes the PMBA one of the oldest societies in the Province of British Columbia.

In the late 1800’s the members of the Vancouver Police Department had little in the way of benefits, such as sick leave. The members of the Department banded together and formed the PMBA to help take care of each other in times of sickness and need. The PMBA even hired its own surgeon for the members. In the beginning, the initiation into the PMBA was $5.00, which, in 1911 represented one weeks’ pay for a first class Constable.

Today the Department provides excellent health benefits for their members. Now the primary purpose of the PMBA is to provide for members and their families in times of need where benefits do not exist. The PMBA gives 100% of the money it collects back to the membership through direct support and various social events and sponsorships, with the exception of the support given to minor sports in Vancouver and a few charities.

The money contributed to the PMBA goes to support all the members of the Association, both serving and retired, and their families. The PMBA supports so many events and groups that it would be very hard to go through a career without being assisted in some way by the Association. Members know that their money goes to support each other and to help bring us together in our police family.

Although the PMBA is a separate and distinct organization from the Vancouver Police Department, the two organizations exist in partnership. It is the PMBA, with its support of the members and their families, along with the events and programs it offers, that brings the Vancouver Police Department members together and helps to make us proud to be police officers in this great City.

~ Thank you for shopping at the PMBA Canteen and supporting the PMBA – net proceeds from sales at the PMBA Canteen help support our initiatives. ~