Corporate body

Coordinating Council for War Work and Civilian Services in Greater Vancouver

1939-1947

Within a week after Canada declared war on Germany in September 1939, several leaders in community planning in Vancouver called a meeting to: 1. Unite all war appeals for funds; and 2. Coordinate the activities of organizations interested in war work and civilian services. That meeting produced the Vancouver War Chest, which coordinated appeals for funds, and the Vancouver Co-ordinating Council for War Work and Civilian Services, which coordinated services. According to the latter body, Vancouver was the first city in Canada to organize on this basis, and its example was subsequently followed in other cities throughout Canada.

The Vancouver Co-ordinating Council for War Work and Civilian Services fully formed in November 1939 with the following purposes: 1. To provide for cooperation and common planning in local voluntary war services; 2. To make the maximum use of existing resources, and; 3. To promote the organization of new services required to meet changing wartime conditions. Until 1944, the Council functioned as a loose affiliation of committees and sections which conducted their affairs separately, using a Board of Directors to clear plans of major community importance and to consult when needed on financial problems. Its work was divided into four sections: family, auxiliary services, children, and rehabilitation. Formed in 1939 before the full constitution of the Council, the Family Section was concerned with the welfare of families of people in the armed forces. It partnered with the Women's Auxiliaries, social agencies, and representatives of the Navy, Army, and Airforce commands. The Auxiliary Services Section also organized in 1939, and was composed of assorted committees and organizations addressing welfare and recreation for armed forces when off duty. In 1944, the Auxiliary Services Section was disbanded so that its individual boards and committees represented themselves on the Board of Directors. The Children's Section was founded in 1940 to organize for the reception and care of children and families arriving in Vancouver after escaping Britain's Blitz; it was disbanded in 1943 due to adequate services provided by other agencies and organizations in Vancouver. Lastly, the Rehabilitation Section formed in Fall 1940 to assist those discharged from active service. This Section operated a rehabilitation office and referral centre until the government's appointment of Veterans' Welfare Officers, after which it created a representative citizens group to study the problems of rehabilitation, promote official and voluntary measures, and find special assistance for individual cases. This section expanded into a separate but affiliated body, the Rehabilitation Council of Greater Vancouver, in 1944.

In 1944, the Council was incorporated under the "Societies Act," and its organizational structure was reorganized. This is also likely the point at which the organization changed its name from “The Vancouver Co-ordinating Council for War Work and Civilian Services” to “The Co-ordinating Council for War Work and Civilian Services in Greater Vancouver.” The Board of Directors then included officers elected at annual meetings, official representatives from public bodies, chairmen of standing and special committees, representatives from boards and organizations created by the Council, and individual directors. As of 1944, the Board of Directors met monthly and worked with the following committees and boards: the Comforts Committee, which was used by the Women's Auxiliaries and other women's organizations for discussion and cooperative action related to the welfare of servicepeople; the United Services Board, responsible for the operation of the United Services Centre, a recreation centre for those from the armed forces on leave in Vancouver; the Women's Service Centre, a women's hostel and recreation centre for service women supervised by the local YWCA and financed from national war service funds; Women's Voluntary Services, which organized the Volunteer Bureau to assist the Children's Section with reception of war guests; Service Shows, which commenced its operations in November 1942 to provide entertainment for armed forces in outpost stations; the Active Service Magazine Depot, organized in response to an appeal by the Minister of National War Services in 1943 or 1944 to collect magazines for shipment overseas and for use in the Pacific Command; the War Charities Committee, which assisted the Department of National War Services and the Vancouver City Council with investigation and recommendation of all applications for local war charity permits and registrations; the Allied Officers Club, organized from officers' wives and extended to operate an officers' centre; the United Labour Christmas Cheer Fund for the Armed Forces; and the Army Show, when it performed in Vancouver during its Canadian tour. The Council also worked on ongoing projects, such as salvage operations, rivet sorting, and collaborating with the I.O.D.E. in distributing books to camp libraries.

The Council continued operations after the end of World War II in 1945. It officially dissolved in 1947.