Chronological Overview: 1929 - 1945

1929 - 1929	1930 - 1934	1935 - 1939
1940 - 1944	1945 - 1945

1930 June. Control of Nanaimo Light, Power and Heating Co. is acquired by the Commonwealth Corporation. High transmission line connects Duncan and Nanaimo systems. BCE's Ruskin plant on Stave River comes onstream with two 35,000-kW turbogenerators. Northern BC Power Co. opens its Falls River hydroelectric plant 31 miles south of Prince Rupert. 1931 October. New domestic energy rates based on floor area are introduced in an effort to increase average domestic consumption of electricity. Bridge River tunnel through Mission Mountain is completed. 1932 West Kootenay Power and Light Co. installs a hydroelectric plant at Goat River to serve community of Creston. Weekly bus passes are introduced in Vancouver. Barrière Dam is constructed. Gas is supplied to North Vancouver over the rebuilt Second Narrows. BCE starts its Farm Service department. 1933 New manufactured-gas plant goes into operation on Carrall Street in Vancouver. BCE's Farm Service News starts publishing. 1934 July. Amalgamation of Duncan Utilities Ltd. and Nanaimo Power Co. into Nanaimo Duncan Utilities Ltd (NDU).
1935 January. Ice storm downs power lines and disrupts transit throughout southern BC. February. Electric transmission line from Victoria's Jordan River plant to Duncan (via mains at Bamberton) is completed. BCE creates motor transport subsidiary Fraser Valley Freight Lines. 1936 January. BCE restores wages cut in 1929. October. Beginning of "Better Light-Better Sight" campaign in Victoria schools reflects increased concern with standards of lighting. 1937 May. Saltspring Island gets electric light from Nanaimo Duncan Utilities. New Westminster switches from streetcars to buses. 1938 December. New Public Utilities Commission is created. Limits BCE to earning 5.8 percent on its investment. 1939 August. Public Utilities Commission launches review of BCE and its subsidiaries (completed in 1943), and of other electrical utilities in the province. First President's Conference Car (PCC) streetcar put into service in Vancouver. Residential electric service in Vancouver costs 2.6 cents per kilowatt hour.
1940 BCE streetcar workers form Stry Credit Union. 1942 Women begin to work as meter readers in Vancouver and Victoria, replacing men diverted to the armed forces and defence industries. 1943 January. Public Utilities Commission gives favourable report on BCE and its operations. Spring and summer. Rumours of government intent to take over BCE stir debate about public ownership; principal proponents are mayors of Vancouver and Victoria. September. First "conductorettes" hired for Vancouver streetcars. November. Householders in Kamloops, in the Lower Mainland, and on Vancouver Island are given free electricity for the months of November and December. (Free months are repeated in 1944 and 1945.) Public Utilities Commission establishes Rural Electrification Committee to report on progress and opportunities in electrification of the province. (Report published in 1945.) 1944 February. BC Electric introduces "Reddy Kilowatt, the Housewives' Pal" in radio and print advertising. Reddy symbol is shared by many privately owned utilities throughout North America. West Kootenay Power and Light Co. completes 55,200-kW plant at Brilliant. September. W. G. Murrin announces BCE's $50-million post-war expansion program.
1945 January. 10-day strike by streetcar and bus workers in Vancouver, Victoria, and New Westminster. April. Under the Electric Power Act, the British Columbia Power Commission (BCPC) is formed to consolidate generation and distribution of electricity throughout the province and to provide for progressive extension of service. Sam Weston is appointed chairman. June. After considerable controversy, the provincial government authorizes BC Electric to import power from the Bonneville project in the USA. July. BCPC purchases Nanaimo Duncan Utilities, its first acquisition. (Followed in the same year by acquisition of West Canadian Hydro Electric Corporation and Terrace's municipal plant.) September. BC Electric retires from sale of small appliances in order to encourage individual dealers. It also offers to subsidize their advertising of electric appliances. October. BC Electric starts "Business Is Moving to BC" advertising campaign in England, the United States, and Eastern Canada to encourage industrial development in the province.