The Biggar Board of Trade was initially formed in November 26, 1909. The Board of Trade is a civic agency concerned with commerce and industry. It is served with a membership association consisting of local bankers and business people with the aim of the promotion of commercial ventures and enterprises of mutual benefit to the locale of Biggar. The second floor of a three storey building constructed by J.G. Ormrod, was the public hall where the Board of Trade first held their meetings.

In 1909.

Dr. Samuel James Staples, M.D, C.M practicing physician of Biggar was President of Biggar Board of Trade and one of the most energetic workers for the betterment and expansion of Biggar.

W.R. Meek, of the general store of Meek & Urquhart, Vice-President of the Board of Trade

Frederick A. Dawson , Real Estate and Financial Agent Notary Public, loans and insurance business , was Secretary of the Biggar board of trade

H.H. Miller, proprietor of the Biggar Square Deal refreshment store treasurer of the Biggar Board of Trade

W.J. Graham, International machinery agent, was a sitting member of the Board of Trade.

A. W. Mooney, member and manager of the hardware firm of Mooney and King member of the council of the Board of Trade

Frank Hopkins, manager for the North American Lumber & Supply Co. Ltd.,member of the committee of the Biggar Board of Trade

J.G. Ormrod, proprietor of the Ontario house, member of the council of the Board of Trade

Other members:

Sutherland H. Curran, manager of the Bank of Commerce.active member of the Biggar Board of Trade in the year ?

In April of 1940, M.A. Searle elected President of Board of Trade, then again in March of 1941, the town sees M..A. Searle Re-elected President of Board of Trade


Some notable acts performed by the Board of Trade were to advocate for completion of the Calgary Branch in February 1919. A press report of January 1920 page 18stated that the United Farmers of Alberta, was advised that owing to financial conditions, it will be impossible to proceed with building the Biggar-Calgary Branch this year. The line is in operation from Biggar to Loverna, at the Saskatchewan-Alberta boundary, 105 miles.

Then following railway considerations, the board of trade turned to highway infrastructure for vehicles. The board of trade also mandated for Provincial Highway 14 to be the Jasper Highway in January of 1930. In April of 1954 the Board of Trade purchases 4 signs with "New York is Big But This Is Biggar" to put up on each of the highway approaches to Biggar



Source:


The aformentioned years were documented by Rae Chamberlain from issues of the Biggar Independent newspaper archives.

Biographical Sketches of Biggar Professional and Business People", Biggar World, August 19, 1909, pages 2 to 7.

[http://www.archive.org/stream/n19sessionalpaper52canauoft/n19sessionalpaper52canauoft_djvu.txt "List of Boards of Trade in the Dominion of Canada registered in the Eegistrar'a Branch of the Department of the Secretary of State, under the provisions of Section V., Chapter 124, Eevised Statutes of' Canada, 1906, to March 31, 1916, inclusive."] (OCR text scan online by Internet Archives), Full text of "Sessional papers of the Dominion of Canada 1917", volume 19, Seventh session of the twelfth Parliament of the Doninion of Canada, p.192

(OCR text digitised online by internet archives) Full text of "Canadian transportation" Canadian Railway and Marine World, 1920