About the BCRTA

History

After the BC Teachers’ Federation was formed in 1917, retired teachers began meeting in private homes in Vancouver, and they formed themselves into an association with the primary purpose of improving teachers’ pensions. At about the same time a group of retired teachers in Victoria formed an association with the same goal. In time the two groups joined in common purpose, which led to the formation in 1945 of the BCRTA. The B.C. Retired Teachers’ Association was incorporated as a Society in 1955 with its main objective “to guard the interests and to promote the welfare of its members.”

Mission

The mission of the BCRTA is the maintenance and enhancement of the quality of life for its members specifically and other seniors generally. The purpose of the BCRTA is to promote the interests of the members, to provide information and advice to members on retirement programmes and benefits, to communicate to members on the activities of the Association and issues of common interest, and to promote excellence in public education.

Our Affiliates

Our People

Board of Directors

Caroline Malm
President

Arnie Lambert
Past President

Linda Watson
1st VP

Dave Denyer

2nd VP
ACER-CART Representative


Barb Mikulec
Director – Lower Mainland

Lorell Dennill
Director – Outside Lower Mainland

Tom Hastie

Director Lower Mainland

Margaret Sutton
Director – Outside Lower Mainland

Pat Thiesen
Director – Lower Mainland

Ros Kellett
Director – Lower Mainland

Stephanie Koropatnick
Director – Outside Lower Mainland

Cathy Macintosh Lambright
Director – Outside Lower Mainland

Gerry Tiede
Past President ACER-CART

BCRTA Staff

Tim Anderson
Executive Director

Kristi Josephson
Office Administrator

Laurie Boyd
Membership Administrator

Julian Carrier
Media Coordinator

Past Directors & Presidents

2023-2024

Arnie Lambert, Grace Wilson, Caroline Malm, Dave Scott, Cathy Macintosh Lambright, Rosalind Kellett, Pat Thiesen, Stephanie Koropatnick, Lorell Dennill, Barb Mikulec, Margaret Sutton, Linda Watson, David Denyer

2022-2023

Arnie Lambert, Grace Wilson, Caroline Malm, Dave Scott, David Denyer, Rosalind Kellett, Pat Thiesen, Stephanie Koropatnick, Charlene Hodgson, Barb Mikulec, Margaret Sutton, Linda Watson, Steve Bailey

2021-2022

Grace Wilson, Gerry Tiede, Arnie Lambert, Caroline Malm, Janice Androsoff, Dave Scott, Pat Thiesen, Stephanie Koropatnick, Terry Green, Barb Mikulec, Elaine Thompson, Brenda Jones, Steve Bailey

2020-2021

Grace Wilson, Gerry Tiede, Arnie Lambert, Caroline Malm, Janice Androsoff, Terry Green, Pat Thiesen, Barb Mikulec, Dave Scott, Floyd Smith, Elaine Thompson, Helene McGall, Steve Bailey

2019-2020

Gerry Tiede, Patricia Clough, Grace Wilson, Arnie Lambert, Janice Androsoff, Sterling Campbell, Terry Green, Pat Thiesen, Caroline Malm, Dave Scott, Floyd Smith, Elaine Thompson, Steve Bailey

2018-2019

Gerry Tiede, Patricia Clough, Grace Wilson, Charan Gill, Janice Androsoff, Sterling Campbell, Stefan Cieslik, Terry Green, Caroline Malm, Barb Mikulec, Dave Scott, Floyd Smith, Dale Lauber

2017-2018

Patricia Clough, Bob Taverner, JoAnn Lauber, Gerry Tiede, Grace Wilson, Steve Bailey,  Janice Androsoff, Sterling Campbell, Stefan Cieslik, Charan Gill, Terry Green, Arnie Lambert, Barb Mikulec, Floyd Smith

2016-2017

Patricia Clough, Bob Taverner, Tom Brunker, Stefan Cieslik, Gerry Tiede, Steve Bailey, Elaine Anderson, Regina Day, Arnie Lambert, Lynne Rodier, Sterling Campbell, Charan Gill, Barb Mikulec, Grace Wilson, JoAnn Lauber

2015-2016

Bob Taverner, Cliff Boldt, Tom Brunker, Patricia Clough, Stefan Cieslik, Gerry Tiede, Elaine Anderson, Sterling Campbell, Charan Gill, Gail Montgomery, Steve Bailey, Regina Day, Barb Mikulec, Grace Wilson, JoAnn Lauber

2014-2015

Stefan Cieslik, Tom Brunker, Jo Ann Lauber, Grace Wilson, Barb Mikulec, Regina Day, Steve Bailey, Elaine Anderson, Bob Taverner, Cliff Boldt, Gail Montgomery, Charan Gill, Val Dyer, Patricia Clough

2013-2014

Cliff Boldt, Bob Taverner, Charan Gill, Jo Ann Lauber, Steve Bailey, Regina Day, Stefan Cieslik, Gerry Tiede, Margaret Sutton, Val Dyer, Elaine Anderson, Patricia Clough, Doug Edgar, Barb Mikulec, Tom Brunker

2012-2013

Cliff Boldt, Charan Gill, Barb Mikulec, Regina Day, Steve Bailey, Doug Edgar, Jo Ann Lauber, Bob Taverner, Joanell Clarke, Patricia Clough, Gerry Tiede, Carolyn Prellwitz, Margaret Sutton, Sheila Gair, Pat Brady

2011-2012

Cameron Cascon, Patricia Clough, Sheila Pither, Doug Edgar, Margaret Sutton, Cliff Boldt, Carolyn Prellwitz, Bob Taverner, Jo Ann Lauber, Syvia MacLeay, Judy deVries, Regina Day, Gerry Tiede, Tom Brunker

2009

Front Row: Doug Edgar, Sheila Pither, Syvia MacLeay, Cliff Boldt, Ron Awai
Back Row: Carolyn Prellwitz, Jo Ann Lauber, Keith Coates, Judy de Vries, Bob Taverner, Diane Gorton, Gerry Tiede, Tom Brunker

Our Committees

Advocacy Committee

2024/25

Chair,  Caroline Malm

Arnie Lambert

Linda Watson

David Denyer

The Advocacy committee’s objectives are :

  • Advisory to the Board, its committees and branches when advocacy projects are being considered or undertaken
  • Continue to seek support in working with kindred organizations around issues affecting seniors
  • Identify appropriate people in government to be approached on issues affecting our members.

Communications Committee

2024/25

Chair, Arnie Lambert

Pat Thiesen

Debra Page

Amber Freer

Larry Kuehn

Louise Herle

Troylana Manson

Judith Blakeston

Debra Page

Excellence in Education Committee

2023/24

Chair, Margaret Sutton

Barb Mikulec

Grace Wilson

Chiara Anselmo

Gail Chaddock Costello

Shannon Iverson

Sylvia Malthouse

Finance Committee

2024/25

Chair, Caroline Malm

Pat Thiesen

Lori Dennill

David Denyer

Linda Watson

Margaret Sutton

Cathy Macintosh Lambright

Heritage Committee

2024/25

Chair, Stephanie Koropatnick

Rosalind Kellett

Carol Baird-Krull

Larry Kuehn

Sylvia Malthouse

Shannon Iverson

Downloads

Membership Committee

2024/25

Chair, Cathy Lambright Macintosh

Pat Thiesen

Stephanie Koropatnick

Tom Hastie

David Ellis

Liz MacKenzie

Laurence Greeff

Louise Herle

Pensions & Benefits Committee

2024/25

Chair, Linda Watson

Al Cornes

Liz MacKenzie

Carolyn Prellwitz

Judy Stewart

John Chisamore

Member Well-Being Committee

2024/25

Chair, Lori Dennill

Barb Mikulec

Tom Hastie

Carol Baird-Krul

Debra Page

Chiara Anselmo

Amber Freer

Health Benefits Committee

2024/25

Gerry Tiede, Chair

Arnie Lambert

Grace Wilson

Caroline Malm

Liz Mackenzie

John Chisamore

2024 Committee Application Fillable Form

Member Benefits

BCRTA members have access to exclusive Extended Health Benefits packages, Insurance Plans and other financial services. In addition, our Members’ Advantage Plan connects our members to a wide range of discount offers and special promotions on travel, accommodation, car rental, recreation experiences and other products and services.

See our exclusive benefits packages from Johnson Insurance

Learn more about the Members’ Advantage Program

Our National Presence with ACER – CART

BCRTA is one of the founding partners of the Canadian Association of Retired Teachers (Association Canadienne des Enseignantes et des Enseignants Retraités) which advocates for pension security and the well-being of seniors on the national stage.

BCRTA’s 75th Anniversary

At our 2021 Conference, BCRTA celebrated 75 years of service to retired educators. This video features greetings to BCRTA from leaders in education and retiree associations across Canada.