Programs
British Columbia Veteran Licence Plates Program
Unveiling of the BC Military Veteran Licence Plates by then Premier Gordon Campbell and Lt Col. (Ret’d) Archie M. Steacy CD on 4 June 2004.
Military veterans who own or lease passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, motorcycles and/or motor homes in British Columbia, are eligible to apply for Veteran Plates for their vehicle. The plates will be available to veterans who served during war time or in post-war service, or during a NATO or UN operation. For more information on the BC Veteran Licence Plates, read the Brochure. The Province of British Columbia and the British Columbia Veterans Commemorative Association (BCVCA) introduced this new plate program in June 2004 to honour military veterans and commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
Applying for your BC Veteran License Plates:
DO NOT STAPLE DOCUMENTS
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE RETURNED
SEND BY REGULAR MAIL ONLY
- Print the application form or pick up a copy from your Autoplan broker.
Please also review the instructions and background information - Complete the application form.
- Gather, then photocopy, your original service documentation.
- Make a cheque or money order, in the amount of $10, payable to BCVCA. Do not send cash.
- Mail your completed application, a photocopy of your original service documentation, and the cheque or money order to British Columbia Veterans Commemorative Association at P.O. Box 4903 Stn Terminal, Vancouver, B.C., V6B 4A6, Canada. Your service documents will be returned to you by mail once your application has been processed.
For more information on the application process or eligibility requirements, please contact BCVCA at (604) 770-3498.
NOTE: Although ICBC is issuing the Veteran Licese Plates, eligibility is determined solely by BCVCA.
Eligibility Requirements (click to expand)
British Columbia Veterans Commemorative Association Veteran Licence Plate Eligibility Criteria
PLEASE READ THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA PRIOR TO COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION.
Veteran Definition (Canadian Federal and British Columbia Governments):
Any member of the Canadian Armed Forces who has served and has been honourably discharged, or is currently serving, who underwent basic training.
ELIGIBILITY: Veteran Licence Plates are available to honourably discharged or currently serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and Canada’s war time Allies.
- Eligible Types of Military Service
- Served in WW II, Korea, Gulf War, Balkan Wars, Afghanistan, or other UN/NATO Peacekeeping Missions, and honourably discharged, as a member of:
- the Canadian Armed Forces, or an Allied Force, or
- the Canadian or Allied war time Merchant Navy.
- Served as a member of the Canadian Forces, Regular or Reserves, who has been honourably discharged, or is currently serving and successfully completed basic training.
- Served in UN or NATO Operations as:
- a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, or
- a UN or NATO Alliance Force member in an Operation with the Canadian Armed Forces, or
- as a similarly qualified member of a British Commonwealth of Nations Military Force, and has been honourably discharged.
- Members of the Correctional Services of Canada (CSC), Municipal Police Service (MPS) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who have served in a UN/NATO Operation under command of the Canadian Armed Forces and has been honourably discharged or is currently serving.
- Served as a similarly qualified member of a British Commonwealth of Nations Military Force, and has been honourably discharged.
- Served in WW II, Korea, Gulf War, Balkan Wars, Afghanistan, or other UN/NATO Peacekeeping Missions, and honourably discharged, as a member of:
- Proof of Service
- Discharged members must provide a copy of one of the following:
- Discharge Certificate
- Certificate of Service
- NDI 75, ND 10, ND 20
- DND 2279 & CF 707 for less than 10 years of service
- CF 54 for 10 or more years of service
- Library & Archives Canada Record of Military Service
- Currently Serving Members must provide both of the following:
- Military Identification Card
- Members Personal Record Résumé (MPRR)
- Correctional Services of Canada (CSC), Municipal Police Service (MPS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members, who served in a UN/NATO operation, must provide certification from their Force’s Chief of Human Resources stating the member has served in a UN or NATO Operation, under the command of the Canadian Armed Forces and is honourably discharged or is currently serving.
- Discharged members must provide a copy of one of the following:
NOTE: Incomplete application forms will be returned for completion. Approved application forms are valid for the lifetime of the veteran.
Ordering your BC Veteran Licese Plates: Take your original approved application form to your Autoplan broker who will order Your BC Veterans Licence Plates. Do not surrender your approved application form.
Collecting your BC Veteran Plates: Your Autoplan broker will call you once the plates have arrived at their office. To collect your plates, take to your Autoplan broker your current.
- Vehicle License Plates; and
- Vehicle Registration
When you hand in your current licence plates, you will be issued Veteran Licese Plates at no additional cost.
Time required to obtain BC Veteran Plates: It may take up to seven weeks to obtain your Veteran License Plates, including: up to three weeks for the application form to be processed and mailed back to you by BCVCA, and up to four weeks for your Autoplan broker to receive your Veteran Licence Plates.
Presentation of the award of the 30,000th licence plate, Nov 11th, 2008.
Sgt. Duncan Maillie, Minister Rich Coleman
10th Anniversary of Vets Lic Plate Prog – 2014. From L to R: Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Archie Steacy, Candice Corrola, Sgt. Duncan Maillie, Minister Rich Coleman, Attorney General Susan Anton.
National War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
REPLICA EDUCATIONAL TRAVELLING EXHIBIT
In 2002, the British Columbia Veterans Commemorative Association (BCVCA) in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada (Pacific Region) commissioned the design of a scaled replica educational travelling exhibit of the National War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The replica is designed to travel throughout BC. Community organizations wishing to have it on display should contact BCVCA by completing the request form/contract under the “downloads” section of this page.
Increasing calls for the display of our War Memorial replica have opened up a need for people to accompany it and provide information to school children, educators, and others who come to see it. Responsibilities will include packing, unpacking and inspecting the display, setting it up, explaining its significance, and disassembling and repacking the display.
Download the Replica Travelling Exhibit Form/Contract.
Replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier War Memorial
Premier Gordon Campbell, Sharel Fraser, Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Archie Steacy, Ted Hawthorne
Candlelight Tribute
The British Columbia Veterans Commemorative Association (BCVCA) designed a Candlelight Tribute program to inspire Canadians to actively participate in Acts of Remembrance with Veterans and members of the Canadian Forces. A Candlelight Tribute is a commemorative ceremony where Veterans symbolically “pass the Torch of Remembrance” from one generation to the next. In accepting the “Torch of Remembrance” from the Veteran, the young Canadian acknowledges the responsibility to carry the legacy forward and honour the sacrifices of generations past.
Candlelight Tributes can be planned to suit the interests of the community, school, or youth group. Ceremonies can also be planned indoors or outdoors, as a special red candle has been designed for these commemorative events.
Communities are encouraged to involve young people in the planning of Candlelight Tributes. Their intuitive and inspired understanding of the importance of “Remembrance” will guide them in planning a Candlelight Tribute which is meaningful and memorable for their generation.
We are presently updating our order form, and it will return soon.
Laurie and Lola McGladdery Garden | Used with permission
Poppy Seed Program
The poppy is the sacred flower of Remembrance. BCVCA introduced the planting of Flanders poppy fields in BC Communities to provide an opportunity for community citizens, including youth, to plant Flanders poppies in Gardens of Remembrance in honour of members of their community who served and those who lost their lives in Canada’s Armed Forces during the Boer War, WWI, WWII, Korea, the Balkan Wars, and Afghanistan.
Download the Poppy Seed Order Form.
Commemoration Mandate
“We recognize, remember and honour those to whom we all look to in war for our security, those on whom our very security depends, and the centre of all things as long as hostilities continue, only to be forgotten and lapse into oblivion as hostilities cease.”
Our Soldiers, Sailors, Air Force Members and Merchant Navy Sailors.
At the going down of the Sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.
Original Watercolour © by S. A. Clements, circa 1895 | Used with permission
On Guard For Thee
MILITARY PROMINENCE IN DEVELOPING BRITISH COLUMBIA
Poppies Photo: Sharpened Derivative work of girl in the poppies by John Bunting | Licensed under CC BY 2.0
