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PLACES

Gore Mutual a solid business presence

Commercial Block on Water Street in Galt Ltd. in Vancouver as its general agent
to determine if a local board of trade was for British Columbia. A ter successfully
needed. A week later, it was approved by becoming federally incorporated in 1937,
town council. the company was able underwrite many
While the board of trade was new, Gore classes of insurance, including automobile,
Mutual Insurance had already been around burglary, aviation, earthquake, and
since 1839 a ter a group of concerned tornado, leading to more success.
individuals in the ‘Gore District’ (a The opening of its large Neo-Georgian
territory divided into Halton, Wentworth, inspired office on Dundas Street in 1935,
part of Brant, plus the townships of Erin near Soper Park, was yet another of many
and Dumfries) banded together to protect milestones to come for Gore Mutual as
businesses in Upper Canada against loss it continued to innovate and expand,
due to fire, a major hazard at the time. opening its new downtown Toronto
This was made possible thanks to the location at 320 Bay St. in 2022.
implementation of Canada’s Mutual Fire
Insurance Act three years earlier.
At the time it formed, most of the
The Gore Mutual building opened at Main and
Ainslie streets in 1895 and was demolished in 1971. subscribers for this new venture were from
City of Cambridge Archives Photo Hamilton, Brantford, and Mount Pleasant,
but by 1840 the list of insured members
The name grew quickly and included a growing list
Gore Mutual is of prominent businessmen from Galt.
synonymous As business increased for the company,
not only with so did a few problems including
insurance, but some difficulty a ter 1861 in collecting
assessments which led to litigation over
stability and claims, many of which were held on Galt
longevity. commercial properties.
For 185 years the This sparked Galt business leader John
Cambridge-based Fleming to file an injunction a year later
mutual insurance firm has continued against the company’s Brantford directors
to grow and innovate over these many and following an audit, many began The company employs more than 600
decades despite facing many hurdles resigning resulting in John Davidson, the people, basically doubling its labour
including the Great Depression, Recission, mayor of Galt, to be elected president of force, following the release of its “Next
world wars and two pandemics. the company at its annual meeting in 1863. Horizon” strategy in 2020 as it continues to
“There’s something unique about our The company began to prosper when transform itself from a regional insurance
own organization, in our DNA, that we’re it became a cash mutual in 1868 and in carrier to a digital-first national insurer.
highly resilient,” said Andy Taylor, its chief 1895 it opened its new headquarters at As well, Gore Mutual continues to be an
executive officer and a CPA, in a Chartered the corner of Main and Ainslie streets. The avid community champion by lending its
Professional Accountants Canada article three-storey office building, topped by support to many worthwhile initiatives
published in January of this year. “We’ve its distinct cupola, would remain a focal and is a strong environmental supporter,
been able to reinvent ourselves for 180 point in the downtown Galt skyline until installing a Level 2 EV Charging station
years.” it was torn down in 1971 to make room for at its Cambridge office and partnering
For much of its history, Gore Mutual a new Bank of Nova Scotia. The cupola with Alveole – an urban beekeeping
has also been an important member of was eventually saved and now sits in organization – to create awareness and
the local Chamber movement. In fact, Centennial Park, overlooking downtown. leading to the installation of two beehives
according to The Galt Reporter, this long Gore Mutual, throughout the First at the office which produced 200 jars of
relationship began in 1873 when a group of World War and 1929 stock market crash honey last year.
business leaders met one January evening continued to develop as a fire insurance
in the offices of Gore Mutual’s original company and opened offices in Winnipeg
office located on the second loor of the and appointed Rorison McBeath Insurance

www.cambridgechamber.com Spring 2024 27