The Commissionaires History

Captain Edward Walter , a retired officer of the Crimean War, founded The Corps of Commissionaires in England in 1859 to help veterans make the difficult transition back to civilian life and employment.

In an effort to find jobs for these veterans, he convinced friends and acquaintances that the exemplary discipline, loyalty and dedication to service that veterans possessed could be put to excellent use in business. He succeeded in finding jobs for seven veterans and thereby launched The Corps of Commissionaires . By 1860, the Corps had grown to 89 members and was attracting favorable public attention. The Corps continued to grow through the years, and today enjoys a well-deserved reputation for service and efficiency.

The Corps of Commissionaires was established in Canada in 1925, when branches were formed in Vancouver , Montreal & Toronto . The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires is now represented in every province - seventeen divisions employ more than 18,000 men and women. National Office is located in Ottawa and provides policy direction to all Divisions.