A Message from our New Governor, Walter Pela

At our 2026 Governors' Gala and Rix Awards, Walter Pela was inducted into the Council of Governors.

At our 2026 Governors' Gala and Rix Awards, Walter Pela, BC Regional Managing Partner of KPMG Canada, was inducted into the Council of Governors following his term as Chair of the Board of Trade for 2024–25. Walter presented the following remarks upon receiving this recognition. 

"It is a sincere pleasure to be here this evening at the Governors’ Gala and Rix Awards.

First, let me congratulate tonight’s Rix Award recipients. Anthony von Mandl and Purdy’s Chocolatier, represented by Karen Flavelle, Scott McTavish and the Purdys' team — your achievements are extraordinary. You have built great Canadian and global brands, created lasting impact, and shown all of us what is possible when entrepreneurship is matched by vision, generosity, and purpose.It is an honour to celebrate you tonight.

Thank you as well to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade for this recognition. After several years on the Board, and the privilege of serving as Chair this past year, I am deeply grateful to be inducted into the Council of Governors. 

I would like to acknowledge the past Chairs, Governors, and leaders of this organization. Their work built the Board into what it is today, and their commitment over decades is why it remains such an importantinstitution for business and public policy. 

And to Bridgitte Anderson and the team at the Board of Trade — thank you. Bridgitte, you have become one of the most respected voices in this region, and deservedly so. And to the team: I have had the chance to see your work up close this past year, and I have been so incredibly impressed. What happens behind the scenes in this organization is no small thing, and it is a big part of why the Board is so effective.

To my fellow Directors, thank you. It has been a pleasure to work with you.  And to the members of the Board of Trade — from entrepreneurs and small businesses to larger companies across this region — our organization exists because of your engagement and support.

One of the things I have taken from this year is that, across this business community, there is a real willingness to come together, have serious conversations, and move important issues forward. The Board helps create the space for that.

I also want to acknowledge my fellow KPMG partners and colleagues, our many clients, my mentors and friends, and Bernadette — all of whom have supported me in this role and more broadly through my career.  Many of you are here tonight, and I am deeply grateful.

And to my family — my wife Vanessa, our children Olivia and Oscar — thank you for your love and support.

And even my mother is here tonight, and she’ll be trying hard not to display any sign of pride.

For those of you who knew my late father, a real estate developer and entrepreneur, you will understand when I say that he would probably have had a rather different reaction. He would have listened to the kind words and then asked, with perfect sincerity and just enough skepticism to keep me honest: “Yes, yes… but what did you actually accomplish?”

And honestly, that is not a bad question. 

Because titles matter less than impact. Recognition matters less than responsibility. And what I have been most proud of during my time with the Board is the opportunity to serve an institution that continues to ask the right questions about the future of this region – and to do something about them.

When my family came to this province from northern Italy in the late 1970s, it felt like a place full of possibility. There was a belief that with hard work, initiative, and some courage, you could build something here. You could create opportunity here. You could contribute here.

That promise still exists. But achieving it is much harder than it was. Rising costs, high taxes, lagging productivity, affordability pressures, fiscal strain, and too much friction are not abstractions. They are the reasons businesses hesitate to invest here, and the reasons families find it harder to stay.

We can do better. We must do better.

Not by trying to recreate the past. And not by pretending the future will look like the world that brought us here.  The province my family arrived in rewarded hard work, initiative, and access to opportunity. That spirit still matters. But on its own, it will not be enough for what comes next.

We are operating in a different economy now — one shaped by AI, fast-moving technology, geopolitical change, and a growing need for resilience in how and where we do business.

In that economy, the businesses that adapt will move ahead. The ones that do not will fall behind.

That means we need to get much more serious about what it takes for businesses to invest, grow, and compete globally.

And that includes taking the word “trade” in our name seriously — how this region trades, where it trades, and whether more of our businesses can trade at all.

Helping this region seize that opportunity is a critical part of the work ahead — and the Board of Trade will continue to be right in the middle of it.

I intend to be as well. Being welcomed into the Council of Governors means staying engaged, supporting this business community, and helping the next generation of leaders. I will take that responsibility seriously.

As I look ahead, I want to warmly welcome Stuart Louie as incoming Chair.  Stuart, I know the Board will continue to thrive under your capable leadership, and I look forward to supporting you in the years ahead.

I share this recognition with all of you.

Thank you again for this tremendous honour.And thank you all for being here tonight."