Celebrating 125 Years of Serving Western Canada’s Electrical Community
January 15, 2025
Over the past 125 years, E.B. Horsman & Son has committed to building a legacy of family, community, and innovation as Western Canada’s largest independent electrical supplier. After all these years, E.B. is still proudly Canadian, family-owned, and dedicated to growth and positive local impact in the communities it servea. E.B. is excited to celebrate 125 years of success with you.
E.B. Horsman & Son’s Humble Roots
The story began in 1900, when E.B.’s founding father, George Dennis Horsman, established a small hardware shop in the rural Saskatchewan village of Moosomin. Everyone in the company is certain he would be beaming with gratitude and pride to know that he had planted the seed for what would become one of Western Canada’s major independent electrical distributors.
Read more about E.B.’s history, including how it switched focus from hardware to electrical in the 1920s, and learn more about the company and how it connects communities.
The Journey to 125: Major Milestones
Over the years, E.B. has pulled together as a team to reach more than a few major achievements. Here is a quick rundown of E.B. Horsman & Son’s history.
Early 1900s: In 1900, Dennis Horsman’s son Edward Bodwell (E.B.) and his son, George Dennis, open E.B. Horsman & Son Retail Hardware Merchants in Moosomin, Sask. They relocate the hardware store to Vancouver at 819 Granville St. in 1907 and establish an electrical supply department in 1918.
1920s–’30s: In 1925, the company focuses on being an electrical wholesaler. The first branch location opens in Victoria in 1937.
1940s–’50s: George’s sons Harry and Edward take over the company reins in 1948. Head office moves to Powell Street in Vancouver in 1957.
1970s–’80s: George Edward (Harry’s son) becomes company President in 1975. In 1980, Horsman Controls launches as a separate company and exclusive B.C. distributor of Automation and Control products.
1990s: E.B. joins the Affiliated Distributors network in 1993, the same year BC Children’s Hospital Foundation becomes E.B.’s charity of choice (the company has raised more than $1.33 Million for the foundation over the years). Tom Muldoon, the first non-family partner, becomes President and General Manager in 1994. E.B.’s quality system is officially recognized as ISO 9001 in 1996.
Early 2000s: E.B.’s Data Communications Division is created in 2000, and it’s new ERP system is implemented (Epicor’s Profit 21) in 2003. In 2005, E.B. launches it’s first online shop. In 2009, the company is named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies Award (the first of 15 consecutive years, including in 2024).
2010s: Tim Horsman becomes President and CEO and the head office moves to 25th Ave. in Surrey, B.C. in 2011. Albrite Lighting joins the family in 2013. E.B. opens it’s first Alberta location in Edmonton in 2015 and a second location in Calgary the following year. In 2018, the company acquires Saskatoon-based Intec Controls, bringing it back to the province where it began nearly 100 years prior. That same year, MCL joins E.B., expanding the company’s Process, Automation and Controls Division. In 2019, it’s Surrey Distribution Centre expands to 103,000 sq. ft. to supply branches in three provinces.
E.B. Horsman & Son Today
While E.B.’s head office is based in Surrey, B.C., the company is proud to say that it now has 23+ locations in Western Canada where it employs 400+ people. E.B. opened it’s second corporate office in Port Kells in 2023 in response to the company’s increased growth in customers, employees, partners, and demand for it’s services, and the company is always looking to expand the family. Read about a few of E.B.’s key branches, such as the Burnaby branch which just celebrated its 10th anniversary.
E.B. works with more than 600 supplier partners and offers 20,000+ electrical products through the ISO 9001 Central Distribution Centre in Surrey, B.C. The company is especially proud of the Canadian-made products it offers. In 2024, E.B. launched it’s new e-commerce website to serve customers better, and opened a new distribution centre in Northwest Edmonton.
In a landscape of global competitors, it hasn’t always been easy. But E.B. has adapted to it’s customers’ needs along the way, and is still family- and employee-owned. The company is proud to say that since it’s beginning, five generations of the Horsman family have run the company, which President and CEO Tim Horsman has led since 2011.
Today, E.B. Horsman & Son offers everything electrical for local contractor quotes and large-scale corporate contracts. It will continue to evolve — and innovate — along with the electrical world, just as it always has. But E.B. remains committed to the local markets it serves in B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
E.B. is on a mission to prioritize Canadian communities, industries, and values while providing high-quality electrical products and a wide range of services. E.B.’s steadfast dedication to Canadian values has built it’s reputation based on trust and reliability in the local electrical industry. Learn more about the business, including how it supports projects of all sizes and puts people first by giving back to local communities.
Looking Forward to the Next 125 Years
Join E.B. Horsman & Son in celebrating it’s 125th anniversary. It’s a huge milestone, and the company couldn’t have done it without you. Whether you’re a valued customer, dedicated employee, or trusted supplier, you are the reason E.B. has made it this far. The company looks forward to continuing to work with you, and supporting the incredible communities it serves, for many more years.
