Robert Butchart was in the Portland Cement business and the land that is now the Butchart Gardens was used by the Vancouver Portland Cement Company to produce Portland Cement between 1904 and 1921.

Vancouver Portland Cement Company Limited, letterhead, 1911 (Author's collection)
Vancouver Portland Cement Company Limited, letterhead, 1911 (Author’s collection)

For those who don’t know the difference between cement and concrete, here is a video which should clear it up for you:


Here is a video on why concrete needs reinforcement:

Here are some of the other Portland Cement companies Robert Butchart was involved with:

Owen Sound Portland Cement Company letterhead, 1906 Note the names of the corporate officers listed: James Edward Murphy, President; William H. Pearson, Vice-President; George S. Kilbourn, Secretary-Treasurer; Directors: Robert Pim Butchart, John M. Kilbourn, David Martin Butchart (Author's collection)
Owen Sound Portland Cement Company letterhead, 1906 Note the names of the corporate officers listed: James Edward Murphy, President; William H. Pearson, Vice-President; George S. Kilbourn, Secretary-Treasurer; Directors: Robert Pim Butchart, John M. Kilbourn, David Martin Butchart (Author’s collection)
Lakefield Portland Cement Company letterhead, 1904 (Author's collection)
Lakefield Portland Cement Company letterhead, 1904 (Author’s collection)
British Columbia Cement Company letterhead, 1923 (Author's collection)
British Columbia Cement Company letterhead, 1923 (Author’s collection)

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