Tire and Rubber Association of Canada

Brian James, former President of the Tire and Rubber Association (1985-1996) and lifetime industry professional and executive at Dunlop, passed away on February 3, 2020 at the age of 90. His career, spanning over four decades, took him around the world and made him an influential force in the industry globally, and a key figure and dedicated champion of the tire industry in Canada and North America.

“Brian was a mentor and a friend to me personally and to many in the industry. He had uncanny ability to bring people together and share knowledge and ideas for the betterment of our industry and he was always keen to share fascinating and interesting stories from his lifetime in the industry. Brian made a number of important contributions to the Canadian rubber industry, particularly during the original Free Trade Agreement negotiations, where he and a few other key players negotiated a ten-year phase-out of tariffs in an effort to help domestic producers adjust to open borders. During that same period, he helped negotiate a duty remission program with the Feds that ultimately garnered close to a billion dollars of new investment in Canada, which is essentially why we still have a vibrant tire industry in Canada today. He will be sorely missed by many.” Says Glenn Maidment, President of the Tire and Rubber Association. 

A visitation will be held at Kopriva Taylor Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville on Sunday, February 9, 2020 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Funeral service will take place on Monday, February 10, 2020 at 2 pm at Grace Church-on-the-Hill, 300 Lonsdale Road, Toronto, followed by a reception.