Our History

The company originally started in 1952 as Chilliwack Delivery and Bottle Depot. A one cube van operation with a drape for a back door and a depot for cashing in empty beer and pop bottles. The van was not used for furniture but for parcels and letters. This hillbilly non-van line operation was owned and operated by Huey and George.

In 1976, Len Finney, Graham Reaugh, Rod and Fern Upton, Al Funk and Eugene Ward purchased the agency. They opened it as North American Vanline Agency called Chilliwack Delivery Moving and Storage.

In 1979-1980 Len Finney and Graham Reaugh opened Bowes Moving (Mayflower) and Morrow’s Moving. While Rod Upton, Al Funk and Eugene Ward continued to run Chilliwack Delivery as North American Van Lines until 1986 when they changed their affiliation to UVL.

In 1991 the Uptons sold to Alan Bustin who, at the time, had ties to Graebal Vanlines. Al expanded his thriving road-building company to now included furniture moving and storage.

In the time Al has taken over, the operation has steadily grown and become a force in the Fraser Valley. Al had also taken Vallis Moving (Swedish for valley) in Abbotsford, moved the business to Wheel Avenue into a brand new building in 1998. This complex is very progressive, boasting individual mini-storage unit and full government approved storage facility.

Our Van-Line

In life, few events match the stress of moving. In this busy time of new beginnings and major changes, we appreciate that you place a great deal of trust and responsibility with us. Moving everything you own is a very personal experience and something we don’t ever take lightly.

Who is United Van Lines?

United Van Lines (Canada) Ltd. is 200 privately owned moving companies that make up our “Member Family”. Together, United and its family of Members provide a seamless network to move you anywhere in Canada, the U.S., or around the globe.

Proudly Canadian

Half a century ago, a few men had a simple dream: to create a Canadian owned van line and stretch it from coast to coast. Today, United Van Lines is Canada’s largest network of moving companies and the only Canadian owned and operated van line. For more than 50 years, we’ve watched Canada grow and as the roads opened, United was there, moving Canadians wherever life takes them.

Leadership Defined

Any van line can claim they’re the leader in the industry for one reason or another. While United is the largest van line in size and in market share, that alone doesn’t define leadership. Being on the cutting edge of the industry and pioneering moving technologies that have changed the way people move has been United’s legacy for half a century. That’s leadership. United Van Lines (Canada) Ltd. was the first van line in Canada to introduce:

  • Container moving systems – still unmatched in the marketplace today.
  • Comprehensive, integrated, customized software for leading edge communication with our Members, corporate account contacts and customers
  • Electronic Inventory Estimation – digital measurement and accuracy
  • While United was the first to introduce Web-technology, we were also the first to allow customers to see the status of their move via the Web
  • The industry’s first operational training centre – we are professionally trained.
  • A standard mileage guide with free Web-based access.
  • United’s Neighbourhoods Program; full of important local contacts and information about your destination city – and it’s free.
  • We are the only van line to use Sanitized vans, containers and equipment
  • United Van Lines was a founding sponsor of the AIR MILES program, Canada’s biggest and best reward system and the only mover to offer reward miles.