Workers Benevolent Association of Canada : The Workers Benevolent Association was founded in Winnipeg, 30 September 1922, by members of the Ukrainian Labour Temple Association led by Matthew Popowich. In succeeding years, the ULTA and its successors, the Ukrainian Labour and Farmer Temple Association and the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, supported the WBA. All these organizations had socialist cultural-educational aims and the operations of the WBA were closely tied to their activities.
Over the years, however, the WBA grew both in size and independence. Originally chartered in Manitoba, it soon had branches in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. Therefore, in 1944, it obtained a Dominion charter. At first, the WBA provided insurance exclusively for the membership of the ULTA. Later, however, with the formation of Russian, Polish, Carpatho-Ruthenian Branches, the organization became multicultural. This character was strengthened in 1963, with the entry of the Independent Mutual Benefit Federation into the WBA as a special group.
The IMBF is a socialist fraternal insurance society, whose membership consists of Canadians of Hungarian, Slovak, Polish and Russian background. Today, the WBA conducts its affairs independent of any other organization and its membership is open to all.