Helena Gutteridge (8 April 1879 – 1 October 1960) was a feminist, a suffragist, a trade unionist and the first female city councillor in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Helena was recognized for being a pioneer in pushing for women's rights in British Columbia during a time when gender equality was not yet a prominent social movement and discourse.

[2] From 1893 to 1911, while working as a tailor in London to support herself and to fund her education, Helena was also actively engaged with the female suffrage movement in the United Kingdom.

[4] She immediately became actively involved in the female suffrage movement in Vancouver and spent most of her time there helping women who faced economic hardships.

After becoming a member of the Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1932, Helena focused her career on campaigning for socialist policies in British Columbia as a response to the financial blow of the Great Depression.

[8] Helena Gutteridge was best remembered for her leadership in labour activism, contribution to the advancement of equal pay in British Columbia, election as the first female city councillor in Vancouver and her lifelong commitment to elevate the status of women.

Diarrhea, measles, scarlet fever, and whooping cough were others fatal diseases that caused very high child mortality (at almost 70% for children under five years of age).

This decision planted the seed of feminism in young Helena and marked her lifelong commitment to change the prejudices and unfair treatments that women face.

[1] At the age of fourteen, Helena left home and began supporting herself while attending Regent Street Polytechnic School and the Royal Sanitary Institute.

[1] To support herself while continuing to receive an education, Helena worked as an apprentice in a draper's shop, where she started off by running errands and gradually moved up to high positions such as sewer, cutter, fitter.

Despite working twelve hours every weekday and half a day on Saturday for an extremely low wage, Helena understood that economic independence was critical for her to receive equal treatment and to continue attending school.

Throughout 1910, the sight of Helena making public speeches and staging massive processions together with other militant suffragists, such as Marie Brackenbury, became frequent scenes on the streets of London.

British suffragists sought to validate their domestic movement by incorporating the enfranchisement of women living in the greater imperial territory.

[22] Upon realizing the stark disparity between the wages of men and women across British Columbia in 1912, Helena joined the local Tailors' Union and later became the first female member, then treasurer and secretary of the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council between 1913 and 1921.

The CCF was a political coalition of progressive farmer, socialist and labour groups that campaigned for economic reforms to address the widespread repercussions of the Great Depression.

Impoverishment, shortage of appropriate city infrastructures and a surge in the number of unemployed and homeless persons prompted a political response to the severe economic condition across Canada.

Together with many other progressive women such as Dorothy Steeves, Elizabeth Kerr, Frances Moren, Helena Gutteridge plunged into the movement and continued to work tirelessly to advance the goals of the CCF until 1942.

[29] Besides taking part in election campaigns, Helena spent most of her early years in the CCF focusing on addressing unemployment through economic reforms.

Helena eventually left the conference in the fall of 1935 to join the Planning Commission of the CCF, where she became one of the key drivers behind the design of a new socialist society.

She vehemently protested against a proposal that requires employers to not hire married women with a working husband in order to reduce the unemployment rate in Vancouver.

She also objected discriminatory policies based on race, and supported the extension of suffrage to racial minorities who have been a resident of British Columbia for at least 12 months.

[34] She also served as the Chair of Vancouver's Town Planning and Parks Committee, primarily focusing on government subsidized social housing.

Some blamed Helena's defeat on her blatant refusal to let the city of Vancouver pay for the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

[36] With no more council responsibilities, Helena diverted all her attention and energy to the CCF by chairing the Organization Committee and serving as the provincial executive of the party until her decision to move to Lemon Creek in 1942 to work as a social worker.

She was dearly remembered by many residents of Lemon Creek as she dealt with the day-to-day problems that family faced and was genuinely committed to improving their standard and quality of living.

[40] In 2017, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, Joyce Murray, commemorated Helena Gutteridge.

As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of our great nation, it is important for all of us to learn more about the people, places and events that have shaped our rich cultural and natural history."

Today's celebration in Helena's memory is an important reminder to keep working toward social and political change for more equality, diversity and inclusion."

The plaza was named to commemorate the achievements of Helena throughout her political career and to celebrate her commitment to securing women's suffrage in British Columbia.

[43] The mayor, Gregor Robertson, commented on the opening day of the plaza that "Today is not just about honouring Helena Rose Gutteridge and her struggle for justice and equality, but it is about setting our intention going forward because her work, unfortunately, is continuing and has a long way to go.