How it all began…
Want to know a little bit about the history of Erb and Erb? The important part is that we’ve been helping people in our community with general insurance needs for more than 90 years. Clearly, we have been doing a lot of things right!
In September 1919, Irvin E. Erb hung out his shingle on Queen Street South in Kitchener, Ontario, signaling the establishment of his new general insurance office. When his father, Ephraim Bricker Erb, joined him in the business six years later, the firm’s name was changed to Erb and Erb Insurance.
Some years later, the firm moved to 1 King Street East, Kitchener, above the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, taking office which had earlier been occupied by the law firm of John King, the father of William Lyon Mackenzie King.
Just after the end of World War II , Ralph J Westfall, the husband of Irvin’s niece — Hazel, joined the business. In 1970, Ralph and Hazel and another long time employee, Catherine Bast, purchased the firm and it was incorporated the following year.In 1979, the firm moved to its present location at 30 Queen Street North, the former home of the Kitchener-Waterloo Record.
Nine years later, the ownership of the firm was again passed to a younger generation, comprised of David Westfall (the son of Ralph and Hazel), Byron Moffitt and James Kibble.
In 2006, the partnership expanded to include James Chmiel, Sandy Hill (David’s sister), Christopher Hill and Jonathan Hill (Sandy’s two sons).
Today, Erb and Erb Insurance Brokers is part of Lackner McLennan Insurance Ltd. and employs more than 90 people who handle a complete range of general insurance and financial service products.
Our head office is in Waterloo Region, in the City of Kitchener.
