By Mike Walsh
The Greater Toronto Area Philatelic Alliance (GTAPA), once a key organization supporting stamp collecting in Toronto and beyond, will officially dissolve on Dec. 31.
“The GTAPA simply outlived its utility,” explains board member Garfield Portch.
This decision was reached at a special meeting of the board of directors on July 24, where representatives from 12 member clubs attended. The motion for dissolution passed with 10 votes in favour, one opposed, and one abstention. A final “wind-down” meeting will be held Nov. 27 at the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation, inviting all members to reflect on the organization’s history and contributions.
The dissolution follows the release of a 2023 discussion paper by Portch that questioned the ongoing relevance of the GTAPA. Portch outlined concerns that since the alliance’s establishment in 2002, it had struggled to meet its initial goals. These included creating a co-ordinated plan for philately in the Greater Toronto Area and fostering collaboration with key organizations such as Canada Post, the Canadian Stamp Dealers Association and the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC).
Despite four national and international philatelic events held in the Greater Toronto Area – Royal 2007, Ameristampexpo 2008, Royal 2019, and Capex 22 – Portch noted that the GTAPA did not play a direct role in organizing these. He also pointed out the lack of youth outreach programs, a goal set at the alliance’s founding, stating that “nothing has changed” in the past 21 years.
One of the GTAPA’s main successes, according to Portch, has been the production of PhilaJournal, and its efforts to extend membership to stamp clubs outside Toronto. However, he questioned the value the alliance provides, citing minimal collaboration between clubs and the lack of contributions to PhilaJournal. GTAPA president Jerry Piotrowski has worked tirelessly to maintain operations, but board meetings have often struggled to reach quorum, and participation has dwindled.
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