Acronym Glossary
by Carolanne Reynolds

For those who wonder what those alphabet-soup initials stand for, here are some of the acronyms written out:

Enjoy :-)

-----  as of 2011 Oct 1....  updated Dec 13
 


+++  ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS/INITIALISMS  +++

DWV  COUNCIL (elected Nov 2011, sworn in Dec 5; term ends beginning Dec 2014)

         Mayor   =   Michael Smith
         Councillors:   
                          MAB = Mary-Ann Booth
CC = Craig Cameron
NG = Nora Gambioli
                         ML = Michael Lewis
                         TP = Trish Panz
                         Sop = Bill Soprovich

Former DWV  COUNCIL (2008 to 2011)

         Mayor   =   Pamela Goldsmith-Jones
        Councillors:   
                        Ev = Michael Evison {formerly ME, wch cd be ambiguous!}
                        ML = Michael Lewis
                        TP = Trish Panz
                         MS = Michael Smith
                        Sop = Bill Soprovich
                        SW = Shannon Walker

         Staff: 
                CAO = Chief Administrative Officer, Grant McRadu (former title: MMgr)
                BL or DepCAO or DCAO = Brent Leigh, Deputy CAO
                NL, Nina, or Dir/Fin* = Nina Leemhuis, Director of Finance (Aug 2010)
                                also CFO, Chief Financial Officer July 2011
                AM or Dir/Parks* = Anne Mooi, Director of Parks(, Recreation, Cmnty Services)
                Sokol or Dir/Plan* = Bob Sokol, Director of Planning(, Lands, and Permits)
                 RF or Dir/Engg = Raymond Fung, Director of Engineering
                MClk or SSch = Municipal Clerk, Sheila Scholes
                JB = Jenny Benedict, Dir/LibServices (till Sept 2010 Chief Librarian, Ann Goodhart)
                *  Former Directors:
                    Finance (Richard Laing); Parks (Kevin Pike); Planning (Steve Nicholls)
Other staff and mbrs of the public will be named (in full, best efforts) first, then initials or abbreviated names; CR of course is Carolanne Reynolds.  Of necessity, there are many abbreviations, acronyms (initials that can be said as a word), and initialisms, when typing quickly.  Missing  from this list are some that are well known such as PM, MP; MLA; SFU, UBC, BCIT, EU, UN, ...

TEXT

AAMOF = As A Matter of Fact
AAP = Alternative Approval Process
        (See http://www.cd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/gov_structure/community_charter/governanc e/alternative_approval_process.htm
ab = ability
ABA = Ambleside Business Association
AC, adv cmte = advisory committee
ACA = Altamont Community Association
acct/acctg = account/accounting
ack = acknowledge
ADRA = Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers' Association
add'n/addn, add'l/addl = addition, additional
adv = advisory
AFAIK = as far as I know
AGM = Annual General Meeting
aka = also known as
A/Mayor = Acting Mayor
Amb = Ambleside
amt = amount
ans = answer
app = sometimes: appreciate
applic/appl = application
appmt = appointment
approp = appropriate
apt = apartment
Aq Ctr = Aquatic Centre
ARC = Ambleside Revitalization Commission (appointed March 2011)
asap = as soon as possible
Assn = Association
asst = assistant
av = average or available
AWAD = A Word A Day; a new word M - F; read subscribers' comments in AWADmail on the weekend
AYC = Ambleside Youth Centre
        BANANA = Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything
         Bby = Burnaby
        b/c = because
        BCR = BC Rail
        bd / bdrm / bd mtg = board, boardroom, board meeting
        B&E = Break and Enter
        biz = business
         bldg = building
        blk = block
        blvd = boulevard
        bn = been
        BoV = Board of Variance
         BPAHA = British Properties' Area Homeowners' Association
        BPP = British Pacific Properties (company)
        BRB = Be Right Back
        BSC = Balanced Scorecard (obvious variant)
         btw = by the way
CAC = Cmnty Arts Ccl, WVCAC; or Cmnty Amenity Contribution
CAO = Chief Administrative Officer (formerly known as MMgr) of the District
CB = Cmnty Benefit(s), akin to Cmnty Amenities
CBA = Caulfeild Business Association
CBRL = Cypress Bowl Recreations Ltd (commonly called Cypress Mountain although that's elsewhere)
CCB = Cmnty Centre Board (changed now, non-profit society, WVCCSS)
ccl, cclr = council, councillor (Ccl 2010/2011, Cclr X)
cd = could
Cdn = Canadian; Cdn Army
CEC = Community Engagement Committee (last mtg May 2010 in term to Dec 31); a mtg 2011 June 7
CEO = Chief Executive Officer (for DWV is the Mayor)
CF = Canada Fund (fed stimulus $)
CFO - Chief Financial Officer (cf Director of Finance)
char = character (with neighbourhood)
Ch/Comm = (WV) Chamber of Commerce
chn = children
CID = Caller ID (identification, on phone)
CLUC = Caulfeild Land Use Contract
COL = Cost of Living
comm = commercial, sometimes Commission
cmnty = community
cmte = committee
CN = Canadian National (Railway)
CNV = City of North Vancouver
colln = collection
Coq = Coquitlam
corresp = correspondence
CP = Canadian Pacific
cpl = couple
CPT = Christian Peacemaker Team(s)
CRA = in past Cedardale Ratepayer Assn and/or Caulfeild Ratepayer Assn (but no news for a while)
            Also = Canada Revenue Agency
ctr = centre as noun, maybe -er as verb whereas center is the the American spelling whether noun or verb)
CWOT = Complete Waste of Time
        DBA = Dundarave Business Association (in commerce, dba Doing Business As)
        dbl = double
        DCC = Devt Cost Charges
        dept = department
        DES = Downtown East Side
        devpr, devt = developer, development
        diff = difficult or different
        DINKs = couples with Double Income, No Kids
        Dir - Director
         DFO = Dept of Fisheries & Oceans; now FOC, Fisheries & Oceans Canada (so DFO still used)
        DNA = Dundarave Neighbourhood Association
        DNV = District of North Vancouver
        doc = document
         DP / Devt Permit, and DPA = Development Permit / Application
        DTES = Downtown Ease Side
        Dund = Dundarave (pronounced Dun-duhr-AHV)
        DVP = Development Variance Permit
        DWMP = Drinking Water Management Plan
        DWV = District of West Vancouver
EAC = Engineering Advisory Cmte (now no more but Shoreline Preservation Society an outcome)
EAPPI = Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel
ecic = economic
EF = Endowment Fund (sometimes EndFund or EFund), see below
EfW = Energy from Waste
EHYC = Eagle Harbour Yacht Club
emerg = emergency
EndFund = Endowment Fund (or EndmtFund, even EFund if same sentence, see EF above
engg, engr = engineering, engineer
envmt, envtal = environment
EOD = End of Day
EOI = Expressions of Interest (used by the Housing Pilot Prog/Proj WG seeking proposals)
esp = especially
est = estimate
ev = every
EvDr = Evelyn Drive
exec = executive (eg Executive Assistant)
        FAR/FSR = Floor Area/Space Ratio (square feet in house as part of sq ftg of lot/property)
        FBG = Ferry Building Gallery
        FCM = Federation of Canadian Municipalities
         Fdn = Foundation
        fed = federal
        Fin = Finance
        FIA = Financial Information Act
        FOI = Freedom of Information
        ft = foot/feet
        FTE = Full Time Equivalent (used for staffing information)
        FWIW = For What It's Worth
        fyi = for your information
GARPA = Gleneagles Area Rate Payers' Association (in limbo?)
GFOA = Govt Finance Officers Assn
GHG = Green House Gases
GLH = Gertrude Lawson House (WV Museum)
govt = government
grp = group
GTG/G2G = Got to Go
GVRD = see MetroV (new name for Greater Vancouver Regional District)
GVSDD = Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District
         H = heritage
        ha = hectare (~ 2.5 acres); 10K sq m
        HAF = Harmony Arts Festival
         HBay = Horseshoe Bay
        HBB = Home-Based Business (used by staff in Sept for amendments to bylaw Oct 2009)
        HBB(C)A = Horseshoe Bay Business (and Community) Association
        HHS = Hollyburn Heritage Society
        HOG = Home Owner Grant
        hv = have
        HR = Human Resources
        HRA = Heritage Revitalization Agreement
        HSBC = Heritage Society of BC (now Heritage BC)
        HV = Heritage Vancouver
        HVAC = Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (or High Voltage Alternating Current)
         h/w = hardware (see s/w also)
        HWk = Heritage Week (across Canada; always starts third Monday in February)
        HWV = Heritage West Van
        hwy = highway
ICAHD = Israeli Committee Against House Demolition
IFNU = Integrated First Nations Unit (RCMP and WVPD, Capilano/Squamish Reserve)
IM = Instant Messaging
IMO/IMVHO = In My Opinion or In My (Very) (Humble) Opinion
imp = important (maybe improve)
int'l = international
IOW - In Other Words
IP = Internet Protocol
IRP = Immediate Roadside Prohibition
ISM = International Solidarity Movement (often with CPT)
IT = Information Technology
ITAC = Interested Taxpayers' Action Cmte (the Marley Group); I call the ITACkers.
        JAC = Jericho Arts Centre
        jr = junior
K = 1000
KIPPERS = Kids in Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings
km = kilometres
KMC = Kay Meek Centre
kph = kilometres per hour
        LC = Lower Caulfeild (LCAC, Lower Caulfeild Advisory Cmte)
        LCHCA = Lower Caulfeild Heritage Conservation Area
        LEED = Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (with silver and gold levels)
        LGA = Local Government Act
        LGB = Lions' Gate Bridge
        LGH = Lions' Gate Hospital
LGTP = Lions' Gate Treatment Plant
        Lib = Library (WV Memorial Library)
         LLR = Lower Level Road
        LM = Lower Mainland
         LMMA = Lower Mainland Municipal Assn
        LMTAC = Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee
        locn = location
         LOL = Laughing Out Loud (or Lots of Love)
        LPPS = Lighthouse Park Preservation Society
        LRSP = Livable Region Strategic Plan
        LSF = Land Stewardship Fund ($950K listed Jan/11, no explanation; then told AmbNOW in July)
M = municipal
m = metre, a measurement, as opposed to meter as in water meters
$M = million (dollars)
M&Ccl = Mayor and Ccl
MAC = Museum Adv Cmte (still functioning? not on DWV Calendar)
M A-G = Municipal Auditor-General (recommended by ITAC and ADRA)
max = maximum
mbr(s) = member(s)
MDr = Marine Drive
MetroV = Metro Vancouver (formerly GVRD, Greater Vancouver Regional District)
MFA = Municipal Finance Authority
MFCR = Main Floor Conference Room (at Municipal Hall); cmte/WG mtgs (and closed ccl mtgs)
mgr, mgmt = manager, management
min = minimum (max = maximum); sometimes minutes
MMgr = Municipal Manager (now CAO)
mntnc = maintenance
MoE = Ministry of the Environment
MoTH = Ministry of Transportation and Highways (sometimes shortened to MoT)
MoU = Memo of Understanding
mph = miles per hour (obsolete :-), but not to us oldies; same for ft/feet still referred to as well as acres)
MRN = Major Road Network
msg = message
mtg = meeting
mtn = mountain
         nbr/nbrhd = neighbour/neighbourhood
        NIMBY = Not in My Backyard
         NIMTO = Not in My Term of Office
        np = no problem
        NS or NSh = North Shore
        NSAAG = North Shore Arts Advocacy Group
        NSACDI = North Shore Advisory Committee on Disability Issues
        NSEMO = North Shore Emergency Management Office
        NSFC-YJ = North Shore Family Court - Youth Justice (Cmte)
        NSHC, NSHF = North Shore Heritage Committee, now Forum
        NSHPS = North Shore Heritage Preservation Society
        NSHWknd = North Shore Heritage Weekend (usu third weekend in September; in fall)
        NSWP = North Shore Wetland Partners
OCP = Official Community Plan
OCR = Optical Character Recognition (turning scanned documents into text)
ofc = office
OGCS = Old-Growth Conservancy Society
OMG = Omigosh/Omigod!
opp = opportunity (may also be opposed or opposition)
org = organization
OTOH = On The Other Hand
OTT = Over The Top
        P3 = Public Private Partnership
        pa = per annum
        PDA = Public Display of Affection
        PDF = Portable Document Format (attach to email, like photo of msg or whatever)
        PH = Public Hearing
        ph = phone
        pH = acidity/basicity measure of solutions; acids below 7, alkalis above 7, neutral exactly 7
         PH/PMtg = Public Hearing/Public Meeting
        PHT = Presentation House Theatre (NV)
        pls = please
        popn = population
        ppl = people
        pkg = parking (on occasion, package)
         PkR / Pk Royal = Park Royal; PkR-S (South), PkR-N (North)
        PMPWG = Parks Master Plan WG
        PQP = Public Question Period (comments also allowed)
         pop = popular
        popn = population
        POV = Point of View
        ppl = people
        prev = previous
         prez = president
        prob'ly = probably
         prog = program/me
        prop = property
         prov = province
        PSAB = Public Sector Accounting Board
        PSB = Public Safety Building (June 2011 planning new combined Police/Fire; now debated)
         PSF = Pacific Salmon Foundation
        pt = point or part
        PWV = Preserve West Van
        PWYC = Pay What You Can
Q = question; Qs and As = questions and answers
QED = Quod Erat Demonstrandum = thus demonstrated (in math, and used in debates)
QET = Queen Elizabeth Theatre
qtn = quotation
qty = quantity
         RAAC = Regional Administrative Advisory Cmte
        RAC = Random Act(s) of Culture
        RAK = Random Act(s) of Kindness
         RCAF = Royal Canadian Air Force (name restored August 2011)
        RCL = Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 60  (WV); prev'ly BESL (British Empire Service League)
        RCN = Royal Canadian Navy (name restored August 2011)
        rec'd = received
         regs = regulations
        relnship = relationship
        rept = report (when typed in a rush)
        reqmts = requirements
        resid = residential
        resoln = resolution
        rev = revenue
        revit = revitalization
         RFI = Request for Information
        RFMP = Recreation Facilities Master Plan (from the 1990s? now finished)
        RFP = Request for Proposal
         RGS = Regional Growth Strategy (from MetroV)
        rlwy = railway
        Rmd = Richmond
         ROTFL(WTIME) = Rolling On The Floor Laughing / With Tears in My Eyes
        ROW = Right of Way
        RTbtS = RoyalTea-by-the-Sea (an annual summer HWV event)
S2S = Sea-to-Sky (highway)
SAC = Seniors' Activity Centre (correct name but usually referred to as Srs' Ctr)
sch dist / SD / SD45 = School District (WV is No. 45)
sec = with sec stes
secy = secretary
SFMP = Sport Fields Master Plan
sf, sq ftg = square feet, square footage
sgl-fam = single-family
shd = should
signif = significant
SNAFU = Situation Normal, All 'Fouled' Up
soln = solution (hope we find a lot!)
SOS = Statement of Significance, used in descriptions of heritage assets
sp = special
sp? = spelling? (uncertain of)
Sq = Squamish
sr = senior
srvc = service
stes = suites; sec stes = secondary suites; 2ndary/2ry = secondary
stmt = statement
stn = station
sust = sustainable
s/w = software (see also h/w)
SWMP = Solid Waste Management Plan/s (in BC); also Storm Water Management Plan
        TAFN = That's all for now
        TBA/TBC/TBD = To be Announced/Confirmed/Determined     
        techn = technical
        TfT = Trees for Tomorrow
         TLC = The Land Conservancy (otherwise Tender Loving Care)
        T&M = Time and Materials (term used in consulting, rather than fixed price)
        TMI = Too Much Information
        transp = transportation
         TPTB = The Powers That Be                      
        treas = treasurer
        TTFN = Ta Ta For Now
        ttyl = talk to you later
        TTYS = talk to you soon
        TWay = Taylor Way
        tyvm = thank you very much
UBCM = Union of BC Municipalities
UCB = Urban Containment Boundary (wrt RGS)
UEL = United Empire Loyalists (determining role/event in Canada's history)
UFV = University of the Fraser Valley
UL = Upper Lands (above 1200ft), sometimes Upper Levels, as in Highway
upa = units per acre
        v = very
        V4S = Value For Services (was a WG)
        VAG = Vancouver Art Gallery
        VANOC = Vancouver Olympic Committee
        VCH = Vancouver Coastal Health
        VHF = Vancouver Heritage Foundation
        VO = Vancouver Opera, formerly VOA (Assn)
        VoIP = Voice over the Internet Protocol (telephony term)
        VP = vice president
        VPL = Vancouver Public Library
        VSB = Vancouver School Bd
        VSO = Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
w/ = with, and w/o for without
wch = which
wd = would
WFT = See WTF
WG = Working Group (there are many, so check list on DWV website to find the initials that fit)
wk = week, sometimes work
WRA = Western Residents' Association
wrt = with regard/reference to
WTE = Waste-to-Energy, an option for reducing gases that cause global warming (there's a facility in Burnaby)
WTF = Wisconsin Tourist Federation -- name now changed to Wisconsin Federation of Tourism
WTHIT = What the Heck is This?
WVCAC = see CAC
WVCC = WV Cmnty Ctr; cf WVChC/WVChamber for WV Chamber of Commerce
WVCCSS = WV Cmnty Centres Services Society
WVCGG = WV Citizens for Good Government
WVFD = WV Fire Department
WVHS = WV Historical Society
WVM = West Van Matters
WVMEA = WV Municipal Employees Assn
WVML = WV Memorial Library
WVPD = WV Police Department
WVS = actual name is WV Streamkeeper Society, so also WVSS but that can be WV Secondary School
WVSK/WVSk/WVSkS = to be clearer when referring to the WV Streamkeepers (WVS above)
WVSPCA = WV Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
WVSPS = WV Shoreline Preservation Society
WVYC = WV Yacht Club
WWTP = Waste Water Treatment Plant
WWY(T)S = What Were You (They) Smoking?
WYSIWYG = What You See is What You Get (wizzeewig)
        YAC = Youth Adv Cmte (for some reason not on DWV website/Calendar)
        Y/E = Year-End
         YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary (meaning your experience may differ)
        YT = Yours Truly, meaning me (CR)
        yw = you're welcome
ZWC = Zero-Waste Challenge

If you have more acronyms you want to add to this list, please send them to me.