The Halifax Burns Club (HBC) was born out of conversations between Bill Forster and Andy Forsyth when both were working at Pan Canadian’s offices in Founders’ Square on Hollis Street and the first meetings were held in the boardroom of Pan Canadian in October 1997.

The first meeting attendees were a mixture of Pan Canadian employees recruited by Bill and friends of Andy and although a small number did not pursue an interest, the majority became vital members of the HBC, namely John Bryce, Angus MacDonald, Archie Campbell, Jim Lancaster, Malcolm Robertson , Mac Giffen and Karl Merrit. After meeting at Pan Canadian’s boardroom the club met for many years at the boardroom of K & D Industries followed by a short stint at the Henry House and now meet on the first Thursday of each month from September until June on HMCS Sackville in Halifax Harbour.

It was decided that the HBC would be based on the Tarbolton Bachelors' Club and the Constitution would be as that adopted by the Calgary Burns Club of which Bill Forster was still a member. The first President would be Bill Forster with Andy Forsyth as Vice President and they would serve for the initial two years to see the HBC established and then the terms of office would be one year.

As the Calgary Burns Club was a ‘men-only’ Club, the HBC also adopted this in the Constitution and subsequently the first planned Annual Burns Supper was also deemed ‘men-only’.

The first HBC Annual Burns Supper was held on Saturday, January 24th, 1998 in the Windows Restaurant on the 8th Floor of the World Trade Centre on a night when Halifax experienced a severe winter storm which reduced the expected attendance from 100 to 65 hardy souls. Stewart Chalmers from the Calgary Burns Club proposed the Immortal Memory and the HBC members filled the other main roles.

Later that year the Halifax Burns Club hosted the annual conference of The Robert Burns Association of North America, it was a huge success and was repeated in 2006.

It was due to the success of this first Burns Supper that some of the guests that evening decided to join the HBC ranks, and each successive year the popularity of the HBC ‘Burns Supper’ has attracted new members.

The Halifax Burns club is now well established and holds an annual Jean Armor evening primarily for members wives, an annual concert at the Camp Hill Veterans hospital and the annual Burns supper which is regarded by many as one of the highlights of the Halifax entertainment calendar.