In 1937, the New Westminster Pee Wee Hockey Association, formed by the late Bill Mott, Vern Insley, George Leaf, Dan McKenzie, Oscar Swanson, Herb House, Carl Hauck and Harold and Osborne Dean, registered 450 boys and wrote the first minor hockey constitution for this area. One of their objects was "to encourage and foster amongst its members, and all citizens in general, sportsmanship and good citizenship." The New Westminster City Council approved the policy of free ice for the Association, a policy that was in effect for 36 years until 1973-74.

In 1939, Art Jefferd, Lyle Barr and John Clark initiated the Vancouver Minor Hockey Association at the P.N.E. Forum. That association continues today under the name of Hastings Minor Hockey Association. These two associations and their constitutions provided the mould for many new associations that have come into being over the intervening years.

The final organizational meeting of the PCAHA was held September 21, 1941, in Nanaimo, B.C. Representatives were present from five arenas - Nanaimo, Victoria, P.N.E., Kerrisdale, and New Westminster. Don Sarkissian and others represented Nanaimo; Doug Fletcher and Ivan Temple, Victoria; Lyle Barr and Johnny Clark, P.N.E.; Art Jefferd and Bert Day, Kerrisdale; and Vern Insley and Herb House, New Westminster. The decision was made that an association was necessary to operate and control playoffs between the members. At that time the BCAHA and the CHA did not recognize minor hockey below the Midget Division. Also, it was agreed to institute a PCAHA Injured Players Fund. After thorough discussion it was agreed to officially organize and Ivan Temple was elected President with Herb House, Vice-President. Mr. Temple was authorized to appoint his own Secretary. Again, after thorough discussion it was decided to accept the assets of the lower mainland Injured Players Fund. At Ivan Temple's suggestion the name was changed to the PCAHA Mutual Aid Fund with the money available for other injuries. The fee was set at $1.00 per year per player. Mr. Temple was elected Chairman of the Mutual Aid Fund, Don Sarkissian, Vice-Chairman, and Herb House Secretary-Treasurer. Herb House was delegated to write a constitution for the PCAHA, the by-laws to include the rules and regulations for the M.A. Fund.

Beginning in 1944-1945 the PCAHA was given responsibility by the BCAHA for regulating residence requirements for players playing within the Lower Mainland, a practice that continues to this day.

The PCAHA carried on with the same officers during the war years and up until the Annual Meeting held in Nanaimo on August 16, 1953. At this meeting the associations from the Vancouver Island District requested permission to leave the PCAHA and to form their own district association. This request was accepted by the PCAHA and approved by the BCAHA at the BCAHA Annual Meeting held in Penticton on September 20th, 1953. At the Nanaimo meeting, Ivan Temple stepped down as President and Herb House was elected first President of the reorganized PCAHA covering the Lower Mainland district. The minor committee of the BCAHA at the September 20th meeting voted to take over the Mutual Aid Fund with the name and rules to remain the same. Temple, Sarkissian, and House carried on in their respective positions. The Mutual Aid Fund, which long predated the current concerns about insurance coverage, continues in existence to the present.

Herb House served as President for 10 years (1953-1963). Many of the PCAHA's founding fathers were mainstays of amateur hockey in the province of B.C. for decades. Ivan Temple, the PCAHA's first President, became President and Secretary-Treasurer of the BCAHA and operated the BCAHA's first full-time office in Victoria from 1967-1974. Art Jefferd was BCAHA President from 1930-1934 and served as the BCAHA Lower Mainland District Director for an unprecedented 21 straight years, from 1938-1939 to 1958-1959. Herb House was a member of the BCAHA Mutual Aid Committee from 1954 until 1978 (24 years). Don Sarkissian was a member of the Mutual Aid Committee from 1954-1966 (12 years).

The late 1950's through early 1970's were years of unparalleled growth in amateur hockey in the Lower Mainland. During this period the PCAHA's ranks grew from the 3 original associations (P.N.E., Kerrisdale, and New Westminster) to reach a total of 37 in 1977. The Mutual Aid Fund records show that in the peak year 1974-1975 the PCAHA registered 19,585 players, with the total for B.C. 50,179.

Significant organizational growth occurred during this period as well. Initially, the only level of inter-association hockey was "A" (CHA carded) hockey, PeeWee through Juvenile. During the 1960's the growth of inter-association hockey resulted in the formation of the Harbour League, which operated the "B" leagues within the Lower Mainland. In 1974, during Stan Patience's term as President, the PCAHA and the Harbour League amalgamated, and the PCAHA became responsible for both "A" and "B" leagues. At that time the PCAHA adopted the three Zone system for league structure, administration, and application of the residency rule. A PCAHA Central Office was also established and a part-time paid administration position, Secretary-Registrar, was created to help administer the larger structure. Ed Jolly, formerly Harbour League Secretary-Treasurer, served as Secretary-Registrar from 1974 to 1977 and was succeeded by Ron Livingston, who holds that position to this day. The Secretary-Registrar position (now called PCAHA Executive Director) remains the PCAHA's only "paid" position.

The growth and reorganization of the PCAHA was consolidated under Presidents Don Winslade (1963-1965), Doug Pangman (1965-67), Jim Tindle (1967-69) Stan Patience (8 years, 1969-77), Bruce Allison (1977-80), and Don Ackert (1980-83). Under Bruce Allison numerous projects and programs were initiated, most notably the PCAHA Scholarship Program (1978), the Canada Dry Midget Scholarship Tournament (1978), and the PCAHA special awards (Gold Puck, Association of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Achievement Awards). Bruce Allison later served as an Officer of the BCAHA (1981-90) including 3 years as BCAHA President (1985-88). Don Ackert was BCAHA District Director for 5 years (1983-88 and 1988-89) and BCAHA 3rd Vice-President (1989-90).

During the late 1970's and early 1980's Minor Hockey registrations across Canada fell by 40%-50%, a decline also experienced by the PCAHA's member Associations. This decline was caused by rising equipment costs, increased ice rental costs, and the violent image of hockey at the professional level. Lower registration levels led to several amalgamations of Associations and smaller numbers of teams in the Zone leagues. To maintain viable leagues the PCAHA underwent a major restructuring in 1985, replacing the 3 Zones with two Conferences, the Fraser Valley Conference and the Greater Vancouver Conference. At that time the application of the residency rule was changed to better reflect the concept of community-based Minor Hockey in place throughout British Columbia and to eliminate "team shopping" and "team stacking" abuses that occurred under the Zone system. A legal dispute over the application of the residency rule to the four winter club associations was resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned in the Spring of 1986. The PCAHA also adopted the BCAHA's association classification structure ("AAA" and "AA") and was granted the right to be represented by two teams at the "AAA" provincial playoffs.

Although the PCAHA was also nominally responsible for "C" hockey, administration of the these leagues was left to an independent structure of regional leagues - Lions Gate League, Presidents League, Fraser Valley West League, and so on. It was not until 1990 that the "C" Leagues were formally incorporated as a direct part of the PCAHA administration structure.

During 1991, the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association celebrated its 50th Anniversary. In 50 years the PCAHA grew from administering approximately 16 teams in 5 Associations to administering over 900 teams from 35 Associations, and is today the largest organizational unit within the BCAHA.