1951
A group, led by Ken Stauffer and Tiny Radar, inspired by Vancouver Sun columnist Andy Lyle, sent representatives to the off-season WlFU meetings to initiate Vancouver's bid for a team. The representatives (Radar and Orville Burke) were told to return to the meetings the following year with a $25,000 good-faith bond if they could generate sufficient interest at home. The first meetings were held at the Arctic Club in November and a committee headed by Burke and Harry Spring set out to sell memberships at $20 each.

1952
Even though Burke, Vic Spencer and John Davidson offered the good-faith bond to the WIFU the idea was rejected when both Winnipeg and Regina voted against the idea of a fifth team. The group in Vancouver did not give up and continued their efforts.

1953
The first annual meeting of the club, held on January 22, 1953 saw Arthur E. Mercer named as the first President, and later in the year Mercer, Bill Morgan, Bill Ralston and Whit Matthews went back to the WlFU meetings. This time they sold the idea of a fifth team on the West Coast, and Vancouver was granted a conditional franchise, on the requirements of a 15,000 seat stadium, selling 6,500 season tickets and guaranteed travel expenses of the visiting teams. All the pieces began to fall into place when it was announced that Vancouver would host the 1954 British Empire Games, and that it would mean the building of a new stadium – Empire Stadium. By Easter of ‘53, Annis Stukus was lured away from Toronto, to return to the West as the first Head Coach of the B.C. Lions.

1954
Stukus sold football fever on the streets and put together a team that made history when they stepped on the field for their first ever game on August 11 against Montreal. They lost 22-0 to the Alouettes and 12-0 to Hamilton in pre-season action. They opened their first regular season on Saturday, August 28 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before an enthusiastic crowd. By Bailey scored the first-ever touchdown in an 8-6 loss to Winnipeg, and it wasn't until the seventh game of the year that the Lions recorded their first, and only win of their initial season. September 18 was the date of the Lions' 9-4 triumph over Calgary. By Bailey scored the winning touchdown that set off a night of celebration in the streets of Vancouver.

1955
While the team record improved to 5-11, it didn't change the decision of the team directors, who asked Stukus to step down in October. Reaction to the move was loud and opinions divided, but Stukus asked the fans to continue to support the team, and his assistant Clem Crowe was elevated to Head Coach for 1956.

1956
Clem Crowe became the second Head Coach in team history when he replaced Annis Stukus as the new bench boss. Under Crowe the Lions finished fourth in the West, posting a 6 and 10 record. Although this was a one game improvement from last season, they ultimately missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

1957
New President Bill McMahan brought Kelowna native Herb Capozzi back from Montreal to become General Manager. On the field the club still struggled to find a winning combination, 4-11-1.

1958
After five straight losses opened the season, Crowe was replaced as Head Coach by Danny Edwards, who returned after playing with the club the previous year. Three late wins salvaged a season which saw the debuts of Tom Hinton and Sonny Homer.

1959
The hunt for a new Head Coach brought Wayne Robinson from Winnipeg. With a new rookie running back named Willie Fleming and a corps of veterans, a final game triumph at home over Calgary gave the Lions their first playoff spot and a winning record of 9-7. Two straight losses to Edmonton ended their playoff debut, but the future looked bright.