{{short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | name = Eric Wilfred Balcom | caption = | honorific_suffix = MLA CM | birth_date = {{Birth date|1909|5|13}} | birth_place = Port Dufferin, Nova Scotia | death_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|5|31|1909|5|13}} | office = MLA for Kings North | term_start = 1956 | term_end = 1960 | predecessor = new district | successor = Gladys Porter | party = Liberal | spouse = | occupation = }}
'''Eric Wilfred Balcom''', (March 13, 1909 – May 31, 1989) was a businessman, political figure, and Companion of the Order of Canada.<ref name="order">[http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=69 Eric W. Balcom, Order of Canada]</ref>
Born in Port Dufferin, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Balcom moved to Wolfville in 1938. He established two nursing homes there. Balcom then operated the Paramount Hotel and Cottages from 1942 to 1970. He was Mayor of Wolfville from 1950 to 1955 and ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Parliament in 1953.
Balcom was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1956, representing Kings North as a Liberal.<ref name=election56>{{cite web|title=Complete Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1956|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201956.pdf|publisher=Elections Nova Scotia|year=1956|accessdate=November 17, 2014|archive-date=November 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101031149/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201956.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> He re-offered in the 1960 general election, but was defeated.<ref name=election60>{{cite web|title=Complete Returns of General Election for the House of Assembly 1960|url=http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201960.pdf|publisher=Elections Nova Scotia|year=1960|accessdate=November 17, 2014|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023033/http://electionsnovascotia.ca/sites/default/files/General%20Election%201960.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Balcom was president of the Atlantic School of Theology, the Nova Scotia Kidney Association, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Wolfville Board of Trade.<ref name=wolfville>{{cite web|url=http://wolfvillehs.ednet.ns.ca/memorialbook/Balcom-Eric-Wilfred.htm |title=Eric Wilfred Balcom, Wolfville Civic Memorial Book, Wolfville Historical Society |accessdate=December 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706190854/http://wolfvillehs.ednet.ns.ca/memorialbook/Balcom-Eric-Wilfred.htm |archivedate=July 6, 2011 }}</ref>
Balcom returned to Port Dufferin in 1970. He was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 20, 1983.<ref name="order" />
In 1989, Balcom died as a result of a car accident.<ref name=wolfville />
==References== {{reflist |2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balcom, Eric W}} Category:1909 births Category:1989 deaths Category:20th-century mayors of places in Nova Scotia Category:Nova Scotia Liberal Party MLAs Category:Members of the Order of Canada Category:20th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly