Lake was born in Odiham, Hampshire, England, to a father, Morris, who worked as an electrician in the Royal Air Force. Morris moved his family, which included two daughters and two sons, to numerous air force bases around the world, including Calgary, Germany and Saudi Arabia. They moved, in 1972, to the Okanagan area of British Columbia where Terry graduated from high school. He attended Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, where he studied journalism and worked for Broadcast News. He went on to the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon where he graduated with a doctorate degree in veterinary medicine. He then moved to Coquitlam, British Columbia, where he opened his own veterinary practice, in 1989, called the Coquitlam Animal Hospital. He became active in the B.C. Veterinary Medical Association serving as a councilor and secretary-treasurer. He was recognized by Tourism Vancouver with a "Be a Host Legacy Award" in 1997 for his efforts in attracting the World Small Animal Veterinary Association to hold their annual world congress in Vancouver. Lake went on to serve as a board officer, vice-president and treasurer for that Association. After several visits to friends who lived Kamloops, Lake and his wife, along with their three daughters, decided to move there. He got a teaching position at Thompson Rivers University's animal-health technology program beginning in 1997. He became active in the community, playing in the soccer league, coaching youth soccer and lobbying to ban performances by exotic animals within the city, like during a circus or rodeo. In 1999, he sought to be elected to the city council. During the campaign, he noted that he was in favour of installing residential water meters, a moratorium on new big-box stores until an impact assessment was completed, and he was opposed to using referendums to make tough decisions. With eight council seats in contention, Lake finished in ninth place with 5,400 votes and claimed $4,562 in election expenses. Lake complained afterwards, and sought legal advice, regarding illegal advertising by the third-place finisher, Brian Husband, who ran radio ads on election day. Lake continued to help organize the World Small Animal Veterinary Association's annual (2001) conference which he helped attract to Vancouver. He returned to Kamloops advocating that the city develop a modern conference centre. Municipal politics Councillor He sought election to the same city council in 2002, advocating for a new conference centre. He finished third with