 He had a hand in having the capital of the province moved to Victoria from New Westminster and in securing lucrative public work contracts for Victoria companies.In addition to his role as surgeon for the HBC, Helmcken was founding president of the British Columbia Medical Society in 1885, and helped found the Medical Council of British Columbia, which licences BC doctors, the next year.He was also the physician of the provincial jail and sat on the board of the Royal Jubilee Hospital.