Steveston, founded in the 1880s, is a neighbourhood of
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, Californi ...
in
Metro Vancouver
The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...
. On the southwest tip of
Lulu Island
Lulu Island is the name of the largest island in the estuary of the Fraser River, located south of Vancouver, British Columbia, and the second-most populous island in British Columbia, after Vancouver Island. The city of Richmond occupies m ...
, the village is a historic port and salmon canning centre at the mouth of the South Arm of the
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual ...
. The early 1900s style architecture attracts both the film and tourism industries.
History
Pioneers
The village is named for
Manoah Steves, who arrived with his family around 1877–1878 from
Moncton
Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces. The city has earned the nickname "Hub City" because of ...
,
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, via
Chatham, Ontario. Born Manoah Steeves, a second cousin of
William Steeves, he dropped the second 'e' en route. The family was the first white settlers in the area.
The townsite began in 1880 as a crown grant to William Herbert Steves, his son. During the following decade, over 100 individuals purchased land in this original section comprising a grid pattern of 237 small lots. Becoming Steveston in 1889, this area south of today's Steveston Highway and west of No. 1 Rd. was the first subdivision in Richmond. In 1887, London's Landing, at the foot of No. 2 Rd., was also laid out on a grid.
New Westminster
New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capi ...
-
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...
ferries called at Steveston from the early 1860s onward, becoming a Steveston-Vancouver Island run in the 1920s.
Early Commerce
Salmon canning began on the river in 1871 with the first major cannery being the Phoenix, established in 1882 by Marshall English and Samuel Martin.
By the 1890s there were 45 canneries, about half of which were at Steveston, giving rise to the alternate name of Salmonopolis. Each summer large numbers of Japanese, Chinese, First Nations, and European fishermen and cannery workers descended upon the village, joining a growing year-round settlement. At the port, sailing ships loaded canned salmon for export. The fishery also supported a significant boatbuilding industry.
Steveston Fire Department existed 1912–1917. Otherwise, the closest firehall was
Marpole
Marpole, originally a Musqueam village named , is a mostly residential neighbourhood of 23,832 in 2011, located on the southern edge of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, immediately northeast of Vancouver International Airport, and is approx ...
, half an hour to an hour away, depending upon road conditions. A 1908 fire in the eastern section caused over $35,000 in damages. The 1918 inferno, totalling over $0.5m in damages, destroyed three canneries (the Star, Steveston, and Lighthouse), three hotels (Star, Richmond, and London), and most of Brick Block. The Marpole firetruck broke down on the way. This devastating fire started in a dining/recreational area of the Star Cannery. In 1897, this same cannery suffered the first significant fire in Steveston, requiring extensive rebuilding.
Steveston's aspirations to rival
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
as a port ended during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Salmon runs peaking in 1913 was one of many factors. Canning activity slowly declined and finally ceased in the 1990s. The
Gulf of Georgia Cannery
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a National Historic Site of Canada located in Steveston village in Richmond, British Columbia.
Built in 1894, the cannery echoes the days when it was the leading producer of canned salmon in British Columbia. Tod ...
, built in 1894 was at one time the largest plant in British Columbia. The cannery (1994) and Britannia Shipyard (1991) received
National Historic Site designations.
The
BCER Vancouver-Marpole-Steveston interurban tram operated 1905–1958. A new building houses the static tram car 1220.
Once a pioneer bank building,
the Steveston Museum & Visitor Centre also operates a post office.
Steveston's Japanese Canadians
Japanese Canadians formed a large part of Steveston's original population.
Tomekichi Homma
Tomekichi "Tomey" Homma (1865–1945) was a Canadian who was one of the first Japanese settlers of Steveston, which is now part of Richmond, British Columbia. He fought for the right to vote for Japanese-Canadians in provincial elections.
Early ...
, who settled in Steveston in 1883, was one of the important early members of the Japanese community in the village.
Homma Elementary School
Richmond School District (School District No. 38) is a school district based in Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It occupies almost the entirety of Lulu Isla ...
in Steveston was named in his honour. Around 1897, the Fraser River Japanese Fishermen’s Association Hospital in Steveston was established since the local hospital refused to admit and treat Japanese immigrant patients.
The
Japanese Canadian internment
From 1942 to 1949, Canada forcibly relocated and incarcerated over 22,000 Japanese Canadians—comprising over 90% of the total Japanese Canadian population—from British Columbia in the name of "national security". The majority were Canadian ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
was a serious blow to the community, although some of the internees returned when they were allowed and a sizable Japanese Canadian community still exists. For example, a Japanese judo and martial arts centre was developed in Steveston after the internment.
During World War II, the Department of Transport facility monitored German and Japanese (Kana code) submarine traffic. The facility closed in 1945.
In 1954, BC Packers manager Ken Fraser donated a lot to Steveston's Japanese Canadian fishermen for the purposes of building a joint community centre (which eventually became the Steveston Community Centre); the terms of the agreement also stated that the Japanese Fishermen Benevolent Association be allowed to have a judo room at the centre.
In 1969, community discussion led to the development of a Japanese-style martial arts building for Steveston. The martial arts centre, now a Steveston landmark, is currently located adjacent to the Steveston Community Centre.
Post-war development
Along with Richmond, Steveston transformed from farmland to residential housing. Since the 1970s, the community, which remains an active fishing port, has enhanced its heritage character and waterfront to attract business and tourism.
Garry Point, at the southwest tip of the community (and
Lulu Island
Lulu Island is the name of the largest island in the estuary of the Fraser River, located south of Vancouver, British Columbia, and the second-most populous island in British Columbia, after Vancouver Island. The city of Richmond occupies m ...
), was named in 1827 to honour Nicholas Garry, former Deputy Governor of the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...
. The company ships used this promontory as a navigational aid to safely enter the
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual ...
.
From the 1960s to the early 1990s, it was a federally-owned dump site for sand dredged from the river. Levelling the dunes created Steveston's largest park, opened in 1989.
The site of the
Steveston Fisherman's Memorial, the park was the major host location for the Vancouver-area festivities of the 2002
Tall Ships Challenge
The Tall Ships Challenge is an annual event organized by Tall Ships America alternating in a three year cycle between the Great Lakes, the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts of North America.
The event draws hundreds of thousands of people to wi ...
. Approximately 400,000 people came to see a fleet of restored sailing ships docked along the river. The financial loss incurred by the event prompted strong criticism from Richmond City Council. A maritime festival continues to be held annually.
In 1990, the Steveston Harbour Authority was established. In 1998, the 44-acre BC Packers cannery site was rezoned residential in exchange for keeping the waterfront portion publicly accessible.
Years of controversy followed regarding the zoning of the foreshore buildings.
Filming location
![Mr](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Mr._Gold_pawnbroker.jpg)
Steveston is a popular location for filming both movies and television shows, which has included the following:
Tourism
![Gulf-of-Georgia-Cannery2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Gulf-of-Georgia-Cannery2.jpg)
Even with extensive redevelopment, Steveston maintains the character of a quaint, historic fishing village, with over 600 fishing boats––Canada's largest fleet
calling Steveston Harbour home. It boasts over 350 businesses and services to accommodate a growing population. On sunny days, locals and visitors crowd the waterfront boardwalks to enjoy the scenery, people and food.
Steveston is also known as "The Gateway to the Orca," being a base for the whale watching industry. Shuttled by boat into the
Gulf of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia (french: Détroit de Géorgie) or the Georgia Strait is an arm of the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the extreme southwestern mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada and the extreme northwestern mainland coast ...
, passengers observe
orca
The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only Extant taxon, extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black ...
(killer whales), seals, eagles and more.
Steveston Salmon Festival
On
Canada Day
Canada Day (french: Fête du Canada), formerly known as Dominion Day (french: Fête du Dominion), is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 18 ...
, the community hosts the Steveston Salmon Festival, which has been held annually since 1946.
This event includes a parade, and a huge barbecued salmon sale beside the Steveston Community Centre. Municipal, provincial and federal politicians often attend, usually as part of the parade and/or to hand out Canadian flags.
See also
*
List of canneries in British Columbia
This is a list of canneries and cannery towns in British Columbia, Canada.
Fish and seafood
*Alert Bay
*Alexandra a.k.a. Alexander (Skeena River)
*Arrandale (Nass River)
* Balmoral (Skeena River)
* Bliss Landing
*Bones Bay
* Boswell
* Butedale
...
*
Footnotes
References
*
External links
Steveston Salmon Festival - Canada DayVirtual Museum
{{Authority control
Neighbourhoods in Richmond, British Columbia
Fishing communities in Canada
Populated places on the Fraser River
Fishing communities
World War II sites in Canada