Exploring British Columbia’s Fishing History in Steveston

Natural beauty in a quiet corner of Vancouver, BC

Less than an hour’s drive from Downtown Vancouver, on the edge of the Fraser River in the suburb of Richmond, is the picturesque fishing village of Steveston, one of the city’s most popular day trips and one of my favourite spots.

Steveston Village is still used for BC’s thriving fishing industry today. There are over 600 boats moored on its shores, many belonging to fishermen whose family businesses go back generations.

But Steveston is more than just fishing. Not only is it great for anyone who enjoys the outdoors and connecting with nature, but a visit here is like taking a step back in time. You can almost feel the ghosts of the past walking alongside you.

Steveston’s History

Steveston was named for Manoah Steves, whose family was one of the first to settle in and develop the area in the 1870s.

As the town grew and industry expanded, more people began to arrive and purchase land in this area. The village thrived.

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery

Salmon canning became the main industry in Steveston with over 15 canneries operating here by the 1890s. This attracted a large workforce of Japanese, Chinese, First Nations and European fishermen and cannery employees. These canneries also employed many women who stepped in to aid the war effort.

Salmon canning was the backbone of this community until the 1990's when the industry began declining and eventually ceased.

As a child growing up nearby, I always remember the unpleasant fish smell in the summer heat. I was not sad to see these canneries close, but I do miss the tradition and history of what these canneries meant to the area.

The best place to learn about Steveston’s fishing and canning history is at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. This former cannery is now a National Historic Site with an informative museum, rotating exhibitions and seasonal activities. Listen out for the whistle that blows at 5:00 PM marking the closing of the museum, just like it signaled the end of the work day for the cannery employees decades ago.

Steveston Museum and Post Office

This sweet building, dating back to 1905, was the town’s first bank. The bank closed and a medical practice took over in 1963, eventually becoming the museum and post office in 1979. Today, it is a wonderful place to see the former bank offices and artifacts, send a postcard, or meet for a guided tour of Steveston.

On one side of the museum is a serene garden and Japanese-style arch which pay respect to Steveston’s Japanese community and the important role they played in the history of this area.

On the other side is the Japanese Fishermen’s Benevolent Society building. Built in 1900, it served as an administrative building for both a 30-bed hospital and a Japanese school. It was moved to this location from further down №1 Road and is now a museum commemorating Steveston’s Japanese Canadian community.

Steveston Interurban Tram

Between 1905 and 1958, BC Electric Railway Company’s interurban trams moved passengers from Vancouver to Steveston. In Steveston Community Park, a short walk from the museum is the beautifully refurbished historic tram — number 1220 — on the former site of the Steveston Station. The building which houses the tram is modern but inspired by the stations of old. However, the original tracks, built in 1902, still run through the building.

Chinese and Japanese History in Steveston

Most of Steveston’s action and tourist crowds are in the center of the village where the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, Museum and boardwalk pier are located.

But a 15-minute walk east, along the pleasant Imperial Landing Boardwalk, will take you to the historical heart of Steveston Village where you can explore the fascinating history of the Chinese and Japanese inhabitants who were such an important part of this community. Not only that, but you’ll get great views as you walk alongside the river.

Murakami House

This home, built on piles over the marsh, housed Otokichi and Asayo Murakami and their 10 children. The family lived in this home until their internment in 1942 when 2,500 Japanese residents living in Richmond were seen as a threat and moved to BC’s interior.

In 1929, the family built a boatworks where they constructed gillnetters every winter and then fished during the summer.

The home was recreated using sketches done by the family’s eldest son, George, and gives a beautiful glimpse into the daily life of an important local family. I’m no chef, but I especially love the kitchen with all its historic cooking utensils and appliances.

Stilt Houses

If I could move into one of these little houses, I would. Unfortunately, they are not on the rental market.

These former fishermen’s residences were built in the late 1800s and eventually purchased in 1895 by Steveston’s first police chief and customs officer, John Murchison. They housed his own family as well as employees from the Shipyards, located across the street. Today, they are a visitor’s center as well as little museums exploring the lives of the diverse community who lived and worked in Steveston.

Britannia Shipyards

The Britannia Shipyards site was built in 1889 and originally used as a cannery. It ceased canning operations in 1917 due to rock slides 140 km away in Hell’s Gate four years earlier. Because the rocks tumbled into the river, the slides impacted and reduced the salmon run, thus, many canneries were forced to close and the buildings were converted for other uses. After the cannery closed, this site was used as a shipyard and maritime repair shop until 1979.

Built on marshes and connected by boardwalks, these buildings now explore the history of the wooden shipbuilding industry and life on the Fraser.

Chinese Bunkhouse

You are greeted by a fairly empty room when you enter the Chinese Bunkhouse, but don’t turn and walk out just yet. Head upstairs because that’s where you will experience what this building was really used for.

Originally built in 1920, this restored heritage building reconstructs what living conditions were like for the many Chinese workers who were employed at the shipyards and canneries. Imagine squeezing yourself into one of the tiny bunk beds or sitting at the table playing card games with your fellow workers while missing family back home. It would probably have been quite a hard life.

London Farm

A little further east from the Chinese Bunkhouse, take a walk along the dyke to London Farm. This historic house, built in 1890, was home to two generations of the London family and is the best place to learn about pioneer life in Steveston.

Restored and reopened in 1983, the London Farm site now houses a museum, a historic barn and heritage perennial gardens. It’s also a lovely place for a spot of tea.

Today’s Steveston

Explore the outdoors

Steveston is undoubtedly one of the most peaceful places to go for a leisurely walk or bike ride. The south dyke, which protects the village from the Fraser’s ebbs and flows, goes on for miles and offers some of the best views of the river, surrounding mountains, local wildlife, and is a really nice place to watch the airplanes take off and land at Vancouver International Airport.

If you fancy getting off of dry land and heading into the open ocean to take in the spectacular scenery of the San Juan Islands, Steveston is the departure point for a fabulous whale-watching expedition. Not only will you catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures, but you will experience some of the best natural beauty in the world.

Head down the ramp towards the boats at Fisherman’s Wharf to pick up seafood so fresh, it’s still moving. Fishermen dock here daily to sell their catches of the day. Even if you’re not a seafood fan, it is a quintessential Steveston experience to check out this lively scene.

A walk to the western point of Steveston will bring you to Garry Point Park, the perfect place to take a stroll, have a picnic on the beach, fly a kite or just sit and breathe in the fresh coastal air. It’s the perfect rest stop on a Steveston day out.

Eat & Drink

Steveston is one of the best places to eat in the city, and for such a small place, it is packed to the gills (pun intended) with amazing restaurants cooking up every type of food you can imagine.

Steveston, to me, is all about fish & chips and some of the best I have had is right here — sorry, England. My recommendation is Dave’s, a traditional hole-in-the-wall, adorned in 1970's-style nautical decor, which serves up every deep-fried seafood wonder you can imagine.

Pajo’s is also a fan favourite, given their two amazing locations. Grab a fish & chips wrapped in paper and sit down on a log on the beach at Garry Point Park or take a walk down the rickety ramp to their location on the pier.

If you’d like a less greasy option, there is plenty to choose from, and given the diversity of Vancouver, the whole world is represented here.

Family-run by a delightful family, Kari House is the best for flavourful Malaysian home cooking, Anar grills up savoury Persian kebabs, Kisamos doles out heaps of rice and potatoes for their enormous Souvlaki dinners, Ember will burn your mouth with Afro-Indian curries, and Catch Kitchen and Blue Canoe serve up all the typical West Coast favourites with great vibes and views.

If you’re feeling particularly wealthy, why not grab Steveston Pizza Co.’s C6 pizza? A 12-inch pizza of tiger prawns, lobster ratatouille, smoked steelhead, Russian Osetra caviar, and Italian white truffles will set you back a whopping $850. Don’t worry, they have lots of options for us normal folk as well.

Spend Money

Escape the touristy pier and walk the streets around Moncton and №1 Road to find quaint shops selling lots of quality gifts, unique home decor and artisan jewellery.

There are much better finds in and around this area to commemorate your visit rather than the typical expensive t-shirt or magnet from the tourist shops.

Have a rest at one of the many cute coffee and/or ice cream shops. You’ll be guaranteed to be mixing with the locals here.

Spot a Celeb

Throw on any Hallmark movie and Steveston will quite often be the setting for the small “American” town the successful career woman with no time for love returns to and finds the man of her dreams.

From my experience, it seems easier to catch a glimpse of a celebrity rather than find the love of my life in Steveston, so keep your expectations low and don’t take Hallmark’s word for it.

For years, Steveston was regularly taken over by film trucks for the series Once Upon a Time. I’ve been fooled a time or two thinking that a or cafe opened up only to find it to be one of the sets for the show.

As common as it is to see movie trailers everywhere and having to manoeuvre around taped-off streets, I still feel a bit of excitement whenever I see a film crew around.

Steveston is one of the easiest and best day trips on any visit to Vancouver. It is the perfect blend of relaxing and vibrant and a beautiful example of history meeting modern life.

And it rains less here.

We respectfully acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

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