In this unit we will learn about the history and significance of the salmon canneries in British Columbia. Salmon canning in B.C. began on the Fraser River near New Westminster in 1867. By 1881 there were 10 canneries on the Fraser River, concentrated at Steveston and Ladner, and more spreading up the coast along the Skeena river, the Nass river, and Rivers Inlet. By WWII, there were over 200 canneries established along the British Columbia coast. Today, only one cannery remains in operation. Like other work in primary industry such as logging and mining, fishing was a racialized and gendered industry and has a unique labour history. The impact of canneries has shaped our environmental, social, and economic realities in British Columbia.
Let’s begin by learning some general information about the salmon canning industry.
Check out this interactive map to learn about when and where canneries were established in B.C.
Here is another map of canneries in the Pacific northwest from 1901. Zoom in for detail.
Take a look at this timeline from the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society project From Tides to Tins. You can use the filter to investigate themes including technology, environment, social changes, and global events. You don’t need to look through every date, but get a general sense of when things took place.
Watch the documentary, Through the Gate: The Great Northern Cannery Story from Gary Prendergast.
Now that we are on the same page, let’s take a look at our inquiry project outline.
Optional: Go Deeper
Explore this website from the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society project From Tides to Tins. Follow the canning process from unloading the fish from the boats to shipping the canned fish. Find out what it was like to work in a cannery and how the mechanization of the industry changed workers’ jobs.
Take a look at this exhibit from the Steveston Museum about the ABCs of the canneries.