Travel back in time with the Steveston Heritage Experience

Submitted by Heritage Interpreter Lina K., who joined a portion of the Steveston Heritage Experience in June. 

Meet “John” and his “bachelor friend Eric”, who were the two guides working in tandem during one of the recent Steveston Heritage Experience tours, telling a tale about Steveston as it may have been in 1914. As we toured the village to help John look for his son, “Michael”, we heard stories of Steveston past, making stops at four iconic heritage sites:  Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site,  Steveston Tram, Steveston Museum, and our own Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site. Along the way, we enjoyed snacks of a Chinese pastry at the bunkhouse in Britannia Shipyards, popcorn and soda at the Tram, a taste Japanese sake from YK3 Sake, and finished off at the Cannery with some local Richmond craft beer and seafood chowder from Pajo’s.

At the Cannery, a heritage interpreter guided us through a recreated canning line and showed how salmon was packed in tin cans to be exported around the world. The canning industry was so huge that there were once 15 canneries in Steveston!  We also learned about the multicultural but segregated workforce in the industry. Some workers travelled far distances to work in the canneries for the summer, while others were local residents. Some even took the tram from Vancouver to get to Steveston.

For more information about this new 3-hour tour, visit the Steveston Heritage Experience website.

The next tours will take place on August 17, September 14, and October 5. Be sure to book in advance as there are only 20 spots per tour.