Comprehensive History of the Cannery Gulf of Georgia Cannery

1 comprehensive history of cannery

1.1 golden years
1.2 advent of advanced machinery
1.3 war years
1.4 end of war
1.5 closure
1.6 creation of national historic site

comprehensive history of cannery
golden years

along banks of lower fraser river in boomtown of steveston, gulf of georgia cannery opened doors business in 1894. gulf of georgia cannery largest cannery in british columbia until 1902. known monster cannery - packing more 2.5 million cans of salmon in 1897. during free-for-all days of salmon canning industry , monster cannery boasted hundreds of workers producing these cans of salmon. each canning season brought diverse mix of workers, of first nations, chinese, japanese , european descent. gulf of georgia cannery representative of industry 1 of province s largest employers , work force laboriously churned out 1 of province s principal export commodities.

advent of advanced machinery

over years, hordes of people manually canning salmon gave way rows of high-speed machinery. gulf of georgia cannery, price pay these advancements diminished role in canning of salmon, last can of sockeye rolled off production line in 1930. instead of canning salmon, cannery s new role salmon receiving , trans-shipment point within large network of canneries being marshalled new owner, canadian fishing company.

the war years

the gulf of georgia cannery remained quiet during 1930s, outbreak of second world war in europe, cannery revitalized onslaught of new capital , expansion in anticipation of new enterprise, namely herring. new machinery , army of workers produced case after case of canned herring in tomato sauce, major source of protein allied soldiers , civilians struggling overseas during war. herring canning became industry-wide endeavour , alongside grew business of herring reduction, is, transformation of herring protein-rich oil , meal animal feeding purposes.

the end of war

the end of war meant end of market , end of herring canning in british columbia. gulf of georgia cannery, herring reduction become predominant activity late 1940s. rise of industry reflected growth of cannery complex saw 3 successive waves of expansion before herring reduction industry crippled overfishing , government closure in late 1960s. 1970s, new market emerged in japan british columbia herring roe , ensured reduction operation @ cannery run once more. however, new roe industry generated small amount of raw material reduction, catches formerly in hundreds of thousands of tonnes limited regulation low tens of thousands.

closure

by 1979, cost of operating cannery s aging reduction equipment became , reduction plant closed. buildings serve net loft , storage canadian fishing company s seine boat fleet , era of transforming cannery museum begin in earnest.

creation of national historic site

during 1970s , 1980s local community lobbied various levels of government save cannery. in 1979 federal government purchased property , in 1984 transferred parks canada. building first open public in 1994 in celebration of centennial of building. gulf of georgia cannery society, local not-for-profit organization, formed in 1986 work parks canada develop , operate site. today, cannery 1 of few federally owned national historic sites operated third party.