Historic Steveston Village, now a section of the City of Richmond, British Columbia, is a former Canadian salmon canning centre at the mouth of the Fraser River on Lulu Island. Since 1945 it has hosted an annual Steveston Salmon Festival on Canada Day, 1 July.
The Early Days
Manoah Steves arrived with his family in 1878 from Moncton, New Brunswick by way of Chatham, Ontario as the first to settle in the area. The town site, which became Steveston in 1889, had numerous canneries by the 1890s. In 1880, Manoah’s son William Herbert Steves had bought land to develop a town that he hoped would grow into a seaport to rival Vancouver. The British Army Engineers helped him lay out the lots and squares. By 1890, Steveston had a steamboat wharf, an opera house, hotels, retail stores, a newspaper, and a hospital. Each summer throngs of seasonal fishermen and cannery workers joined the growing population of year-round villagers. Fishing supported boatbuilding, and sailing ships from around many parts docked at the harbour to load cargoes of canned salmon.
By 1912, however, with automated fish processing demand for labor decreased, and the town’s population declined quickly. Canning as a part of the local economy finally faded out in the 1990s. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery, built in 1894 and at one time the largest in British Columbia, reopened in 1994 as a National Historic Site of Canada. The present post office, museum, and tourist information centre was once a branch of the Royal Bank of Canada. The Steveston Historical Society has operated the museum since 1979 in the 1905 building that had been first the bank and then a doctor’s office.
Post-war Steveston developed along with Richmond into a residential suburb of Vancouver as farmland converted to housing. Since the 1970s the community, still a fishing port, has developed its heritage character and its waterfront to attract tourism and related service businesses.
Film Productions
Picturesque Steveston is a frequent location for feature films and television programs. It was a stand-in for Marblehead, Massachusetts in the 2010 film adaptation of The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud and the scene of fictional Steveston, Maine in the TV movie A Cooler Climate. It has been a location for the X-Files series as Steveston, Massachusetts and in a Stargate SG-1 episode as Steveston, Oregon. Steveston storefronts and business façades along Moncton Street near the cannery form the cinematic set for the television series Once Upon A Time. The 2014 remake of Godzilla filmed some scenes in Steveston on the same street locations as those for Once Upon a Time.
Today Steveston still maintains the character of a quaint, historic fishing village. Over 350 businesses and services accommodate a growing population. Steveston in 2002 was the site of a rendezvous of hundreds of restored tall sailing ships that attracted 400,000 to the dramatic spectacle along the coastline.
The canneries are gone, but Steveston is nevertheless home port to a large fishing fleet of over 600 vessels. Steveston remains a fishing village with tourism expanding quickly as an economic driver. The village retains a pleasantly tranquil atmosphere even with thousands of visitors on the streets on sunny summer days. Two National Historic Sites of Canada, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and Britannia Heritage Shipyard Park, are colorful reminders of its maritime past.
Live in the heart of Steveston, and walk for just a few minutes to the butcher, the baker and the fish and chip makers! This spacious 2 bedroom plus den suite facing West has everything you need. All new engineered hardwood floors just installed, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, insuite storage room and a functional floorplan. Great food and shopping, recreation, Fisherman's Wharf, community centre, outdoor pools and more are waiting to be enjoyed by you. Located in the Byng and McMath school catchments.More details
Waterfront living – enjoy the Steveston Lifestyle in this well-maintained 2-level penthouse with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, built-in air conditioning and huge rooftop patio! Ideally located in the highly desirable London Landing neighborhood of Steveston, this beautiful unit is in coveted Homma Elementary and McMath Secondary catchment. Geothermal heating and cooling system provide comfortable temperatures year-round! Gorgeous bamboo floors, natural gas fireplace, built-in wine fridge, and heated floors in the upper bathrooms for luxury living all year. Steps to the waterfront, bakery, restaurants, cafe, spas, clinics, daycares. Steveston boardwalk access for walking/cycling on stunning waterside path. Rooftop deck offers spectacular water and mountain views plus natural gas hookup for your barbecue or firetable. Lush carpets newly installed. Quick Possession possible! 2 parking stalls and 1 locker. Pets welcome.More details
BOUTQIUE LIVING AT STEVESTON VILLAGE - UNIQUE AND RARE 2 LEVEL 2 BEDROOM at Chatham Place WITH GARAGE. Features include: open concept kitchen, stainless steel appliances, laminate flooring, lots of windows with natural light, 2 LARGE BALCONIES: one off main living area, and a second private deck off the master bedroom. Steps to coffee shops, restaurants, shopping, trails, Fisherman's Wharf & more. 2 PARKING STALLS (Single Car Garage with Storage).More details
DESIREABLE RANCHER TOWNHOME available in the Award Winning McKinney Crossing at Steveston's London Landing. This rarely available one level townhome boasts 2 beds and a den. 3 spacious patios offer ample space for entertaining and relaxing, with expansive views over the fields to the mountains from the Master. Enjoy home cooked meals made with love in your updated kitchen on the 5 burner gas stove, or summer barbecues on your large patio with gas BBQ hookup. Garden with ease with the built-in sprinkler system. Kids or grandkids can enjoy the playground in the complex. The perfect home for you is a short walk from amenities, restaurants, walking trails, riverfront, Steveston Village, and more. The home is move in ready with kitchen/washroom renovation in 2013, brand new paint and carpets in the bedrooms. Schedule your viewing today! More information and virtual tours: https://www.cotala.com/65705 *** Open Saturday, June 18 from 1-4PMMore details
Welcome to West Water Views in desirable Steveston. This 2 bed 2 bath, 1262 sq. ft condo has an ideal open concept layout with high ceilings. This move-in ready home features a spacious living room with a high efficiency gas fireplace, contemporary laminate flooring throughout, in-suite laundry and renovated bathrooms with heated flooring. Bonus of 2 balconies just in time for your summer enjoyment. Includes 2 side-by-side parking stalls Pets /rentals allowed w/ rest Large fenced green space towards the rear of the property to enjoy. Walking distance to T. Homma elementary and McMath secondary schools. Steps to the Railway Greenway, Steveston Village, shops, restaurants and recreation. Major building updates are new energy efficient windows and exterior wall painting. Showings by appt.More details