List of canneries in British Columbia facts for kids

Canneries are like special factories where food is sealed into cans to keep it fresh for a long time. In British Columbia, Canada, canneries were super important, especially for fish like salmon. They helped people all over the world enjoy BC's delicious seafood and other foods. These places were often busy towns where many people lived and worked.

Fish and Seafood Canneries

British Columbia is famous for its amazing seafood, especially salmon. For many years, canneries along the coast and rivers helped process huge amounts of fish. This meant fish caught in the summer could be eaten months later, even far away!

Many towns and places in BC grew up around these fish canneries. Here are some of the well-known ones:

• Alert Bay
• Alexandra (also known as Alexander) on the Skeena River
• Arrandale on the Nass River
• Butedale
• Claxton on the Skeena River
• Fort Langley
• Glendale Cove
• Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston is a great example. It's now a museum where you can learn all about how fish was canned.
• Namu was another important cannery town. It was a busy place where many people worked.
• Port Essington on the Skeena River was also a major center for salmon canning.
• Port Simpson
• Redonda Bay
• Sommerville Cannery in Prince Rupert
• Tallheo
• Waglisla

How Fish Canneries Worked

At a fish cannery, workers would clean the fish, cut it into pieces, and then pack it into cans. The cans were then sealed and heated. This heating process killed any germs and made the food safe to store for a long time without needing a fridge. This was a very important way to preserve food before modern refrigeration was common.

Fruit and Vegetable Canneries

While fish was a big deal, canneries in British Columbia also processed fruits and vegetables. This helped farmers sell their produce and made sure people could eat fresh-tasting foods even when they were out of season.

Some important fruit and vegetable canneries included:

• Mission, British Columbia (home to Empress Foods)
• Royal City Foods and Nabob (Delnor)

These canneries helped make sure that delicious BC produce, like berries and corn, could be enjoyed all year round, not just when they were picked.

Why Canneries Were Important

Canneries played a huge role in the history and economy of British Columbia. They created many jobs, from fishing and farming to working in the factories. They also helped BC's products reach markets all over the world, bringing money and growth to the province. Many of these cannery towns were home to diverse communities, including many First Nations people and immigrants, who worked together in these busy industries.

See also

• List of canneries
• List of salmon canneries and communities