Steveston Village Guide (2026): History, Wharf & Cannery

Published 2026-07-13 · FanVancouver Travel Desk

Steveston at the mouth of the Fraser River was once Salmonopolis — 15 canneries, 1,000+ fishing boats, Japanese-Canadian and Indigenous crews powering BC's economy. Today it is Richmond's prettiest village: wooden docks, fish-and-chips on the wharf, heritage museums and whale-watching departures. 40 minutes from downtown via Canada Line + bus, or 30 min by car. Plan a half-day minimum.

Salmonopolis — what happened here

From the 1880s, Fraser River sockeye fed canneries that exported worldwide. Japanese immigrants built much of the infrastructure; their internment in 1942 gutted the workforce. Canneries consolidated and closed by the 1990s — the village reinvented as heritage tourism and a working harbour that still lands fresh catch daily.

Fisherman's Wharf — eat off the boats

Fisherman's Wharf, 3800 Bayview St — floating docks where boats sell salmon, halibut and spot prawns at market prices (cash helps). Pajo's Fish & Chips on the pier is the classic lunch — seagull negotiation included. Info: stevestonharbour.com.

• Saturday mornings busiest — arrive before 11:00 for prawns in season (May–Jun).
• Whale-watching operators depart here — whale guide.

Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site

Gulf of Georgia Cannery, 12138 4th Ave. Restored 1894 cannery with line machines, boat models and multilingual worker stories. Admission ~C$12 adult; allow 90 min. One of Canada's best industrial heritage sites.

Garry Point Park — river mouth panorama

Windy promontory where the Fraser meets the Strait of Georgia — views to Vancouver Island, kite flyers, picnic tables. Five-minute walk from the village core; sunset photos with fishing boats in foreground.

Steveston Museum & Interurban Tram

Steveston Museum (3811 Moncton St) — free village history, Japanese-Canadian exhibits, restored 1913 tram car Interurban 1220 in a barn next door. Staff know genealogies of fishing families — ask questions.

Moncton Street — shops, film history & gelato

Boutiques, seafood restaurants, Steveston Pizza lines, and La Casa Gelato (238 flavours) nearby. Kissa Tanto (Japanese-Italian) and Sushi Hachi are dinner upgrades worth booking.

Filming note: Steveston village stood in for Storybrooke in Once Upon a Time — fans still photograph the clock tower area.

Britannia Shipyards — 15 min on foot

Walk the waterfront boardwalk east to Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site — stilt houses, boat sheds, free admission. Do both sites same afternoon.

Getting there

More Richmond food: Vancouver food guide · fish markets.

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