Britannia Shipyards: One of Steveston’s National Historic Sites

Steveston is one of the only places in Canada with two National Historic Sites. The Britannia Shipyards in Steveston, BC is one of them and is home to an amazing museum that is a great place you can visit this summer. For many Steveston residents, including Jason Higo, the National Historic Site is a unique area with many stories to share.

“I think it’s more important than people think, because Steveston’s now such a desirable place to live. One of the things that makes this area so unique is that there is a long history and the history stems around not just First Nations history but also commercial fishing industry history, canneries, and boat building. I think what makes it really special is that you see existing infrastructure there that represents the history from before that still exists.”

  • Jason Higo, local Steveston resident

The lovely area with wood planked pathways, antique wooden bunkhouses, and boat work buildings can be found in the southeast part of Steveston. As an experienced fisherman Jason Higo describes, the Britannia Shipyards as an important piece of Steveston history.

“I think when people that move here learn a little bit more about what took place here in terms of the history, then it just makes it that much more meaningful and I think a lot of the landscape is very beautiful. You see parts of the pilings that were there before, you see remnants of canneries along the boardwalk, and those are all representations of the long-standing tradition of the commercial fishing industry that’s no longer really that strong anymore. Although, we do see some evidence of some local commercial fishermen that I’m still connected with.”

  • Jason Higo, local Steveston resident

Many locals are excited that the Britannia Shipyards will be back to putting on tours, events, and programs this Summer so that more people can learn about the rich history of Steveston while taking a walk along the interesting and beautiful boardwalks.

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