Britannia Shipyard

Cannery era (1889–1917)

The site began in 1889 when the Britannia Cannery was established by the Anglo-British Columbia Packing Company (ABC Packing Co.). It was one of more than a dozen salmon canneries that once lined "Cannery Row" in Steveston, which was then known as the salmon capital of the world.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the facility relied heavily on a seasonal, multicultural workforce. Indigenous and European fishers harvested sockeye salmon from the Fraser River. Chinese laborers worked inside the cannery, processing, butchering, and canning the fish under intense production pressures for low wages and stringent meals. Japanese-Canadians worked as fishers and boatbuilders.

Transition to shipyard (1917–1980)

As the Fraser River sockeye runs began to decline and canning technology consolidated into larger centralized plants, the Britannia facility ceased canning operations in 1917. ABC Packing Co. converted the massive main building into a boat repair shop and shipyard to service its corporate fleet.

In 1918, a section of the site was leased to the Murakami Boatworks, operated by Otokichi Murakami. The Murakami family lived and worked at the site until 1942, when the forced internment of Japanese-Canadians during World War II stripped them of their property and livelihoods.

Following the war, the shipyards returned to full operational capacity under various owners, including BC Packers. It remained a working shipyard until 1980, adapting from traditional wooden boat repair to modern fiberglass and steel maintenance.

Boat building and repair buildings

• Britannia Shipyard: The original 1889 cannery building structure. Built on pilings over the water, it features historic boat-building machinery, workbenches, and historic vessels undergoing active restoration.
• Richmond Boatbuilders
• Murakami Boatworks
• Winch Shed

Residential buildings

• Murakami House: The preserved home and workshop of the Murakami family, built over the water. It serves as a exhibit illustrating the daily life, resilience, and internment of Japanese-Canadian fishing families.
• Chinese Bunkhouse: Built in 1915, this is the last surviving Chinese bunkhouse on the West Coast which once housed up to 100 seasonal Chinese cannery workers. The exhibits inside highlight the stark, communal living conditions and the contract labor system of the era.
• First Nations Building
• Japanese Duplex
• Manager’s House
• Men’s Bunkhouse
• Point House

Fishing industry buildings

• Seine Net Loft: Built in 1955 for the Phoenix Cannery, the building was used to make and repair large nets for fishing. The building hosts an exhibit on innovations in the fishing industry in Steveston.
• Administration Building