What We Heard

Preliminary feedback for the development of the draft management plan

Introduction

Parks Canada is preparing the next management plan for the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site (NHS). This plan is scheduled for approval in 2024 by the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Parks Canada Agency.

A management plan, prepared in consultation with Indigenous peoples and Canadians, is the main public accountability document for national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas. A management plan identifies the vision and long-term strategic direction for the heritage place and describes how that vision and direction will be achieved, how natural and cultural resources will be protected, how public understanding and appreciation will be addressed, and how meaningful visitor experiences will be facilitated. This updated management plan will replace the 2011 Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site Management Plan. 

Parks Canada places a high priority on building effective relationships with local communities. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS is located on the traditional ancestral lands and waters of Musqueam. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS is operated by the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society (the Society) with support from Parks Canada. This working relationship began in the mid-1980s, ensuring that visitors experience and learn about Canada’s heritage places and the stories of West Coast fishing history. It is important that the site presents the cultural and historic setting of the Steveston area, including the use and occupancy of the Fraser River estuary in the times before the development of a colonial industry and fishing canneries. 

Consultation process

Public involvement is the cornerstone of Parks Canada’s management plans and ensures the views and vision of Canadians help shape the future of protected places. To facilitate meaningful opportunities to contribute to management planning for the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS a two-phase engagement process is underway:

Phase I – Consultation with First Nations, key partners and stakeholder groups: 
Parks Canada, with the support of the Society, contacted local First Nations, as well as current partners and stakeholders, to request meetings to consult on the development of the draft management plan (see Appendix A for Phase I consultation questions). This report is a summary of the feedback received during this phase of consultation.

Phase II – Public consultation: 
In early 2024, public consultation will be conducted in a variety of formats: in-person and virtual meetings and submissions to an online platform. Feedback will be reflected in the consultation record and Parks Canada will consider this feedback in the development of the management plan.

Who we heard from

Situated on the traditional ancestral lands and waters of Musqueam, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS is located in the village of Steveston in the city of Richmond. Musqueam First Nation provided written feedback that focused on the framing and context of their traditional ancestral lands and waters in relation to the site. Musqueam First Nation leadership expressed interest in working more closely with Parks Canada on areas of mutual interest in the years to come. 

During Phase I consultation, representatives from the following partner and stakeholder groups participated in virtual meetings and discussions:

• Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society Board of Directors
• Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society volunteers
• Destination British Columbia
• Tourism Richmond
• City of Richmond
• Members of Japanese Canadian and Chinese Canadian communities

What we heard

Responses to the questions helped identify priority issues and gaps in storytelling to inform the proposed vision and key considerations for the draft management plan.  

Vision

The proposed vision for the site was drafted by the management planning team. Feedback received during Phase I consultation further validated the proposed vision, which envisions the site to be:

• a place known for its large complex of industrial buildings and built heritage;
• a regional destination and important reason to visit Steveston;
• a place that presents layers of overlapping and evolving histories that are complex and connected by and include a diversity of voices and perspectives; 
• an interactive site that offers experiential exhibits and programs that provide visitors with a high-quality experience and meaningful connection to fishing on the west coast; and,
• a place where the Society, Musqueam First Nation and other partners, collaborators and community members can work together with Parks Canada.

Working with the Community

Participants identified the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS as a place to embrace and celebrate the diverse cultural heritage connected to the history of fishing on the west coast. The original Cannery building remains perched on pilings over the mouth of the Fraser River with connections to the stewardship of lands and waters since time immemorial by First Nations, and in a harbour that is active with fishing boats and fishers today. 

Strengthening relationships with communities and individuals with an interest in the site was framed as a key priority. The importance of staying relevant today, and into the future, was emphasised repeatedly in the participants’ answers. This includes the importance of staying connected to the communities of Steveston and Richmond and finding ways to remain relevant in the context of changes within the community and the region. 

Showcasing cultural heritage

Participants identified the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS as an authentic and important heritage place that is unique in the region and an important part of the village of Steveston — both as a complex of built heritage structures and as a physical representation of the historic importance of the West Coast fishing industry. 

The ongoing preservation of cultural resources at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS is important. These heritage resources play a critical role in sharing the stories of the people whose traditions and labour have been the foundation of industrial fishing on Canada’s west coast.

A Place that Reflects Canada and the World 

Sharing multiple stories and including diverse perspectives is an important aspect of the experience at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS. From the First Nations who have fished the waters of the west coast since time immemorial, to the influx of Chinese, Japanese and European people who were active in the fishing industry, a range of multicultural stories encompasses the past, present, and future. These stories that connect to regional, national, and global historic events are shared at the site.

While the visitor experience is immersive and experiential, it also needs to change and adapt to visitor needs and interests and include ways to remain relevant to different generations and new audiences. 

Visitor Experience

Participants highlighted key elements of the visitor experience at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS:

• The experience of visiting the Gulf of Georgia Cannery NHS and of visiting Steveston is interconnected; it connects the dots between the history of the community, its people, and fishing on the west coast. 
• The site provides an immersive experience that is authentic and impactful.
• Society employees and volunteers are welcoming, engaging and enhance the visitor experience.
• The site benefits from being in its original location in an active harbour, and from being centrally located within Steveston.
• The site shares multi-cultural stories, including from First Nations who have fished on the west coast since time immemorial, and people of Chinese, Japanese and European descent, who have been part of the history of the West Coast fishing industry since the 1870s.
• The site shares natural history stories, including information on aquatic ecosystems of the region and the fish that live there.
• The site uses impactful imagery and exhibits to share stories, and this provides context and sparks connection for visitors. 
• Events are popular as they foster community connections between people and the site, enhance relevant stories and themes, and attract new visitors from throughout the region.
• The gift shop is an important offer in the village of Steveston as it provides an opportunity to purchase locally made items. 

Participants also provided suggestions for ways in which Parks Canada and the Society could improve the visitor experience at the site:

• Increase the diversity and depth of voices that are represented onsite, specifically First Nations, Chinese, Japanese, and European perspectives.
• Share stories of the past, present and future—this includes sharing more challenging stories of the changing fishing industry, climate change, and discrimination.
• Tie into larger stories of fishing on the west coast, of nation-building, and other broad themes.
• Connect more to stories of canned fish and fish as a food source—these are universal topics that all people can relate to in their own way. They keep the place relevant and help grow audiences.
• Update exhibits without taking away from the authentic experience of the site.
• Collaborate with other heritage places and groups to expand and diversify the visitor experience.
• Undertake changes to attract new audiences, expand visitor activities, and increase time spent, both in Steveston and at the site. 

Other key topics

Climate Change 

Participants identified climate change as a real and imminent threat to the site, which is built on pilings over top of the mouth of the Fraser River. The management plan should consider climate change and its impacts on the visitor experience and conservation of the site, historic buildings, and collections.

The Cannery as a hub for education and research

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site has potential to be a hub for education and research. A large number of participants spoke about this: from sharing the larger stories of fishing on the west coast through programming and exhibits, to housing historic images and collection items associated with the Cannery and the history of fishing on the west coast. The Cannery could provide opportunities for researchers to explore these topics.

What’s next

The planning team is currently developing the draft management plan for the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site. The draft management plan is expected to be released to the public in early 2024. We look forward to getting additional feedback during the next phase of public consultation.

Stay informed

For updates on the management planning process, check the Parks Canada website regularly:
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/bc/georgia 

APPENDIX A

Consultation and Engagement Questions

Management Planning for the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site

Discussions with individuals, partner representatives and stakeholder groups captured various recommendations and topics, such as: visitor engagement, management opportunities and challenges, personal reasons for volunteering, collaboration opportunities, and connections with communities with an interest in the site. In addition, the following questions were asked to generate discussion. 

SITE IDENTITY

• Do you know about the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site?  If so, what do you know about it?
• When you think of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, what comes to mind first?

AWARENESS

• If you see, or read, or hear something about the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, what source does it come from? (e.g./ TV, social media, newspaper, local events pages, etc.)
• Are you aware of anything new at the site? Where did you hear it from?
• Please share the top two issues you think Parks Canada should tackle when planning the management of the sites during the next 15 years.

INTERPRETATION & PROTECTION

• Can you recall the main stories told at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site? 
  Does one story stand out to you? Why or why not?
• Possible follow up question: What stories are missing or what other stories could be told at the site?
• What are the five things you like best about the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site?