People uprooted from Celtic Cannery (3)

The Celtic Cannery, on Celtic Island in the Fraser River, was established in 1897. It was the first fish-packing plant in Vancouver. In 1902 BC Packers purchased Celtic Island and Deering Island (then known as Middle Island) to form Celtic Shipyards. The cannery was closed in 1917, and BC Packers moved its canning operations to Steveston. By 1926, the site was converted to a shipyard to support the companyʼs fishing fleet.

A Japanese Canadian community of around twenty-five families lived at the Celtic Cannery. Most of the families were from Tottori-ken, and worked in fishing, selling their catch to BC Packers. Most of them resided in single family homes on the north and south shores of the Celtic and Deering Islands, while others lived on the nearby Blenheim Flats. Within the Celtic community, the Shintani family ran a small confectionary store and sold groceries. Japanese Canadian children went to local schools, including Kerrisdale Elementary, Point Grey Junior High School, and Magee High School, but also attended the Celtic community Japanese School.