Steveston: A Guide to Richmond's Village by the River

This guide is for buyers looking at Steveston, the historic fishing village in Richmond's southwest corner, at the mouth of the Fraser River's South Arm. It covers the village and the harbour, the homes in and around it, buses and the highway, schools and parks, and what to check on low-lying land and in the heritage area. For Richmond as a whole, start with my guide to moving to Richmond.

The short version

The village and the fishing harbour

The City's Steveston Area Plan, part of its Official Community Plan, treats the waterfront as the core of Steveston. By 1900, it notes, 14 fish canneries lined the waterfront, and the plan still supports the harbour as a home port for the fishing fleet.

• Gulf of Georgia Cannery. A Parks Canada national historic site on Fourth Avenue, on the north bank of the South Arm. The cannery was built in 1894 and designated in 1976, and its exhibits, artifacts and hands-on activities tell the story of the West Coast fishing industry.
• Britannia Shipyards. On Westwater Drive, east of the village, a national historic site since 1991 that recalls a community of canneries, boat yards and homes. City staff and volunteers run it as an active heritage park.
• Fisherman's Wharf. At the public sales float, run by the Steveston Harbour Authority, licensed vendors sell seafood directly from their boats. What is on offer changes from day to day.
• Village museums. On Moncton Street, the Steveston Museum and Post Office is in the 1905 Northern Bank building, Steveston's first bank, and includes a working Canada Post office, while the building next door holds an exhibit on Steveston's Japanese Canadian community. A short walk east, the Steveston Tram museum houses Tram Car 1220, one of the original interurban trams.

Garry Point, the dikes and the trails

Garry Point Park sits at the southwest tip of Richmond, close to the village. The City lists open areas for picnics and kite flying, beach access with beached logs, the Kuno Garden, a Japanese-style memorial garden, and the Fisherman's Memorial Needle on the south side.

• West Dyke Trail. From its south end in the Steveston area, you can walk or cycle north beside Sturgeon Banks, a marsh estuary, with views of the North Shore mountains. The City calls it one of the most popular sections of its trail system.
• Railway Greenway. A 5 km walking and cycling route running north from Britannia Shipyards to the Middle Arm Dyke Trail.
• London Farm. East along Dyke Road, the City runs this farm park with the London Heritage Farm Society: the London family farmhouse, gardens, a heritage orchard and a reconstructed barn.

Homes in and around the village

The Area Plan says Steveston's residential neighbourhoods offer a range of housing from single-family homes to townhouses and apartments, and it sets different rules for each part of the waterfront:

• Moncton Street. In the village core, buildings along Moncton Street are limited to two storeys and 9 metres, and homes are encouraged above the ground floor or behind the shops.
• The former BC Packers site. East of No. 1 Road, the plan sets out a mixed-use neighbourhood on the old fish plant site, with homes mostly north of the Bayview Street extension and apartment buildings no taller than four storeys over parking.
• Princess Street and Dyke Road. Near London Farm, the plan supports houses and townhouses, and a heritage residential area along Dyke Road where single-family forms are preferred.

Building and renovating in the heritage area

Richmond designated Steveston Village a heritage conservation area in 2009, under the Local Government Act. The area includes 17 protected heritage buildings and other resources, such as docks, and every property inside the boundary is subject to its conservation requirements.

• What needs a permit. The Area Plan requires a heritage alteration permit before subdividing land, building or adding to a building, or altering a building or land, including demolition, unless the work is exempt. On properties that aren't protected heritage buildings, the City's guide still lists signs, awnings and exterior painting.
• What usually doesn't. Interior renovations that don't affect the outside don't need a heritage alteration permit, and the City has delegated approval of some minor projects to staff.
• Design. The City's guide asks new buildings to respond to the modest height, bulk and materials of the historic buildings around them.
• Grants. A City grant program helps owners conserve the identified heritage buildings.

Ask the City whether a property is inside the boundary or on its Community Heritage Register, and read my guide to heritage homes.

Getting around

• Buses, not SkyTrain. Steveston has no SkyTrain station. TransLink's 401, 402 and 406 leave from the Steveston exchange on Chatham Street and run to Richmond-Brighouse station, where Canada Line trains leave for downtown Vancouver. Each takes a different road north: No. 1 Road, No. 2 Road or Railway Avenue.
• Highway 99. By car, the route south is Highway 99, through the George Massey Tunnel under the South Arm of the Fraser to Delta; see my guide to Tsawwassen, Ladner and North Delta.

Schools, parks and community facilities

Steveston is in the Richmond School District (SD38). The district says students living in Richmond normally attend their catchment school, and going to another school takes a transfer under its regulations, so enter the address in the district's school locator before you buy.

• Secondary schools. Depending on the address, the catchment school is Robert A. McMath Secondary on Garry Street, Steveston-London Secondary on Williams Road or Hugh Boyd Secondary on No. 1 Road.
• Elementary schools. The area's elementary schools, for kindergarten to grade 7, include Lord Byng, Manoah Steves, Westwind and Tomekichi Homma.
• Steveston Park. The Area Plan makes this park on Moncton Street, with McMath School Park, the focus for community outdoor facilities, and it is the site of the City's replacement Steveston Community Centre and library. Check the City's and Richmond Public Library's sites for current program locations and hours.

What to check before you buy

• Flood protection. The City describes Richmond as islands within the Fraser River floodplain, an average of about 1 metre above sea level, protected by a perimeter dike and drainage pump stations, and it is raising the dike over time for sea level rise. In the village, the Area Plan describes Bayview Street as the dike and expects new homes in the core to be raised to a flood construction level. Read my guide to floodplains and flood insurance and ask your insurer early.
• Soils and foundations. Richmond's soils bulletin says lots with peat need a geotechnical report and an engineer's foundation design for a new house, and disturbed or backfilled soil needs a geotechnical engineer's evaluation. The Geological Survey of Canada notes that the Fraser River delta's thick, soft soils can amplify earthquake shaking; see my guide to earthquake insurance.
• Festival days. On Canada Day, the Steveston Salmon Festival brings a parade through the village, a salmon bake and live music, and the festival's site posts road closures. Visit a home near the village on a summer weekend to judge traffic, parking and noise.

Questions buyers often ask me

Is there a SkyTrain station in Steveston?

No, Steveston is served by buses. The 401, 402 and 406 connect the village with the Canada Line at Richmond-Brighouse station, so allow for a bus ride and a transfer when you compare commutes, and check which route stops closest to the home.

Do I need City approval to repaint a building in Steveston Village?

Often, yes. Inside the heritage conservation area, the City's guide says exterior painting, signs and awnings on non-heritage properties go through the heritage alteration permit process, with some minor projects approved by staff. Ask the City before you plan any exterior work.

Can I buy fish straight from the boats?

Yes, when vendors are selling. On the public sales float at the Fisherman's Wharf, vendors with a provincial fish vendor licence sell from their vessels. The Steveston Harbour Authority says prices and quantities are only available at the float, not by phone or online.

How do I find the catchment school for a Steveston address?

Enter the address in the Richmond School District's school locator. Students living in Richmond normally attend their catchment school, and another school takes an approved transfer, so check before you remove subjects if a particular school matters to you.

Is Steveston protected from flooding?

Most of it sits behind Richmond's perimeter dike, with pump stations moving rainwater out. For any home, ask the City about its floodplain designation and flood construction level, ask about drainage and past water problems, and check flood coverage with your insurer.

Comparing areas? See my Richmond area page and current Richmond listings, or check prices on my market trends page.

This article is general information, not professional advice. The details come from the City of Richmond, Parks Canada, the Steveston Harbour Authority, TransLink, the Province of BC, the Richmond School District, Richmond Public Library and the Geological Survey of Canada, and were current at the time of writing; plans, bus routes and catchments change. For the City's rules for the village, see the Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Program.