The Early History of Alert Bay

Cormerant Island was initially a part of the territory of the 'Namgis First Nation, who lived in the village of Whulk (Xulku) on the banks of the Nimpkish River.  The Island, which was known as Yalis, had been used as a canoe pullout, and an important berry harvesting location by First Nations for thousands of years before non-Indigenous settlers arrived.
In 1862 a fish saltery was built in Alert Bay by Mack and Neill. The operation targeted Nimpkish River fish, specifically sockeye. Seasonal processing would employ many local Indigenous people. At about the same time, a Christian mission and school which had briefly been established at Fort Rupert moved to Alert Bay to minister to the Indigenous population which was moving to the island to work in the cannery.
At the time S.A. (Steven Allen) Spencer also owned a photography studio in Victoria, however in 1885 he moved to Alert Bay and developed a cannery, known as the (S.A.) Spencer & (Thomas) Earle cannery. It was the first cannery built between the Skeena River and the Fraser River along the British Columbia coast.

A-04489 - BC Archives - Alert Bay Cannery - 188?

A plant to construct boxes for fish processing plant was constructed in Telegraph Cove.

Cannery at Alert Bay 189? - BC Archives - C-04957

A group in front of Spencer's cannery 1896. BC Archives I-31533

In 1902 the cannery was sold to the British Columbia Packers Association.

Alert Bay Cannery 191? BC Archives I-31533

Earle sold his share of the cannery in 1894 and the cannery was renamed The Alert Bay Canning Company. Spencer also reportedly served as the Alert Bay postmaster before retiring to Victoria.

"Fresh Nimpkish River Salmon, Alert Bay Canning Co." (1910) BC Archives I-60014.

"History of the Alert Bay Plant" 1940 http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/hrcorpreports/pdfs/B/British_Columbia_Packers_Ltd_1940.pdf