History
of New Westminster towards Chinese
|
1858-1864 |
Gold rush led to
migration of Chinese miners and a boom in NW. Chinese contributed to local
economy through operating laundries, vegetable farms, preparing firewood, building
telegraph lines, etc. |
|
1866 |
Chinatown grew on
Front Street. Chinese provided cheap labor for
salmon cannery. |
|
1881-1885 |
Due to inadequate funding and shortage of labourers for
the CPR, 15,000 Chinese though not wanted were needed to build the CPR. In 1882,
a near riot occurred when 900 Chinese unloaded off a ship were kept on the NW
dock penned up “like cattle” overnight.
NW rose in prosperity from large movements of people and goods.
Towards the end of CPR construction, racism and Chinese unemployment
increased |
|
1885-1923 |
Head tax was imposed only on Chinese immigrants to
discourage their coming. |
|
1887-1907 |
Anti Chinese riots in Vancouver. Anti Asian League formed
in 1907 in NW led by owner of local paper and building inspector, inciting hostility
against Chinese community. |
|
1888-1898 |
Economic boom due to large migration of non-Chinese after
completion of CPR. |
|
1892 |
Chinese succeeded in having a Chinese cemetery at the
south end of the current NW Secondary School site. |
|
1898 |
Great Fire of NW burned down 60 blocks including
Chinatown. Chinese merchants were not allowed to rebuild on Front Street
since it was considered too close to Downtown. They then rebuilt around the
"swamp", an area to the west and uphill from Columbia. NW exempted
municipal tax from a can factory for paying all workers white men's wages and
employing Chinese only if white labor was not
available. |
|
1904
|
Chinese Benevolent Association of NW built a home for
seniors at 825 Victoria (later became CBA's Building) |
|
1907 |
In a sermon within NW St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,
Rev. J.S. Henderson said “Look upwards for guidance, manfully keep up the
fight, and let the motto ‘White Canada’ reign sublime in your hearts.” |
|
1909-1914 |
With the earlier cemetery full, the Chinese community
leased a 2 acre parcel for cemetery (located east of NWSS) but lease was cancelled
without reason in 1914. |
|
1912 |
Premier Richard McBride (from NW) said “British Columbia
must be kept white….we have the right to say that our own kind and color
shall enjoy the fruits of our labour.” At the city level, NW forced
demolition of part of Chinatown to suit its plan to redevelop the area as
industrial area |
|
1913 |
With a depressed economy, NW City council initiated the
policy of not hiring Chinese labourers, and of not purchasing things from
companies who did. |
|
1914-1916 |
World War 1 brought recession, sharp rise in rice price and
80% unemployment among Chinese in Vancouver. Many Chinese returned to China.
NW building inspector condemned core buildings in NW Chinatown and council
sought an orderly schedule for their demolition. Referring to the Chinese and
Japanese population in Asia, NW Daily News commented “the two races show a
total of 450 millions. In light of these facts can the whites on the Pacific
coast neglect the smallest opportunity to erect barriers against the inrush
of the yellow hordes….?” |
|
1919 |
Provincial Fire Marshall J.A. Thomas declared the
Chinatown district as "a fire trap in the heart of the City" and
ordered the demolition of a large part of Chinatown bounded by Columbia,
McNeely, Carnarvon and Blackie streets. |
|
1920 |
NW City building inspector issued further demolition for
another 14 buildings, most in the core of Chinatown. |
|
1923 |
NW MP W G McQuarrie introduced
the notorious Chinese Exclusion Act in the Parliament resulting in a
"bachelor society" in Chinese communities across Canada |
|
1941 |
Chinese population dropped to 400 in NW |
|
1948 |
New Westminster Secondary School was built on top of
existing including Chinese cemeteries. School District report revealed coffin
dug up in the process. |
|
1979 |
CBA donated its historic building to NW which demolished
it within months. The large lot laid in waste for decades until it was turned
into a dog park in 2008. |