St. Jean's Salmon Fish Cannery in British Columbia, BC

Mission Statement
Not Just a Cannery

St. Jean's may be the best salmon and fish cannery serving the sport industry in British Columbia, but St. Jean's is not just a cannery, not by a long shot.......

St. Jean's is a cannery and a smokehouse. No matter where you catch your fish in British Columbia or Washington, St. Jean's will custom process it for you and courier it to your front door - anywhere in the world. You can turn your prize catch into Lox, Indian Candied Salmon sweetened with local honey, hot smoked salmon, canned salmon or smoked canned salmon.

St. Jean's made a commitment to the sport fishing industry 40 years ago. Armand St. Jean had created a cottage industry smoking oysters and canning clam chowder in the back of his garage. He impressed some American sports fishermen, who suggested he turn his hand to canning salmon. The idea made sense to St. Jean, so he fixed up an old boathouse and got to work. The rest is history. Gerard St. Jean joined his father, constructed a new building to house the expanding business, weathered the economic storm of the early 80's and saw the business expand in '86.

From canning salmon, oysters, and chowder, St. Jean's Cannery & Smokehouse expanded to include products like solid white albacore tuna canned without water or oil, canned wild West Coast chanterelle mushrooms, seafood pates, oyster soup and whole butter clams.

But sport fishermen are, and remain, St. Jean's largest concern. St. Jean's services over a dozen pick-up depots and more than 70 fish camps all over the province - and in 1999, St. Jean's opened an office at Vancouver South Terminal Airport to serve as a drop-off point. In 2004 a store was opened in Port Alberni. St. Jean's even picks up fish from Taxidermy shops - so you can show off your catch prize while nibbling on its custom smoked fillets. And if that doesn't sound like more fun than telling tall tales about "the one that got away"....That's the other thing about St. Jean's - the guarantee that the fish you are eating is your own. It's tagged and labeled from start to finish - just like shirts in a laundry.

What started as a backyard canning operation in 1961 is now virtually the only full-service processor catering to sport fishermen in British Columbia. The reason is simple: St. Jean's has a reputation for quality and service. Their commitment to sport fishing has never wavered. Each year, St. Jean's recommits to providing the best service, the best product and the best choices - St. Jean's Cannery & Smokehouse, definitely not just a cannery.