The BC Sugar Refinery Limited
123 Rogers, Vancouver BC, V6A 3N2
by Meagan Fraser
Introduction: Why the BC Sugar Refinery?
The BC Sugar Refinery is an easy building to drive past without much thought: it appears as a large complex of industrial buildings, tucked behind cargo filled railway tracks at the Port of Vancouver, just off of Powell Street. The sprawling warehouses and refining spaces are hidden behind the main façade, barely visible from a street side vantage point. Those intrigued by the aesthetic of abandoned or ill-maintained buildings might find beauty in this place (I know I’ve always liked the faded brick façade, set in different colour tones from three building expansions), but aside from an artistic appreciation associated with lonely and seemingly deserted infrastructure, the sugar refinery doesn’t initially have a lot of appeal-- it’s just another brick and concrete monstrosity sitting on the waterfront.
The refinery’s function and place in Vancouver history seems obvious and self-explanatory, something easily summarized by the aging signage painted onto the front building: “BC Sugar Refinery Company Ltd”. However, a sign cannot begin to illuminate the 115+ years of industry and history represented by BC Sugar. Founded in 1890 and churning out refined white sugar today, the BC Sugar Refinery was British Columbia’s first major industry not directly related to the provinces’ natural resources like fisheries and forestry.
Indeed, the history of the company was rich enough to warrant its own corporate funded museum, located on site at the refinery from 1976 -2011, after which all of the museums contents as well as the company’s fonds were entrusted to the City of Vancouver’s Archives. The archives are steadily processing this wealth of material, though presently very little has been made available to the public. The archivists have, however, started to blog various observations and vignette style anecdotes about their findings, including attempts at baking treats using a Rogers Sugar brand cookbook as well as an overview of changing correspondence at the company. I have included links to the Vancouver Archive’s website and their excellent blog below.
Considering the broad time span covered by BC Sugar’s tenure, this piece aims to focus on the first 30 years or so of company development, stretching from the conception and construction of the company to the mid 1920s. For a more comprehensive history of the BC Sugar Company, I suggest reading John Schreiner’s book The Refiners: A Century of BC Sugar, which was of great help to me while conducting my own research.
The refinery’s function and place in Vancouver history seems obvious and self-explanatory, something easily summarized by the aging signage painted onto the front building: “BC Sugar Refinery Company Ltd”. However, a sign cannot begin to illuminate the 115+ years of industry and history represented by BC Sugar. Founded in 1890 and churning out refined white sugar today, the BC Sugar Refinery was British Columbia’s first major industry not directly related to the provinces’ natural resources like fisheries and forestry.
Indeed, the history of the company was rich enough to warrant its own corporate funded museum, located on site at the refinery from 1976 -2011, after which all of the museums contents as well as the company’s fonds were entrusted to the City of Vancouver’s Archives. The archives are steadily processing this wealth of material, though presently very little has been made available to the public. The archivists have, however, started to blog various observations and vignette style anecdotes about their findings, including attempts at baking treats using a Rogers Sugar brand cookbook as well as an overview of changing correspondence at the company. I have included links to the Vancouver Archive’s website and their excellent blog below.
Considering the broad time span covered by BC Sugar’s tenure, this piece aims to focus on the first 30 years or so of company development, stretching from the conception and construction of the company to the mid 1920s. For a more comprehensive history of the BC Sugar Company, I suggest reading John Schreiner’s book The Refiners: A Century of BC Sugar, which was of great help to me while conducting my own research.
Concept and ConstructionThe BC Sugar Refinery was founded by Benjiman Tingley Rogers: more commonly referred to as B.T. Rogers. Rogers, a Philadelphia native, came to Vancouver in 1890 after communicating his vision to CPR’s president, William C. Van Horne. The CPR had a vested interest in growing industry linked to their cross-continental railway, especially in Vancouver, which was at the end of the line. Van Horne had agreed to financially back Rogers in his venture, and it was with this assurance that Rogers made his business proposal to the Vancouver city council and mayor Oppenheimer.
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The city agreed to the majority of the proposal, donating $30,000 of waterfront land to Rogers for the refinery. However, the city council had two provisions to the agreement: (1) the appointment of CPR land developer and city council financial chairman John M. Browning as president of BC Sugar Refinery Company Limited, and (2) a clause stating no “Oriental” labour would be hired by the company. The first addition was to protect the city’s investment, while the second was rooted in the city’s tempestuous relationship between Vancouver’s growing Asian immigrant population and an uneasy white population, a tension made palpable by race riots in 1877. Rogers conceded to both amendments suggested by the city council.
Construction of the refinery began in 1890. The refinery received its first shipment of raw sugar cane from Fiji in January of 1891, producing its first melt on the 16th. During its first melt, BC Sugar employed only twenty men, who had no experience in the sugar industry; by 1917 the labour force had grown to include 206 men and 36 women.
The refinery received shipments of both sugar cane (from Fiji, Java and Australia) and sugar beets (primarily from Alberta), though the processing of sugar beets was later taken over by company purchased refineries in Alberta. BC Sugar was in constant battle with the Canadian government and related bodies concerning the levies and fees associated with importing raw cane sugar. In particular, the price of Chinese imported refined white sugar in Victoria was a source of financial burden to the company in its early years. Moreover, the global sugar market was in constant state of flux, tariffs and fees associated with sugar were continually evolving. The company and B.T. Rogers began to seek new avenues for obtaining raw sugar.
The refinery received shipments of both sugar cane (from Fiji, Java and Australia) and sugar beets (primarily from Alberta), though the processing of sugar beets was later taken over by company purchased refineries in Alberta. BC Sugar was in constant battle with the Canadian government and related bodies concerning the levies and fees associated with importing raw cane sugar. In particular, the price of Chinese imported refined white sugar in Victoria was a source of financial burden to the company in its early years. Moreover, the global sugar market was in constant state of flux, tariffs and fees associated with sugar were continually evolving. The company and B.T. Rogers began to seek new avenues for obtaining raw sugar.
The Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company 1905-1924
In order to consolidate BC Sugar’s profitable share of the market, Rogers bought Fiji Sugar Company from a Bristol based operation in 1905. He renamed the plantation The Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company and sunk significant amounts of money into renovating the pre-existing infrastructure at the plantation to bring the mill’s processing capacity up to 15,000 tons of raw sugar a season.
The plantation had its share of struggles, a large portion of which were related to finding and maintaining reliable labour, both in management and the standard work force. Managers brought in from the British Isles and Continent didn’t fair well in the tropics, contracting diseases. The cost of labour remained expensive and problematic throughout Vancouver-Fiji’s tenure, forcing the company to import Indian “coolie” labour (a practice in place prior to BC Sugar’s investment) in greater numbers until 1916,when the Indian government made legislative changes against indentured labour.
Drops in world sugar prices sent the investment into a financial tailspin, with Rogers and the BC Sugar board of directions considering selling the plantation until sugar prices skyrocketed with the beginning of World War I. Profits did not remain at a premium, the mill beginning to operate at a loss. Debts began ailing BC Sugar and reducing the value of their investment, prompting BC Sugar to seek buyers for the plantation. 1922, with no investors in sight, the operation was shit down. Assets were sold off individually as buyers were located, while expensive machinery was disassembled and shipped to Vancouver. Assets were fully liquidated by 1924, with BC Sugar recovering only $90,000 of their $500 000+ property investment.
The plantation had its share of struggles, a large portion of which were related to finding and maintaining reliable labour, both in management and the standard work force. Managers brought in from the British Isles and Continent didn’t fair well in the tropics, contracting diseases. The cost of labour remained expensive and problematic throughout Vancouver-Fiji’s tenure, forcing the company to import Indian “coolie” labour (a practice in place prior to BC Sugar’s investment) in greater numbers until 1916,when the Indian government made legislative changes against indentured labour.
Drops in world sugar prices sent the investment into a financial tailspin, with Rogers and the BC Sugar board of directions considering selling the plantation until sugar prices skyrocketed with the beginning of World War I. Profits did not remain at a premium, the mill beginning to operate at a loss. Debts began ailing BC Sugar and reducing the value of their investment, prompting BC Sugar to seek buyers for the plantation. 1922, with no investors in sight, the operation was shit down. Assets were sold off individually as buyers were located, while expensive machinery was disassembled and shipped to Vancouver. Assets were fully liquidated by 1924, with BC Sugar recovering only $90,000 of their $500 000+ property investment.
Union versus the Corporate Family: Strikes and Company Picnics
As part of his agreement with the Vancouver city council, Rogers ensured BC Sugar did not hire any Asian labour. Company records and associated correspondence suggest that only white labour was employed at the refinery until at least 1914. Part of the concern shareholders and the city council held with Asian labour was their willingness to work longer hours for less compensation, and were therefore perceived to be taking positions away from Caucasian workers.
Despite the company’s policy against migrant workers at the refinery, wages were still abysmally low, lower than the national average and the average pay at other sugar refineries in the United States and Canada. Female employees in particular were severely underpaid. In 1917, a time period where Vancouver saw increasing union action amongst labourers, workers at BC Sugar attempted to form a union, striking for four months. During this time period, the unionists were given financial and logistical support by the longshoremen’s union, who reportedly urged refinery workers to relentlessly push forward in their cause, resorting to violence if necessary.
The 1917 strike began with an innocuous letter written to the administrative staff of the refinery, requesting increased wages for men and women. The reported instigator of the petition and subsequent labour action was a man known as “Irish Johnny”. The petition was met with a counteroffer of wage increase for men, though no wage-increase for women or guarantee for hours of work were offered. In an effort to thwart brewing unrest amongst workers, Rogers ordered Irish Johnny to be fired, which the refinery manager did so, as well as one of the refinery foreman. Following this action, a reported 160 refinery workers walked out and the strike began in earnest; it would last approximately four months.
During the 78-day strike period, sugar refinery workers petitioned to form a union amongst themselves, aided by the fervor and successes of other union movements amongst Vancouver labourers. As previously stated, refinery striker’s received considerable support from the powerful longshoreman’s union, who twice refused to unload shipment of raw sugar at the docks in support of refinery unionization. The cargo had to be rerouted to the Port of Seattle, where it was unloaded and then shipped by train to BC Sugar.
Several weeks into the strike, a group of union men met with Rogers to discuss their demands and concerns. Rogers was willing to negotiate with them only if they came to him as “independent men”, stating he would “not recognize any union”. The negotiations fell flat and the strike continued, the refinery resorted to hiring new labour meet market demands, ferrying their hires across the picket line in guarded vehicles. During this time period, Rogers felt increased security was required for safety, which was reflected in the employment of a private detective agency to help provide security and information.
Eventually, the striker’s grew weary enough to ask J.D. McNiven—federal Fair Wages Officer in Vancouver—to meet with B.T. Rogers. Upon doing so, McNiven communicated to the strikers that their actions were at a loss. Rogers indicated he was willing to stand by his previous acquiescence (an increased 20 cent wage for men) in addition to offering secured 10-hour workdays and inexpensive lunchtime meals for all, provided in the company dining room. Rogers also agreed to hire back all strikers who had “no violations of law and order”. Strikers voted to end the strike in July of 1917, returning to work shortly after.
Despite the company’s policy against migrant workers at the refinery, wages were still abysmally low, lower than the national average and the average pay at other sugar refineries in the United States and Canada. Female employees in particular were severely underpaid. In 1917, a time period where Vancouver saw increasing union action amongst labourers, workers at BC Sugar attempted to form a union, striking for four months. During this time period, the unionists were given financial and logistical support by the longshoremen’s union, who reportedly urged refinery workers to relentlessly push forward in their cause, resorting to violence if necessary.
The 1917 strike began with an innocuous letter written to the administrative staff of the refinery, requesting increased wages for men and women. The reported instigator of the petition and subsequent labour action was a man known as “Irish Johnny”. The petition was met with a counteroffer of wage increase for men, though no wage-increase for women or guarantee for hours of work were offered. In an effort to thwart brewing unrest amongst workers, Rogers ordered Irish Johnny to be fired, which the refinery manager did so, as well as one of the refinery foreman. Following this action, a reported 160 refinery workers walked out and the strike began in earnest; it would last approximately four months.
During the 78-day strike period, sugar refinery workers petitioned to form a union amongst themselves, aided by the fervor and successes of other union movements amongst Vancouver labourers. As previously stated, refinery striker’s received considerable support from the powerful longshoreman’s union, who twice refused to unload shipment of raw sugar at the docks in support of refinery unionization. The cargo had to be rerouted to the Port of Seattle, where it was unloaded and then shipped by train to BC Sugar.
Several weeks into the strike, a group of union men met with Rogers to discuss their demands and concerns. Rogers was willing to negotiate with them only if they came to him as “independent men”, stating he would “not recognize any union”. The negotiations fell flat and the strike continued, the refinery resorted to hiring new labour meet market demands, ferrying their hires across the picket line in guarded vehicles. During this time period, Rogers felt increased security was required for safety, which was reflected in the employment of a private detective agency to help provide security and information.
Eventually, the striker’s grew weary enough to ask J.D. McNiven—federal Fair Wages Officer in Vancouver—to meet with B.T. Rogers. Upon doing so, McNiven communicated to the strikers that their actions were at a loss. Rogers indicated he was willing to stand by his previous acquiescence (an increased 20 cent wage for men) in addition to offering secured 10-hour workdays and inexpensive lunchtime meals for all, provided in the company dining room. Rogers also agreed to hire back all strikers who had “no violations of law and order”. Strikers voted to end the strike in July of 1917, returning to work shortly after.
Company picnics were an important part of BC Sugar employee relations before the 1917 strike, though their popularity and frequency increased after the job action. Rogers and his successors used employee good-will events like picnics to garner favour and ensure loyalty amongst employees. Annual picnics and Christmas parties became a hallmark of BC Sugar and were enthusiastically embraced by all staff. Many photos of BC Sugar Refinery company picnics have been made available through the City of Vancouver archives via the fonds of photographer Stuart Thompson (linked below). Picnickers can be seen enjoying music provided by a live band, participating in partnered and/or single footraces, and other games, as well as eating and socializing.
End Note on Unionization: BC Sugar Refinery workers eventually unionized in 1944 into the Industrial Union of Sugar Workers (later known as local 517 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union). |
BC Sugar Today (Have you ever used Rogers Golden Syrup?)
I had some difficultly discovering how active the refinery remains in 2013. Driving past the buildings, it seems abandoned, especially in comparison to the busy port activity occurring in surrounding properties. Visuals of the refinery’s business are limited by railway boxcars and construction traffic. Access to the refinery is strictly prohibited to the public as per the Port of Vancouver (Vancouver Sun journalist John Mackie notes while the refinery may be closed to the public, interested parties may request further information or even a tour of the facilities). According to Lantic Canada’s 2012 Annual Report, BC Sugar, operating under Rogers Sugar, continues to produce refined white sugar and molasses, as well as Rogers Golden Syrup, using raw cane sugar imported from Fiji, Java and Australia. The processing of sugar beets has been moved to Lantic’s Alberta and Quebec based refineries, no longer occurring in Vancouver. In 2011, the Vancouver refinery was reported to produce 10% of Canadian sugar. As of February 2013, shares in Rogers Sugar were valued at 6.280$.
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References
The Canadian Sugar Institute
The City of Vancouver Archives Web Blog Series on BC Sugar (3 Articles to Date)
Article 1 (Something sweet at the Archives)
Article 2 (Something cooking in the Archivist’s kitchen)
Article 3 (Correspondence through the decades at BC Sugar)
The City of Vancouver Archives: Stuart Thompson Fonds (Photographs)
The History of Metropolitan Vancouver: BC Sugar
Mackie, John
2011 Sugar-coated history: BC Sugar Refinery is Vancouver's oldest industrial site, dating back to 1890. The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, BC.
Web Link: John Mackie for the Vancouver Sun: “Sugar-coated history: BC Sugar Refinery is Vancouver’s oldest industrial site, dating back to 1890…”
McDonald, Robert A. J.
1996 Making Vancouver: Class, Status and Social Boundaries, 1863-1913. UBC Press, Vancouver, BC.
Schreiner, John
1989 The Refiners: A Century of BC Sugar. Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, BC.
Smith, C. R., Guy Roberge, and A. S. Whiteley
1957 Restrictive Trade Practices Commission Report: Concerning the Sugar Industry in Western Canada and a Proposed Merger of Sugar Companies. Department of Justice Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
The Strathcona Resident’s Association
Waite, Donald E.
2010 Vancouver Exposed: A History in Photographs. Waite Publishing, Canada.
Other Links of Potential Interest
Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
The City of Vancouver Archives
The City of Vancouver Archives Blog
Lantic Inc.
The City of Vancouver Archives Web Blog Series on BC Sugar (3 Articles to Date)
Article 1 (Something sweet at the Archives)
Article 2 (Something cooking in the Archivist’s kitchen)
Article 3 (Correspondence through the decades at BC Sugar)
The City of Vancouver Archives: Stuart Thompson Fonds (Photographs)
The History of Metropolitan Vancouver: BC Sugar
Mackie, John
2011 Sugar-coated history: BC Sugar Refinery is Vancouver's oldest industrial site, dating back to 1890. The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, BC.
Web Link: John Mackie for the Vancouver Sun: “Sugar-coated history: BC Sugar Refinery is Vancouver’s oldest industrial site, dating back to 1890…”
McDonald, Robert A. J.
1996 Making Vancouver: Class, Status and Social Boundaries, 1863-1913. UBC Press, Vancouver, BC.
Schreiner, John
1989 The Refiners: A Century of BC Sugar. Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, BC.
Smith, C. R., Guy Roberge, and A. S. Whiteley
1957 Restrictive Trade Practices Commission Report: Concerning the Sugar Industry in Western Canada and a Proposed Merger of Sugar Companies. Department of Justice Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
The Strathcona Resident’s Association
Waite, Donald E.
2010 Vancouver Exposed: A History in Photographs. Waite Publishing, Canada.
Other Links of Potential Interest
Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
The City of Vancouver Archives
The City of Vancouver Archives Blog
Lantic Inc.