I live in Maillardville in Coquitlam which is in Vancouver, British Columbia. I feel that it is important to acknowledge that the original and earliest known residents of this area were the Coast Salish people and the beginnings of European settlement began sometime during the 1860’s [3]. The city of Coquitlam recognizes that the land was originally the territory of the Kwikwetlem First Nations. The name refers to a type of salmon that was once abundant in the rivers and there is evidence to prove that the Kwikwetlem First Nations lived here for four thousand years at a minimum. People traded goods and fish along the river and they created an economy from this. In the sixteenth century, European fishermen traded metal and cloth in exchange for furs and meat which were popular in Europe and the fur trade grew rapidly. Partially because of this, the area became of interest for exploration, settlement and colonization. 1889 is when Fraser Mills began. The workers were not only French Canadians, but also Chinese, Japanese and Indian. There was a lot of discrimination in the workplace as well as the community such as lower wages than whites, little or no housing benefits, and no opportunities to move into management positions. There were even anti-asian race riots in 1907. It is quite disturbing that many sources want to gloss over this original history because it is unfavorable and uncomfortable for many people; however, it should not be ignored [4]. 

From a website that is made for a heritage festival that happens in my town, I learned a lot about the history of the French-Canadian settlement in Maillardville. Most websites like to highlight this part of the town’s history. The French-Canadian settlers came here in the fall of 1909. There was a group of 110 French Canadians who moved here from Ontario and Quebec. They traveled to Fraser Mills by railroad with the purpose of working for Fraser Mills as millworkers. The owners of Fraser Mills enticed people to come by offering access to land, wood, houses, cultural preservation and freedom. These early settlers brought with them their religious traditions, music, and french culture. There was a lot of lumber which was a great and important resource. The festival that celebrates the history of the town’s formation and french culture is called festival du bois which translates to festival of wood to commemorate the original lumber workers and industry that began the town [1]. 

As for development, in 1971 Coquitlam and Fraser Mills were combined. In 2001 Fraser Mills closed down. Today it has become a residential area and Maillardville is a part of Coquitlam. Two of the original houses where families lived in the town are used today as an arts center called Place des Arts and a museum called Mackin House Museum. The current population of Maillardville is approximately 14,976 people as per Statistics Canada in 2016. The city’s population is expected to grow by 6,000 people in the next two decades. The population is mostly made up of Europeans and East Asians and the top two languages being spoken here are English and Korean [2]. 

When it comes to wildlife, Coquitlam offers a variety of opportunities for ecology. The Coquitlam River is 46 kilometers and located in a biogeoclimatic zone. The river is known to flood often and the largest flood occurred in 1921. Some of the trees nearby are evergreens such as western red cedars and black cottonwoods. Animals that live in the area are black-tailed deer, racoons, eagles, black bears and twenty four different species of fish. The salmon in the river are a very important part of the ecosystem because they provide food for many of the animals and after they spawn they release nutrients for the soil and vegetation [5]. Some invasive species that are in Coquitlam are english ivy, giant hogweed, japanese knotweed, scotch broom, himalayan blackberry, periwinkle, morning glory and yellow lamium. These species are dangerous due to the fact that they can take over the environment which pushes out the native plants to that area and destroys the habitat for the wildlife that lives off that area. Giant hogweed is of special concern as it is harmful to people. Its sap can burn human skin if it comes in contact and the weed can grow up to 5.5 meters tall [6]. 

In conclusion, it was very interesting and insightful to learn about the history and the environment that is around me. 

Citations:

1. Maillardville history. Festival du Bois. (2021, April 22). Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.festivaldubois.ca/maillardville-history/#:~:text=Founded%20in%201909%20to%20meet,families%20and%20their%20culture%20there. 
2. Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, October 13). Maillardville. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillardville 
3. Heritage & History. Heritage & History | Coquitlam, BC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.coquitlam.ca/797/Heritage-History 
4. History of Coquitlam – Coquitlam Heritage at Mackin House. Coquitlam Heritage Society. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://www.coquitlamheritage.ca/history-coquitlam 
5. Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, February 4). Coquitlam River. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coquitlam_River 
6. News flash- invasive species . Coquitlam, BC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://www.coquitlam.ca/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=638