Working the Green Chain:SIKHS, FRASER MILLS, & THE LUMBER INDUSTRY

The Ross McLaren Company began sawmill operations on the Fraser River in 1890, beginning a company that was destined for economic ups and downs, several name changes and numerous expansions. Commonly called Fraser Mills, it was also the Canadian Western Lumber Company, and until it closed, the Crown Zellerbach Company. The mill employed labour from all over the world, giving a start to many Sikh and Chinese families who contributed to the settling of Coquitlam, and at one point employed large numbers of French Canadians who settled Maillardville. The mill brought in a multicultural population and also supplied the raw materials for many of the city’s buildings. It is an intrinsic part of Coquitlam’s foundation.