Stewart, British Columbia

2025-09-27T01:41:00Z

2607:FEA8:FD40:8A83:BB6D:86CB:F3A7:777E: /* History */

{{more citations needed|date=February 2018}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Stewart
| official_name = District of Stewart<ref name=BCmunis>{{cite web | url=http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/library/Name%20Incorp%202011.xls | title=British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address | publisher=British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development | type=[[Microsoft Excel|XLS]] | access-date=2 November 2014}}</ref>
| settlement_type = [[List of district municipalities in British Columbia|District municipality]]
| native_name =
| motto =
| image_skyline = Stewart BC.JPG
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| image_shield =
| image_map =
| mapsize = 200px
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Canada British Columbia
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Canada
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = [[British Columbia]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Regional district]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Regional District of Kitimat–Stikine|Kitimat–Stikine]]
| leader_title = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name = Angela Brand Danuser
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| leader_title3 =
| leader_name3 =
| established_title = Incorporated
| established_date = 1930
| established_title2 =
| established_date2 =
| established_title3 =
| established_date3 =
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 552.08
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| population_as_of = 2016
| population_note =
| population_total = 401
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone = [[Pacific Time Zone|PST]]
| utc_offset = −8
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
| coordinates = {{coord|55|56|09|N|129|59|27|W|type:city_region:CA-BC_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m = 0
| postal_code_type = Postal Code 0098 
| postal_code = V0T 1W0
| area_codes = [[Area code 250|250]], [[Area code 778|778]], [[Area code 236|236]]
| blank_name = [[List of British Columbia provincial highways|Highways]]
| blank_info = {{jct|state=BC|Hwy|37A}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Stewart''' is a [[district municipality]] at the head of the [[Portland Canal]] in northwestern [[British Columbia]], Canada,<ref name="Stewart">{{BCGNIS|37405|Stewart (district municipality)}}</ref> near the [[Southeast Alaska|Alaskan panhandle]]. In 2021, it had a population of 517.
[[File:2015-08-07 Salmon Glacier, BC, Canada 1016.jpg|thumb|[[Salmon Glacier]] in British Columbia, a popular tourist destination.]]

==History==
The [[Nisga'a]], who lived around the [[Nass River]], called the head of Portland Canal {{lang|ncg|Skam-A-Kounst}}, meaning "safe house" or "strong house", probably because it served them as a retreat from the harassment of the [[Haida people|Haida]] and [[Tlingit]] from the outer coast.<ref name="Stewart"/><ref name="Sgamagunt">{{BCGNIS|54631|Sgamagunt (site)}}</ref> They travelled in the area seasonally to pick berries and hunt birds. It and the rest of the Portland Canal had previously been the domain of the [[Tsetsaut people]], also called the Skam-a-Kounst Indians, or {{lang|ncg|Jits'aawit}} in [[Nisga'a language|Nisga'a]], an [[Athapaskan]] people who became decimated by war and disease and were driven out of the Stewart area by either Haida or Nisga'a in 1856–57.

The Portland Canal was first explored and named in July 1793 by Captain [[George Vancouver]] in honour of [[William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland]] (1738–1808), Home Secretary from 1794 to 1801. Vancouver met two friendly native people at the current site of Stewart.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Vancouver |first1=George |title=A voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean and round the world; in which the coast of North-west America has been carefully examined and accurately surveyed : undertaken by his Majesty's command, principally with a view to ascertain the existence of any navigable communication between the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans ; and performed in the years 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794 and 1795, in the discovery sloop of war, and armed tender Chatham, under the command of Captain George Vancouver |date=1798 |publisher=Printed for G.G. and J. Robinson, Paternoster-Row, and J. Edwards, Pall-Mall |location=London}}</ref> The area around the Portland Canal was again explored in 1896 by Captain [[David du Bose Gaillard|D.D. Gaillard]] of the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] (after whom the Gaillard Cut in the Panama Canal was later named). Two years after Gaillard's visit, the first prospectors and settlers arrived. Among them was D. J. Raine, for whom a creek and a mountain in the area are named. The Stewart brothers arrived in 1902. In 1905, Robert M. Stewart, the first postmaster, named the town Stewart.

[[Gold]] and [[silver]] mining dominated the early economy. Nearby [[Hyder, Alaska|Hyder]], [[Alaska]], boomed with the discovery of rich silver veins in the upper Salmon River basin in 1917 and 1918. Hyder became an access and supply point for the mines, while Stewart served as the port for Canadian mining activity, which was centred on [[Premier, British Columbia|the town of Premier]], which was accessed by a {{convert|14|mi|km}} road from Hyder.
Other mines in the area were the Jumbo, BC Silver, Red Cliff, and Porter-Idaho. More large camps were south of Stewart at Anyox and Maple Bay.

Disney's ''[[Eight Below]]'', starring [[Paul Walker]] and [[Jason Biggs]], was partially filmed here. The exterior shots from [[John Carpenter]]'s science fiction classic ''[[The Thing (1982 film)|The Thing]]'' were filmed within [[Salmon Glacier]].

[[File:STEWART FIRE HOUSE, BRITISH COLUMBIA.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Fire hall in Stewart]]

== Demographics ==
In the [[2021 Canadian census|2021 Census of Population]] conducted by [[Statistics Canada]], Stewart had a population of 517 living in 256 of its 337 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:517-401}}|401|1}} from its 2016 population of 401. With a land area of {{cvt|551.57|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|517|551.57|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.<ref name=2021census>{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000202&geocode=A000259 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia | publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=February 20, 2022}}</ref>

==Transportation==
Stewart is accessible by highway from the British Columbia highway system, via [[British Columbia Highway 37A|Highway 37A]], by boat through the [[Portland Canal]], or by air through [[Stewart Airport (British Columbia)|Stewart Airport]].

==Location==
[[File:Mt. Rainey.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Rainey|Mt. Rainey]] is southeast of Stewart]]
West of Stewart is [[Hyder, Alaska]], which is only {{convert|3|km|mi|0}} from the town. Northwest of Stewart, and accessible only by way of Hyder, is [[Premier, British Columbia]], notable for being in Canada, but accessible only through a portion of the United States that is accessible only from Canada.

East of the town is [[Meziadin Junction]], which is {{convert|61|km|mi}} from the town. Also east is [[Kitwanga, British Columbia]], which is located {{convert|218|km|mi}} from the town, and [[Dease Lake, British Columbia]], which is located {{convert|392|km|mi}} north of Stewart. It is the northernmost point on Canada's Pacific coast.

==Climate==
Stewart has a [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfb''), with about {{convert|1866.8|mm|abbr=on|1}} per year of precipitation, much of it as snow, and an average yearly temperature of {{convert|6.1|C|abbr=on|1}}, according to Environment Canada.<ref name= "climate">[[Environment Canada]]—[http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=434 Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010], accessed 16 July 2014</ref> Stewart is Canada's most northerly [[ice-free port]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernview.com/business/stewart-port-receives-13-million-for-export-expansion/|title=Stewart port receives $13 million for export expansion|date=2019-08-08|website=Prince Rupert Northern View|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref> Due to its proximity to the ocean, the climate retains strong maritime influences, with winters being far milder than locations farther inland. With an average of 985 hours of annual sunshine, Stewart is one of the cloudiest places in the world.

{{Weather box
|location = [[Stewart Aerodrome|Stewart Airport]]<br>Climate ID: 1067742; coordinates {{coordinates|55|56|10|N|129|59|06|W|type:airport_region:CA-BC|name=Stewart Aerodrome}}; elevation: {{convert|7.3|m|abbr=on}}; 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1910–present
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan maximum humidex = 9.4
|Feb maximum humidex = 10.4
|Mar maximum humidex = 15.2
|Apr maximum humidex = 25.3
|May maximum humidex = 30.1
|Jun maximum humidex = 38.9
|Jul maximum humidex = 39.0
|Aug maximum humidex = 37.5
|Sep maximum humidex = 28.3
|Oct maximum humidex = 21.2
|Nov maximum humidex = 10.5
|Dec maximum humidex = 9.9
|Jan record high C = 13.3
|Feb record high C = 11.7
|Mar record high C = 17.1
|Apr record high C = 25.5
|May record high C = 31.7
|Jun record high C = 35.0
|Jul record high C = 33.4
|Aug record high C = 32.7
|Sep record high C = 30.6
|Oct record high C = 20.6
|Nov record high C = 14.4
|Dec record high C = 11.2
|year record high C = 35.0
|Jan high C = -0.5
|Feb high C = 2.3
|Mar high C = 5.8
|Apr high C = 11.0
|May high C = 15.8
|Jun high C = 18.9
|Jul high C = 19.8
|Aug high C = 18.8
|Sep high C = 14.7
|Oct high C = 8.9
|Nov high C = 2.7
|Dec high C = 0.1
|year high C = 9.9
|Jan mean C = -3.0
|Feb mean C = -1.1
|Mar mean C = 1.9
|Apr mean C = 6.1
|May mean C = 10.7
|Jun mean C = 13.9
|Jul mean C = 15.1
|Aug mean C = 14.3
|Sep mean C = 11.1
|Oct mean C = 6.3
|Nov mean C = 0.6
|Dec mean C = -2.1
|year mean C = 6.1
|Jan low C = -5.5
|Feb low C = -4.5
|Mar low C = -2.0
|Apr low C = 1.1
|May low C = 5.5
|Jun low C = 8.9
|Jul low C = 10.4
|Aug low C = 9.8
|Sep low C = 7.4
|Oct low C = 3.6
|Nov low C = -1.7
|Dec low C = -4.3
|year low C = 2.4
|Jan record low C = -30.0
|Feb record low C = -28.3
|Mar record low C = -23.3
|Apr record low C = -13.9
|May record low C = -4.4
|Jun record low C = -2.8
|Jul record low C = 0.0
|Aug record low C = -5.0
|Sep record low C = -3.9
|Oct record low C = -12.8
|Nov record low C = -24.8
|Dec record low C = -26.1
|year record low C = -30.0
|Jan chill = -30.1
|Feb chill = -29.2
|Mar chill = -25.7
|Apr chill = -12.2
|May chill = -1.3
|Jun chill = 0.0
|Jul chill = 0.0
|Aug chill = 0.0
|Sep chill = -2.7
|Oct chill = -13.0
|Nov chill = -36.7
|Dec chill = -32.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 238.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 137.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 121.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 89.1
|May precipitation mm = 72.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 65.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 73.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 122.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 217.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 278.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 230.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 222.2
|year precipitation mm = 1866.8
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 88.1
|Feb rain mm = 57.6
|Mar rain mm = 85.6
|Apr rain mm = 73.4
|May rain mm = 71.8
|Jun rain mm = 65.6
|Jul rain mm = 73.0
|Aug rain mm = 122.4
|Sep rain mm = 217.3
|Oct rain mm = 268.3
|Nov rain mm = 123.9
|Dec rain mm = 91.9
|year rain mm = 1338.9
|Jan snow cm = 162.8
|Feb snow cm = 85.6
|Mar snow cm = 38.8
|Apr snow cm = 15.8
|May snow cm = 0.5
|Jun snow cm = 0.0
|Jul snow cm = 0.0
|Aug snow cm = 0.1
|Sep snow cm = 0.0
|Oct snow cm = 9.7
|Nov snow cm = 112.7
|Dec snow cm = 144.3
|year snow cm = 570.2

|Jan humidity = 86.0
|Feb humidity = 79.6
|Mar humidity = 70.1
|Apr humidity = 57.4
|May humidity = 52.8
|Jun humidity = 58.3
|Jul humidity = 65.3
|Aug humidity = 70.4
|Sep humidity = 77.3
|Oct humidity = 80.8
|Nov humidity = 87.7
|Dec humidity = 89.5
|year humidity = 72.9
|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 20.0
|Feb precipitation days = 15.1
|Mar precipitation days = 18.2
|Apr precipitation days = 16.6
|May precipitation days = 16.1
|Jun precipitation days = 15.4
|Jul precipitation days = 16.4
|Aug precipitation days = 17.4
|Sep precipitation days = 20.2
|Oct precipitation days = 23.3
|Nov precipitation days = 21.4
|Dec precipitation days = 20.5
|year precipitation days = 220.5
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 11.4
|Feb rain days = 10.3
|Mar rain days = 15.8
|Apr rain days = 16.4
|May rain days = 16.1
|Jun rain days = 15.4
|Jul rain days = 16.4
|Aug rain days = 17.4
|Sep rain days = 20.2
|Oct rain days = 23.2
|Nov rain days = 16.1
|Dec rain days = 12.0
|year rain days= 190.6
|unit snow days = 0.2 cm
|Jan snow days = 14.3
|Feb snow days = 9.2
|Mar snow days = 7.2
|Apr snow days = 2.5
|May snow days = 0.08
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.04
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 1.7
|Nov snow days = 10.8
|Dec snow days = 14.7
|year snow days = 60.6
|Jan sun = 25.7
|Feb sun = 40.0
|Mar sun = 73.5
|Apr sun = 119.8
|May sun = 157.7
|Jun sun = 145.0
|Jul sun = 138.1
|Aug sun = 126.5
|Sep sun = 85.2
|Oct sun = 39.9
|Nov sun = 19.7
|Dec sun = 14.4
|year sun = 985.4
|Jan percentsun = 10.8
|Feb percentsun = 14.9
|Mar percentsun = 20.1
|Apr percentsun = 28.2
|May percentsun = 31.2
|Jun percentsun = 27.7
|Jul percentsun = 26.3
|Aug percentsun = 27.1
|Sep percentsun = 22.2
|Oct percentsun = 12.3
|Nov percentsun = 7.9
|Dec percentsun = 6.5
|year percentsun = 19.6
|source 1 = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name="metadata" >{{cite web
|url= https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=BC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=434&dispBack=0
|title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data
|publisher= Environment Canada
|access-date=16 July 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Stewart weather" >{{cite web
|url= http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1910-09-01%7C1967-04-30&mlyRange=1910-01-01%7C1967-12-01&StationID=433&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&Month=1&Day=13&txtStationName=stewart&timeframe=2&Year=1917
|title=Stewart
|publisher= Environment Canada
|access-date=13 May 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Stewart BCHPA" >{{cite web
|url= http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1967-10-01%7C1976-05-31&mlyRange=1967-01-01%7C1976-12-01&StationID=435&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=5&searchMethod=contains&Month=6&Day=13&txtStationName=stewart&timeframe=2&Year=1969
|title=Stewart BCHPA
|publisher= Environment Canada
|access-date=13 May 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Stewart A" >{{cite web
|url= http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=1974-12-10%7C2015-01-15&dlyRange=1974-12-01%7C2016-05-11&mlyRange=1975-01-01%7C2007-02-01&StationID=434&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=2&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=stewart&timeframe=2&Year=2016&Month=3#
|title=Stewart A
|publisher= Environment Canada
|access-date=13 May 2016 }}</ref> wind chill<ref>{{cite web | publisher = [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] | url = https://climat.meteo.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_f.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=BC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=434&dispBack=0 |title=Refroidissement éolien (wind chill) |work=Données des stations pour le calcul des normales climatiques au Canada de 1981 à 2010|access-date=26 February 2022|language=French}}</ref>
|date=9 March 2013
}}

==See also==
*[[Alaska boundary dispute]]
*[[Granduc Mine]]
*[[Hyder, Alaska]]
*[[List of francophone communities in British Columbia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Stewart}}

{{Subdivisions of British Columbia|district=yes}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:District municipalities in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Ghost towns in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Regional District of Kitimat–Stikine]]
[[Category:Stewart Country]]

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Stewart, British Columbia