Cannery Trade Centre

The value of the Cannery Trade Centre (formerly the Aylmer Cannery) lies in the primary role it played in the economic life of Penticton from 1948 to 1982. It was an important seasonal employer and a vital source of income for local vegetable and fruit growers. It is particularly significant because, as an employer of a large number of men and women, it reflects labour practices and social conditions over several decades. The tall chimney, now lost, identified the Aylmer brand the plant was known for, and provided the power for the daily whistle, which defined the beginning and end of the work day, heard throughout Penticton. The complex was also associated with the Delmonte and Royal City brands.

The complex is also important because it expresses the evolution of industrial design through the physical development and construction materials evident in the four construction phases of the complex. These construction phases also reflect the evolution of the canning industry in Canada, and in particular the evolution of industrial buildings in response to economic changes.The growth and decline of local agriculture and the canning industry itself are reflected in the changing form and use of the building over time. As a significant former employer of women, the complex also symbolizes the history of women in industry.