The Best of Richmond 2023 special section published in our print edition out this week. Click here to see all the profiles of outstanding citizens and the businesses with the most votes in their respective categories.
Jaime Gusto was born in Richmond and grew up in the fishing community of Finn Slough, founded by Finnish settlers who came to Richmond in the 1880s.
She has a deep connection to the local fishing industry as the men in her family have made their living fishing for salmon in the Fraser River for more than 60 years. Gusto spent many of her early years fishing with her dad and grandpa on the Fraser.
Her love for fishing led her to apply for a job at the Steveston Harbour Authority (SHA) in 2000 and, after years of hard work and love for the job, she was named general manager in 2017.
Gusto is passionate about ensuring the harbour remains a working harbour and was excited when the SHA board mandated that it become the hub of B.C.’s commercial fishing industry, bringing all the services a fisher could need into one place. Since then, she has overseen several major projects: construction of Fisherman’s Ice Plant and Cantrawl Nets, installation of an archway at 6th Avenue, and reconstruction of an offloading facility. She is presently overseeing the building of a new crab and prawn processing facility.
Q & A
What do you like best about Richmond?
I love that Richmond is surrounded by water and there are extensive trails along the waterfront to explore on foot or bicycle.
How do you stay healthy in Richmond?
I normally walk along the dyke or into Steveston on my lunch breaks. On the weekends, I love to ride my bike with my daughters and husband.
What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?
The dyke that runs from No. 5 Road, through Finn Slough and right into Steveston. This is my absolute favourite bike ride.
Where in Richmond do you to take out-of-town guests?
Steveston Harbour, of course. I love taking guests down to Fisherman’s Wharf to interact with the fishermen. Then we usually walk down the 4th Avenue pathway to view the murals that Steveston Harbour’s Public Art Committee commissioned and into Garry Point Park for ice cream.
What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?
Definitely Finn Slough because every time I visit I feel like I am going back in time to what life would have looked like all those years ago.
