Coal Harbour (Vancouver Island)

The townsite and surrounding area was the site of a Royal Canadian Air Force base for seaplane patrols in the Northern Pacific during World War II.

There is a small, free museum dedicated to the RCAF station, built and maintained by a private individual in the sole remaining Canso hangar.After the war, the buildings were bought by B.C.

Whales were brought up by steam windlass on the main slipway formerly used by planes and then flensed (stripped of their blubber) on the concourse and processed indoors.

[citation needed] Today few of the original World War II buildings remain, the general store and the commanding officer's barracks still standing and being used as of 2010.

Coal Harbour is now a bedroom community for Port Hardy, but local industry remains in the form of seaplane services and connections to major fishing lodges.

Nearby is the headquarters and main community of the Quatsino First Nation, the band government of the Gwat'sinux group of the Kwakwaka'wakw.50°35′43″N 127°34′45″W / 50.59528°N 127.57917°W / 50.59528; -127.57917 (Coal Harbour)