The Robin Company established its headquarters in Paspébiac in 1767. The company became a veritable empire in the 19th century. In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it had more than thirty fishing stations, in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
From Paspébiac, the company oversaw a vast network for the collection, processing and export of dried cod to the markets of Europe, the West Indies and Brazil. On return, its ships brought back products which were resold to other merchants or in the company’s own general stores.
In 1838, with the arrival of the LeBoutillier Brothers Company, the Paspébiac bank became a hub of the international cod trade. With 80 buildings, it was a city teeming with activity: docks, workshops, forges, dormitories, warehouses, offices … At the time, it was even one of the largest shipyards in the country.
While it was one of the great companies of its time, the Robin Company has come under heavy criticism. With its credit system, it often created indebtedness, dependency and poverty for fishermen. In 1886, following the bankruptcy of the Bank of Jersey, the Paspébiac bank was the scene of a riot. Threatened with famine, the inhabitants had no choice but to loot the company’s warehouses.
In 1964, a violent fire destroyed most of the buildings on the Paspébiac bank. In the years that followed, those still standing were simply abandoned. Thanks to the action of a group of citizens of Paspébiac they were able to be saved, restored and enhanced. This unique heritage, testifying to the history of fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is now classified by the governments of Quebec (1981) and Canada (2001).
The Robin Company ceased operations at the start of the 21st century, after more than 250 years of existence. After the Hudson’s Bay Company, it was the second most sustainable company in Canadian history.
