The Cannery In the days before refrigerators, canning was one of the only ways to preserve food. The McCorkndale cannery was an integral part of life in Avonlea. It was a major employer both for the factory workers and the fishermen and farmers who provided the food for canning, and provided food for people all across Canada. The cannery features in many Avonlea episodes. In Season 4, Episode 12, the business is sold to an American named H.B. Dunn, but Hetty King is determined to stop his plans to radically change Avonlea. Hetty purchases the cannery from Dunn, before turning it over to Jasper and Olivia to run as their own operation. When Jasper and Olivia take over, the business becomes known as the Dale Cannery, and Jasper is able to use his scientific knowledge to improve productivity and increase profits! Unfortunately, in Season 7’s episode “The Last Hurrah”, the Cannery is the site of a devastating fire, and the Dales eventually decide that they are unable to rebuilt it. The Cannery was vital to Prince Edward Island, and its role in Avonlea gives us another glimpse into what life was really like for people during that bygone era.