The refinery began operation in January 1915. By 1917, there were 200 people living in a shack town, which had a school and two grocery stores. The company wanted to buy land from the Federal government to build a townsite, but due to the land being a military reserve they refused. Instead they bought land from a private seller. The land was cleared and construction on houses began in 1920. In all there were 83 houses built. The townsite also had a grocery store, community hall, a tennis court and lawn bowling green, and two churches.
As of 2015, the Ioco townsite has been sold to a Vancouver developer.[2][3]