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112-752: The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are in Victoria, British Columbia , Canada, and are home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia . The Speaker and the Sergeant-at-Arms are amongst those responsible for the legislative precinct , which by statute include the Parliament Buildings and grounds. The neo-Baroque buildings face north on Belleville Street facing the Inner Harbour and diagonally across from The Empress Hotel . Atop

224-562: A Boer War recruit who joined the YMCA as a means of continuing his physical fitness activities upon military discharge, was driven by his ambition to design a proper boys' work program with the Toronto YMCA, attending various national boys conferences. In 1912, Statten became the Boys' Work Secretary on the national YMCA executive. Borrowing from both Canadian and American YMCA programs, and aspects of

336-685: A "coastal redwood" ( Sequoia sempervirens ) on the granite marker before it. Free guided tours of the facility are offered year-round. From 1856 to 1860 the Legislature of the Colony of Vancouver Island met at Bachelor's Hall at Fort Victoria . From 1860 to 1898 it was housed in the first permanent building at Legislative Hall or Legislative Council Court, a two-storey wooden building along with four other buildings (Land Office, Colonial Office, Supreme Court, and Treasury) known colloquially as "The Birdcages" because of their shape (burned 1957). Construction of

448-653: A "sounding board" to members for feedback, and as a means of reducing high turnover in OBP as becoming a member would become something to work for above observer status. Observers, aged 15 to 16, attended the entire session, and took part in all activities except sitting in the Legislative Chambers. The Observer program ended in 1973, at which time the Older Boys' Parliament became the Youth Parliament. While camping had been

560-482: A National Boys' Work Board was established with an executive body made up of YMCA and church representatives. In 1921 an independent Boys' Work Board was established, as the YMCA preferred to take a lesser role in a movement that was diverting too much attention and resources from other Y programs. The first Older Boys' Parliament of British Columbia was held in January 1924. The Premier was Walter S. Owen , who later became

672-639: A Premier and their cabinet runs from September 15 to September 14 of the following year. The Premier and Cabinet plan the government's legislative plan and prepare the bills for consideration at the December sitting of the BCYP. Members of the BCYP are not elected to the Youth Parliament. Instead, potential members apply for the limited number of available positions. Applicants must be nominated by an organization that supports youth activities (i.e., community, school, or church club or group). The applicants are then selected by

784-476: A committee made up of representatives of the Senate and the BCYP cabinet. The selection committee attempts to ensure that all parts of the province are represented. This includes selecting at least one applicant from each of the real ridings for the actual provincial legislature (subject to there being an applicant from that riding). At the December sitting, all members will be assigned to a riding. Members who come from

896-484: A hundred technology, software and engineering companies have an office in Victoria. Victoria is a major tourism destination with over 3.5 million overnight visitors per year who add more than a billion dollars to the local economy. As well, over 500,000 daytime visitors arrive via cruise ships which dock at Ogden Point near the city's Inner Harbour . Many whale watching tour companies operate from this harbour due to

1008-516: A new Parliament building was first authorized by an act of the provincial legislature in 1893, the Parliament Buildings Construction Act . The province, anxious to commemorate its growing economic, social, and political status, was engaged in an architectural competition to build a new legislative building in Victoria, after outgrowing "The Birdcages", which were notoriously drafty and leaked in wet weather. Francis Rattenbury ,

1120-459: A population of 91,867 living in 49,222 of its 53,070 total private dwellings, a change of 7.1% from its 2016 population of 85,792. With a land area of 19.45 km (7.51 sq mi), it had a population density of 4,723.2/km (12,233.1/sq mi) in 2021. Victoria is one of the most gender diverse cities in Canada, with approximately 0.75% of residents identifying as transgender or non-binary in

1232-621: A potential replacement for Camp Phoenix, known as "Project Phoenix." At the 86th Session in December 2014, BCYP re-established the Ministry of Project Phoenix to formally oversee the new program, called "Project Phoenix". Based upon the success of Project Phoenix, at the 87th Session in December 2015, the BCYP re-established the Ministry of Camp Phoenix and the membership passed legislation enabling Camp Phoenix. Camp Phoenix occurred in August 2016 at Deep Cove, British Columbia. In 1937, in an attempt to expand

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1344-456: A real parliamentary government, the BCYP "government" cannot fall if it loses a vote on what would otherwise be a vote of confidence , such as a money bill or a motion of non-confidence. During the week that the BCYP meets in the Legislature, the members elect a new Premier , Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Speaker for the next legislative year. On the last day of the annual sitting of

1456-624: A recent English immigrant, 25 years old, entered the contest and signed his drawings with the pseudonym "A B.C. Architect". He progressed to the second round, signing his drawing "For Queen and Province" and eventually won the competition. Despite many problems, including exceeding budget – the original budget was $ 500,000; the final amount was $ 923,000 – the British Columbia Parliament Buildings officially began operation in 1898. The grand scale of its 500-foot-long (150 m) andesite façade, central dome, and two end pavilions,

1568-613: A regional program, but a program of regional parliaments never came to fruition. The current form of the RYPs originated in 1987, when a pilot RYP was held in Creston, British Columbia for the Kootenay region. Legislation formally establishing a RYP program was introduced at the 60th Session in 1989. As before, a primary goal of the RYP program was to increase the number of young people who could participate in

1680-493: A riding that is over-represented (usually from one of the larger urban centres) may be assigned a riding from which no applications were submitted. Otherwise, some ridings may have two or more members. The purpose of the Older Boys' Parliament (OBP) in its early years was to recommend changes and additions to the "Canadian Standards Efficiency Training" (CSET) programme (see History, below) and to promote Christian boys life. Its legislation usually consisted of recommendations made to

1792-724: A single occurrence of frost. During this time the city went 718 days without freezing, starting on 23 December 1998 and ending 10 December 2000. The second longest frost-free period was a 686-day stretch covering 1925 and 1926, marking the first and last time the city has gone the entire season without dropping below 1 °C (34 °F). During the winter, the average daily high and low temperatures are 8 and 4 °C (46 and 39 °F), respectively. The summer months are also relatively mild, with an average high temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) and low of 11 °C (52 °F), although inland areas often experience warmer daytime highs. The highest temperature ever recorded at Victoria Gonzales

1904-400: A steady part of the OBP program since its inception, the OBP had always participated in the operation of camps run by other organizations, but never its own. This changed in December 1967 when the 37th Session legislated Camp Phoenix. That first Camp Phoenix was held at Camp George Pringle in the summer of 1968, with 36 underprivileged and disabled boys in attendance. Camp Phoenix expanded over

2016-470: A village across the harbour from the fort. The Songhees' village was later moved north of Esquimalt in 1911.The crown colony was established in 1849. Between the years 1850–1854 a series of treaty agreements known as the Douglas Treaties were made with indigenous communities to purchase certain plots of land in exchange for goods. These agreements contributed to a town being laid out on the site and made

2128-503: A weak premier who had to be replaced soon after the 16th Session. Key alumni and strong premiers with good cabinets carried the OBP through the late 1940s when a proper "Senate" and well founded Parliament were established. It was during this period that the OBP was held in Vancouver. Only one session between 1945 and 1955 sat in the provincial legislature. Despite invitations from the government, organizers found it easier to plan sessions for

2240-463: A white man watches. In another entitled Justice , an Indigenous chief is shown standing before a judge (said to be Matthew Baillie Begbie ), suggesting the subjugation of natives to colonial law. However, Southwell's daughter claimed that her father depicted the chief as standing before another judge, one who championed Indigenous rights. A 2001 report, commissioned by the New Democrat government of

2352-506: Is about 100 km (62 mi) southwest from British Columbia's largest city of Vancouver on the mainland. The city is about 100 km (62 mi) from Seattle by airplane, seaplane , ferry , or the Victoria Clipper passenger-only ferry, and 40 km (25 mi) from Port Angeles , Washington , by ferry Coho across the Strait of Juan de Fuca . Named for Queen Victoria ,

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2464-693: Is also a destination for conventions, meetings, and conferences, including a 2007 North Atlantic Treaty Organization military chief of staff meeting held at the Hotel Grand Pacific. Every year, the Swiftsure International Yacht Race attracts boaters from around the world to participate in the boat race in the waters off of Vancouver Island, and the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival brings over 90 teams from around North America. The Tall Ships Festival brings sailing ships to

2576-403: Is also a well-protected harbour with a large graving dock and shipbuilding and repair facilities. A point-in-time homeless count was conducted by volunteers between 11 March and 12 March 2020, that counted at least 1,523 homeless that night. The homeless count is considered an underestimate due to the hidden homeless that may be couch surfing or have found somewhere to stay that is not on

2688-589: Is certain this practice would have continued were it not for the occurrence of World War II. While the 15th Session in 1939 prorogued with full intention of holding a Session in 1940, the OBP did not meet during World War II. By war's end, the TUXIS movement had diminished and the National Boys' Work Board was in a weak state of affairs. It took the Boys' Work Secretary for the United Church, Rev. Robert McLaren, to revive

2800-523: Is known for its disproportionately large retiree population. Some 23.4 percent of the population of Victoria and its surrounding area are over 65 years of age, which is higher than the overall Canadian distribution of over 65 year-olds in the population (19%). Indigenous peoples made up 5 percent of Victoria's population in 2021. According to the 2021 census , the majority of the population of Victoria described themselves as irreligious (63.4%). Over 25% of Victoria residents are Christian , with

2912-511: Is over representative in the homeless population as only 4.7% of the overall population of Victoria identify as Indigenous. During the COVID-19 pandemic , many homeless people sheltered in camping tents within the city's parks and some roadside greenspaces, including in Beacon Hill Park . In March 2021, city council reinstated a bylaw prohibiting daytime camping in parks, and with support from

3024-494: Is subject to review by the organization's Senate. For most of the BCYP's history, the legislative year was referred to a "session"; however, in the mid-1990s the BCYP began referring to the annual session as a "parliament", in keeping with Parliamentary tradition . The BCYP models itself on the Westminster Parliamentary system . The BCYP is sponsored by the Youth Parliament of B.C. Alumni Association. In keeping with

3136-609: Is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia , on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. The city of Victoria is the seventh most densely populated city in Canada with 4,406 inhabitants per square kilometre (11,410/sq mi). Victoria is the southernmost major city in Western Canada and

3248-540: The Victoria Times newspaper columnist Elizabeth Forbes. By the late 1960s the issue was being taken more seriously by the OBP, but there was strong opposition from the "Senate", which vetoed a resolution passed by the OBP in 1971 to allow girls to join. Some of the "Older Boys" who opposed admitting women went as far as to organize a separate "Older Girls' Parliament" to meet during the Easter break. At this same time, there

3360-633: The 1994 Commonwealth Games which hosted track events at the Saanich -Oak Bay based University of Victoria and the Saanich Commonwealth Pool, the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts , the 2005 Ford World Men's Curling Championship tournament, and 2006 Skate Canada . Victoria co-hosted the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup at Royal Athletic Park , and is the venue for the Bastion Square Grand Prix Criterium road cycling race. The city

3472-703: The Boy Scouts , Statten established the "Canadian Standards Efficiency Training" program, a system of graded tests where boys passed from one level to the next. These standards were borrowed from the "four-fold" philosophy. Under the CSET program came the Trail Rangers (boys 12 - 14) and TUXIS (ages 15 – 17). A similar program for girls known as the Canadian Girls in Training were formed a number of years later. The popularity of

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3584-478: The Boys' Brigade . This expansion of OBP's base encouraged the boys to debate expanding its membership to include all religious denominations and boys' groups in the OBP and truly become a representative Parliament. This movement this was effectively quashed by McLaren and other church leaders. The 1940s were an unstable period for the OBP, with a "senate" (as its sponsoring organization was called) existing in name only and

3696-813: The British Columbia Coast . Their thick dark topsoils denote a high level of fertility which made them valuable for farming prior to urbanization. Depending on the classification used, Victoria either has a warm-summer Mediterranean or oceanic climate ( Köppen : Csb, Trewartha : Do ); with fresh, dry, sunny summers, and cool, cloudy, rainy winters. Victoria is farther north than many "cold-winter" cities, such as Ottawa , Quebec City , and Minneapolis . However, westerly winds and Pacific Ocean currents keep Victoria's winter temperatures substantially higher, with an average January temperature of 5.0 °C (41.0 °F) (Gonzales) and 5.8 °C (42.4 °F) ( University of Victoria ) compared to Ottawa,

3808-487: The New Democratic Party under Dave Barrett in the 1972 provincial election , pressure came from the provincial government to open the membership of the Boys' Parliament to all or face losing the use of the legislative buildings. Thus the B.C. Youth Parliament came into being for the 44th Session in 1974. The new organization was non-denominational and membership was open to boys and girls. The first female Premier

3920-624: The Supreme Court of Canada • Daniel Burnett, KC, Media Lawyer • Susana da Silva, CBC Video Journalist • Jack Davis , politician • Stephen Doughty , Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom for Cardiff South and Penarth • Ted Field, reporter and assignment editor, Global BC • Allan Fotheringham , news reporter and journalist • Lloyd McKenzie, Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia (1974-1993); Information Officer for

4032-843: The United Nations International Year of the Youth . Members of the TUXIS Parliament of Alberta (since renamed as the Alberta Youth Parliament ) and the Junior Statesmen of America (now the Junior State of America were invited to participate. This conference was a new concept for the BCYP. It provided the BCYP with the experience and inspiration to attempt new projects beyond community service projects and camps. More and larger projects, such as RYPs, were possible. In

4144-519: The amalgamation of the thirteen municipal governments within the Capital Regional District . The opponents of amalgamation state that separate governance affords residents a greater deal of local autonomy. The proponents of amalgamation argue it would reduce duplication of services, while allowing for more efficient use of resources and the ability to better handle broad, regional issues and long-term planning. The landscape of Victoria

4256-434: The 1960s, with more work with disabled people, delinquent boys, book drives, and food drives. The OBP's project for Canada's Centennial was to help finance and build a church and meeting hall on a Nitinagt Indian Reserve on Vancouver Island. In 1981, the BCYP funded and constructed a playground for children living at Skeena Terrace, a provincially sponsored subsidized housing project at Cassiar and Broadway in Vancouver. In

4368-592: The 1980s saw Taylor Statten's dreams of 1916 come to fruition with the formation of the Youth Parliament of Canada in 1980. The Western Canada Youth Parliament (WCYP) was also formed during this time period. While the Youth Parliament of Canada has since collapsed, after seven sessions over ten years, the WCYP continues on a bi-annual basis. A key event in BCYP history was the " Vernon Conference" held in 1985. The BCYP organized and hosted this youth conference to celebrate

4480-601: The 1980s, the Youth Parliament projects expanded to include educational workshops, youth oriented conferences, and the Regional Youth Parliament (RYP) program. Projects introduced in the 2000s include summer youth festivals and essay contests. In 2005, the BCYP established a youth conference known as "The Stand". In 1959 the OBP created the Observers Program. The purpose of this program was to give potential members an idea of what OBP did before joining, to provide

4592-505: The 1990s, with increasing costs of running BCYP's annual Session and holding Camp Phoenix, both the Senate and Youth Parliament became increasingly concerned with fundraising and the long-term financial health of the organization. Starting with a $ 5,000 bequest from Walter S. Owen, the Senate instituted a fundraising campaign between 1991 and 1993. The campaign raised $ 75,000 in donations from alumni, service organizations, and corporations. The Vancouver Foundation matched that amount, to establish

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4704-482: The 2021 Statistics Canada Census of Population. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Victoria CMA had a population of 397,237 living in 176,676 of its 186,674 total private dwellings, a change of 8% from its 2016 population of 367,770 . With a land area of 695.29 km (268.45 sq mi), it had a population density of 571.3/km (1,479.7/sq mi) in 2021. Victoria

4816-537: The 20th century there was effective resistance to chlorination . However, drinking water has been chlorinated since March 1944. Since World War II the Victoria area has seen relatively steady growth, becoming home to two major universities. Since the 1980s the western suburbs have been incorporated as new municipalities, such as Colwood and Langford , which are known collectively as the Western Communities . Greater Victoria periodically experiences calls for

4928-570: The BC Parliament Buildings is oriented 12 degrees east of true north , symbolically aligning it with the City of Vancouver. Atop the dome of the building, a statue of Captain Vancouver gazes towards the city that bears his name. This particular alignment also points towards the peak of Mount Douglas , the highest point in the Victoria area and a significant survey landmark used in mapping the region. Victoria, British Columbia Victoria

5040-516: The BCYP, a Prorogation ceremony is held. As part of the ceremony, the Lieutenant Governor (a person appointed by the Premier, usually a prominent person in the community) signs all approved bills into "law". After the December sittings, the members become the organization's own "civil service" and implement the community service projects legislated at the session. Legislation passed at the session

5152-525: The BCYP. Since then, RYPs have been established throughout the province. The oldest RYP currently in existence is the Vancouver Youth Parliament, which has run without interruption since 1988. While a number of the early RYPs are defunct, the current Regional Youth Parliaments [1] include: Like most other Youth Parliaments in Canada, the BCYP has its origins in the "boys work" movement of the YMCA of

5264-564: The Boys' Work Board of British Columbia ("BWBBC") (see History, below) rather than its own programmes, and occasional resolutions on social issues (such as temperance and school curricula). During the 1950s, the OBP began to develop a more service-oriented programme run by its own members rather than working with programmes run by other organizations (the exception to this being camps). Projects included annual hobby shows, athletic competitions, leadership training programmes, and work with disabled youth. The OBP's social service programme expanded in

5376-547: The British Columbia Civil Resolution Tribunal ; former Deputy Attorney General of British Columbia; Deputy Minister to the Premier, Head of the BC Public Service and Cabinet Secretary • Jack Shadbolt , artist • Kerry L. Simmons, KC, Past National President, Canadian Bar Association • Hugh William Veenstra, Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia • Ray Williston , Member of

5488-511: The CSET program was such that boys' work soon became a virtually separate movement within the YMCA In 1916 Statten embarked on a "Coast to Coast Tour" to promote the CSET program, which included a stop in Vancouver. It was on this tour that Statten first envisioned a national boys conference, modelled on various regional conferences promoting boys' work. Statten believed in letting the boys determine their own priorities, and his idea soon developed into

5600-541: The City of Victoria, including the Bay Centre , Hillside Shopping Centre , and Mayfair Shopping Centre. Mayfair, one of the first major shopping centres in Victoria, first opened as an outdoor strip mall on 16 October 1963 with 27 stores. It was built on the site of a former brickyard in the Maywood district, a then-semi-rural area in the northern part of Victoria. Woodward's was Mayfair's original department store anchor upon

5712-590: The Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (1993-2003) • Monica McParland, Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia • Jim Mann, Dementia activist, 2020 UBC Honorary Doctor of Laws recipient • Eric Nicol , writer • Walter Stewart Owen , 22nd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia • Linda Reid , 37th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia • Shannon Salter K.C. Former Chair of

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5824-741: The Gordon Highlanders in the summer of 1914. Before the end of the war he commanded the Canadian Corps. A number of municipalities surrounding Victoria were incorporated during this period, including the Township of Esquimalt, the District of Oak Bay, and several municipalities on the Saanich Peninsula . Water in Greater Victoria had a reputation for excellent purity, and for several decades in

5936-418: The Legislative Chambers of the B.C. Parliament Buildings in the capital city of Victoria for the BCYP annual session. Members sit as independents (i.e., they do not represent any political party) and vote according to their individual conscience on all issues. They learn about parliamentary process , debate topics of interest, and plan numerous activities for the upcoming year. Proposed activities, usually in

6048-598: The Lieutenant Governor of B.C. (1973–1978). The new organization was donated its mace , which is still used today, by St. Andrews Presbyterian (now the United Church ), where Owen's TUXIS group met. During the Great Depression , a number of serious issues faced the OBP. These included lower financial resources. The OBP's ability to use the Legislative Chambers of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in

6160-621: The Mainland – and became the provincial capital when British Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871. In the latter half of the 19th century, the Port of Victoria became one of North America's largest importers of opium , serving the opium trade from Hong Kong and distribution into North America. Opium trade was legal and unregulated until 1865, when the legislature issued licences and levied duties on its import and sale. The opium trade

6272-434: The OBP. Through his efforts, the pre-war partners who sponsored Parliament (Protestant churches and YMCA) joined forces to establish a Parliamentary Convention in Vancouver to rebuild the organization. It is in this period where the United Church began to have its greatest influence on the OBP. Delegates from around B.C. attended this conference, which expanded to include representatives of other boys' groups such as Scouts and

6384-429: The University of Victoria the wettest month is November with 123 mm (4.8 in). Victoria experiences the driest summers in Canada (outside of the extreme northern reaches of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut). Victoria averages just 26 cm (10 in) of snow annually, about half that of Vancouver . Roughly one third of winters see virtually no snow, with less than 5 cm (2.0 in) falling during

6496-449: The Walter S. Owen Fund. At that same time, the BCYP undertook new fundraising initiatives, such as holding a dinner-dance and "Dream Auction" in 1992. The auction subsequently evolved through various formats, to become a major annual fundraising event for Youth Parliament. • Linda Bauld , Professor at the University of Edinburgh • Robert Bonner , Attorney General of British Columbia (1952-1968) • Russell Brown , Puisne Justice of

6608-497: The Woodward's chain. The mall was more recently renovated in 2019. Mayfair now offers over 100 stores and services including Hudson's Bay. It has 42,197.8 m (454,213 sq ft) of retail space and it also provides customers with rooftop parking. Advanced technology is Victoria's largest revenue-producing private industry with $ 3.15 billion in annual revenues generated by more than 880 tech companies that have over 15,000 direct employees. The annual economic impact of

6720-414: The area long before European settlement, which had large populations at the time of European exploration. Known as "the Garden City", Victoria is an attractive city and a popular tourism destination and has a regional technology sector that has risen to be its largest revenue-generating private industry. In 2019, Victoria was in the top 20 world cities for quality of life, according to Numbeo . Prior to

6832-421: The arrival of European navigators in the late 1700s, the Greater Victoria area was home to several communities of Coast Salish peoples , including the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) and W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) peoples. The Spanish and British took up the exploration of the northwest coast, beginning with the visits of Juan Pérez in 1774, and of James Cook in 1778. Although the Victoria area of the Strait of Juan de Fuca

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6944-511: The building's four domes. In 1932, artist George Southwell was commissioned to paint murals in the rotunda depicting scenes from British Columbia history from 1792 to 1843. The work was completed three years later. Decades later, controversy arose over the depiction of West Coast Indigenous peoples in the murals, which in modern times is now regarded as degrading, and amounting to cultural appropriation . One mural, entitled Labour , portrays bare-breasted Indigenous women hauling timber while

7056-400: The capital city of Victoria was threatened by those offended by the OBP allowing Asian members to attend. Before World War II , the OBP decided to experiment with holding its session outside of Victoria. A proposed session under this plan in New Westminster in 1937 had to be cancelled. Another planned experiment was to hold the OBP biannually, with regional Parliaments in alternate years. It

7168-420: The capital of the colony, though controversy has followed about the ethical negotiation and upholding of rights by the colonial government. The superintendent of the fort, Chief Factor James Douglas , was made the second governor of the Vancouver Island Colony ( Richard Blanshard was first governor, Arthur Edward Kennedy was third and last governor), and would be the leading figure in the early development of

7280-445: The central dome is a gold-covered statue of Captain George Vancouver . A statue of Queen Victoria stands on the front lawn as well the British Columbia Legislature Cenotaph commemorating the province's World War I , World War II , Korean War , and Afghanistan War dead. In front of the Queen Victoria statue is the 30-metre-tall Provincial Christmas Tree, an example of giant sequoia ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ), misidentified as

7392-406: The city harbour. Victoria also hosts the start of the Vic-Maui Yacht Race . The Port of Victoria consists of three parts, the Outer Harbour , used by deep sea vessels, the Inner and Upper Harbours, used by coastal and industrial traffic. It is protected by a breakwater with a deep and wide opening. The port is a working harbour, tourist attraction and cruise destination. Esquimalt Harbour

7504-518: The city is one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest , with British settlement beginning in 1843. The city has retained a large number of its historic buildings, in particular its two most famous landmarks, the Parliament Buildings (finished in 1897 and home of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia ) and the Empress Hotel (opened in 1908). The city's Chinatown is the second oldest in North America, after San Francisco . The region's Coast Salish First Nations peoples established communities in

7616-401: The city until his retirement in 1864. When news of the discovery of gold on the British Columbia mainland reached San Francisco in 1858, Victoria became the port, supply base, and outfitting centre for miners on their way to the Fraser Canyon gold fields, mushrooming from a population of 300 to over 5000 within a few days. Victoria was incorporated as a city in 1862. In 1862 Victoria was

7728-496: The concept of a boys' Parliament. However, the National Boys' Work Board considered this beyond their capability, at least during the Great War , which was being waged at the time. Fortunately, the Ontario BWB was interested, and Statten organized the first Ontario TUXIS & Older Boys' Parliament in 1917. Due to the program's success, Statten encouraged the involvement of the churches, in order to reach even more boys in Canada. Various Protestant churches became involved, and

7840-463: The day, recommended that the murals be relocated to a museum where they could be given historical perspective. However, as the murals are painted on to the walls of the rotunda, the cost of removing them was estimated at $ 280,000. In April 2007, the legislature voted to remove murals, with only 3 of the 71 members voting against the motion. Since that vote, the murals have been fully restored and hidden from public view behind false walls. The main axis of

7952-539: The decades to serve both boys and girls. For a number of years, Camp Phoenix was held in August every year, often at a different location in British Columbia each year. Camp Phoenix was funded and organized by the BCYP members, with a few key positions at the camp itself (such as medical staff and camp director) held by alumni or other adults. From the first camp through 2010, approximately 1500 children attended Camp Phoenix. In 2011, BCYP decided not to hold Camp Phoenix. During 2014, BCYP operated an afternoon day-camp program as

8064-763: The design of the Empress Hotel , the Crystal Gardens indoor swimming pool nearby, and the Vancouver Court House (now the Vancouver Art Gallery ). The andesite of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings is from Haddington Island in the Alert Bay Volcanic Belt . The granite used to build the buildings came from Nelson Island , at the mouth of Jervis Inlet , on the Sunshine Coast . Besides

8176-553: The downtown core. The Rifflandia and Electronic Music Festival are other music events that draw crowds to the downtown core. Victoria relies upon neighbouring communities for many recreational opportunities including ice rinks in Oak Bay and Saanich . Victoria has one small public pool (Crystal Pool) and many residents use larger and newer pool facilities in Oak Bay, and Saanich (Commonwealth Pool and Gordon Head Pool). The city and metro region has hosted high-profile sports events including

8288-558: The driest in the region. Average precipitation amounts in the Greater Victoria area range from 608 mm (23.9 in) at the Gonzales observatory in the City of Victoria to 661 mm (26.0 in) at the University of Victoria . The Victoria Airport, 25 km (16 mi) north of the city, receives about 45% more precipitation than the city proper. Regional average precipitation amounts range from as low as 406 mm (16.0 in) on

8400-466: The economic crash and an abundance of unmarried men, Victoria became an excellent location for military recruiting. Two militia infantry battalions, the 88th Victoria Fusiliers and the 50th Gordon Highlanders, formed in the immediate pre-war period. Victoria was the home of Sir Arthur Currie . He had been a high-school teacher and real-estate agent prior to the war and was the Commanding Officer of

8512-566: The elected members of the Legislative Assembly, two organizations have been granted the privilege of using the Legislative Chambers during the legislature's December recess: the British Columbia Youth Parliament (since 1924, except during its sessions of the late 1940s and early 1950s) and the British Columbia Universities' Model Parliament. During the 1994 Commonwealth Games , free music concerts were held on

8624-471: The entire season. When snow does fall, it rarely lasts long on the ground. Victoria averages just two or three days per year with at least 5 cm (2.0 in) of snow on the ground. Every few decades Victoria receives very large snowfalls including the record breaking 100 cm (39 in) of snow that fell in December 1996. That amount places Victoria 3rd for biggest snowfall among major cities in Canada. With 2,193 hours of bright sunshine annually during

8736-690: The epicentre of the 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic which devastated First Nations , killing about two-thirds of all natives in British Columbia. In 1865, the North Pacific home of the Royal Navy was established in Esquimalt and today is Canada's Pacific coast naval base . In 1866 when the island was politically united with the mainland, Victoria was designated the capital of the new united colony instead of New Westminster – an unpopular move on

8848-561: The exterior of the library Marega created 14 figures: Chief Maquinna , Captain George Vancouver , Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie , Dr. John McLoughlin , Hon. John Sebastian Helmcken , Captain James Cook , Sir James Douglas , Sir Francis Drake , Sir Alexander McKenzie , Simon Fraser , Lord Lytton , Sir Anthony Musgrave , David Thompson , and Col. R.C. Moody . Carrier produced twelve figures of women, all allegorical, three around each of

8960-586: The fledgling parliament in Vancouver, usually at the University of British Columbia in Union College (now the Vancouver School of Theology) or the U.B.C. Law School Building. Since the 5th Session of the OBP, resolutions had been introduced to admit girls as members. By the 1960s the Canadian Girls in Training efforts to participate in the Older Boys' Parliament were taken up by the media, spearheaded by

9072-441: The form of community service projects, are presented in the form of government bills ; once passed they must be put into effect. This model differs from most other model (or "mock") youth parliaments in Canada; legislation passed by the membership is enacted by the organization through volunteer work in the community. During the sittings of the BCYP during its December session, members of the BCYP (usually backbenchers ) are given

9184-526: The four wettest months, November to February at Gonzales Heights. However, at the University of Victoria, approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) north, over 60% of the annual precipitation falls between the four wettest months, October to January. Precipitation in December, the wettest month (109 mm [4.3 in]) is nearly eight times as high as in July, the driest month (14 mm [0.55 in]). At

9296-572: The front lawns of the buildings, attracting as many as 40,000 people. Similar-sized crowds have gathered on the front lawn over the years, ranging from political protests and rallies, such as during the Solidarity Crisis of 1983, to celebrations of various kinds, including the BC150 ceremonies. The sculpture on the buildings was designed by the provincial librarian, E.O.S. Scholefield and executed by Charles Marega and his assistant Bernard Carrier. For

9408-583: The individual entries for those municipalities. Informal neighbourhoods include: The city's chief industries are technology, tourism, education, shipyards, federal and provincial government administration and services. Other nearby employers include the Canadian Forces (the Township of Esquimalt is the home of the Pacific headquarters of the Royal Canadian Navy ), and the University of Victoria (in

9520-421: The last available measurement period, Victoria is effectively tied with Cranbrook as the sunniest city in British Columbia. In July 2013, Victoria received 432.8 hours of bright sunshine, which is the most sunshine ever recorded in any month in British Columbia history. Victoria's equable climate has also added to its reputation as the "City of Gardens". The city takes pride in the many flowers that bloom during

9632-449: The late 19th and early 20th centuries. "Boys' work" was meant to answer the need for activities for young men who worked by day but were idle by night. Various programs came and went, often incorporating a dominant YMCA philosophy of the "four-fold" development of the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of the person, based upon Luke 2:52 : "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Taylor Statten ,

9744-447: The mall's opening. Mayfair was enclosed and renovated into an indoor mall in 1974. The mall underwent three later expansions in 1984 (with the addition of Consumers Distributing ), 1985 (expansion of the mall food court) and a major expansion in 1990 that saw the addition of more retail space. The Bay (now Hudson's Bay ) replaced Woodward's as Mayfair's department store anchor in 1993 following Hudson's Bay Company 's acquisition of

9856-619: The municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich ) and Camosun College in Saanich (which have over 33,000 faculty, staff and students combined). Other sectors of the Greater Victoria area economy include: investment and banking, online book publishing, various public and private schools, food products manufacturing, light aircraft manufacturing (in North Saanich ), technology products, various high tech firms in pharmaceuticals and computers , engineering , architecture and telecommunications . The city's employment has 164,000 (87%) of workers in

9968-494: The nation's capital, with −10.0 °C (14.0 °F). At the Victoria Gonzales weather station, daily temperatures rise above 30 °C (86 °F) on average less than one day per year and fall below 0 °C (32 °F) on average only ten nights per year. Victoria has recorded completely freeze-free winter seasons four times (in 1925–26, 1939–40, 1999–2000, and 2002–03). 1999 is the only calendar year on record without

10080-525: The north shore of the Olympic Peninsula to 3,505 mm (138.0 in) in Port Renfrew just 80 km (50 mi) away on the more exposed southwest coast of Vancouver Island. Vancouver measures 1,589 mm (62.6 in) annually and Seattle is at 952 mm (37.5 in). One feature of Victoria's climate is its distinct dry and rainy seasons. Over 60% of the annual precipitation falls during

10192-406: The northern end of their range, and are found as far south as southern California and parts of Mexico. Non-native plants grown in Victoria include the cold-hardy palm Trachycarpus fortunei , which can be found in gardens and public areas of Victoria. One of these Trachycarpus palms stands in front of City Hall. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Victoria had

10304-421: The number of people that could be involved, the OBP experimented by attempting to hold three separate parliaments around the province, instead of the one in Victoria. As a result of the hiatus during World War II, and the effort to rebuild the OBP in the late 1940s, no real thought was given to regional parliaments until the 1960s. During the late 1960s, into 1970, the Older Boys' Parliament made efforts to establish

10416-408: The opportunity to present " Private Members' Resolutions " (PMRs) for debate. These are usually on topics related to current events or other issues important to members and usually contain a provision for communicating the decision of the BCYP on that topic to the actual governmental authorities or other parties responsible for those issues. On occasion, a PMR on a whimsical topic is introduced. Unlike

10528-518: The parliamentary structure of the BCYP, the board of directors of the Alumni Association is referred to as the " Senate ". The BCYP itself is led by a cabinet appointed by the Premier-elect. The Premier-elect also appoints various other officers, such as a Lieutenant Governor, a Speaker , a Clerk of the Legislative Assembly , and a Sergeant-At-Arms , among others. The legislative year for

10640-567: The popular Butchart Gardens in 1904 and the construction of the Empress Hotel by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1908. Robert Dunsmuir , a leading industrialist whose interests included coal mines and a railway on Vancouver Island, constructed Craigdarroch Castle in the Rockland area, near the official residence of the province's Lieutenant Governor . His son, James Dunsmuir , became Premier and subsequently Lieutenant Governor of

10752-504: The present-day terrain to air, raising beach and mud deposits well above sea level. The resulting soils are highly variable in texture, and abrupt textural changes are common. In general, clays are most likely to be encountered in the northern part of town and in depressions. The southern part has coarse-textured subsoils and loamy topsoils. Sandy loams and loamy sands are common in the eastern part adjoining Oak Bay. Victoria's soils are relatively unleached and less acidic than soils elsewhere on

10864-424: The province and built his own grand residence at Hatley Park (used for several decades as Royal Roads Military College , now civilian Royal Roads University ) in the present City of Colwood . A real-estate and development boom ended just before World War I , leaving Victoria with a large stock of Edwardian public, commercial and residential buildings that have greatly contributed to the city's character. With

10976-548: The provincial government, pledged to find indoor accommodation for all those camping in parks. Homeless campers from parks and other public spaces were housed temporarily in motels, the Save-on-Foods arena and a tiny home village on a portion of the Royal Athletic Park's parking lot. British Columbia Youth Parliament Each year between December 27–31, youth aged 16 to 21 from across British Columbia gather in

11088-501: The richness of its white marble, and combination of Baroque rigorous symmetry, use of domes and sculptural massing with the rusticated surfaces of the then-popular Renaissance style . Its success garnered Rattenbury many more commissions in Victoria and other parts of the province, including the Legislative Library (constructed between 1913 and 1915 and the cornerstone of which was laid by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught ),

11200-419: The second largest religious group being Muslim (1.9%). A similar proportion of residents are Buddhist (1.4%) or Jewish (1.1%). Hinduism , Sikhism and Indigenous Spirituality make up under 1% of other groups. The following is a list of neighbourhoods in the City of Victoria, as defined by the city planning department. For a list of neighbourhoods in other area municipalities, see Greater Victoria , or

11312-501: The sector is estimated at more than $ 4.03 billion per year. With three post-secondary institutions in Saanich , eight federal research labs in the region, and Canada's Pacific Navy Base in Esquimalt , Victoria relies heavily upon the neighbouring communities for economic activity and as employment hubs. The region has many of the elements required for a strong technology sector, including Canada's highest household internet usage. Over

11424-480: The service sector. Top segments include health care and social assistance (28,900; 15.3%), public administration (27,800; 14.7 %), wholesale and retail trade (24,100; 12.7%), professional, scientific and technical services (19,800; 10.4%), educational services (15,000; 7.9%) and accommodation and food services (10,100; 5.3%). The goods-producing sector is dominated by construction (16,000; 8.4%) and manufacturing (6,900; 3.6%). There are three major shopping malls in

11536-717: The site of present-day Victoria in anticipation of the outcome of the Oregon Treaty in 1846, extending the British North America /United States border along the 49th parallel from the Rockies to the Strait of Georgia . Erected in 1843 as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post on a site originally called Camosack meaning "rush of water". Known briefly as "Fort Albert", the settlement was renamed Fort Victoria in November 1843, in honour of Queen Victoria . The Songhees established

11648-707: The street or homeless shelters. The first homeless count was conducted in January 2005 by the Victoria Cool Aid Society and counted a homeless population of approximately 700 individuals. Like many west coast cities in North America the homeless population is both concentrated in specific areas (parts of Pandora avenue in Victoria) and is often outside due to milder climates that make homelessness more visible year-round. The 2020 point-in-time homeless count found 35% respondents identified as being Indigenous . This

11760-566: The whales often present near its coast. The city is also close to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt , the Canadian Navy's primary Pacific Ocean naval base. Downtown Victoria also serves as Greater Victoria 's regional downtown, where many night clubs, theatres, restaurants and pubs are clustered, and where many regional public events occur. Canada Day fireworks displays, Symphony Splash , and many other music festivals and cultural events draw tens of thousands of Greater Victorians and visitors to

11872-774: The winter and early spring, including crocuses, daffodils, early-blooming rhododendrons, cherry and plum trees. Every March, the annual Greater Victoria Flower Count kicks off while the rest of the country and most of the province is still in the dead of winter. Due to its mild climate, Victoria and its surrounding area (southeastern Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands , and parts of the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast ) are also home to many rare, native plants found nowhere else in Canada, including Quercus garryana (Garry oak), Arctostaphylos columbiana (hairy manzanita), and Canada's only broad-leaf evergreen tree, Arbutus menziesii (Pacific madrone). Many of these species exist here, at

11984-433: Was 39.8 °C (103.6 °F) on 28 June 2021; The coldest temperature on record is −15.6 °C (3.9 °F), first set on 2 December 1941. The average annual temperature varies from a high of 11.4 °C (52.5 °F) set in 2004 to a low of 8.6 °C (47.5 °F) set in 1916. Due to the rain shadow effect of the nearby Olympic Mountains, Victoria is the driest location on the British Columbia coast and one of

12096-402: Was Susan Hunter of the 49th Session in 1977. As a part of the re-organization in 1974, the Youth Parliament of B.C. Alumni Association was formed and acts as the BCYP's "Senate". The Senate ensures a session is held annually, reviews the legislation passed by the Youth Parliament, and when necessary assists the Youth Parliament in its community service programs and other events. Developments in

12208-405: Was a movement to expand the constituent membership of the Boys' Parliament beyond the select churches providing members at the time. For example, by the late 1960s, there had been Lutheran , Jewish , and Catholic members of the OBP. These boys qualified for membership in the OBP by associating themselves with youth groups connected to the sponsoring organizations of the OBP. With the election of

12320-470: Was banned in 1908. In 1886, with the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway terminus on Burrard Inlet , Victoria's position as the commercial centre of British Columbia was irrevocably lost to the city of Vancouver . The city subsequently began cultivating an image of genteel civility within its natural setting, aided by the impressions of visitors such as Rudyard Kipling , the opening of

12432-411: Was formed by volcanism followed by water in various forms. Pleistocene glaciation put the area under a thick ice cover, the weight of which depressed the land below present sea level. These glaciers also deposited stony sandy loam till . As they retreated, their melt water left thick deposits of sand and gravel . Marine clay settled on what would later become dry land. Post-glacial rebound exposed

12544-456: Was not explored until 1790, Spanish sailors visited Esquimalt Harbour (just west of Victoria proper) in 1790, 1791, and 1792. In 1841, James Douglas was charged with the duty of setting up a trading post on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Upon the recommendation by George Simpson a new more northerly post should be built in case Fort Vancouver fell into American hands (see Oregon boundary dispute ). Douglas founded Fort Victoria on

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