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86-755: The Port Theatre is a venue for performing arts, located in Nanaimo, British Columbia . It was built by the Port Theatre Society and the City of Nanaimo, and was officially opened in September 1998. The building is located on the waterfront, and houses an 800-seat theatre, several galleries, and offices. The venue is home to the Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra, and hosts concerts with local, regional, and international artists. The Port Theatre won
172-538: A bureau for CIVI-DT ( CTV 2 Victoria, cable channel 12) and a satellite office for CHEK-DT ( Independent , cable channel 6). Nanaimo is also served by the Jim Pattison Group 's CHWF-FM (The Wolf) and CKWV-FM (The Wave), as well as CHLY-FM , an independent community campus radio station and Vista Radio 's CKAY-FM (ICON Radio). CBC Radio One is heard over CBU from Vancouver, with CBU-FM ( CBC Music ) and CBCV-FM available as HD Radio signals. In
258-404: A high speed passenger-only ferry service between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver. Travel time between the cities is 75 minutes. Highways 1 , 19 , and 19A traverse the city. Highway 19 (Nanaimo Parkway) acts as an expressway bypass to the west of Nanaimo while Highway 1, then Highway 19A traverses the length of Nanaimo as an arterial road within the city proper. Bus service in the city
344-484: 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
430-459: 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
516-724: 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
602-597: A temperate climate with mild, rainy winters and warm, dry summers. Due to its relatively dry summers, the Köppen climate classification places it at the northernmost limits of the Csb or warm-summer Mediterranean zone. Other climate classification systems, such as Trewartha , place it firmly in the Oceanic zone ( Do ). Nanaimo is usually shielded from the Aleutian Low 's influence by
688-470: 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
774-583: Is a JrK-grade 12 Independent (private) school accredited as an International Baccalaureate World School and offers the IB Primary Years, IB Middle Years and IB Diploma programme and received a 10 out of 10 by the IB Organization (IBO) in 2011. The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates two Francophone schools, École Océane primary school and the École secondaire de Nanaimo . The main campus of Vancouver Island University
860-693: 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
946-403: 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
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#17330932935981032-543: Is also on the dormant Island Rail Corridor . The Indigenous peoples of the area that is now known as Nanaimo are the Snuneymuxw . An anglicized spelling and pronunciation of that word gave the city its current name. The first Europeans known to reach Nanaimo Harbour were members of the 1791 Spanish voyage of Juan Carrasco , under the command of Francisco de Eliza . They gave it the name Bocas de Winthuysen after naval officer Francisco Javier Winthuysen y Pineda . When
1118-594: Is higher than the national median at $ 341,556. The average (after-tax) household income in Nanaimo is $ 48,469, lower than the national median at $ 54,089. The median individual income is $ 34,702, which is also lower than the national median ($ 38,977). The unemployment rate was 7.7%. Nanaimo's population is predominantly Anglophone . As of the 2016 census 86.7% of residents claimed English as their mother tongue. Other common first languages were Chinese Languages (2.0%), French (1.3%), German (1.2%) and Punjabi (1.0%). According to
1204-523: 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
1290-517: Is located in Nanaimo, which brings many international students, mostly East Asian, to the city. Victoria, British Columbia Victoria 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
1376-511: 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
1462-424: Is provided by Nanaimo Regional Transit and offers city-wide service as well as region service connecting Parksville and Qualicum Beach to the north, and Ladysmith and Duncan to the south. The Island Rail Corridor passes through Nanaimo and has a base of operations and yard in the downtown waterfront area. The Nanaimo Port Authority operates the inner Harbour Basin marina providing mooring for smaller vessels and
1548-578: Is the second oldest in North America, after San Francisco . The region's Coast Salish First Nations peoples established communities in 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
1634-639: 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 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
1720-633: 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
1806-511: The 2012 federal electoral redistribution . In the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia , Nanaimo is represented by the ridings of Nanaimo ( Sheila Malcolmson , BC NDP ), Nanaimo-North Cowichan ( Doug Routley , BC NDP ) and Parksville-Qualicum ( Adam Walker , BC NDP ). Leonard Krog resigned in 2018 to accept the position of Mayor of Nanaimo. In response, Sheila Malcolmson resigned from federal politics and successfully ran for
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#17330932935981892-414: The 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Nanaimo had a population of 99,863 living in 43,164 of its 45,138 total private dwellings, a change of 10.3% from its 2016 population of 90,504. With a land area of 90.45 km (34.92 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,104.1/km (2,859.5/sq mi) in 2021. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census,
1978-459: The 2021 census , religious groups in Nanaimo included: The original economic driver was coal mining; however, the forestry industry supplanted it in the early 1960s with the building of the MacMillan Bloedel pulp mill at Harmac in 1958, named after Harvey MacMillan . Today the pulp mill is owned by the employees and local investors and injects well over half a million dollars a day into
2064-813: 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,
2150-604: The Gulf Islands . A private passenger ferry service connecting to Vancouver, named Hullo , began operating in August 2023. Buttertubs Marsh is a bird sanctuary located in the middle of the city. The marsh covers approximately 100 acres (40 ha). Within this is the 46-acre (19 ha) "Buttertubs Marsh Conservation Area", owned by the Nature Trust of British Columbia. Like much of coastal British Columbia, Nanaimo experiences
2236-544: The House of Commons of Canada , Nanaimo is represented by Lisa Marie Barron of the NDP , representing the riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith since the 2021 election . The city was split into two separate ridings, Nanaimo—Cowichan ( Jean Crowder , New Democratic Party ), which includes South Nanaimo and Cassidy, and Nanaimo—Alberni ( James Lunney , Independent elected as a Conservative ), which includes North Nanaimo and Lantzville, until
2322-661: The Strait of Juan de Fuca . Named for Queen Victoria , 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
2408-519: 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
2494-534: The 1940s, lumber supplanted coal as the main business. Minetown Days have been celebrated in the neighbouring community of Lantzville to highlight some of the locale's history. In the late nineteenth century, numerous immigrants came from China and settled here. What was known as the first Chinatown in Nanaimo was founded during the gold rush years of the 1860s; it was the third largest in British Columbia. In 1884, because of mounting racial tensions related to
2580-805: The 2005 Sterling Award for Business Excellence in Arts/Culture/Entertainment from the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, and 2004 the Presenter Organization of the Year by the Canadian Arts Presenting Association. Nanaimo, British Columbia Nanaimo ( / n ə ˈ n aɪ m oʊ / nə- NY -moh ) is a city of about 100,000 on the east coast of Vancouver Island , in British Columbia , Canada. "The Harbour City"
2666-482: 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
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2752-537: 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
2838-571: The British Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) established a settlement here in 1852, they named it Colvile Town after HBC governor Andrew Colvile . In 1858 it was renamed as Nanaimo, after the local indigenous people. The city has been called "The Harbour City" since the lead-up to Expo 86 . The HBC attempted to start a coal mine at Port Rupert but the project had been unsuccessful. In 1850 Snuneymuxw Chief Che-wich-i-kan, commonly known as "Coal Tyee", brought samples of coal to Victoria. A company clerk
2924-541: 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
3010-526: The Duke Point terminal to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Tsawwassen . As the site of the main ferry terminal, Nanaimo is the gateway to many other destinations both on the northern part of the island— Tofino , Comox Valley , Parksville , Campbell River , Port Alberni , Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park —and off its coast— Saysutshun , Protection Island , Gabriola Island , Valdes Island , and many other of
3096-484: The Dunsmuir coal company's hiring of Chinese strikebreakers, the company helped move Chinatown to a location outside city limits. In 1908, when two Chinese entrepreneurs bought the site and tried to raise rents, the community and 4,000 shareholders from across Canada combined forces and bought a site for the third Chinatown, at a new location focused on Pine Street. That third Chinatown burned down on 30 September 1960 but it
3182-741: 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
3268-621: 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
3354-627: The Nanaimo CMA had a population of 115,459 living in 49,348 of its 51,568 total private dwellings, a change of 10% from its 2016 population of 104,936 . With a land area of 1,279.28 km (493.93 sq mi), it had a population density of 90.3/km (233.8/sq mi) in 2021. In 2016, the average age of a Nanaimoite is 45.5 years old, higher than the national median at 41.2. In Nanaimo, there are 40,885 private dwellings, 39,165 which are occupied by usual residents (95.8% occupancy rate). The median value of these dwellings are $ 359,760, which
3440-546: 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
3526-553: The Victoria area of the Strait of Juan de Fuca 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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3612-490: The W. E. Mills Landing and Marina providing mooring for larger vessels. The Port Authority also operates two terminal facilities one at Assembly Wharf (near the downtown core) and the second at Duke Point for cargo operations. In 2011, the Authority completed the addition of a $ 22 million cruise ship terminal at Assembly Wharf capable of handling large cruise ships including providing Canada Border Services Agency clearance. In
3698-548: 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
3784-486: 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
3870-484: The city fed it a wealth of information about its buildings, property lines, utilities and streets. The result is earth.nanaimo.ca, a wealth of city data viewed through the Google Earth 3D mapping program. Their Open Data Catalogue is available at data.nanaimo.ca. Nanaimo has over 30 elementary and secondary schools, most of which are public and are operated by School District 68 Nanaimo-Ladysmith . Aspengrove School
3956-570: 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
4042-456: 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
4128-553: 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
4214-558: 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
4300-466: 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
4386-522: 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
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#17330932935984472-631: 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
4558-473: 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
4644-583: 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
4730-421: 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
4816-559: The local economy and makes the entire area smell like sulfur multiple times a year. The largest employer is the provincial government. The service, retail and tourism industries are also big contributors to the local economy. Technological development on Nanaimo has been growing with companies such as "Inuktun" and the establishment of government-funded Innovation Island as a site to help Nanaimo-based technological start ups by giving them access to tools, education and venture capital. The average sale price of houses in Nanaimo for 2011
4902-447: 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
4988-478: The mountains of central Vancouver Island, so that summers are unusually dry for its latitude and location—though summer drying as a trend is found in the immediate lee of the coastal ranges as far north as Skagway, Alaska . Heavy snowfall does occasionally occur during winter, with a record daily total of 74 centimetres (29.13 in) on 12 February 1975, but the mean maximum cover is only 20 centimetres (7.9 in). The highest temperature ever recorded in Nanaimo
5074-619: 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
5160-494: 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
5246-525: 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
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#17330932935985332-406: 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
5418-567: 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
5504-504: 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
5590-424: 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
5676-595: The resource for a while, but gradually lost them due to other tribes and miners from the failed Port Rupert project. By 1852, the first shipment of Nanaimo coal was loaded on the Cadboro . Construction of the Nanaimo Bastion began in 1853 and was finished in 1855. On 27 November 1854, 24 coal miners and their families from England arrived at the settlement aboard the Beaver and Recovery . They had travelled seven months on
5762-419: 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
5848-449: 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
5934-480: 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
6020-425: The ship Princess Royal arriving at Esquimalt two days earlier. They transferred to the two smaller vessels for the trip to Colvile Town. They were greeted by Joseph William McKay and 21 Scottish miners. During World War I, the provincial government established an Internment camp for Ukrainian detainees, many of them local, at a Provincial jail in Nanaimo. It operated from September 1914 to September 1915. In
6106-499: 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
6192-701: 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
6278-403: The vacated position. The mayor of Nanaimo is currently Leonard Krog , who replaced Bill Mackay in 2018. The most well-known mayor Nanaimo ever had was Frank J. Ney , who instigated Nanaimo's well-known bathtub races, which he regularly attended dressed as a pirate. There is a statue to commemorate Ney—dressed in his pirate costume—at Swy-a-Lana Lagoon, which is on the Nanaimo waterfront. Ney
6364-527: The waterfront conference centre's construction running over its proposed budget. Nanaimo has also been experiencing job growth in the technology sector. Nanaimo is served by one newspaper: the Nanaimo News Bulletin (33,000 copies twice a week—audited), which is owned by Black Press . The Harbour City Star , also owned by publisher Black Press, was closed in 2016. On 29 January 2016, the 141-year-old Nanaimo Daily News , shut down. Nanaimo also hosts
6450-566: 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
6536-774: 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
6622-433: 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
6708-887: Was 40.6 °C (105 °F) on 16 July 1941. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −20.0 °C (−4 °F) on 30 December 1968. Nanaimo is served by two airports: Nanaimo Airport (YCD) with services to Vancouver (YVR), Toronto (YYZ), and Calgary (YYC) and Nanaimo Harbour Water Aerodrome (ZNA) with services to Vancouver Harbour (CXH), Vancouver Airport (YVR South Terminal), and Sechelt (YHS); . Nanaimo also has three BC Ferry terminals located at Departure Bay , Duke Point , and downtown . The downtown terminal services Gabriola Island while Departure Bay and Duke Point service Horseshoe Bay and Tsawwassen respectively. A private passenger ferry operates between Nanaimo Harbour and Protection Island. A seasonal passenger ferry operates between Swy-a-Lana Lagoon and Saysutshun (Newcastle Island Marine) Park. Since 2023 Hullo has operated
6794-554: Was also an MLA for the Social Credit party while he was also mayor. An elementary school has been named in his honour. Mark Bate became Nanaimo's first mayor in 1875. He served an additional 15 one-year terms as mayor (1875–1879, 1881–1886, 1888–1889, and 1898–1900). The city's planning department has steadily produced enough municipal data to warrant a Time magazine article on open-government . Nanaimo has been dubbed "the capital of Google Earth". Working directly with Google ,
6880-485: Was approximately $ 350,000. A recent surge of higher-density real estate development, centred in the Old City / Downtown area, as well as construction of a city-funded waterfront conference centre, has proven controversial. Proponents of these developments argue that they will bolster the city's economy, while critics worry that they will block waterfront views and increase traffic congestion. Concerns have also been raised about
6966-470: 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
7052-584: Was by then mostly derelict and abandoned. A fourth Chinatown, also called Lower Chinatown or "new town", boomed for a while in the 1920s on Machleary Street. Located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, Nanaimo is about 111 kilometres (69 mi) north-west of Victoria , and 55 kilometres (34 mi) west of Vancouver , separated by the Strait of Georgia , and linked to Vancouver via the Horseshoe Bay BC Ferries terminal in West Vancouver and
7138-464: Was dispatched and eventually the governor James Douglas visited the future site of Nanaimo. While open to selling coal, the Snuneymuxw wished to retain control of it and retain the exclusive right to mine it. Chief Wun-wun-shum offered to sell coal for five barrels in exchange for one blanket. The HBC representative Joseph William McKay deemed this "impertinent". The Snuneymuxw retained their rights to
7224-411: 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
7310-511: Was in the top 20 world cities for quality of life, according to Numbeo . Prior to 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
7396-584: Was previously known as the "Hub City", which was attributed to its original layout design with streets radiating from the shoreline like the spokes of a wagon wheel, and to its relatively central location on Vancouver Island. Nanaimo is the headquarters of the Regional District of Nanaimo . Nanaimo is served by the Island Highway along the east coast, the BC Ferries system, and its regional airport . It
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