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97-556: 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 is the seventh most densely populated city in Canada with 4,406 inhabitants per square kilometre (11,410/sq mi). Victoria

194-770: A base to the navy of an adversary), as well as to support amphibious operations throughout the region (such as the Chesapeake campaign during the American War of 1812 ). Bermuda was consequently the most important British naval and military base in the Americas. Canadian confederation resulted in the Canadian Militia becoming responsible for the defence of the Maritimes, the abolition of the British Army's commander-in-chief there, and

291-457: A factor had their seat at a sort of trading post known as a factory . Before the 20th century, factors were mercantile intermediaries whose main functions were warehousing and selling consigned goods, accounting to principals for the proceeds, guaranteeing buyers' credit, and sometimes making cash advances to principals prior to the sale of the goods. Their services were of particular value in foreign trade, and factors became important figures in

388-665: A great deal of power relative to the federal government, with jurisdiction over many public goods such as health care, education, welfare, and intra-provincial transportation. They receive " transfer payments " from the federal government to pay for these, as well as exacting their own taxes. In practice, however, the federal government can use these transfer payments to influence these provincial areas. For instance, in order to receive healthcare funding under Medicare , provinces must agree to meet certain federal mandates, such as universal access to required medical treatment. Provincial and territorial legislatures have no second chamber like

485-482: 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

582-515: A lieutenant-general termed a general officer commanding and the Bermuda garrison becoming a command in its own right. Bermuda was consequently left out of the confederation of Canada, though it retained naval links with Halifax and the state church (or established church ), the Church of England , continued to place Bermuda under the bishop of Newfoundland until 1919 (Bermuda also remained linked to

679-451: A person or firm (factoring company), accepts as assignee book debts ( accounts receivable ) as security for short-term loans; this is known as factoring . In Scottish law , a judicial factor is a kind of trustee appointed by the Court of Session to administer an estate, for a ward (called a pupil) until a guardian (called a tutor) can be appointed ( factor loco tutoris ), for a person who

776-407: 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

873-631: A prolonged economic crisis , and the legislature turned over political control to the Newfoundland Commission of Government in 1933. Following Canada's participation in the Second World War , in a 1948 referendum , a narrow majority of Newfoundland citizens voted to join the Confederation, and on March 31, 1949, Newfoundland became Canada's tenth province. The province was officially renamed Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001. Bermuda ,

970-723: 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

1067-469: 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

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1164-693: 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

1261-400: 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

1358-745: Is called the National Assembly . Ontario has a legislative assembly but its members are called members of the Provincial Parliament or MPPs. The legislative assemblies use a procedure similar to that of the House of Commons of Canada . The head of government of each province, called the premier , is generally the head of the party with the most seats. This is also the case in Yukon, but the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have no political parties at

1455-520: 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

1552-509: 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

1649-617: 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 the Strait of Juan de Fuca . Named for Queen Victoria ,

1746-633: 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

1843-602: The Alberta Party and Saskatchewan Party . The provincial political climate of Quebec is different: the main split is between sovereignty , represented by the Parti Québécois and Québec solidaire , and federalism , represented primarily by the Quebec Liberal Party . The Coalition Avenir Québec , meanwhile, takes an abstentionist position on the question and does not support or oppose sovereignty. Currently,

1940-806: 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,

2037-560: The Canadian Senate . Originally, most provinces had such bodies, known as legislative councils , with members titled councillors. These upper houses were abolished one by one, Quebec's being the last in 1968. In most provinces, the single house of the legislature is known as the Legislative Assembly; the exceptions are Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, where the chamber is called the House of Assembly , and Quebec where it

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2134-548: The Colony of British Columbia . NWT included the northern two-thirds of Ontario and Quebec. After the province of Manitoba was established in 1870, in a small area in the south of today's province, almost all of present-day Manitoba was still contained in the NWT. (Manitoba expanded to its present size in 1912.) The British claims to the Arctic islands were transferred to Canada in 1880, adding to

2231-607: The Constitution Act are divided between the Government of Canada (the federal government) and the provincial governments to exercise exclusively. A change to the division of powers between the federal government and the provinces requires a constitutional amendment , whereas a similar change affecting the territories can be performed unilaterally by the Parliament of Canada or government. In modern Canadian constitutional theory ,

2328-627: The Hudson's Bay Company . In 1870, the company relinquished its claims for £300,000 (CND$ 1.5 million), assigning the vast territory to the government of Canada. Subsequently, the area was re-organized into the province of Manitoba and the North-West Territories. The North-West Territories encompassed all of current northern and western Canada, except for the British holdings in the Arctic islands and

2425-772: The Keewatin Region . It occupied the area that is now the Kenora District of Ontario, northern Manitoba, and mainland Nunavut. The government of Keewatin was based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The territory did not have any representation in federal parliament. The vast majority of Canada's population is concentrated in areas close to the Canada–US border . Its four largest provinces by area ( Quebec , Ontario , British Columbia and Alberta ) are also (with Quebec and Ontario switched in order) its most populous; together they account for 86% of

2522-562: The River St. Lawrence and Coast of America and North America and West Indies Station , the North America and Newfoundland Station , the North America and West Indies Station , and finally the America and West Indies Station ) main bases, dockyards, and Admiralty Houses. The squadron of the station was based at Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax , during the summers and Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda , in

2619-515: 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

2716-563: The world's second-largest country by area. The major difference between a Canadian province and a territory is that provinces receive their power and authority from the Constitution Act, 1867 (formerly called the British North America Act, 1867 ), whereas territories are federal territories whose governments are creatures of statute with powers delegated to them by the Parliament of Canada . The powers flowing from

2813-478: 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

2910-536: 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

3007-597: The 60° parallel, Ontario's to Hudson Bay and Quebec's to encompass the District of Ungava . In 1869, the people of Newfoundland voted to remain a British colony over fears that taxes would increase with Confederation, and that the economic policy of the Canadian government would favour mainland industries. In 1907, Newfoundland acquired dominion status. In the middle of the Great Depression in Canada , Newfoundland underwent

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3104-401: The Arctic , particularly as global warming could make that region more open to exploitation leading to more complex international waters disputes . Chief Factor Most modern factor business is in the textile field , but factors are also used to a great extent in the shoe, furniture, hardware, and other industries. The number of trade areas in which factors operate has increased. In

3201-531: The Canadian mainland (from those in James Bay to the Queen Elizabeth Islands ). The following table lists the territories in order of precedence (each province has precedence over all the territories, regardless of the date each territory was created). Another territory, the District of Keewatin , existed from October 7, 1876, until September 1, 1905, when it rejoined the Northwest Territories and became

3298-584: 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

3395-818: The French government donated the land used for the Vimy Memorial "freely, and for all time, to the Government of Canada the free use of the land exempt from all taxes". The site of the Somme battlefield near Beaumont-Hamel site was purchased in 1921 by the people of the Dominion of Newfoundland . These sites do not, however, enjoy extraterritorial status and are thus subject to French law. Since Confederation in 1867, there have been several proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories. The Constitution of Canada requires an amendment for

3492-739: 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

3589-621: 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

3686-620: The Maritimes under the Methodist and Roman Catholic churches). In 1903, resolution of the Alaska Panhandle Dispute fixed British Columbia's northwestern boundary. This was one of only two provinces in Canadian history to have its size reduced. The second reduction, in 1927, occurred when a boundary dispute between Canada and the Dominion of Newfoundland saw Labrador enlarged at Quebec's expense; this land returned to Canada, as part of

3783-556: The North, for organizational and economic purposes. For much of the Northwest Territories' early history it was divided into several districts for ease of administration. The District of Keewatin was created as a separate territory from 1876 to 1905, after which, as the Keewatin Region, it became an administrative district of the Northwest Territories. In 1999, it was dissolved when it became part of Nunavut. Theoretically, provinces have

3880-589: The United Kingdom, most factors fall within the definition of a mercantile agent under the Factors Act 1889 ( 52 & 53 Vict. c. 45), and therefore have the powers of such. A factor has a possessory lien over the consigned goods that covers any claims against the principal arising out of the factor's activity. The term derives from the Latin for "doer, maker", from facit , "he/she/it does/makes". Historically,

3977-480: 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

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4074-542: 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

4171-466: 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

4268-521: 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

4365-485: 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

4462-569: 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

4559-518: 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

4656-399: 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

4753-438: The country's population. The territories (the Northwest Territories , Nunavut and Yukon ) account for over a third of Canada's area but are only home to 0.3% of its population, which skews the national population density value. Canada's population grew by 5.0% between the 2006 and 2011 censuses. Except for New Brunswick , all territories and provinces increased in population during this time. In terms of percent change,

4850-411: The creation of a new province but the creation of a new territory requires only an act of Parliament , a legislatively simpler process. In late 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin surprised some observers by expressing his personal support for all three territories gaining provincial status "eventually". He cited their importance to the country as a whole and the ongoing need to assert sovereignty in

4947-503: 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

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5044-452: 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

5141-405: 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

5238-471: 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

5335-472: 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

5432-483: The fastest-growing province or territory was Nunavut with an increase of 12.7% between 2011 and 2016, followed by Alberta with 11.6% growth, while New Brunswick's population decreased by 0.5%. Generally, Canadian provinces have steadily grown in population along with Canada. However, some provinces such as Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador have experienced long periods of stagnation or population decline. Ontario and Quebec have always been

5529-408: The federal level, and as a result, have a commissioner that represents the federal government. There are three territories in Canada. Unlike the provinces, the territories of Canada have no inherent sovereignty and have only those powers delegated to them by the federal government. They include all of mainland Canada north of latitude 60° north and west of Hudson Bay and all islands north of

5626-403: The federal party. The Liberal Party of Canada shares such an organizational integration with Atlantic Canada provincial Liberals in New Brunswick , Newfoundland and Labrador , Nova Scotia , and Prince Edward Island . Other provincial Liberal parties are unaffiliated with their federal counterpart. Some provinces have provincial political parties with no clear federal equivalent, such as

5723-421: 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

5820-418: The functions of a governor, theoretically under authority of a higher echelon, including command of a small garrison. For example, Banten , on the Indonesian island of Java , was from 1603 to 1682 a trading post established by the East India Company and run by a series of chief factors. The term and its compounds are also used to render equivalent positions in other languages, such as: A debt factor, whether

5917-423: The governments limited European traders to small, defined areas: the Dutch Factory was allowed to operate on Dejima , an island off Nagasaki, before the opening of trade with Japan; and in China the British were limited to Thirteen Factories and Shamian Island areas of Canton . In territories without any other regular authorities, especially if in need of defence, the company could mandate its factor to perform

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6014-431: The great period of colonial exploration and development. A relatively large mercantile company could have a hierarchy including several grades of factor. The British East India Company hierarchy ranked "factors" between "writers" (junior clerks) and "junior merchants". In North America the Hudson's Bay Company , as restructured after merging with the North West Company in 1821, had commissioned officers who included

6111-415: The indicia of sovereignty from the United Kingdom. Prior to this, Ontario and Quebec were united as the Province of Canada. Over the following years, Manitoba (1870), British Columbia (1871), and Prince Edward Island (1873) were added as provinces. The British Crown had claimed two large areas north-west of the Canadian colony, known as Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory , and assigned them to

6208-415: 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

6305-479: The jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution . In the 1867 Canadian Confederation , three provinces of British North America — New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , and the Province of Canada (which upon Confederation was divided into Ontario and Quebec )—united to form a federation , becoming a fully independent country over the next century. Over its history, Canada's international borders have changed several times as it has added territories and provinces, making it

6402-424: The last British North American colony, which had been somewhat subordinated to Nova Scotia, was one of two Imperial fortress colonies in British North America – the other being Nova Scotia, and more particularly the city of Halifax. Halifax and Bermuda were the sites of the Royal Navy's North America Station (or, depending on the time period and the extent of the Western Hemisphere it included,

6499-420: 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

6596-442: 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

6693-563: 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

6790-434: 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

6887-410: 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

6984-405: 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

7081-704: The one minority provincial/territorial government is held by the Liberals in Yukon . They are in government with a formal confidence and supply agreement from the Yukon New Democratic Party . The Canadian National Vimy Memorial , near Vimy , Pas-de-Calais, and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial , near Beaumont-Hamel , both in France, are ceremonially considered Canadian territory. In 1922,

7178-622: 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

7275-504: 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

7372-423: 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

7469-410: The province of Newfoundland, in 1949. In 1999, Nunavut was created from the eastern portion of the Northwest Territories. Yukon lies in the western portion of Northern Canada, while Nunavut is in the east. All three territories combined are the most sparsely populated region in Canada, covering 3,921,739 km (1,514,192 sq mi) in land area. They are often referred to as a single region,

7566-468: The provinces are considered to be co-sovereign within certain areas based on the divisions of responsibility between the provincial and federal government within the Constitution Act, 1867 , and each province thus has its own representative of the Canadian Crown , the lieutenant governor . The territories are not sovereign, but instead their authorities and responsibilities are devolved directly from

7663-555: 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. Provinces and territories of Canada Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under

7760-590: The ranks of chief trader and chief factor. They all shared the profits of the company during its monopoly years. In the deed poll under which the HBC was governed, there were 25 chief factors and 28 chief traders. Chief factors usually held high administrative positions. The Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company based factors at trading posts in numerous sites all over Asia. In 18th- and early 19th-century China and Japan, however,

7857-516: The reduction of British military forces in the Maritimes to a small garrison for the protection of the Halifax dockyard, which would be withdrawn when that dockyard was handed over to the Dominion government in 1905 for use by the new Canadian naval service. Britain retained control of Bermuda as an imperial fortress, with the governor and commander-in-chief of Bermuda (a military officer previously ranking between lieutenant-colonel and major-general) becoming

7954-500: The same name. For example, no provincial Conservative or Progressive Conservative Party shares an organizational link to the federal Conservative Party of Canada , and neither do provincial Green Parties to the Green Party of Canada . Provincial New Democratic Parties, on the other hand, are fully integrated with the federal New Democratic Party —meaning that provincial parties effectively operate as sections, with common membership, of

8051-418: 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

8148-499: 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

8245-479: 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

8342-713: 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

8439-514: The size of the North-West Territories. In 1898 the Yukon Territory, later renamed "Yukon" in 2003, was carved from the area surrounding the Klondike gold fields . On September 1, 1905, a portion of the North-West Territories south of the 60th parallel north became the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1912, the boundaries of Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba were expanded northward: Manitoba's to

8536-755: 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

8633-413: The territorial level. The King's representative in each province is the lieutenant governor . In each of the territories there is an analogous commissioner , but they represent the federal government rather than the monarch. Most provinces have rough provincial counterparts to major federal parties. However, these provincial parties are not usually formally linked to the federal parties that share

8730-494: The two biggest provinces in Canada, with together over 60% of the population at any given time. The population of the West relative to Canada as a whole has steadily grown over time, while that of Atlantic Canada has declined. Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were the original provinces, formed when several British North American colonies federated on July 1, 1867, into the Dominion of Canada and by stages began accruing

8827-566: 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

8924-773: 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

9021-596: The winters until the 1820s, when Bermuda (which was better located to control the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States, impossible to attack over land, and almost impregnable against attack over water) became the main base year round. A large British Army garrison in Bermuda , which fell under the commander-in-chief in Nova Scotia , existed to defend the colony as a naval base (and to prevent it becoming as useful

9118-489: 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

9215-469: 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

9312-411: 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

9409-455: 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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