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Encyclopedia > Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is separated from mainland British Columbia by the Strait of Georgia and the Queen Charlotte Strait, and from Washington by the Juan De Fuca Strait.
Vancouver Island is separated from mainland British Columbia by the Strait of Georgia and the Queen Charlotte Strait, and from Washington by the Juan De Fuca Strait.
A NASA image of Vancouver Island
Cities of Vancouver Island
Cities of Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada, off Canada's Pacific coast. It is 460 km (285 miles) long and up to 80 km (50 miles) wide. The largest island on the western side of North America at 32,134 square kilometres (12,407 square miles (32,134 km²)), it is the world's 43rd largest island, Canada's 11th largest island and Canada's second most populous island after the Island of Montreal, which has 1.3 million more people. The island is named in honour of George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific coast of North America between 1791 and 1794. Download high resolution version (866x673, 153 KB)Description: Shaded-relief map of Vancouver Island and neighboring parts of British Columbia and Washington State. ... Download high resolution version (866x673, 153 KB)Description: Shaded-relief map of Vancouver Island and neighboring parts of British Columbia and Washington State. ... Queen Charlotte Strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland in British Columbia, Canada. ... Image File history File links Vancouver_Island_NASA.png‎ File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Vancouver_Island_NASA.png‎ File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Cities of Vancouver Island Licensed for use in accordance with the GFDL. Created using this online map creation tool. ... Cities of Vancouver Island Licensed for use in accordance with the GFDL. Created using this online map creation tool. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, peaceful sea, bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the largest of the Earths oceanic subdivisions. ... This is a list of islands in the world ordered by area. ... Satellite image of Baffin Island, the largest island in Canada. ... This is a list of Canadian islands listed by population. ... The Island of Montreal (in French, île de Montréal), in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. ... A life sized statue covered in gold of George Vancouver on top of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings Captain George Vancouver RN (June 22, 1757 – May 12, 1798) was an officer of the Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of North America, including the Pacific coast along the modern... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...


The 2001 census population was 656,312. As of 2005, Vancouver Island had an estimated population of 723,000. Slightly less than half of these (326,000) live in Greater Victoria. Other major cities on Vancouver Island include Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay, and Campbell River. The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. ... Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ... Nanaimo redirects here. ... Port Alberni is a city located in the province of British Columbia in Canada. ... 67. ... Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. ... Motto: non mangiamo i cervelli (Enriched by land and sea) Location of Campbell River, British Columbia Coordinates: , Country Canada Province British Columbia Region Comox-Strathcona Founded 1855 Incorporated 1947 Government  - Mayor Roger McDonell  - Governing body Campbell River Council Area  - City 143. ...

Contents

Geography and climate

Vancouver Island is located in the southwestern corner of the province of British Columbia. It is separated from mainland Canada by the Strait of Georgia, Johnstone Strait, and Queen Charlotte Strait, and from the U.S. by the Strait of Juan de Fuca. To the west of the island is the Pacific Ocean. Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... Strait of Georgia at sunset The Strait of Georgia (also known as Georgia Strait and the Gulf of Georgia) is a 240 km (150 mi)-long strait between Vancouver Island (as well as its nearby Gulf Islands) and the mainland Pacific coast of British Columbia, Canada. ... Johnstone Strait is a 110 km (68 mi) long strait between the north east coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada and, running north to south, Hanson Island, West Cracroft Island, the mainland British Columbia coast, Hardwicke Island, West Thurlow Island and East Thurlow Island where it meets Discovery... Queen Charlotte Strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland in British Columbia, Canada. ... The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates Vancouver Island of British Columbia from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. ...


The Vancouver Island Ranges run most of the length of the island, dividing it into a rugged, wet west coast and a drier, more rolling east coast. The highest point in these ranges and on the island is the Golden Hinde, at 2195 m or 7200'. Located near the centre of Vancouver Island in the 2,500 km² (620,000 acre) Strathcona Provincial Park, it is part of a group of peaks that include the only glaciers on the island, the largest of which is the Comox Glacier. The west coast shoreline is rugged, and in many places mountainous, characterised by its many fjords, bays, and inlets. The interior of the island has many lakes (Kennedy Lake, northeast of Ucluelet, is the largest) and rivers. Vancouver Island formed when volcanic and sedimentary rock scraped off the ancient Kula Plate and plastered against the continental margin when it was subducting under North America 55 million years ago. The Vancouver Island Ranges extend the length of Vancouver Island which has an area of 31,788 km². The Vancouver Island Ranges comprise the central and largest part of the island. ... The Golden Hinde is a mountain located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. ... Strathcona Provincial Park is the oldest provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, and the largest on Vancouver Island. ... Lysefjorden in Norway A fjord (pronounced FEE-ord or fyord, SAMPA: [fi:3:d] or [faI3:d]; sometimes written fiord) is a glacially overdeepened valley, usually narrow and steep-sided, extending below sea level and filled with salt water. ... Kennedy Lake is the largest lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. ... Cities of Vancouver Island Ucluelet is a village (population about 1,700) on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. ... Ignimbrite is a deposit of a pyroclastic flow. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... The Kula Plate was an ancient tectonic plate, which began subducting as Pangaea broke apart during the Jurassic period. ...  Sediment  Rock  Mantle The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas (known as shelf seas) and gulfs. ...


The climate is the mildest in Canada, with temperatures on the coast even in January being usually above 0 °C (32 °F). In summer, maximum temperatures average 21-24 °C (70-75 °F). However, the rain shadow effect of the island's mountains, as well as the mountains of Washington's Olympic Peninsula, creates wide variation in precipitation. The west coast is considerably wetter than the east coast. Average annual precipitation ranges from 6,650 millimetres (260 in) at Henderson Lake on the west coast (making it the wettest place in North America) to only 635 millimetres (25 in) at the driest recording station in the provincial capital of Victoria on the southeast coast's Saanich Peninsula. Precipitation is heaviest in the autumn and winter. Snow is rare at low altitudes but is common on the island's mountaintops in winter. For the television series see Rain Shadow. ... Official language(s) English Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ... The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. ... The Saanich Peninsula is located north of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ...


A notable feature of Vancouver Island is the extension of Mediterranean-type summer dryness to latitudes as high as 50°N. Only in the extreme north of the island near Port Hardy is the rainfall of the driest summer month as much as one fifth that of the wettest months from November to March. West coasts of other continents at similar latitudes have a practically even distribution of rainfall through the year. A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles the climate of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. ... Location of Port Hardy, British Columbia Port Hardy is a small community in British Columbia, Canada located on the north-eastern coast of Vancouver Island. ...


Vancouver Island lies in the temperate rainforest biome. On the southern and eastern portions of the island, this is characterized by Douglas-fir, western red cedar, arbutus, Garry oak, salal, Oregon-grape, and manzanita. This is the heavily populated region of Vancouver Island, and a major area for recreation. The northern, western, and most of the central portions of the island are home to the coniferous "big trees" associated with British Columbia's coast — hemlock, western red cedar, amabilis fir, yellow cedar, Douglas-fir, grand fir, Sitka spruce, and western white pine. It is also characterised by broadleaf maple, red alder, sword fern, and red huckleberry. Temperate rain forests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the mid-latitudes in areas of high rainfall. ... A biome is a major class of ecologically similar communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, often reffered to as ecosystems. ... Species See text. ... Species Thuja plicata Western Redcedar, Thuja plicata, a species of thuja, is an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to the northwestern US and southwestern Canada, from southern Alaska and British Columbia south to northwest California and inland to western Montana. ... Species See text. ... Binomial name Quercus garryana The Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana), also known as Garry Oak, has a range from northern California to British Columbia. ... Binomial name Gaultheria shallon Pursh Salal (Gaultheria shallon, Ericaceae) is a leathery-leaved shrub native to western North America. ... Binomial name Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt. ... Species See text See Manzanita (album) for the Mia Doi Todd album. ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † The conifers, division Pinophyta, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. ... Species Eastern Hemlock Carolina Hemlock Taiwan Hemlock Northern Japanese Hemlock Himalayan Hemlock Forrests Hemlock Western Hemlock Mountain Hemlock Southern Japanese Hemlock Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. ... Species Thuja plicata Western Redcedar, Thuja plicata, a species of thuja, is an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to the northwestern US and southwestern Canada, from southern Alaska and British Columbia south to northwest California and inland to western Montana. ... Binomial name Abies amabilis Douglas ex J.Forbes Pacific Silver Fir (Abies amabilis) is a fir native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, occurring in the Pacific Coast Ranges and the Cascade Range from the extreme southeast of Alaska, through western British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, to the extreme... Binomial name Callitropsis nootkatensis (D. Don) Örsted Nootka Cypress (Callitropsis nootkatensis), formerly Cupressus nootkatensis, Xanthocyparis nootkatensis or Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, is a cypress (Cupressaceae) with a chequered taxonomic and nomenclatural history. ... Species See text. ... Binomial name Abies grandis (Douglas ex D. Don) Lindley Grand Fir or Giant Fir (Abies grandis) is a fir native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, occurring at altitudes of sea level to 1,800 m. ... Binomial name Picea sitchensis (Bong. ... Binomial name Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Don Western White Pine (Pinus monticola; family Pinaceae) is a species of pine that occurs in the mountains of the western United States and Canada, specifically the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, the Coast Range, and the northern Rocky Mountains. ... Binomial name Acer macrophyllum Pursh The Bigleaf Maple or Oregon Maple (Acer macrophyllum) is a large deciduous tree to 35 m tall. ... Binomial name Alnus rubra Bong. ... Binomial name Polystichum munitum (Kaulfuss) K. Presl The Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) is a perennial fern, one of the most abundant ferns in the flora of western North America. ... Wild huckleberry in the Mount Hood National Forest. ...


The fauna of Vancouver Island is similar to that found on the mainland coast, with some notable exceptions and additions. For example, grizzly bears, mountain goats, porcupines, moose, skunks, coyotes, and numerous species of small mammals, while plentiful on the mainland, are absent from Vancouver Island. The island does support most of Canada's Roosevelt elk, however, and one species — the Vancouver Island Marmot — is endemic to the island. The island's rivers, lakes, and coastal regions are renowned for their fisheries of trout, salmon, and steelhead. It has the most concentrated population of cougars in North America. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Binomial name (Blainville, 1816) The Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large hoofed mammal found only in North America. ... Genera Family Erethizontidae Coendou Sphiggurus Erethizon Echinoprocta Chaetomys Family Hystricidae Atherurus Hystrix Thecurus Trichys This article is about the rodent mammal. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America, derived from Eastern Abenaki moz)[1] or elk (in Anglophone Europe), Alces alces, is the largest extant member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ... Genera Conepatus Mydaus Mephitis Spilogale Skunks are mammals, usually with black-and-white fur, that are best known for their ability to excrete a strong foul smelling odor. ... Binomial name Say, 1823 Coyote range The coyote (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog) also prairie wolf [2]) is a member of the Canidae (dog) family and a close relative of the Gray Wolf. ... Roosevelt Elk (cervus canadensis roosevelti) are also know as Olympic elk tend to live in the rain forests of the Pacific coast. ... Binomial name Marmota vancouverensis (Swarth, 1911) The Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) is found only in the high mountainous regions of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ... A lobster boat unloading its catch in Ilfracombe harbour, North Devon, England. ... Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss Biwa trout (or Biwa salmon), Oncorhynchus masou rhodurus Trout is the common name given to a number of species of freshwater fish belonging to the salmon family, Salmonidae. ... Illustration of a male Coho Salmon The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow to 1. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Rainbow trout. ... For other uses, see Cougar (disambiguation). ...


History

Indigenous people

Main article: Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast

The island is believed to have been inhabited by humans since the withdrawal of Ice Age glaciation some eight thousand years ago.[1] By the late 1700s, the primary First Nations there were the nootka on the west coast, various nations of the Salish language group on the south and east coasts, and the Kwakiutl on the center and north of the island. The National Maps show a nation of Vancouver consisting of the island and the mainland coastal regions from Queen Charlotte Sound to Cape Flattery. Chief Anotklosh of the Taku Tribe, ca. ... First Nations is a common title used in Canada to describe the various societies of indigenous peoples of North America located in what is now Canada, who are not of Inuit or Métis descent. ... The Coast Salish are a Salishan-speaking First Nations/Native American culture that inhabited an area centered in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and western Washington in the United States for several millennia up to the time of arrival of the Europeans in the 19th century. ... Queen Charlotte Sound is a bay of the Pacific Ocean in British Columbia, Canada, between Vancouver Island in the south and the Queen Charlotte Islands in the north. ... Cape Flattery is the furthest northwest point of the contiguous United States. ...


European Exploration

Europeans began to encroach on the island in 1774, when rumours of Russian fur traders caused the Spanish to send a ship, the Santiago north under the command of Juan José Pérez Hernández. In 1775 a second Spanish expedition, under Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, was sent. Neither actually landed. World map showing the location of Europe. ... The fur trade was a huge part in the early economic development of North America. ... Juan José Pérez Hernández (ca. ... Captain Juan Francisco Bodega y Quadra, Marina real, circa 1785. ...


Vancouver Island came to the attention of the wider world after the third voyage of Captain James Cook, who landed at Nootka Sound of the Island's western shore on March 31, 1778 and claimed it for the United Kingdom. The island's rich fur trading potential led the British East India Company to set up a single-building trading post in the native village of Yuquot on Nootka Island, a small island in the Sound. Blue plaque for Captain James Cook Captain James Cook FRS RN (27 October 1728 (O.S.) – 14 February 1779) was an English explorer, navigator and cartographer. ... Nootka Sound is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean and a natural harbour on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1778 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was the first joint-stock company (the Dutch East India Company was the first to issue public stock). ... Three Nuu-chah-nulth children in Yuquot, 1930s. ... Nootka Island is an island near Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. ...


The island was further explored by Spain in 1789 by Esteban José Martínez, who built Fort San Miguel on one of Vancouver Island's small offshore islets in the sound near Yuquot. This was to be the only Spanish settlement in what would later be Canada. The Spanish began seizing British ships and the two nations came close to war, but the issues were resolved peacefully with the Nootka Convention in 1792, in which both countries recognized the other's rights to the area. Supervising the British activities was Captain George Vancouver from King's Lynn in England, who had sailed as a midshipman with Cook, and from whom the island gained its name. While we know this Island today as Vancouver Island--after George Vancouver--the English explorer had not intentionally meant to name such a large body of land solely after himself.[2] In his September 1792 dispatch log report for the British Admiralty, Captain Vancouver reveals that his decision here was rather meant to honour a request by the Spanish seafarer Juan Francisco Quadra that Vancouver Lieutenant Esteban José Martínez Fernández y Martínez de la Sierra, Marina real, circa 1785. ... Reconstruction of Fort San Miguel. ... The Nootka Convention was a treaty between Spain and Great Britain in 1790 that averted a war between the two countries over overlapping claims to portions of the northwestern coast of North America. ... A life sized statue covered in gold of George Vancouver on top of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings Captain George Vancouver RN (June 22, 1757 – May 12, 1798) was an officer of the Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of North America, including the Pacific coast along the modern... Kings Lynn as viewed from across the River Great Ouse Kings Lynn is a town and port in the English county of Norfolk. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... Captain Juan Francisco Bodega y Quadra, Marina real, circa 1785. ...

"would name some port or island after us both in commemoration of our meeting and friendly intercourse that on that occasion had taken place (Vancouver had previously feted Quadra on his ship);....and conceiving no place more eligible than the place of our meeting, I have therefore named this land...The Island of Quadra and Vancouver."[3]

If Vancouver had been vain as some writers had charged, he could have chosen to name the entire Island exclusively after himself instead of sharing its name with Quadra and placing the latter's name before his. The newly discovered 'Quadra-Vancouver' island "was the most prominent name on maps of the coast, and appeared on most [contemporary] British, French and Spanish maps of the period. But as Spanish interests in the region dwindled, so did Quadra's name. The Hudson's Bay Company played a major part in the transition; by 1824 'Vancouver's Island' had become the usual designation in its correspondence" for the island.[4] A quarter of a century later, Vancouver Island had become such a well known geographical feature, that the founding of the Colony of Vancouver Island in 1849 gave this name full official status.[5] The Hudsons Bay Company (HBC; Compagnie de la Baie dHudson in French) is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and is one of the oldest in the world. ...


British settlement

The British colonial flag of Vancouver Island. It is used today as a local representative flag.
The British colonial flag of Vancouver Island. It is used today as a local representative flag.

The first British settlement on the island was a Hudson's Bay Company post, Fort Camosun, founded in 1843, and later renamed Fort Victoria. Shortly thereafter, in 1846, the Oregon Treaty was signed by the British and the US to settle the question of the US Oregon Territory borders. It awarded all of Vancouver Island to what would be Canada, despite a portion of the island lying south of the 49th parallel. In 1849, the Colony of Vancouver Island was established. Following the brief governorship of Richard Blanshard, James Douglas, Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay post, assumed the role in 1851 — a position he would maintain for the next thirteen years. Image File history File links Flag_of_Vancouver_Island. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Vancouver_Island. ... The Hudsons Bay Company (HBC; Compagnie de la Baie dHudson in French) is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and is one of the oldest in the world. ... Map of the lands in dispute The Treaty with Great Britain, in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, also known as the Oregon Treaty or Treaty of Washington, is a bilateral treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States that was signed... See main article Vancouver Island Colonial flag of Vancouver Island, consisting of the British Blue Ensign and the great seal of the colony. ... Richard Blanshard, Governor of Vancouver Island Richard Blanshard, MA, (19 October 1817 – 5 June 1894), was an English barrister and first governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island from its foundation in 1849 to his resignation in 1851. ... James Douglas can refer to: James Douglas (the Good, the Black) an early-14th century Lord of Douglas and champion of Robert the Bruce James Douglas a mid-19th century governor of Vancouver Island James Buster Douglas, a boxer James Douglas, 4th Duke of Hamilton James Douglas, 4th Earl of... A factor, a Latin word meaning who/which acts can refer to: Look up factor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...


Fort Victoria became an important base during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush in 1858, and the burgeoning town was incorporated as Victoria in 1862. Victoria became the capital of the colony of Vancouver Island, then retained that status when the island was amalgamated with the mainland in 1866. A British naval base, including a large shipyard and a naval hospital, was established at Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1865, and eventually taken over by the Canadian military. The Gold Rush of British Columbia occurred after gold was discovered in the Fraser River Valley. ... Location of Victoria within the Capital Regional District in British Columbia, Canada Country Canada Province British Columbia Regional District Capital Incorporated 1862[1] Government  - Mayor Alan Lowe (past mayors)  - Governing body Victoria City Council  - MP Denise Savoie  - MLAs Carole James, Rob Fleming Area [2]  - City 19. ... The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ...


The economic situation of the colony declined following the Cariboo Gold Rush of 1861-62, and pressure grew for amalgamation of the colony with the mainland colony of British Columbia (which had been established in 1858). The colony's third and last governor, Sir Arthur Kennedy oversaw the union of the two colonies in 1866. The Cariboo Gold Rush is the most famous of the gold rushes in British Columbia and is erroneously sometimes mentioned as the reason for the creation of the Colony of British Columbia. ... Sir Arthur Kennedy Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy (5 April 1809–3 June 1883) was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of a number of British colonies, namely Sierra Leone, Western Australia, Vancouver Island, Hong Kong and Queensland. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Colony of British Columbia. ...


Economy

Vancouver Island's economy outside Victoria is largely dominated by the forestry industry, with tourism and fishing also playing a large role. Many of the logging operations are for paper pulp, in "2nd growth" tree farms that are harvested approximately every 30 years. In recent years the government of British Columbia has engaged in an advertising program to draw more tourists to beach resorts such as Tofino. A decidous beech forest in Slovenia. ... Tourists on Oahu, Hawaii Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ... Logging is the process in which trees are cut down usually as part of a timber harvest. ... Pulpwood refers to timber stocks that are cut for paper production. ... A sugarcane plantation at Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, 2005 A plantation is a large tract of monoculture, as a tree plantation, a cotton plantation, a tea plantation or a tobacco plantation. ... Advertising is paid, one-way communication through a medium in which the sponsor is identified and the message is controlled. ... Tofino is a village of about 1,650 residents on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, located at the western terminus of provincial highway 4. ...


Logging operations involving old-growth forests such as those found on Clayoquot Sound are controversial, and have gained international attention through the efforts of activists and environmental organizations. Old growth forest, sometimes called late seral forest or ancient forest is an area of forest that has attained great age and exhibits unique biological features. ... A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, a wooded area set aside for hunting). ... Clayoquot Sound (usually pronounced clay-kwot or clack-kwot) is located on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as involvement in action to bring about change, be it social, political, environmental, or other change. ... This is a list of environmental organizations, organizations that preserve or monitor the environment in different ways. ...


There are rapidly expanding vineyards and the island produces wines that outscored some French wines at the St. Catharines Wine Tasting of 2005 in blind evaluations. A vineyard A vineyard is a place where grapes are grown for making wine, raisins, or table grapes. ... French gastronomy France is one of the oldest wine producing regions of Europe. ... The St. ...


Between Vancouver Island and the Canadian mainland there are several high voltage power cables (HVDC Vancouver-Island). The HVDC Vancouver Island is the name for HVDC interconnection between Vancouver Island and the Canadian mainland, which went into operation in 1968 and was extended in 1977. ...


There is also a fast building IT field on Vancouver Island. High Speed Internet is delivered to the island from Shaw, TELUS, CRTV and CRCN. There are also many information sites such as: VancouverIslandLive.com and Vancouver Island Travel. Wireless Internet connections can be found all over the island, many free for public use. Most coffee shops allow free laptop use and charge an average of five cents a minute for using their computers. Shaw Communications Inc. ... TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a Canadian telecommunications firm, the countrys second-largest telecommunications carrier after Bell Canada, with C$8. ...


Higher education plays an economic role in the Greater Victoria area being as both students and staff of the many post secondary schools number well over 50,000. The University of Victoria is the largest school on the island enrolling 19,475 students in 2006/2007 and employing 4,124 staff. Royal Roads University is much smaller with 2,268 students and 680 staff. Camosun College is also located on a few campuses across the Greater Victoria region and has 17,000 students and almost 1,000 staff (though close to half of the students are under the distance education umbrella). Malaspina University-College is Vancouver Island's other main university with its main campus in Nanaimo, as well as other campuses in Duncan, Parksville and Powell River. Malaspina represents a unique combination of a degree-granting university and a practical college. University Canada West, located in central Victoria, rounds out the list of degree granting institutions. There are also numerous community colleges and international education centres. The University of Victoria (usually known as UVic, though originally as U of V) is located in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (northeast of Victoria). ... Royal Roads University (RRU) is a public university located in Colwood, a suburb of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Camosun College is located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Malaspina University-College is a publicly funded university-college with its main campus located in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...


Transportation

Marine transportation

Marine transportation is very important to Vancouver Island for access to the mainland of British Columbia and Washington. There are no bridges connecting the island to the mainland, although the idea of building one has been brought up many times. The only vehicle access to Vancouver Island is via ferries operated by BC Ferries, Washington State Ferry and Black Ball Transport Inc. There are six vehicle ferry routes: Official language(s) English Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ...

A BC ferry
A BC ferry

BC Ferries Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2288x1712, 1721 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Vancouver Island Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2288x1712, 1721 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Vancouver Island Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. ...

  • Tsawwassen BC (38 km south of Vancouver) - Swartz Bay BC (32 km or 20 mi (32 km) north of Victoria)
Crossing time: 1 hour 35 minutes; 8 sailings per day in the fall, winter, and spring and more in summer
  • Tsawwassen BC - Duke Point BC (13 km or 8 mi (13 km) south of Nanaimo)
Crossing time: 2 hours; 8 round trips daily
  • Horseshoe Bay BC (20 km or 12 mi (19 km) northwest of Vancouver) - Departure Bay BC (3 km or 2 mi (3 km) north of Nanaimo)
Crossing time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Sailings every 2 hours with extra sailings during the summer and holidays
  • Powell River BC - Comox BC
Crossing time: 1 hour 20 minutes; 4 round trips daily
  • Anacortes WA - Sidney BC
Crossing time: 3 hours (not counting stops in the San Juan Islands)

Black Ball Transport One of the San Juan islands The San Juan Islands are a part of the San Juan Archipelago in the northwest corner of the continental United States. ...

  • Port Angeles WA - Victoria BC
Crossing time: 1 hour 30 minutes; 1 or 2 round trips daily

In addition, there are three passenger-only ferry services from the mainland to Vancouver Island:


Victoria Clipper

  • Seattle WA - Victoria BC
Crossing time: 2 hour 45 minutes; 1 to 3 round trips daily

Victoria Express

  • Port Angeles WA - Victoria BC (operates May through September)
Crossing time: 1 hour

Victoria San Juan Cruises

  • Bellingham WA - Victoria BC (operates one trip per day May through October)
Crossing time: 3 hours

Rail transportation

There are two remaining major railways on Vancouver Island.


The Southern Railway of Vancouver Island, which assumed control of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway from RailAmerica in July of 2006 offers general freight service on the Victoria-Courtenay main line (called the Victoria Subdivision by the railroad). The Port Alberni branch line (called the Port Alberni Subdivision by the railroad) has been out of service since late 2001. SVI also runs passenger service under contract with VIA Rail Canada. Western Forest Products operates Canada's last logging railway out of Woss, BC to Beaver Cove on the northern end of the island. The Former Canadian National railway out of Victoria to the Cowichan Valley was abandoned in the late 1980s/early 1990s and the former grade between Victoria and Sooke, and Shawnigan lake and Lake Cowichan is now a multi-use trail. The BC Forest Museum has a narrow gauge railway winding around the park, and the Alberni Pacific Railway operates during the summer from the restored E&N Railway station in Port Alberni to the McLean's Mill on former E&N Railway trackage. The E and N Railway is a short line railway run by RailAmerica, Inc. ... Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, is a small community on Vancouver Island with a population of approximately 4000. ...


Road transportation

Victoria on Vancouver Island is one of the few places in North America where double-deck buses are used in the regular public transit system. They are part of the Greater Victoria bus service.


As Victoria, the capital and Island's largest city, continues to grow, traffic will also be a concern. The notorious rush-hour "Colwood Crawl" has not been alleviated by efforts to improve road transit between Victoria and the Western Communities, and with the development of new housing and business such as the Bear Mountain golf resort, the bottleneck in traffic is sure to be a concern for years to come.


Proposals have been made for a "fixed link" to the mainland for over a century. Due to the extreme depth of the Georgia Strait and potential seismic activity, a bridge or tunnel would face monumental engineering, safety, and environmental challenges at a colossal cost (see link below).


Air transportation

There are two major airports on Vancouver Island. Victoria International Airport is the smaller of the two, but handles the majority of the air traffic on Vancouver Island. Five major carriers (Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, Horizon Air, Pacific Coastal, and Westjet) offer a variety of flights of short and medium distance including to and from Seattle, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Victoria International Airport (IATA: YYJ, ICAO: CYYJ) serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ...


CFB Comox is the larger of the major airports, but handles fewer civilian flights due to AIRCOM comprising most of the traffic. It serves many of the same cities as Victoria's airport but also includes more small coastal communities. Canadian Forces Base Comox, commonly referred to as CFB Comox, 19 Wing Comox or Comox Airport, is a Canadian Forces Base located 2. ... CF-18 off the coast Hawaii CH-124 Sea King CH-149 Cormorant CC-115 Buffalo Canadian Forces Air Command (AIRCOM) is the air force element of the Canadian Forces. ...


There are numerous smaller airports on Vancouver Island mostly flying Pacific Coastal, Westjet, Central Mountain Air, and Air Canada Jazz. These are at Port Hardy, Campbell River, Courtenay (private), Nanaimo, and Port Alberni (charter only). All can be flown to on a weekly basis through one of the major carriers. Port Hardy Airport, (IATA: YZT, ICAO: CYZT), is located 5. ... Campbell River Airport is located 4. ... Courtenay Airpark, (IATA: N/A, ICAO: CAH3), is located adjacent to Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. ... Nanaimo Airport, (IATA: YCD, ICAO: CYCD), is located 7. ... Port Alberni (Alberni Valley Regional) Airport, (IATA: YPB, ICAO: CBS8), is located 6. ...


See also

See main article Vancouver Island Colonial flag of Vancouver Island, consisting of the British Blue Ensign and the great seal of the colony. ... Aboriginal peoples in British Columbia can be designated into two groups, First Nations and Métis. ... Areas of grape cultivation in Canada While most of Canada is too cold for grape growing, Canadian wine is produced in Southern Ontario and southern British Columbia. ... Structure of the Cascadia subduction zone Area of the Cascadia subduction zone The Cascadia subduction zone is a very long sloping fault that stretches from northern Vancouver Island to northern California. ... Cougar Annie was a pioneer who settled near Hesquiat Harbour in Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. ... The Kinsol Trestle, also known as the Koksilah River Trestle, is a wooden railway trestle located on Vancouver Island near Shawnigan Lake in Canada. ... Vancouver Island Health Authority is the publicly-funded health care provider in an area in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ...

Notes

  1. ^ History and Heritage of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  2. ^ The Voyage of George Vancouver 1791-1795, Volume 1, ed: W. Kaye Lamb, Hakluyt Society, 1984, p.247
  3. ^ George Vancouver, "A Narrative of my proceedings in HMS Discovery from 28 August - 26 September 1792"; the cited quote from Vancouver is given in the final section of his report here from Nootka and is dated 26 September 1792, P.R.O., C.O. 5/187, f. 114
  4. ^ Lamb, op. cit., p.247
  5. ^ Lamb, op. cit., p.248

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

  • CFDCS
  • Tofino Time Magazine
  • Great Seal of the crown colony of Vancouver Island
  • CBC News: Vancouver Island moves west
  • Measuring crustal motions in coastal British Columbia with continuous GPS
  • BC Ministry of Transportation - Report on Fixed Link
  • Tourism Vancouver Island - Official travel website for the region
  • Vancouver Island Life - Hand-indexed directory of tourism websites
v • d • e
    Communities on Vancouver Island    

Coordinates: 49°00′N, 124°00′W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...


  Results from FactBites:
 
Vancouver Island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1722 words)
Vancouver Island is separated from mainland British Columbia by the Strait of Georgia and the Queen Charlotte Strait, and from Washington by the Juan De Fuca Strait.
On the southern and eastern portions of the island, this is characterized by Douglas-fir, western red cedar, arbutus, Garry oak, salal, Oregon-grape, and manzanita.
Vancouver Island came to the attention of the wider world after the third voyage of Captain James Cook, who landed at Nootka Sound of the Island's western shore on March 31, 1778 and claimed it for the United Kingdom.
Vancouver Island Accomodations, accommodations Vancouver Island, British Columbia. (485 words)
Vancouver Island - The largest island on the west coast of the Canada is an enchanting wonderland...
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, with thousands of vacation accomodations to chose from, is the largest North American island in the Pacific.
The West Coast of Vancouver Island is a majestic mix of rugged wilderness and old growth rain forests.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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