Victoria
British Columbia Legislative Buildings in Victoria
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Victoria within the Capital Regional District in British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates: 48°25′43″N 123°21′56″W / 48.42861, -123.36556
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	19.68 km² (7.6 sq mi)
- Metro	540.4 km² (208.6 sq mi)
Elevation	23 m (75 ft)
Population (2006)[2]
- City	78,659 -Metro 330,000
- Density	3,996.9/km² (10,351.9/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
Postal code span	V0S, V8N-V8Z, V9A-V9E
Area code(s)	+1-250
NTS Map	092B06
GNBC Code	JBOBQ
Website: Victoria.BC.ca

Victoria (IPA: /vɪkˈtɔəriə/) is the capital city of British Columbia, making it the seat of the provincial Crown. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is a global tourism destination seeing more than 3.65 million visitors a year who inject more than one billion dollars into the local economy.^[3] Victoria is a cruise ship port where cruise liners stop at Ogden Point terminal. The city also receives economic benefits from its close proximity to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, the Canadian military’s main Pacific naval base. Downtown Victoria also serves as Greater Victoria's regional downtown, where many night clubs, theatres, restaurants and pubs are clustered, and where much larger regional public events occur. In particular, Canada Day fireworks displays and Symphony Splash concerts draw tens of thousands of Greater Victorians and visitors to the downtown core. Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ... This page is a listing of federal and provincial electoral districts in the Canadian province of British Columbia using the name of, or located in, the area of the city of Victoria, the provincial capital. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 344 pixelsFull resolution (5071 × 2181 pixel, file size: 8. ... The Parliament Buildings Another view The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located in Victoria, British Columbia and serve as the seat of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Victoria (Australia) Flags of the Australian states and territories Charles Gavan Duffy Flag of Victoria User:Xtra Wikipedia:Australian Wikipedians notice board Template:VictoriaPremiers James Francis George Kerferd Categories: Flag images | Australia images ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The current state flag of Victoria in Australia is a British Blue Ensign defaced by the state badge of Victoria in the fly. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Victorian Coat of Arms (since 1974) The Coat of Arms of Victoria is the official symbol of the Australian state of Victoria. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x642, 196 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Victoria, British Columbia Nanaimo, British Columbia Tofino, British Columbia Comox, British Columbia ... YK NWT AB USA AK Capital Cariboo Cowichan GVRD Nanaimo Stikine The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada and the southern Gulf Islands: (Saltspring, Galiano, Pender, Saturna, Mayne), and many smaller islands. ... Motto: Splendor sine occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 36 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 5th Total 944... The Canadian Province of British Columbia is divided into Regional Districts, analogous to counties in other jurisdictions. ... YK NWT AB USA AK Capital Cariboo Cowichan GVRD Nanaimo Stikine The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada and the southern Gulf Islands: (Saltspring, Galiano, Pender, Saturna, Mayne), and many smaller islands. ... Alan Lowe (born July 26, 1961, in Victoria, British Columbia) is a Canadian politician. ... List of mayors of Victoria, British Columbia: 1862 - 1865 Thomas Harris 1865 - 1866 Lumley Franklin 1866 - 1867 William J. MacDonald 1867 - 1870 Dr. James Trimble 1870 - 1871 Alexander R. Robertson 1871 William J. MacDonaldCanadian 1872 Richard Lewis 1872 - 1873 James E. McMillan 1873 James D. Robinson 1873 - 1875 William Dalby... Victoria City Council is the governing body of Victoria, British Columbia. ... Members of the House of Commons in the 38th Parliament of Canada, as of November 10, 2005. ... Denise Savoie (born November 21, 1943 in St. ... Legislature Building in Victoria, BC The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is located in Victoria. ... Carole James Carole Alison James, MLA, (born December 22, 1957, in Dukinfield, England) is a Canadian politician and former public administrator. ... Rob Fleming with BC NDP Leader Carole James Rob Fleming (born November 11, 1971, in Windsor, Ontario) is a Canadian politician. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... PST is UTC-8 The Pacific Standard Time Zone (PST) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) resulting in UTC-8. ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating telephone number ranges to countries, regions, areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks such as mobile phone networks. ... The National Topographic System or NTS is the topographic system used by Canada for providing general purpose maps of the country. ... Geographical Names Board of Canada a national committee of the Canadian Government Department of National Resources which authorizes the names used on official federal government maps of Canada since 1897. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Motto: Splendor sine occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 36 Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 5th Total 944... In strict legal language, the term seat defines the seat of a corporation or organisation as a legal entity, indicating where the headquarters of this entity are located. ... Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, Iona Campagnolo. ... 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. ... Ogden Point is a deep water port facility in Victoria, British Columbia. ... CFB Esquimalt is Canadas West Coast (Pacific) naval base. ... Downtown Victoria is a neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia that acts as the commercial and entertainment hub of the city. ... Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ... Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is Canadas national holiday, marking the establishment of Canada as a self-governing Dominion on July 1, 1867. ... The Symphony Splash, is an annual event held, in Victoria, British Columbia. ...

The city has hosted sports events including the 2005 Ford World Men's Curling Championship tournament, the 1994 Commonwealth Games, and 2006 Skate Canada. Victoria co-hosted the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup at Royal Athletic Park, and is the annual venue for the Bastion Square Grand Prix Criterium road cycling race. The city is also a destination for conventions, meetings, and conferences, including a 2007 North Atlantic Treaty Organization military chief of staff meeting. The 2005 Ford World Mens Curling Championship was held from April 2 - 10 at the new Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Countries that competed The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held August 18-28, 1994 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition. ... 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup final rankings. ... Royal Atheltic Park is a multi-purpose, fully-lighted stadium in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Police officer on a bicycle Cycling is a means of transport, a form of recreation and a sport. ... NATO 2002 Summit The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance, Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance, is an international organisation for defence collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949. ...

History

Prior to the arrival of the Europeans in the late 1700s, the Victoria area was home to several communities of Coast Salish peoples, including the Songhees. The Spanish and British took up the exploration of the northwest coast of North America beginning with the voyage of Captain James Cook in 1776, although the Victoria area of the Strait of Juan de Fuca was not penetrated until 1791. Spanish sailors visited Esquimalt Harbour (within the modern Capital Regional District) in 1790 and again in 1792. Erected in 1843 as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post on a site originally called Camosun (the native word was "camosack", meaning "rush of water") and known briefly as "Fort Albert", the settlement was later christened Fort Victoria, in honour of Queen Victoria.^[4] The Songhees established a village across the harbour from the fort. The Songhees' village was later moved north of Esquimalt. When the crown Colony of Vancouver Island was established in 1849, a town was laid out on the site and made the capital of the colony. The Chief Factor of the fort, 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 the city until his retirement in 1864. The Coast Salish are a group of Salishan-speaking First Nations/Native American in British Columbia and Washington. ... The Songhees are an indigenous North American Coast Salish people who reside on southeastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the Greater Victoria area. ... This article is about the British explorer. ... 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. ... Inside Fort Victoria, looking out the East Gate Fort Victoria was a fur trading post of the Hudson’s Bay Company, the headquarters of HBC operations in British Columbia. ... Queen Victoria redirects here. ... The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ... See main article Vancouver Island Colonial flag of Vancouver Island, consisting of the British Blue Ensign and the great seal of the colony. ... James Douglas Sir James Douglas, K.C.B, (August 15, 1803 – August 2, 1877), was born of a Scottish father and Creole mother in Demerara. ... 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. ... 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. ...

Wawadit'la, also known as Mungo Martin House, a Kwakwaka'wakw "big house", with heraldic pole. Built by Chief Mungo Martin in 1953. Located at Thunderbird Park in Victoria, British Columbia.^[5]

With the discovery of gold on the British Columbia mainland 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 literally within a few days. In 1866 when the island was politically united with the mainland, Victoria remained the capital of the new united colony and became the provincial capital when British Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871. Victoria was incorporated as a city in 1862. In 1865, Esquimalt was made the North Pacific home of the Royal Navy, and remains Canada's west coast naval base. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 560 pixelsFull resolution (10000 × 7000 pixel, file size: 19. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 560 pixelsFull resolution (10000 × 7000 pixel, file size: 19. ... A Gitxsan pole (left) and Kwakwakawakw pole (right) at Thunderbird Park in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Thunderbird Park is a park in Victoria, British Columbia located next to the Royal British Columbia Museum. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... View of Fraser Canyon near Fountain, BC View of Fraser Canyon looking upstream from Fountain, B.C. The Fraser Canyon is a stretch of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains enroute from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Colony of British Columbia. ... We dont have an article called Canadian-confederation Start this article Search for Canadian-confederation in. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...

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, an image aided by the impressions of visitors such as Rudyard Kipling, the opening of 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 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. An eastbound CPR freight at Stoney Creek Bridge in Rogers Pass. ... Indian Arm extends north (to the upper right of the photo) from Burrard Inlet, in this view from the southeast at Burnaby Mountain. ... This article is about the British author. ... Sunken Garden The Butchart Gardens is a floral display tourist attraction located in the neighbourhood Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, a small village on the Saanich Peninsula in the municipality of Central Saanich, which is part of Greater Victoria on Vancouver Island. ... The Empress Hotel The Fairmont Empress (most commonly known as The Empress) is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Robert Dunsmuir (August 31, 1825 – April 12, 1889), was a coal miner, railway developer, industrialist and politician. ... Plaque in front of the castle. ... James Dunsmuir (b July 8, 1851, Fort Vancouver – d June 6, 1920, Cowichan Bay, British Columbia) was a British Columbian industrialist and politician. ... Hatley Park is a park and neighbourhood located in Colwood, British Columbia near its border with the municipality of Metchosin. ... Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) was a Canadian military college (1940 to 1995) located in Hatley Park, Colwood, British Columbia near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Royal Roads University (RRU) is a public university located in Colwood, a suburb of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia. ...

A real estate and development boom ended just before World War I, leaving Victoria with a large stock of Edwardian public, commercial and residential structures that have greatly contributed to the City's character. 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. 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. The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ... The Saanich Peninsula is located north of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Langford is a city of 22,459 residents on southern Vancouver Island, within the province of British Columbia, Canada. ...

Greater Victoria periodically experiences calls for the amalgamation of the thirteen municipal governments within the Capital Regional District.^[6] The opponents of amalgamation state that separate governance affords residents a greater deal of local autonomy. The proponents of amalgamation argue that 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. Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Local government of the United States. ... Categories: Regional districts of British Columbia | Geographic regions of British Columbia | Canada-place stubs ...

Geography

The landscape of Victoria was molded 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 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 the British Columbia coast. Their thick dark topsoils denoted a high level of fertility which made them valuable for farming until urbanization took over. This page is under construction. ... Categories: Geology stubs | Glaciology | Sedimentary rocks ... For other uses, see Sand (disambiguation). ... Gravel (largest fragment in this photo is about 4 cm) Gravel is rock that is of a certain particle size range. ... For other uses, see Clay (disambiguation). ...

Climate

Victoria has a temperate climate that is usually classified as Marine west coast(Cfb),^[7] with mild, damp winters and relatively dry and mild summers. It is sometimes classified as a Mediterranean climate (Csb).^[8] It has been suggested that The Cool Western Temperate Maritime Climate be merged into this article or section. ...  Areas with Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin. ...

Daily temperatures rise above 30°C (86°F) on an average of one or two days per year and fall below -5°C (23°F) on an average of only 2 nights per year. During the winter, the average daily high and low temperatures are 8.2°C (47°F) and 3.6°C (38°F), respectively. The summer months are equally mild, with an average high temperature of 19.6°C (67°F) and low of 11.3°C (52°F). Victoria does occasionally experience more extreme temperatures. The highest temperature ever recorded in Victoria was 36.3°C (97.3°F) on July 11, 2007, while the coldest temperature on record was -15.6°C (4°F) on December 29, 1968 and January 28, 1950. Victoria has not recorded a temperature below -10°C (14°F) since 1990.

Total annual precipitation is just 608 mm (24in) at the Gonzales weather station in Victoria, contrasted to nearby Seattle, (137 km/85 miles away to the southeast), with 970mm (38in) of rainfall, or Vancouver, 100 km away, with 1,219 mm (48 in) of rainfall. Perhaps even more dramatic is the difference in rainfalls on Vancouver Island. Port Renfrew, just 80 km from Victoria on the wet southwest coast of Vancouver Island receives 3,671 mm (145 in). Even the Victoria Airport, 25 km north of the city, receives about 45 per cent more precipitation than the city proper. One of the most striking features of Victoria's climate is the distinct dry and rainy seasons. Nearly two thirds of the annual precipitation falls during the four wettest months, November to February. Precipitation in December, the wettest month (109 mm/4 in) is nearly eight times as high as in July, the driest month (14 mm/0.5 in). During the summer months, Victoria is the driest major city in Canada. City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation). ... Location of Port Renfrew, British Columbia. ...

Victoria averages just 26 cm (10 in) of snow annually. Every few decades, Victoria receives very large snowfalls, including the more than 100 cm (39 in) of snow that fell in December 1996. On the other hand, roughly one third of winters will see virtually no snow, with less than 5 cm (2 in) falling during the entire season. When snow does fall, it rarely lasts long on the ground. Victoria averages just 2-3 days per year with at least 5 cm (2 in) of snow on the ground.

The rain shadow effect also means that Victoria gets more sunshine than surrounding areas. With 2,223 hours of sun annually, Victoria is one of the sunniest places in British Columbia, and gets more sunshine than most other cities in Canada except those in the southern Prairies. The benefits of Victoria's climate are evident through the city's gardens, which are more likely to display drought-tolerant oak trees, eucalyptus, arbutus, and even bananas, than they are likely to feature evergreen conifers, which are typically associated with the coastal Pacific Northwest environment.
For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series). ...

Colourful flowers bedeck the genteel "Garden City" downtown

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1354x1734, 585 KB) Summary Victoria BC, The Garden City is known for its temparate climate; the downtown streets are decorated with English-style lamp posts and an abundance of colorful flowers in hanging baskets and other arrangements. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1354x1734, 585 KB) Summary Victoria BC, The Garden City is known for its temparate climate; the downtown streets are decorated with English-style lamp posts and an abundance of colorful flowers in hanging baskets and other arrangements. ...

Victoria's Harbour with Songhees condominiums in the background

Victoria's equable climate has also added to its reputation as the "City of Gardens". With its mild temperatures and plentiful sunshine, Victoria boasts gardens that are home to many plant species rarely found elsewhere in Canada. Several species of palms, eucalyptus, and even certain varieties of bananas can be seen growing throughout the area's gardens. The city takes pride in the many flowers that bloom during the winter and early spring, including crocuses, daffodils, early-blooming rhododendrons, cherry and plum trees. Every February there is an annual "flower count" in what for the rest of the country and most of the province is still the dead of winter. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2098x1307, 2157 KB) Victorias Harbour with Songhees condominiums in the background, Taken November 7th, 2006, at . ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2098x1307, 2157 KB) Victorias Harbour with Songhees condominiums in the background, Taken November 7th, 2006, at . ...

Due to its mild climate, Victoria and its surrounding area (southeastern Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, and parts of the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast) is 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 endangered species exist here at the northern end of their range, and are found as far south as Central and Southern California, and even parts of Mexico. Map showing the location of the Southern Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands is the name collectively given to the islands in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the mainland Pacific coast of British Columbia, Canada. ... The Lower Mainland is the name that residents of British Columbia apply to the region surrounding the City of Vancouver. ... There are several places around the globe that use the name Sunshine Coast. ... Binomial name Quercus garryana The Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana), also known as Garry Oak, has a range from northern California to British Columbia. ... Species See text See Manzanita (album) for the Mia Doi Todd album. ... ...

Neighbourhoods of Victoria

The Empress hotel in the morning.

The Legislature Buildings roof with a gold-covered statue of Captain George Vancouver

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 the individual entries for those municipalities. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 4141 KB) Rendered to 8 bits from a 32 bit HDR image created from 8 exposures in the early morning Nov. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 4141 KB) Rendered to 8 bits from a 32 bit HDR image created from 8 exposures in the early morning Nov. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 541 pixelsFull resolution (5861 × 3960 pixel, file size: 11. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 541 pixelsFull resolution (5861 × 3960 pixel, file size: 11. ... Captain George Vancouver RN (June 22, 1757 – May 12, 1798) was an officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of North America, including the Pacific coast along the modern day Canadian province of British Columbia and the American states of Alaska, Washington and Oregon. ... Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ...

• Burnside
• Downtown
• Fairfield
• James Bay
• Fernwood
• Harris Green
• North Jubilee
• North Park
• Oaklands
• Rockland
• South Jubilee
• Victoria West

Other city districts often regarded as neighbourhoods include: Fairfield is a neighbourhood of Victoria, BC. It is bounded by the James Bay, Downtown, Harris Green, Fernwood, Rockland, and Gonzales neighbourhoods (.pdf map). ... James Bay is a neighbourhood of Victoria, BC. It occupies the south side of the Inner Harbour close to downtown. ... Fernwoods four corners Fernwood is a neighbourhood near downtown Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, boundaried by the neighbourhoods of Jubilee, North Park, Fairfield, Downtown, Hillside and Harris Green. ...

• Chinatown
• Rock Bay
• Oak Bay Border
• Uplands
• Songhees
• Selkirk

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Rock Bay is a neighborhood bordering downtown Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, whose borders are the Upper Harbor on the west, David Street and Hillside Avenue on the north, Douglas Street on the east, and approximately Pembroke Street on the south. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Demographics

Population

Located on the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island, overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the City of Victoria has a population of approximately 78,659.^[10] The Capital Regional District, comprising thirteen municipalities informally referred to as Greater Victoria, has a population of more than 330,000^[11] and is the largest urban area on Vancouver Island.^[12] By population, Greater Victoria is the 15th largest metropolitan area in Canada. The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates Vancouver Island of British Columbia from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. ... YK NWT AB USA AK Capital Cariboo Cowichan GVRD Nanaimo Stikine The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada and the southern Gulf Islands: (Saltspring, Galiano, Pender, Saturna, Mayne), and many smaller islands. ... Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ... Cities with at least a million inhabitants in 2006 An urban area is an area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. ... The table below lists the 100 largest metropolitan areas in Canada by population, using data from the Canada 2001 Census[1] and the Canada 2006 Census. ...

Age distribution

Victoria is well-known for its disproportionately large retiree population. Some 6.4 per cent of the population of Victoria and its surrounding area are over 80 years of age - the highest proportion for any of Canada's metropolitan areas. The city also boasts the country's third-highest concentration of people 65 and older (17.8 per cent), behind only Peterborough, Ontario, and Kelowna, British Columbia.^[13] Retirees throughout Canada are drawn to Victoria's mild climate, beautiful scenery, year-round golf season, and generally easy-going pace of life. A historically popular cliché about Victoria is that it is for "the newly wed and nearly dead". Retirement is the status of a worker who has stopped working. ... Nickname: Motto: Dat natura, elaborant artes (Nature Provides, Industry Develops) Map of Ontario with Peterborough indicated with a red dot Coordinates: , Country Province County Peterborough County Established 1819 - Scotts Plains Incorporated as town 1850 - Peterborough Incorporated as city July 1, 1905 Government  - Mayor Paul Ayotte  - MP Dean Del Mastro... Location of Kelowna within the Central Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada Country Province Regional District Central Okanagan Settled 1879 Incorporated 1905 Government  - Mayor Sharon Shepherd  - Governing body Kelowna City Council  - MP Ron Cannan  - MLAs Al Horning Sindi Hawkins Area  - City 283 km²  (109. ...

Ethnicity

Ethnically, the residents of the City of Victoria self-identify primarily as not-a-visible minority (note that these categories are those used in the Statistics Canada census).

Each of the additional ethnic groups listed in the 2006 census represent less than 1% of the population of the City of Victoria.^[17]

Economy

The city's chief industries are technology, tourism, education, federal and provincial government administration and services.^{[citation needed]} Other nearby employers include the Canadian Forces (the Township of Esquimalt is the home of the Pacific headquarters of the Canadian Forces Maritime Command), and the University of Victoria (located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich). 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, technology products, various high tech firms in pharmaceuticals and computers, engineering, architecture and telecommunications. The Canadian Forces (CF) (French: Forces canadiennes (FC)) are the unified armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence Act, which states: The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces. ... The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ... HMCS Bastion, flagship of the Canadian Navy. ... 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). ... Oak Bay is a municipality in the Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada. ... // Introduction The District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. ... Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. ... The tower of a personal computer. ... Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria. ... This article is about building architecture. ... Copy of the original phone of Alexander Graham Bell at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris Telecommunication is the assisted transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication. ...

Vancouver Island Advanced Technology Centre (VIATeC) is an umbrella organization, partnership between industry and education, promoting high tech industry development in the Victoria region.

The May 24, 2007 edition of the Victoria Times-Colonist newspaper reported that for the first time in Victoria history, high technology has over taken tourism as the top performing economic sector in Greater Victoria. A gala awards event was staged at the Victoria Conference Centre for business executives and companies that achieved excellence in their respective fields. The Times Colonist is an English-language daily newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ...

The Victoria Region is experiencing a booming real estate economy. The labour shortages and high cost of housing seem to mirror the economic trends of other booming Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation). ... This article is about the city in Alberta, Canada. ... This article is about the Canadian city. ...

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 deep and wide opening. The port is a working harbour, tourist attraction and cruise destination. Esquimalt is also a well-protected harbour with large graving dock and shipbuilding and repair facilities. Breakwater has several meanings, including: a structure for protecting a beach or harbour a 1988 album named Breakwater by Lennie Gallant. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A cruising sailboat anchored in the San Blas Islands, in Panama. ... The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ... U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision with a fishing boat. ... Men from Francisco de Orellanas expedition building a small brigantine, the San Pedro, to be used in the search for food Shipbuilding is the construction of ships. ...

Culture

One of the stone lions that guards the gate of Chinatown in Victoria.

Totem pole on the inner harbour.

The Victoria Symphony, led by Tania Miller, performs at the Royal Theatre and the Farquhar Auditorium of the University of Victoria from September to May. Every BC Day weekend, the Symphony mounts Symphony Splash, an outdoor event that includes a performance by the orchestra sitting on a barge in Victoria's Inner Harbour. Streets in the local area are closed, as each year approximately 40,000 people attend a variety of concerts and events throughout the day. The event culminates with the Symphony's evening concert, with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture as the grand finale, complete with cannon-fire, a pealing carillon and a fireworks display to honour BC Day. Pacific Opera Victoria, Victoria Philharmonic Choir and Ballet Victoria stage two or three productions each year at the Macpherson or Royal Theatres. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (902x1628, 1253 KB) Lion statues in Victoria, BCs chinatown This photo was taken by Ryan Bushby(HighInBC) with his Canon PowerShot S3 IS. To see more of his photos see his gallery. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (902x1628, 1253 KB) Lion statues in Victoria, BCs chinatown This photo was taken by Ryan Bushby(HighInBC) with his Canon PowerShot S3 IS. To see more of his photos see his gallery. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (777x2240, 1325 KB)[edit] Summary This photo was taken by Ryan Bushby(HighInBC) with his Canon PowerShot A520. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (777x2240, 1325 KB)[edit] Summary This photo was taken by Ryan Bushby(HighInBC) with his Canon PowerShot A520. ... The Victoria Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Victoria, British Columbia. ... The Royal Theatre is a roadhouse located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Canadian national holidays (with provincial exceptions): Each province of Canada has its own provincial holiday or holidays: St. ... The Victoria Philharmonic Choir is an important auditioned symphonic choir choral with 75 voices based in Victoria British Columbia. ...

The Bastion Theatre, a professional dramatic company, functioned in Victoria through the 1970s and '80s and performed high quality dramatic productions but ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1988. Reborn as The New Bastion Theatre in 1990 the company struggled for two more years before closing operations in 1992.

The Belfry Theatre started in 1974 as the Springridge Cultural Centre in 1974. The venue was renamed the Belfry Theatre in 1976 as the company began producing its own shows. The Belfry’s mandate is to produce contemporary plays with an emphasis on new Canadian plays.

Other regional Theatre venues include: Phoenix Theatre student theatre at the University of Victoria, Kaleidoscope Theatre and Intrepid Theatre, producers of the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival and The Uno Festival of Solo Performance.

The only Canadian Forces Primary Reserve brass/reed band on Vancouver Island is located in Victoria. The 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery Band traces its roots back to 1864, making it the oldest, continually-operational military band west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Its mandate is to support the island's military community by performing at military dinners, parades and ceremonies, and other events. The band performs weekly in August at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site where the Regiment started manning the guns of the fort in 1896, and also performs every year at the Cameron Bandshell at Beacon Hill Park. Nickname: Motto: Superior by nature Location of Thunder Bay, Ontario Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Region Northwestern Ontario District Thunder Bay District CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1679 as Fort Caministigoyan See histories of Port Arthur and Fort William Amalgamation 1 January 1970 Government [1][2]  - Type Municipal Government  - Mayor Lynn... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 107 Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... The totem pole in Beacon Hill Park. ...

The current major sporting and entertainment complex, for Victoria and Vancouver Island Region, is the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre arena. It replaced the former Victoria Memorial Arena, which was constructed by efforts of World War II veterans as a monument to fallen comrades. World War I, World War II, Korean War, and other conflict veterans are also commemorated. Fallen Canadian soldiers in past, present, and future wars and/or United Nations, NATO missions are noted, or will be noted by the main lobby monument at the Save On Foods Memorial Centre. The arena is the home of the ECHL (formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League) team, Victoria Salmon Kings, owned by RG Properties Limited, a real estate development firm that built the Victoria Save On Foods Memorial Centre, and Prospera Place Arena in Kelowna. Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (SOFMC) is located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is the largest arena in British Columbia outside of Vancouver. ... The Victoria Memorial Arena was an ice hockey arena located in Victoria, British Columbia. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League. ... The Victoria Salmon Kings are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL which began play in the 2004-2005 season. ... The Prospera Place(formerly known as Skyreach Place) is a 6,800-seat multi-purpose arena in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. ... Locator map for Kelowna, BC Kelowna (2001 population 96,288, metropolitan population 147,739) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. ...

A number of well-known musicians and bands are from Victoria, including Nelly Furtado, David Foster, Bryce Soderberg, Swollen Members, Armchair Cynics, and Hot Hot Heat. From the film industry, Hollywood director Atom Egoyan was raised in Victoria. Actor Cameron Bright (Ultraviolet (film), X-Men: The Last Stand, Thank You For Smoking) was born in Victoria. Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist, who also holds Portuguese citizenship. ... For other persons named David Foster, see David Foster (disambiguation). ... Bryce Soderberg Bryce Dane Soderberg (born April 10, 1980 in Victoria, British Columbia) is the bassist for Los Angeles rock band Lifehouse. ... Swollen Members is a Canadian hip hop hip/hop group hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, consisting principally of the duo Mad Child and Prevail. ... The Armchair Cynics are a Canadian rock band from Victoria, British Columbia. ... Hot Hot Heat is an indie rock band from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Atom Egoyan at the Third Golden Apricot Film Festival. ... Cameron Douglas Bright (born January 26, 1993[1]) is a Canadian child actor. ... For other uses, see Ultraviolet (disambiguation). ... Thank You for Smoking is a 2006, Golden Globe nominated film satire directed by Jason Reitman and produced by David O. Sacks. ...

Attractions

The Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria, British Columbia

Beacon Hill Park is the central city's main urban green space. Its area of 75 hectares adjacent to Victoria's southern shore includes numerous playing fields, manicured gardens, exotic species of plants and animals such as wild peacocks, a petting zoo, and views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic mountain range. The sport of cricket has been played in Beacon Hill Park since the mid-nineteenth century.^[18] Each summer, Beacon Hill Park plays host to several outdoor concerts, and the Luminara Community Lantern Festival. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (5000 × 5000 pixel, file size: 18. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (5000 × 5000 pixel, file size: 18. ... The Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia Christ Church Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1000x346, 187 KB)[edit] Summary I (Adrian Denegar) took this photograph on July 26, 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1000x346, 187 KB)[edit] Summary I (Adrian Denegar) took this photograph on July 26, 2006. ... The totem pole in Beacon Hill Park. ... The Strait of Juan de Fuca separates Vancouver Island of British Columbia from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. ... The Olympic Mountains The Olympic Mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. ... This article is about the sport. ...

The extensive system of parks in Victoria also includes a few areas of natural Garry oak meadow habitat, an increasingly scarce ecosystem that once dominated the region. Binomial name Quercus garryana The Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana), also known as Garry Oak, has a range from northern California to British Columbia. ...

Part of Victoria's skyline in May 2006 from Thunderbird Park.

In the heart of downtown are the British Columbia Legislative Buildings, The Empress Hotel, the gothic Christ Church Cathedral, and the Royal British Columbia Museum/IMAX National Geographic Theatre, with large exhibits on local Aboriginal peoples, natural history, and modern history, along with travelling international exhibits. In addition, the heart of downtown also has the Emily Carr House, Royal London Wax Museum, Victoria Bug Zoo, Market Square and the Pacific Undersea Gardens, which showcases marine life of British Columbia. The oldest (and most intact) Chinatown in Canada is located within downtown. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is located close to downtown in the Rockland neighbourhood several city blocks from Craigdarroch Castle built by industrialist James Dunsmuir and Government House, the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 939 KB) Summary I (Bryan Wittal) took this photo of Victorias skyline on May 31, 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 939 KB) Summary I (Bryan Wittal) took this photo of Victorias skyline on May 31, 2006. ... The Parliament Buildings Another view The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are located in Victoria, British Columbia and serve as the seat of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. ... The Empress Hotel The Fairmont Empress (most commonly known as The Empress) is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria, British Columbia. ... The Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia Christ Church Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Historical museum located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Aboriginal peoples in British Columbia can be designated into two groups, First Nations and Métis. ... Table of natural history, 1728 Cyclopaedia Natural history is an umbrella term for what are now often viewed as several distinct scientific disciplines of integrative organismal biology. ... Modern history describes the history of the Modern Times, the era after the Middle Ages. ... Emily Carr Emily Carr (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist and writer. ... The Victoria Bug Zoo is a two-room minizoo that is located in downtown Victoria, just one block north from the Fairmont Empress Hotel. ... Market Square is one of Victoria, British Columbias oldest landmarks and also one of its most visited tourist attractions. ... The Pacific Undersea Gardens is located at the Inner Harbour in the heart of downtown Victoria. ... This article is about sections of an urban area associated with a large number of Chinese residents or commercial activities. ... The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is a Canadian art gallery located in Victoria, British Columbia. ... Plaque in front of the castle. ... James Dunsmuir (b July 8, 1851, Fort Vancouver – d June 6, 1920, Cowichan Bay, British Columbia) was a British Columbian industrialist and politician. ...

Numerous other buildings of historic importance or interest are also located in central Victoria, including: the 1845 St. Ann's Schoolhouse; the 1852 Helmcken House built for Victoria's first doctor; the 1863 Temple Emanuel, the oldest synagogue in continuous use in Canada; the 1865 Angela College built as Victoria's first Anglican Collegiate School for Girls, now housing retired nuns of the Sisters of St. Ann; the 1871 St. Ann's Academy built as a Catholic school; the 1874 Church of Our Lord, built to house a breakaway congregation from the Anglican Christ Church cathedral; the 1890 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church; the 1890 Metropolitan Methodist Church (now the Victoria Conservatory of Music; the 1892 St. Andrew's Cathedral; and the 1925 Crystal Gardens, originally a saltwater swimming pool, restored as a conservatory and most recently a tourist attraction called the B.C. Experience, which closed down in 2006. Helmcken House is a museum in Victoria, British Columbia. ...

CFB Esquimalt navy base, in the adjacent municipality of Esquimalt, has a base museum dedicated to naval and military history, located in the Naden part of the base. CFB Esquimalt is Canadas West Coast (Pacific) naval base. ... The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. ...

North of the city on the Saanich Peninsula is Butchart Gardens, one of the biggest tourist attractions on Vancouver Island, as well as the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, part of the