Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is usually defined as the thirteen

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

of the

Capital Regional District The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The CRD is one of several regional d ...

(CRD) on Vancouver Island as well as some adjacent areas and nearby islands. The Capital Regional District administers some aspects of public administration for the whole metro region; other aspects are administered by the individual member municipalities of Greater Victoria. Roughly, Greater Victoria consists of all land and nearby islands east of a line drawn from the southern end of Finlayson Arm to the eastern shore of

Sooke Harbour Sooke is a district municipality on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada, by road from Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Sooke, the westernmost of Greater Victoria's Western Communities, is to the north and west of the Sooke ...

, along with some lands on the northern shore of Sooke Harbour. Many places, buildings, and institutions associated with Victoria such as the University of Victoria,

Victoria International Airport Victoria International Airport serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is north northwest of Victoria on the Saanich Peninsula, with the bulk of the airport (including the passenger terminal) in North Saanich, and a small portion of the ...

, and the

Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal The Swartz Bay ferry terminal is a major transportation facility at Swartz Bay in North Saanich, British Columbia. It is located north of Victoria on Vancouver Island. The terminal is part of the BC Ferries system, as well as part of Highwa ...

, are outside the

City of Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychell ...

itself, which has an area of just on the southern tip of Greater Victoria. Victoria is the locality indicated in the mailing addresses of several CRD municipalities and localities adjacent to Victoria. The

central city In urban planning, a core city, principal city metropolitan core, or central city, is the largest or most important city or cities of a metropolitan area. A core city is surrounded by smaller satellite cities, towns, and suburbs. A central cit ...

of Victoria lends its name and cultural influence to many places and organizations in the metro region.

Municipalities

There are 13 cities, towns, and district municipalities in Greater Victoria. ;"Core" municipalities * The City of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seyche ...

, the adjacent District Municipalities of Saanich,

Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esqui ...

and

Oak Bay Oak Bay is a municipality incorporated in 1906 that is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of thirteen member municipalities of the Capital Regional District, and is bordered ...

, and the town of View Royal. ; West Shore * The cities of Colwood and Langford and the District Municipalities of

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Albania * Dukagjin Highlands Armenia * Armenian Highlands Australia * So ...

Metchosin The District of Metchosin is a municipality and community in Greater Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is a coastal community adjacent to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Metchosin is part of the Wester ...

, and

Sooke Sooke is a district municipality on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada, by road from Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Sooke, the westernmost of Greater Victoria's Western Communities, is to the north and west of the Sooke B ...

, which lie generally west of

Esquimalt Harbour Esquimalt Harbour is a natural harbour in Greater Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The entrance to Esquimalt Harbour is from the south off the Strait of Juan de Fuca through a narrow channel known as Ro ...

and Portage Inlet. ; Saanich Peninsula * The District Municipalities of

Central Saanich Central Saanich is a district municipality in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada , and a member municipality of the Capital Regional District. It is located on the Saanich Peninsula, in the far south-east of Vancouver Island. The distri ...

, North Saanich, parts of Saanich, and the town of Sidney, which lie to the north of Victoria. This breakdown is roughly mirrored by the three school districts in Greater Victoria. * Greater Victoria School District #61 - (the core municipalities) * Sooke School District #62 - (the

Western Communities The Western Communities, also called the West Shore (e.g.West Shore RCMP or Westshore (e.gWestshore Town Centre, is the suburban municipalities of Colwood, Langford, Metchosin and The Highlands, Langford and unincorporated districts west of ...

) * Saanich School District #63 - (the Saanich Peninsula) Greater Victoria is the southernmost urban area in

Western Canada Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada– ...

; it is located south of the 49th parallel.

Neighbourhoods

This list is similar to, but not identical with, that used by the Greater Victoria real estate sales industry. Neighbourhoods with official status are italicized. Others may have no official definition, hence other lists of neighbourhoods in the Victoria area may differ. Other sources may give different boundaries as well. *

** ''Burnside-Gorge'' *** ''Rock Bay'' ** '' Downtown'' ***

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austr ...

** '' Fairfield-Gonzales'' *** Cook Street Village *** Humboldt Valley *** ''Gonzales'' ** '' Fernwood'' ** ''Harris Green'' ** ''Hillside-Quadra'' ***''Blanshard'' ***''Quadra Village'' *** Mayfair ** '' James Bay'' ** ''Jubilee'' *** ''North Jubilee'' *** ''South Jubilee'' ** ''North Park'' ** ''Oaklands'' ** '' Rockland'' ** ''

Victoria West Victoria West is a town in the central Karoo region of South Africa's Northern Cape province. It is situated on the main N12 route, at an elevation of . It is the seat of the Ubuntu Local Municipality within the Pixley ka Seme District Municip ...

'' * Saanich ** ''Blenkinsop'' ** ''

Cadboro Bay Cadboro Bay is a bay near the southern tip of Vancouver Island and its adjacent neighbourhood in the municipalities of Saanich and Oak Bay in Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Cadboro Bay was the site of Sungayka, a village of the Songhe ...

'' *** Queenswood *** Ten Mile Point ** ''Carey'' *** Glanford *** Marigold ** ''Cordova Bay'' ** '' Gordon Head'' *** Arbutus *** Mt. Douglas ** ''North Quadra'' ** ''Quadra'' *** Cedar Hill *** Lake Hill *** Maplewood ** ''Royal Oak'' *** Broadmead-Sunnymead ** ''Rural Saanich'' *** Beaver Lake *** Elk Lake *** Interurban *** Prospect Lake *** Strawberry Vale *** West Burnside ** ''Saanich Core'' ** ''Shelbourne'' *** Mt. Tolmie ** ''Tillicum'' *** The Gorge *

** Gonzales (Foul Bay) ** Uplands **

Willows Beach Willows Beach, Victoria is a beachfront in the Municipality of Oak Bay, in Victoria, British Columbia. Along Willows Beach is Willows Park, where a tea-room is run by the Kiwanis Club in spring and summer. It takes its name from the Willows Fairg ...

** Windsor Park **

South Oak Bay South Oak Bay is a neighbourhood located in the Municipality of Oak Bay, British Columbia, to the south of Oak Bay Avenue and lying east of the boundary between Oak Bay and Victoria, British Columbia. History The neighbourhood was originally the ...

** North Oak Bay ** Estevan *

** Craigflower ** Colville Road ** Gorge Vale ** Parklands ** Rockheights ** Saxe Point ** Songhees ** West Bay ** Work Point ( DND) * View Royal ** Shoreline * Colwood ** Belmont Park ** Colwood Corners **

Hatley Park Hatley Park National Historic Site is located in Colwood, British Columbia, in Greater Victoria. It is the site of Hatley Castle, a Classified Federal Heritage Building. Since 1995, the mansion and estate have been used for the public Royal Ro ...

** Mill Hill ** Royal Roads ** Royal Bay ** Triangle Mountain * Langford ** North *** Bear Mountain *** Florence Lake *** Millstream *** Thetis Heights ** South *** Glen Lake *** Goldstream Meadows *** Luxton *** Ravenwood *** Westhills *

** Durrance Lake ** Thetis Lake ** Willis Point *

** Happy Valley ** Matheson Lake ** Rocky Point ** William Head *

** Brentwood Bay ** Island View ** Saanichton * North Saanich ** Cloake Hill ** Dean Park ** Deep Cove ** Lands End **

Patricia Bay Patricia Bay ("Pat Bay" to locals) is a body of salt water that extends east from Saanich Inlet and forms part of the shoreline of North Saanich, British Columbia. It lies due west of Victoria International Airport. A municipal park covers most of ...

("Pat Bay") **

Swartz Bay Swartz Bay, located on the north end of the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island, is primarily known for being the location of one of BC Ferries' main terminals, the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal The Swartz Bay ferry terminal is a major transpor ...

** Ardmore * Sidney *

** Broom Hill **

East Sooke East Sooke is an unincorporated community south and east of Sooke, British Columbia, Canada. It consists of over 500 houses (and one volunteer fire department) along with the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) ...

** Otter Point ** Kemp Lake ** Sooke Town Centre ** Sunriver ** Saseenos ** Whiffin Spit

Climate

Demographics

The Greater Victoria region has a combined population of 397,237 according to the 2021 Canadian census. The region comprises two of the fifteen most populous municipalities in British Columbia (Saanich, at number seven, and Victoria at number thirteen). The Canadian Census ranks Greater Victoria as the 15th largest metropolitan area in Canada, by population. The combined population of the cities, municipalities, unincorporated areas and Indian Reserves in the region are as follows: # Saanich 117,735 #

91,867 # Langford 46,584 # Colwood 18,961 #

17,990 #

17,533 #

17,385 #

15,086 # Sidney 12,318 # North Saanich 12,235 # View Royal 11,575 # Juan de Fuca (Part 1) 5,132 #

5,067 #

2,482 # New Songhees 1A Indian Reserve 1,839 # East Saanich 2 Indian Reserve 1,790 # South Saanich 1 Indian Reserve 712 # Cole Bay 3 Indian Reserve 266 # T'Sou-ke Indian Reserve 230 # Becher Bay 1 Indian Reserve 221 # Esquimalt Indian Reserve 120 # Union Bay 4 Indian Reserve 109

Ethnicity

In comparison to the Lower Mainland ( Vancouver and environs), the region does not have a great deal of racial diversity. Most of the population is of

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

descent. A substantial community of those of

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of v ...

descent has existed in Greater Victoria since the

Fraser Gold Rush The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, (also Fraser Gold Rush and Fraser River Gold Rush) began in 1858 after gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia at its confluence with the Nicoamen River a few miles upstream from the Thompson's ...

of 1858–60, which saw the first significant influx, arriving first via San Francisco then directly from China. There is also a substantial First Nations (indigenous) population whose ancestors have lived in the area for thousands of years. Numerous First Nations reserves, forming distinct communities, exist in the region — primarily on the Saanich Peninsula, in Esquimalt, and in the Western Communities — although the majority of the First Nations population live off-reserve. The largest ethnic groups in Greater Victoria, according to the 2016 census,Census Profile, 2016 Census: Victoria (Census metropolitan area), British Columbia and British Columbia (Province)
Statistics Canada. Retrieved on 2017-12-30. are: # English - 140,510 #

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

- 98,475 #Canadian - 86,000 #

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

- 73,170 #

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

- 50,440 #

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

- 38,775 #

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

- 19,410 #

- 17,825 # Dutch - 17,790 # First Nations - 15,430 # Welsh - 14,140 # Polish - 13,610 # Norwegian - 12,130 #

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional It ...

- 11,665 # Swedish - 9,380 #

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

- 9,180 #

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries * Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and p ...

- 8,565 #

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

- 8,485 #

Metis Metis or Métis may refer to: Ethnic groups * Métis, recognized Indigenous communities in Canada and America whose distinct culture and language emerged after early intermarriage between First Nations peoples and early European settlers, primar ...

- 7,135 # Filipino - 6,650 The same information, although grouped more geographically, is below. The largest sub-grouping is included.

Culture

Many Victoria Region municipalities have their own fairs:

's Tea Party,

's Buccaneer Days, Sidney's Sidney Days,

's Sooke Days,

' Luxton Rodeo, and

's Saanich Fair. The Saanich Fair is the oldest and largest of all the Greater Victoria local fair venues; it is considered a '' de facto'' regional fair because of its greater size, content, and famous reputation. The Saanich Fair has the largest number of attendees of all the Victoria area fairs. There is a wide variety of entertainment and recreational facilities and activities. The mild coastal climate ensures less extreme weather changes. Outdoor and indoor recreational areas are abundant throughout the region. The Rifflandia Music Festival takes place downtown in mid to late September. The Victoria Tall Ships Festival showcase sailing vessels and the sailing lif

The Victoria Symphony performs over 100 concerts a year, including the renowned Symphony Splash, an annual free concert in the Inner Harbour on the August Sunday preceding B.C Day. The orchestra is on a barge playing to an audience of over 40,000. The Electronic Music Festival also takes place at Centennial Square, where DJs can show off their music mixing skills. These regional positive qualities, along with new transportation links, international high-profile events (2007 NATO meeting,

2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 16th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup (formerly called the FIFA World Youth Championship), hosted by Canada from 30 June to 22 July 2007. Argentina defeated the Czech Republic in the title game by the sco ...

1994 Commonwealth Games The 1994 Commonwealth Games ( French: ''XVéme Jeux du Commonwealth'') were held in Victoria, British Columbia, from 18 to 28 August 1994. Ten types of sports were featured at the Victoria Games: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cyclin ...

), could have helped produce a socio-economic effect in terms of: attractiveness as a place of residency, low unemployment, high real estate development potential for profit, increasing immigration of new people(s), and expanding opportunities for business or economic development. High-profile international attention performs its duty as a marketing, public relations, and sales catalyst for further activity. Boaters from around the world gather annually in the waters off of Vancouver Island for the

Swiftsure International Yacht Race The Swiftsure International Yacht Race is the premier long distance sailing race in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia area. Starting and ending in Victoria, BC, Canada, the Swiftsure is international because the midpoint markers for the ...

. An example of this economic opportunity also lies in Victoria's geography. The April 19, 2008 ''

Victoria Times Colonist The ''Times Colonist'' is an English-language daily newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was formed by the Sept. 2, 1980 merger of the ''Victoria Daily Times'', established in 1884, and the ''British Colonist'' (later the ''Daily C ...

'' newspaper printed a section, sponsored by the Downtown Victoria Business Association, focusing on the area's downtown selection of goods and service providers. As it was in the early days with merchants supplying and outfitting gold rush

prospector Prospector may refer to: Space exploration * Prospector (spacecraft), a planned lunar probe, canceled in 1962 * ''Lunar Prospector'', a NASA spacecraft Trains * Prospector (train), a passenger train operated by the Denver & Rio Grande Western ...

s, today's modern merchants supply outdoor recreation seekers before they head to other parts of Vancouver Island for surfing, kayaking,

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natur ...

, swimming,

cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

or whatever activities they seek. In June 2010, the

Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submari ...

celebrated its 100th anniversary with a

Fleet Review A fleet review or naval review is an event where a gathering of ships from a particular navy is paraded and reviewed by an incumbent head of state and/or other official civilian and military dignitaries. A number of national navies continue to ...

in the waters off of Greater Victoria, by Canada's former Governor General Michaëlle Jean. The review was attended by warships from Canada, France, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, the United States along with US and Canadian

Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...

vessels. These celebration activities coincided with the Esquimalt Buccaneer Days Fair and the

2010 FIFA World Cup , image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg , size = 200px , caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...

activities in local bars. The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay started in Greater Victoria and proceeded to other communities across Canada. The conclusion of the torch relay began the

2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May Doan Nancy GreeneWayne Gre ...

Vancouver BC Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...

Notable places

Educational institutions

Camosun College Camosun College is a public college located in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The college has two campuses, Lansdowne and Interurban, with a total enrollment of around 14,000 students (including Professional Studies and Industry Training) ...

(Saanich and Oak Bay) * Lester B. Pearson College (Metchosin)
Oshio CollegeRoyal Pacific Institute

(Victoria) * Royal Roads University (Colwood) * University of Victoria (Saanich and Oak Bay) *

University Canada West University Canada West (UCW) is a private, for-profit university in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 2005 by David F. Strong, the former president of the University of Victoria. UCW was purchased in 2008 by the Eminata Group and i ...

(Victoria campus closed 2011) * Vancouver Island School of Art (Victoria) *

Victoria College of Art Victoria College of Art (VCA) is a private, non-profit art college located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1974 as the Northwest Coast Institute of Arts, the college offers Diploma programs in Fine Arts, Applied Arts Illustrati ...

(Victoria)

Hospitals

* Royal Jubilee Hospital (Victoria and Saanich) * Saanich Peninsula Hospital (Central Saanich/Saanich Peninsula) *

Victoria General Hospital Victoria General Hospital (VGH) is an acute care facility located in View Royal, British Columbia, Canada, a western suburb of Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * ...

(View Royal)

Military installations

(

Department of National Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philippin ...

) *

CFB Esquimalt Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is Canada's Pacific Coast naval base and home port to Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters. , 4,411 military personnel and 2,762 civilians work at CFB Esquima ...

HMC Dockyard (Esquimalt) *

Naden (Esquimalt) * (Victoria) *Bay Street Armoury (Victoria) *Lieutenant General E.C. Ashton Armoury (Saanich) *

Air Force Squadron detachment (North Saanich)

Parks and natural features

Beacon Hill Park Beacon Hill Park is a 75 ha (200 acre) park located along the shore of Juan de Fuca Strait in Victoria, British Columbia. The park is popular both with tourists and locals, and contains a number of amenities including woodland and shoreline trai ...

(Victoria) *Clover Point (Victoria) *Dallas Road Waterfront Pathway (Victoria) *

Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park The Elk/Beaver Regional Park is a park in Saanich, British Columbia, containing Elk Lake (British Columbia), Elk Lake and Beaver Lake (British Columbia), Beaver Lake. Elk/Beaver Lake was known as the "Freshwater Playground of Victoria" in its ...

(Saanich) * Francis/King Regional Park (Saanich) *

Galloping Goose Regional Trail The Galloping Goose Regional Trail is a rail trail between Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and the ghost town of Leechtown, north of Sooke, where it meets the old Sooke Flowline. Maintained by the Capital Regional District (CRD), the t ...

(from Victoria west through Sooke) * ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱/John Dean Provincial Park (North Saanich and Central Saanich) * Mount Douglas Park (Saanich) *Moss Rock Park (Victoria) *

Ogden Point Ogden Point is a deep water port facility located in the southwestern corner of the city of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Its advantageous geographic location on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, close to ...

(Victoria) * Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt ** East Sooke Regional Park (Juan de Fuca EA) ** Goldstream Provincial Park (Langford) **

Gowlland Tod Provincial Park Gowlland Tod Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. The park protects 1,219 hectares (3,012 acres) of mixed forest of Douglas-fir, Arbutus, western redcedar, western hemlock, shore pine, grand fir, red alder, and Garry ...

(Highlands, and Juan de Fuca EA) **

Mount Work Regional Park Mount Work is a mountain in the Gowlland Range on southern Vancouver Island. It is located within Mount Work Regional Park in the District of Highlands, near Gowlland Tod Provincial Park and Goldstream Provincial Park Goldstream Provincial P ...

(Saanich, Highlands, and Juan de Fuca EA) **

Sooke Potholes Regional Park Sooke Potholes Regional Park is a 63.5-hectare (157-acre) nature park along the Sooke River, near Sooke, British Columbia. It is known for its rocky pools and canyon-like features and is a popular destination for hiking and swimming. The Land C ...

Sooke Potholes Provincial Park Sooke Potholes Provincial Park is a 7.28 hectare provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is adjacent to the Sooke River and Sooke Potholes Regional Park, near Victoria, B.C. Intended primarily to provide access to the Sooke River and th ...

and

Sooke River Provincial Park Sooke is a district municipality on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada, by road from Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Sooke, the westernmost of Greater Victoria's Western Communities, is to the north and west of the Sooke B ...

(Sooke) * Swan Lake/Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary (Saanich) *

Thetis Lake Thetis Lake is a name that refers to two freshwater lakes (Upper and Lower Thetis) connected by a narrow culvert in the Thetis Lake Regional Park outside Victoria, British Columbia, about from the city centre. It was established as Canada's fir ...

Regional Park (View Royal, Langford, and Highlands) *

Uplands Park Uplands Park is located within the municipality of Oak Bay, in the Uplands neighborhood, adjacent to the city of Victoria, British Columbia. Uplands Park consists of of woodland trails and undeveloped natural reserve land, and includes Cattle ...

(Oak Bay) **Cattle Point (Uplands Park, Oak Bay) * Saxe Point Park/ Fleming Beach, former military defence gun bunkers/observation (Esquimalt) *

Hartland landfill The Hartland landfill is the waste disposal site for the city of Victoria, British Columbia and the Greater Victoria area. The landfill began operating in the early 1950's under private ownership and management. Phase 1 of the landfill reached ca ...

( mountain biking, tours &

) (Saanich) * Mount Tolmie (Saanich)

Scientific facilities

Dominion Astrophysical Observatory The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, located on Observatory Hill, in Saanich, British Columbia, was completed in 1918 by the Canadian government. The Dominion architect responsible for the building was Edgar Lewis Horwood. The main instrumen ...

/ National Research Council of Canada (Saanich)
Gonzales Observatory for Atmospheric Biogeochemistry Research
(Oak Bay)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO; french: Pêches et Océans Canada, MPO), is a Ministry (government department), department of the Government of Canada that is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Can ...

(North Saanich) * Geological Survey of Canada, GSC Pacific/

Natural Resources Canada Natural Resources Canada (NRCan; french: Ressources naturelles Canada; french: RNCan, label=none)Natural Resources Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Natural Resources (). is the dep ...

(Sidney)
Sidney Laboratory (Centre for Plant Health)

Canadian Food Inspection Agency The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA; french: Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments) is a regulatory agency that is dedicated to the safeguarding of food, plants, and animals (FPA) in Canada, thus enhancing the health and well-being of ...

(North Saanich)

Sites of interest

Historical

Craigdarroch Castle Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, is a historic, Victorian-era Scottish Baronial mansion. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada due to its landmark status in Victoria. History It was constructed in th ...

(Victoria) * Craigflower Manor and Craigflower Schoolhouse (Saanich) * Empress Hotel (Victoria) *

Fort Rodd Hill Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site is a 19th-century coastal artillery fort on the Colwood, British Columbia side of Esquimalt Harbour, (Greater Victoria/ Victoria BC Metropolitan Area). The site is adjacent to Fisgard Lighthouse National His ...

and Fisgard Lighthouse / Parks Canada (Colwood) *

(Colwood) *

Ross Bay Cemetery Ross Bay Cemetery is located at 1516 Fairfield Road in Victoria, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, Canada. Many historical figures from the early days of the province and colony of British Columbia are buried at Ross Bay. History The ceme ...

(Victoria) * Harling Point Chinese Cemetery (Oak Bay) * Veteran's Cemetery (Esquimalt) *

(Victoria) *Fleming Beach, historical defence bunkers (Esquimalt) *

Emily Carr House Carr House is a National Historic Site of Canada located in Victoria, British Columbia. It was the childhood home of Canadian painter Emily Carr, and had a lasting impression on her paintings and writings. Early history Built in 1863 for the ...

(Victoria) * Victoria High School (Victoria) *

(Saanich) *

(Victoria) *

Helmcken House Helmcken House is a museum in Victoria, British Columbia, located in Thunderbird Park. It was built by Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken, the first doctor in Victoria, in 1852, a surgeon with the Hudson's Bay Company. It is one of the oldest houses in ...

(Victoria) *

Victoria Police Department The Victoria Police Department (VicPD) is the municipal police force for the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada. It is the oldest municipal police department in Canada west of the Great Lakes, the first Can ...

Station Museum (150 years of policing artifacts) (Victoria) *

Butchart Gardens The Butchart Gardens is a group of floral display gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, located near Victoria on Vancouver Island. The gardens receive over a million visitors each year. The gardens have been designated a National ...

(

)

Political

* Government House (Victoria) * Parliament Buildings (Victoria) *

Victoria City Hall Victoria City Hall is the city hall for Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the corner of Douglas Street and Pandora Avenue adjacent to the CTV Vancouver Island studios and the McPherson Playhouse in downtown Victoria. It is ho ...

(Victoria)

Cultural

* Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria) *

British Columbia Aviation Museum The British Columbia Aviation Museum is located in Sidney, British Columbia Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It's 1 of the 13 Greater V ...

( Sidney) *

Military Museum (

) *

(Victoria) * Maltwood Art Gallery UVic University Centre ( Saanich) *

Royal British Columbia Museum Founded in 1886, the Royal British Columbia Museum (sometimes referred to as Royal BC Museum) consists of The Province of British Columbia's natural and human history museum as well as the British Columbia Provincial Archives. The museum is loca ...

& IMAX National Geographic Theatre (Victoria) * Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre ( Sidney) * Thunderbird Park (Victoria, British Columbia)

Sports facilities

Golf * Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club (Langford) * Cedar Hill Golf Course (Saanich) * Gorge Vale Golf Club (Esquimalt) * Olympic View Golf Club (Langford and Colwood) * Royal Colwood Golf and Country Club (Colwood) * Royal Oak Golf Club (Saanich) *

Uplands Golf Club Upland or Uplands may refer to: Geography *Hill, an area of higher land, generally *Highland, an area of higher land divided into low and high points *Upland and lowland, conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level *I ...

(Oak Bay) *

Victoria Golf Club The Victoria Golf Club is a golf course located in the city of Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada, which is part of metropolitan Victoria. It was established in 1893, and is now the oldest golf club in Canada still located on its original site; a ...

(Oak Bay) * Highland Pacific Golf (Saanich) * Prospect Lake Golf Course (Saanich) * Cordova Bay Golf Course (Saanich) Other *

Gordon Head Recreation Centre Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

(Saanich) * Cedar Hill Recreation Centre (Saanich) *

Victoria City Rowing Club The Victoria City Rowing Club is a non-profit rowing club located at Elk Lake in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. VCRC offers a variety of recreational and seasonal rowing programs and services including programs for beginners, corporate re ...

(Saanich) * Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre (Victoria) *

George Pearkes Major-General George Randolph Pearkes, (February 28, 1888 – May 30, 1984) was a Canadian politician and soldier. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British and Imperi ...

Recreation Centre (Saanich) * Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre (Colwood) *

Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre The Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (SOFMC) is an indoor arena located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is the largest arena in British Columbia outside of Vancouver. It is primarily used for ice hockey, previously the home arena of t ...

arena (Victoria) *

Royal Victoria Yacht Club The Royal Victoria Yacht Club is located along the shores of Cadboro Bay in The Uplands a neighborhood of Oak Bay Oak Bay is a municipality incorporated in 1906 that is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian prov ...

(Oak Bay) * Saanich Commonwealth Place (swimming pool and library-

Greater Victoria Public Library The Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) is a public library that serves Victoria, British Columbia and the surrounding area. Services In addition to services offered at each location, GVPL provides electronic resources (also known as bibliogra ...

) (Saanich) *

Victoria Curling Club The Victoria Curling Club was founded as the club signed a lease for land with the City of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in 1950. However, construction did not commence until 1952 as material shortages from the Korean War had caused delays. ...

(Victoria) *

Western Speedway Westshore Motorsports Park (formerly “Western Speedway”) was a race track located just outside Victoria, British Columbia on southern Vancouver Island. It was a 4/10-mile (643 meter) paved oval track founded in 1954 and was western Canada’s ...

(motor racing) (Langford) *

Bear Mountain Arena The Q Centre (formerly Bear Mountain Arena) is in Colwood, British Columbia, Canada. In 2014, the arena was named "The Q Centre" after local radio station CKKQ-FM. The arena opened in February 2004, has 2,300 seats and houses year-round event ...

(Colwood) *

Royal Athletic Park Royal Athletic Park is a stadium in Victoria, British Columbia and is used for baseball, soccer, softball and football, but also hosts special events, such as the annual Great Canadian Beer Festival and previously the Rifflandia Music Festival ...

(Victoria) *

Centennial Stadium Centennial Stadium is a stadium located on the campus of the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The facility was built as a 1967 Canadian Centennial project to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canadian confederatio ...

(track & field) (Saanich, University of Victoria) * Esquimalt Recreation Centre (Esquimalt) * Panorama Recreation Centre (North Saanich) * Oak Bay Recreation Centre (Oak Bay) * Eagle Ridge Community Centre (Langford) * City Centre Park (Langford)

Transportation and ports

Highways Greater Victoria is served by 3 provincial highways Highway 17 Connects Greater Victoria to Victoria International Airport and

BC Ferries British Columbia Ferry Services Inc., operating as BC Ferries (BCF), is a former provincial Crown corporation, now operating as an independently managed, publicly owned Canadian company. BC Ferries provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry ...

service to Vancouver. A four lane highway with mix of freeway, expressway and arterial standards. Highway 1 (Trans Canada Highway) Connects the core eastern municipalities to the western municipalities as a 12km freeway with 7 interchanges. Highway 14 Connects Greater Victoria to Sooke, mostly a two lane highway. Ports * Black Ball Ferries (to

Port Angeles, Washington Port Angeles ( ) is a city and county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. With a population of 19,960 as of the 2020 census, it is the largest city in the county. The population was estimated at 20,134 in 2021. The city's ha ...

) (Victoria) * Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway terminus (Victoria) * Victoria Harbour (Victoria) **

Victoria Inner Harbour Airport Victoria Inner Harbour Airport or Victoria Harbour Water Airport is located in Victoria Harbour, adjacent to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Transport Canada and is staffed by the Canada ...

(

Tsawwassen Tsawwassen ( ) is a suburban, mostly residential community on a peninsula in the southwestern corner of the City of Delta in British Columbia, Canada. It provides the only road access to the American territory on the southern tip of the peninsul ...

, near Vancouver) (North Saanich) *

(North Saanich) **

Victoria Airport Water Aerodrome Victoria Airport Water Aerodrome is a seaplane base located north northwest of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, adjacent to Victoria International Airport. The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by t ...

* Washington State Ferries (Sidney, to the

San Juan Islands The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific Northwest of the United States between the U.S. state of Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of Washington state, and form the core ...

and

Anacortes Anacortes ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.Downtown Victoria Downtown Victoria is a neighbourhood of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada that serves as the city centre and the central business district for the City of Victoria, and the Greater Victoria regions. Characteristics The downtown area is an e ...

Helijet Helijet International is a helicopter airline and charter service based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Its scheduled passenger helicopter airline services operates flights from heliports at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), downt ...

helicopter service to Downtown Vancouver, (Victoria)

Media outlets

Print

Victoria News
local media
Saanich News
local media
Goldstream News Gazette
local media
Peninsula News Review
local media
Sooke News Mirror
local media
Oak Bay News
local media *'' Times Colonist'', regional newspaper *''

Monday Magazine ''Monday Magazine'' is a free arts and entertainment magazine in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Contrary to what the name suggests, ''Monday'' was distributed throughout the greater Victoria area every Thursday until July 2013 when it became ...

'', entertainment weekly publication *''The Nexus'',

student newspaper * The ''Martlet'', University of Victoria student newspaper *

Black Press Black Press Group Ltd. is a Canadian publisher of prominent daily newspapers in Hawaii and Alaska and numerous non-daily newspapers in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, and (via Sound Publishing) the U.S. state of Washington. Black Press ...

community newspapers *
LookOut
', newspaper of

Navy Base *''Victoria Marketplace'', monthly business profiles *
Douglas Magazine
', Victoria based business magazine

Social Media Communities

*
Victoria Buzz
'
Victoria News
local media
Saanich News
local media
Goldstream News Gazette
local media
Peninsula News Review
local media
Sooke News Mirror
local media
Oak Bay News
local media

AM Radio

* CKMO 900 kHz *

CFAX CFAX (1070 AM) is a news/talk radio station in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was independently run until September 30, 2004, when it was taken over by Canadian media company CHUM Limited. Its sister station is CHBE-FM, which began bro ...

1070 kHz

FM Radio

* CBUX, Espace musique - 88.9 * CBCV,

CBC Radio One CBC Radio One is the English-language news and information radio network of the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial-free and offers local and national programming. It is available on AM and FM to 98 percent of Ca ...

- 90.5 MHz * CJZN 91.3 MHz - "The Zone @ 91-3" * CBU,

CBC Radio 2 CBC Music (formerly known as CBC FM, CBC Stereo and CBC Radio 2) is a Canadian FM radio network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It used to concentrate on classical and jazz. In 2007 and 2008, the network transitioned towards a ...

- 92.1 MHz * CIOC 98.5 MHz - "The Ocean" * CKKQ 100.3 MHz - "100.3 The Q!" *

CFUV CFUV-FM is a campus/community radio station broadcasting on 101.9 FM in British Columbia, Canada. It serves the University of Victoria, Greater Victoria and, via cable, Vancouver Island and many areas in the Lower Mainland. It is owned and run ...

101.9 MHz - CFUV, University of Victoria * CHTT 103.1 MHz - "Kiss FM" * CHBE 107.3 MHz - "

Virgin Radio Virgin Radio launched in the United Kingdom in 1993. In 2008, Virgin Radio UK was sold to TIML, a subsidiary of The Times of India group, and the name was changed to Absolute Radio; the Virgin Radio name was not included in the sale. In 2001, ...

" * CILS 107.9 MHz - "Francophonics"

Television

*Channel 6: CHEK ( Independent) *Cable 4:

SHAW Shaw may refer to: Places Australia *Shaw, Queensland Canada * Shaw Street, a street in Toronto England * Shaw, Berkshire, a village * Shaw, Greater Manchester, a location in the parish of Shaw and Crompton * Shaw, Swindon, a suburb of Swindon ...

(Shaw TV) *Channel 53, Cable 12: CIVI (

CTV 2 CTV 2 is a Canadian English-language television system owned by the Bell Media subsidiary of BCE Inc. The system consists of four terrestrial owned-and-operated television stations (O&Os) in Ontario, one in British Columbia and two regional cab ...

)

Regional organisations

AVI Health and Community Services (AVI)
*Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce * Greater Victoria Film Commission *

Greater Victoria Art Gallery The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) is an art museum located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Situated in Rockland, Victoria, the museum occupies a building complex; made up of the Spencer Mansion, and the Exhibition Galleries. The ...

Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition ttps://capitalbike.ca/about-us/ capitalbike.ca The Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (GVCC) was a cycling advocacy group based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In 2021 the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition merged with the Greater Victoria B ...

Island Sexual HealthPeers Victoria Resources Society
* University of Victoria Students' Society (UVSS)
Victoria Pride Society

References

{{Census metropolitan areas by size

Southern Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...

Populated coastal places in Canada

Municipalities

Neighbourhoods

Climate

Demographics

Ethnicity

Culture

Notable places

Educational institutions

Hospitals

Military installations

Parks and natural features

Scientific facilities

Sites of interest

Historical

Political

Cultural

Sports facilities

Transportation and ports

Media outlets

Print

Social Media Communities

AM Radio

FM Radio

Television

Regional organisations

See also

References