Port Alberni () is a city located on

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

in the province of

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada. The city lies within the

Alberni Valley Alberni Valley is a broad valley located at the head of Alberni Inlet on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is home to Port Alberni, Sproat Lake and other outlining areas. The term is largely used as a synonym for Greater Port Alber ...

at the head of the

Alberni Inlet Alberni Inlet (formerly known as Alberni Canal) is a long, narrow inlet in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, that stretches from the Pacific Ocean at Barkley Sound about inland terminating at Port Alberni. It was named by the Spanish e ...

, Vancouver Island's longest inlet. It is the location of the head offices of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. Port Alberni currently has a total population of 18,259. Port Alberni is served by the coast-spanning

Island Highway The Island Highway is actually a series of highways that follows much of the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. While the Island Highway has no officially designated starting point, it is understood to begin at the ...

system, the

Island Rail Corridor The Island Rail Corridor, previously the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway (E&N Railway), is a railway operation on Vancouver Island and is the only remaining railway on Vancouver Island after the closure of the Englewood Railway in November 2017. ...

, and a local airport.

History

Port Alberni was named for Captain Don Pedro de Alberní, a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

officer, who commanded

Fort San Miguel Fort San Miguel was a Spanish fortification at Yuquot (formerly Friendly Cove) on Nootka Island, just west of north-central Vancouver Island. It protected the Spanish settlement, called Santa Cruz de Nuca, the first colony in British Columbia ...

Nootka Sound , image = Morning on Nootka Sound.jpg , image_size = 250px , alt = , caption = Clouds over Nootka Sound , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = Map of Nootka So ...

's west coast from 1790 to 1792. Port Alberni and the West Coast of Vancouver Island is the traditional territory of the Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations of the

Nuu-Chah-Nulth The Nuu-chah-nulth (; Nuučaan̓uł: ), also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth or Tahkaht, are one of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada. The term Nuu-chah-nulth is used to describe fifte ...

Tribal Council. The Nuu-chah-nulth were previously called the Nootka. Many place names in Port Alberni have a

Nuu-chah-nulth The Nuu-chah-nulth (; Nuučaan̓uł: ), also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth or Tahkaht, are one of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada. The term Nuu-chah-nulth is used to describe fifte ...

origin, such as Somass (washing), Kitsuksis (log across mouth of creek), Pacheena (foamy), and Nootka (go around). Ancient petroglyph carvings can be found at

Sproat Lake Sproat Lake is a lake on central Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was known as Kleecoot, meaning "wide open" by local indigenous people. Roughly cross-shaped with four arms, it is over 25 kilometres in length, and has 90.8 kilome ...

. In March 1787, Captain

Charles William Barkley Charles William Barkley (1759 – 16 May 1832) was a ship captain and maritime fur trader. He was born in Hertford, England, son of Charles Barkley.Imperial Eagle The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Heraldic eagles can be found throughout world history like in the Achaemenid Empire or in the present Republic of Indonesia. The European post-classical symbolism of ...

'', explored

Barkley Sound , image = Fishing boat in the Broken Group Islands.jpg , image_size = 260px , alt = , caption = Barkley Sound , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , locat ...

, which now bears his name. Barkley travelled with his 17-year-old bride, Frances Barkley, the first European woman to visit what is now British Columbia. ''Frances Barkley'' is also the name of one of the two vessels that makes trips down the Alberni Inlet from Port Alberni to

Bamfield Bamfield is a community that is surrounded by Crown Land, First Nation Lands belonging to the Huu-ay-aht Nations, and portions of the Pacific Rim National Park, located on Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The community, with ...

and

Ucluelet Ucluelet (, also Ukee) is a district municipality (population 1,717) on the Ucluelet Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Ucluelet means "people of the safe harbour" in the indigenous Nuu-chah-nulth (No ...

. The other, since retired, was the MV ''Lady Rose''. In 1856, Adam Horne, a Scottish fur trader employed by the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business div ...

, was directed to locate a land route across Vancouver Island. There were stories that the natives used a trail starting at Qualicum. Adam Horne found this trail leading to the Alberni Valley and it became known as the Horne Lake Trail. Many other settlers used this trail to get to the Alberni Valley. In 1860, the Anderson company, a sawmilling company from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, England, took the advice of their Victoria agent Captain Edward Stamp and set up a sawmill operation. At the time, the American Civil War prevented the importation of timber from the southern United States.

Gilbert Sproat Gilbert Malcolm Sproat (19 April 1834 – 4 June 1913) was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman, office holder, and author. Biography Born in Brighouse Farm Borgue near Kirkcudbright, Scotland, he arrived on Vancouver Island in 1860, where he ...

and

Edward Stamp Captain Edward Stamp (5 November 1814 – 20 January 1876) was an English mariner and entrepreneur who contributed to the early economic development of British Columbia and Vancouver Island.Lamb, W. K. (2000). Stamp, Edward. ''Dictionary of Cana ...

transported men and machinery to Alberni. They received land grants from Governor James Douglas and started running the Anderson sawmill at the mouth of the Somass River in August 1861. The first mill in B.C. was built to export lumber. The original mill failed, but several others were established in the 1880s. Sproat Lake was named after Gilbert Sproat and Stamp Falls and Stamp River were named after Edward Stamp. Rogers Creek, which flows through the centre of Port Alberni, was named after A.B. Rogers, the discoverer of Rogers Pass, when he surveyed in the Alberni Valley for the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

in the late 19th century. In 1862, small-scale placer gold mining took place on China Creek; in the 1890s more gold mining took place along the Alberni Inlet at China Creek and Mineral Creek. Several gold veins were found. Exploration for gold continued over the years with peaks in the 1930s and 1960s. Port Alberni Mill opened as a kraft pulp mill in 1946, followed by two paper machines in 1957. Today, the town is a hub for local, regional, and provincial government, and it
West Coast General Hospital
provides services to west coast communities like Bamfield,

Tofino Tofino ( ) is a town of approximately 2,516 residents on the west coast of Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The District of Tofino is located at the western terminus of Highway 4 on the tip of the Esowista Peninsu ...

, and Ucluelet. Currently, the natural resources of the area are taking centre stage again, but in a different way. Port Alberni is in the process of "re-developing" itself as a tourism destination. The area's amenities, such as the natural environment of the area, the opportunities for fishing (both marine and freshwater), its convenience as a jumping-off point for new outdoor recreation and ecotourism activities such as hiking, kayaking, and mountain-biking, lend themselves to these activities very well. Bank of Montreal damage in 1946

The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was a 7.3

magnitude Magnitude may refer to: Mathematics *Euclidean vector, a quantity defined by both its magnitude and its direction *Magnitude (mathematics), the relative size of an object *Norm (mathematics), a term for the size or length of a vector *Order of ...

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...

that struck at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 23, 1946. The main shock

epicentre The epicenter, epicentre () or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates. Surface damage Before the instrumental pe ...

occurred in the

Forbidden Plateau The Forbidden Plateau is a small, hilly plateau in the east of the Vancouver Island Vancouver Island Ranges, Ranges in British Columbia, northwest of Comox Lake roughly between Mount Albert Edward (British Columbia), Mount Albert Edward to the sou ...

area north of Port Alberni. While most of the large earthquakes in the

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

area occur at

tectonic plate Plate tectonics (from the la, label=Late Latin, tectonicus, from the grc, τεκτονικός, lit=pertaining to building) is the generally accepted scientific theory that considers the Earth's lithosphere to comprise a number of large te ...

boundaries, the 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was a crustal event. Shaking was felt from

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

, Oregon to

Prince Rupert Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist cavalr ...

, British Columbia. The earthquake is remembered as one of the most damaging earthquakes in the history of British Columbia. From 1920 to 1973 the Alberni Residential School was in operation. The Canadian Federal government now says that this was a big blot on race relations in Canada. The residential school system run by the United Church forcibly separated children from their families and communities. The residential school was closed in the late 1970s and in 2009 was demolished. In 1955, the Alberni Athletics Senior-A Men's Basketball Team had an outstanding year. The Alberni Athletics won the Canadian Senior Basketball Championships at home. A young

Jim Robson Jim Robson OBC (born January 17, 1935) is a former radio and television broadcaster who was the play-by-play announcer of the Vancouver Canucks' games from 1970 to 1999. Broadcasting career Robson started his career at the age of 17 covering ...

honed his sports reporting skills doing the play-by-play on radio station CJAV. The Alberni Athletics were inducted into the

BC Sports Hall of Fame The BC Sports Hall of Fame is a museum located in BC Place Stadium, at Gate A, the main entrance to the stadium, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It collects, preserves, studies and interprets materials that relate to British Columbia's spo ...

in 2001.

In 1964, Port Alberni was hit by a

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...

during the

Good Friday earthquake The 1964 Alaskan earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan earthquake and Good Friday earthquake, occurred at 5:36 PM AKST on Good Friday, March 27.

. The water rose about one foot in a minute reaching ten feet above the high-water mark. About 375 homes were damaged and 55 were washed away, however there were no injuries or fatalities. In 1967, the neighbouring towns of Alberni (on the north) and Port Alberni (on the south) amalgamated to form the city of Port Alberni. The Alberni Valley has a museum and many ancillary attractions, including

, which is located just outside Port Alberni.

Geography

Located at the head of the

, Port Alberni lies adjacent to this natural harbour as well as the Somass River. The other end of the inlet is located on

Barkley Sound , image = Fishing boat in the Broken Group Islands.jpg , image_size = 260px , alt = , caption = Barkley Sound , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , locat ...

, which includes the

Broken Group The Broken Group is a group of small islands and islets in the middle of Barkley Sound on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The group is protected as the Broken Islands Group Unit of the Pacific Rim National Park Rese ...

Islands, considered to be one of the best areas for kayaking in the world.

is located west of the city, and the valley is guarded by the snow-covered peaks of the Beaufort range,

Mount Arrowsmith Mount Arrowsmith is the highest mountain east of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. Its dominant rock is basalt. The mountain is contained within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region and as of September 18, 2009 is designated part of hectare ...

and Mount Klitsa, and surrounded by mountains on all sides. Kuth-kah-chulth, is the

name for Mount Arrowsmith. Aerial View of Port Alberni harbour

The city itself owes its unique layout to its former " twin city" status, due to its two official

city centre A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...

s, as well as the numerous creeks and

ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.Highway 4 and Gertrude Street. Visitors continuing onward to the west coast will pass this intersection, marked by the historic Alberni Post Office on the Southeast corner. Much of Port Alberni's recent development has occurred in the North Port area, especially "up the hill", east of the North Port downtown. The former City of Port Alberni (now referred to as "South Port" or "Uptown") can be found about South on 3rd and Argyle street. In 2004, the Capitol Theatre, a local landmark in South Port, underwent extensive renovations and emerged as a stately yet modern relic of past times. This theatre now often hosts live performances. South Port is anchored by the Harbour Quay, a waterfront collection of shops, art galleries, great food and parks. The Port Alberni railway station, farmers market on Saturdays, as well as the Maritime Discovery Centre can be found here. The city's West End is an eclectic mix of new suburban style homes, large acreages, and two

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

reserves. Much of the residential growth over the past decade has occurred in the city's West End, where the Westporte neighbourhood has taken shape. The creeks and ravines that cut through the city create natural barriers; Kitsuksis Creek, Cherry Creek, Roger Creek and Dry Creek each flow through the city. The hiking trails in these creeks and ravines add tremendously to the quality of life in Port Alberni.

Climate

Port Alberni's dry July gives it a warm-summer

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Csb''), although it is much wetter than most such places. Although the summer months do see a relatively small amount of precipitation, the vast majority of it comes during the winter months as cool, moist air flows from the Pacific Ocean over the much colder B.C. coast. Despite its location on the relatively drier east side of Vancouver Island, the resulting weak rain shadow is not enough to keep the city dry. Despite its generally wet climate, in summer, afternoon shade temperatures quite often exceed on average 15–30 days a year, making it one of the warmest places on Vancouver Island in the summer months. The highest temperature ever recorded in Port Alberni was on 28 June 2021. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 14 January 1950.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Port Alberni had a population of 18,259 living in 8,451 of its 8,919 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 17,678. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. The median household income in 2005 for Port Alberni was $43,624. One major characteristic known is the twin city demographic, where previously there were the distinct Port Alberni and Alberni municipalities, the remnants remain with two distinct city centres.

Ethnicity

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Port Alberni included: *

Irreligion Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and a ...

(11,365 persons or 63.3%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

(5,785 persons or 32.2%) *

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

(215 persons or 1.2%) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

(125 persons or 0.7%) *

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

(110 persons or 0.6%) * Indigenous Spirituality (85 persons or 0.5%) *

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

(70 persons or 0.4%) *

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

(30 persons or 0.2%)

Health and education

Public education is offered by

School District 70 Alberni School District 70 Pacific Rim (formerly School District 70 Alberni) is a school district on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The board office and the majority of the schools are located in Port Alberni but the district ext ...

, which operates 11 schools in Port Alberni. A new multimillion-dollar state of the art high school opened in 2012–2013. The ''

Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique The ''Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique'' (also known as Francophone Education Authority or School District No 93) is the French-language school board for all French schools located in British Columbia. Its headquarters are i ...

'' operates one Francophone primary school: ''école des Grands-cèdres''. It also provides a French-English school. Health services are provided in town by Westcoast General Hospital, operated by the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA).

Economy

The chief source of industry in Port Alberni is forestry, commercial fishing, and tourism. In the 1950s, 60's and 70's the forestry labour force in Port Alberni was one of the highest paid in the country. However, over the last fifteen years there has been a decline in the forestry industry and a consequent relative decline in the economy of the city and of its residents. The Alberni Valley's forests consist primarily of

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

, hemlock,

yellow cedar Yellow cedar is a common name for several trees and may refer to: *''Cupressus nootkatensis'', native to northwestern North America *' *''Thuja occidentalis ''Thuja occidentalis'', also known as northern white-cedar, eastern white-cedar, or arbo ...

and

western red cedar ''Thuja plicata'' is an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to western North America. Its common name is western redcedar (western red cedar in the UK), and it is also called Pacific redcedar, giant arborvitae ...

. Most of the

old growth forests An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...

have been logged with current logging coming from second growth forests. Port Alberni Mill, owned by

Catalyst Paper Catalyst Paper Corporation is a pulp and paper company based in Richmond, British Columbia. It operates five pulp mills and paper mills, producing a combined 1.8 million tonnes of paper and 491,000 tonnes of market pulp annually. The mills most ...

, sits on the edge of the Alberni Inlet. It produces 340,000 tonnes of directory paper and lightweight coated paper each year. There is also a lumber mill, Alberni Pacific Division, that also sits on the inlet. Several smaller sawmills exist throughout the valley. Farming is also practised in the valley. Port Alberni also serves as a hub for those travelling to the West Coast of Vancouver Island, including

and

Pacific Rim National Park Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a national park located in British Columbia, Canada, which comprises three separate regions: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail. Its the Pacific Coast Mountains, are characterized ...

. As commodities tend to be much pricier in these remote areas, campers and travellers often do their shopping in Port Alberni before continuing their journey. This has resulted in development along the Johnston Road (Highway 4) corridor, including several big box retailers, grocery stores and strip mall developments. Previously,

eco-tourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

companies have set up shop in the Alberni Valley, taking advantage of the city's location on the fringe of wilderness yet proximate location to

and

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, Seychelle ...

. For example, there's a kayaking, ATV touring, a windsurfing and a glider company.

Salmon

A team of salmon enhancement volunteers and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have worked to improve salmon habitats throughout the Alberni Valley, adding a Coho hatchery at the McLean Mill National Historic Site, in addition to the successful Robertson Creek Hatchery on the Stamp River. Port Alberni was awarded the World Fishing Network's “Ultimate Fishing Town” designation in 2010.

Attractions

Port Alberni sits beneath

and is almost completely surrounded by mountains. These mountains provide hiking, walking, and mountain biking trails. It also provides an opportunity to view wildlife, including deer and black bears. The city is also known for its

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

. Its waters contain five different species of

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...

and yearly runs of

steelhead Steelhead, or occasionally steelhead trout, is the common name of the anadromous form of the coastal rainbow trout or redband trout (O. m. gairdneri). Steelhead are native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific basin in Northeast Asia and ...

Halibut Halibut is the common name for three flatfish in the genera '' Hippoglossus'' and ''Reinhardtius'' from the family of right-eye flounders and, in some regions, and less commonly, other species of large flatfish. The word is derived from ''h ...

can also be found in the saltwater inlets near the city. The state-of-the-art Robertson Creek Fish Hatchery is the most successful hatchery on Vancouver Island, producing chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead smolts. It is located a short drive west of Port Alberni. and is open to the public. Port Alberni is home to the McLean Mill National Historic Site which incorporates a steam railway from the downtown harbour to the saw mill up the valley. The historic mill offers demonstrations, including operating the old mill. The world's largest

aerial firefighting Aerial may refer to: Music * ''Aerial'' (album), by Kate Bush * ''Aerials'' (song), from the album ''Toxicity'' by System of a Down Bands *Aerial (Canadian band) * Aerial (Scottish band) * Aerial (Swedish band) Performance art * Aerial sil ...

flying boats, the Martin Mars Water Bombers, once made their home on nearby

. This lake is also a summer destination for local residents and cottagers from surrounding areas. The sole remaining Water Bomber is now owned by The Coulson Group, and has been renamed from the Martin Mars Water Bombers to the Coulson Flying Tankers. The provincial lake also provided petroglyphs carved First Nations many years ago. Besides the offers from nature, the city has two quays, Harbour Quay and Victoria Quay include shops, restaurants, and art galleries along the inlet. On some autumn evenings, when the inlet's tide is low, black bears can be spotted looking for fish on the other side of Victoria Quay. The Alberni Valley Multiplex in Port Alberni is home to the

Alberni Valley Bulldogs The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Island Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Weyerhaeuser Arena ...

, a Junior-A hockey team in the

BCHL The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 18 teams. From 1993 to 2021, the league was a member of the Ca ...

Della Falls Della Falls is a waterfall located within Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. With a total height of , it ranks as the 16th tallest confirmed waterfall in Canada and the second tallest on Vancouver Island a ...

, the 16th tallest waterfall in Canada (), is accessible by boat from

Great Central Lake Great Central Lake is a lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is located north of Sproat Lake and to the northwest of the city of Port Alberni. It is long, with an area of and mean depth of , to a maximum of , making it the s ...

or by helicopter. Helicopters are not allowed to land in Strathcona Provincial Park.

Hiking trails around Port Alberni

The Port Alberni area has several

hiking trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

. There are over 100 trails in and around the Alberni Valley, including

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which ...

trails. There is also access to the alpine areas, including

. * Horne Lake Trail * Log Train Trail * Angler's Trail at Stamp River * Rogers Creek Trail * Inlet Trail * Labour Day Lake Trail * Greenmax Anglers Trail * China Creek Trail * Climb Mount Arrowsmith * Della Falls Trail * Kitsukis Dyke Walking Path * Old Forestry Lookout Trail * Saddle Trail on

Transportation

Port Alberni Airport (CBS8) is located north west of the city. The airport has a runway with another additional of taxiways and apron. The airport is home to a number of key tenants, including Coulson Aircrane, Canadian Aero Technologies, Alberni Valley Flying Club and Vancouver Island Helicopters. The main highway to Port Alberni is Highway 4, known locally as the Alberni Highway and the Pacific Rim Highway. It is the longest east–west main vehicle route on

, with a total length of . The highway to Port Alberni was completed in 1942, and has been designated as Highway 4 since 1953. The highway starts at

Qualicum Beach :''"Qualicum" re-directs here. For the neighbourhood in Ottawa, see Qualicum, Ottawa'' Qualicum Beach () is a town located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. In the 2021 census, it had a population of 9,303. It is situated at the fo ...

, then reaches Port Alberni from which it continues on to

and

. Port Alberni is served by the

branch line from Parksville known as the Port Alberni Subdivision.

Port operations

The Port of Port Alberni regularly receives large oceangoing cargo vessels, such as the Hong Kong-base
OYSTER BAY
and the

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

-base
STAR LINDESNES
as well as tugs,

fishing boats A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in commercial, artisanal and recreational fishing. The total number of fishing vessels in the world in 2016 was es ...

, and search and rescue vessels. The Port Alberni Port Authority was created in 1999. Under the Canada Marine Act, the Port Alberni Port Authority is responsible for the Alberni Inlet from the Somass River to Tzartus Island.

Notable people

* Paul Boyd, Canadian and American television journalist (''

Inside Edition ''Inside Edition'' is an American news broadcasting newsmagazine program that is distributed in first-run syndication by CBS Media Ventures. Having premiered on January 9, 1989, it is the longest-running syndicated-newsmagazine program that is no ...

'') *

Laurent Brossoit Laurent Brossoit (born March 23, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Brossoit was selected by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round, 164th ove ...

, NHL player with the Winnipeg Jets. *

Kim Campbell Avril Phaedra Douglas "Kim" Campbell (born March 10, 1947) is a Canadian politician, diplomat, lawyer, and writer who served as the 19th prime minister of Canada from June 25 to November 4, 1993. Campbell is the first and so far only female p ...

, 19th Prime Minister of Canada from 25 June to 4 November 1993; the first woman to hold this office. *

George Clutesi George Clutesi, (1905 – 27 February 1988), was a Tseshaht artist, actor and writer, as well as an expert on and ambassador for all Canadian First Nations culture. Biography Clutesi was born in Port Alberni, British Columbia in 1905. He was ...

(1905–1988) became a Tseshaht artist, actor and writer as well as an expert on and spokesman for First Nations cultures. In 1959, he received the British Columbia Centennial Award and the Canada Centennial Medal in 1967. He was commissioned to paint a mural for

Expo 67 The 1967 International and Universal Exposition, commonly known as Expo 67, was a general exhibition from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It was a category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is considered to be one of the most su ...

Emily Carr Emily Carr (or M. Emily Carr as she sometimes signed her work) (December 13, 1871 – March 2, 1945) was a Canadian artist and writer who was inspired by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. One of the painters in Canada to ado ...

was so impressed with his work that in her will she left him her brushes, oils and unused canvases. He died in

in 1988. * Travis Cross, Olympic wrestler *

Paul Cyr Paul Andre Cyr (October 31, 1963 – May 12, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing who played for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers and Hartford Whalers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Career Cyr began his career wi ...

, drafted into the National Hockey League, NHL by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round (9th overall) in 1982. * David Dziurzynski, Ottawa/ Binghamton Senators NHL/ AHL forward. * Leonard Frank (photographer), Leonard Frank, photographer * Rick Hansen, Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord injuries who is most famous for his Man in Motion world tour to raise money for the cause and show the physical capabilities of such people. * Jim Hiller, current assistant coach of the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs. * Eric Jespersen, bronze medalist at the 1992 Summer Olympics, 1992 Olympics * Jamie Lowery, former soccer player and member of Canada's national team at the 1986 World Cup. * Dakota Morton, youngest Canadian radio host; created the record and set it on January 16, 1999, at the age of 10 years 218 days. Record was awarded while Dakota was hosting his radio show at CJAV radio in Port Alberni. * Kenneth Oppel, Canadian writer of the Silverwing & Matt Cruse series. * Davis Payne, current associate coach of Stanley cup champion LA Kings * Rob Shick, has been with the NHL as an official since September 1, 1984 * Alec Thomas, fisherman, trapper, longshoreman, logger, “anthropologist”, interpreter, and Tseshaht politician. * Harry Zolnierczyk, Nashville Predators forward *

, the iconic voice of the Vancouver Canucks, started his legendary broadcasting career in Port Alberni * Bryer Schmegelsky and Kam McLeod, primary suspects of the 2019 Northern British Columbia murders of a tourist couple and UBC professor, and were subjects of a nationwide manhunt. * Lauren Spencer-Smith is a singer who appeared on season 18 of ''American Idol (season 18), American Idol'' and became popular on TikTok in 2021 with songs like "Back to Friends" and "Fingers Crossed". * Michael de Leur, Library Manager, Vancouver Island Regional Library. A public plebiscite created the Port Alberni library 1936. In 1938, it was located in the back of McVicar's Drug Store, where store employees acted as library attendants. 34 years later, in 1972, the library moved to the Echo Centre and underwent a major refurbishment and expansion in 2007.

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Port Alberni, Cities in British Columbia Populated places on the British Columbia Coast