Sechelt (, Shishalh language chat'lich) is a

district municipality A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa. Canada British Columbia Under provincial law, municipalities in British Columbia are to be desi ...

located on the lower

Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast may refer to: * Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia **Sunshine Coast Region, a local government area of Queensland named after the region **Sunshine Coast Stadium * Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), geographic subregion of the Br ...

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, for ...

. Approximately 50 km northwest of

Vancouver 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. ...

, it is accessible from mainland British Columbia by a 40-minute

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water ta ...

trip between Horseshoe Bay and

Langdale Great Langdale is a valley in the Lake District National Park in North West England, the epithet Great distinguishing it from the neighbouring valley of Little Langdale. Langdale is also the name of a valley in the Howgill Fells, elsewhere ...

, and a 25-minute drive from Langdale along

Highway 101 Highway 101 was an American country music band founded in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. The initial lineup consisted of Paulette Carlson (lead vocals), Jack Daniels (guitar), Curtis Stone (bass guitar, vocals), and Scott "Cactus" Moser (drum ...

, also known as the Sunshine Coast Highway. The name ''Sechelt'' is derived from the Sechelt language word, ''shishalh,'' the name of the First Nations people who first settled the area thousands of years ago. The original Village of Sechelt was incorporated on February 15, 1956. Sechelt later expanded its boundaries in 1986 with the inclusion of a number of adjacent unincorporated areas. The District of Sechelt, as it is known today, encompasses some 39.71 km² (15.33 sq mi) at the

isthmus An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmus ...

of the

Sechelt Peninsula The Sechelt Peninsula is located on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, just northwest of Vancouver. It is bounded to the west by Malaspina Strait (separating it from Texada Island), to the north by Agamemnon Channel (separating it from Nels ...

, between the southern tip of

Sechelt Inlet Sechelt Inlet formerly ''Seechelt Inlet'' is one of the principal inlets of the British Columbia Coast. The inlet is significant in that it almost makes an island of what is instead the Sechelt Peninsula, whose isthmus is at the town of Sechelt at ...

(Porpoise Bay) and the

Strait of Georgia The Strait of Georgia (french: Détroit de Géorgie) or the Georgia Strait is an arm of the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the extreme southwestern mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada and the extreme northwestern mainland coast ...

that separates the provincial mainland from

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 ...

. Sechelt is a seaside community with approx. 35 kilometers of Pacific Ocean shoreline that extends primarily along the coastline of the Sunshine Coast, and is bounded to the west and east by the

unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

of Halfmoon Bay and Roberts Creek, respectively. The 2016 Canadian census placed its population at 10,200. Sechelt is the seat of the

Sunshine Coast Regional District The Sunshine Coast Regional District is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the southern mainland coast, across Georgia Strait (part of the Salish Sea) from Vancouver Island. It borders on the qathet Regional Di ...

of British Columbia. Although its population is relatively small for its geographical area, Sechelt has several distinct neighbourhoods. From east to west, they are Wilson Creek, Davis Bay, Selma Park, the original Village of Sechelt, and West Sechelt. Several neighbourhoods around Sechelt Inlet were also included in Sechelt's 1986 incorporation as a district; these include West Porpoise Bay, East Porpoise Bay, Sandy Hook, Tillicum Bay and Tuwanek. The municipal government of the Shishalh First Nation, which contains a substantial commercial district, is immediately east of Sechelt's "downtown" village.

History

The original inhabitants of Sechelt are the Sechelt Nation, a British Columbian

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 ...

band who call themselves '' shishalh'' (or ''shishalh'' Nation). Before English was spoken, the town of Sechelt was called ''ch'atlich'' in ''she shashishalhem'' (the

Sechelt language The Sechelt language, ''Sháshíshálh'' or ''Shashishalhem'' (), is a Coast Salish language spoken by the Shishalh (Sechelt) people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. It is spoken in the area now called southwestern British Columbia, Canada, c ...

). For thousands of years, the Sechelt people practiced a hunting and gathering

subsistence strategy A subsistence pattern – alternatively known as a subsistence strategy – is the means by which a society satisfies its basic needs for survival. This encompasses the attainment of nutrition, water, and shelter. The five broad categories of sub ...

, making extensive use of the natural food resources located around Sechelt, and its strategic location for access into the Sechelt Inlet. Europeans began settling in Sechelt in the 1860s and by the 1880s, it had become an active centre of the

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply cha ...

and

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 fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

industries with the construction of

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s and wharves. With sustained contact with European settlers, the Sechelt people's semi-nomadic way of life began to be substituted for a more sedentary life in Sechelt, a change heavily influenced by the establishment of a Roman Catholic church by the

Oblates of Mary Immaculate The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, ...

. Our Lady of the Rosary was completed in 1890 and cost the Sechelt people a sum of $8,000 to construct. In 1906, this church was destroyed in a fire, and a year later another church was erected in its place called Our Lady of Lourdes but this too was also destroyed by fire in October, 1970. The natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast soon attracted tourists, who arrived at the wharves at Trail Bay via steamship. The construction of the original provincial highway in 1952, Highway 101, now also known as Sunshine Coast Highway, and the accompanying commencement of ferry service to Horseshoe Bay (near Vancouver) and Powell River (hence to Vancouver Island) accelerated tourism and residential growth, which continues today. .

Geography

Sechelt is a municipality on the Sunshine Coast, west northwest of Vancouver BC. Sechelt is located on an isthmus, a narrow strip of land that bridges between the Sechelt Peninsula and the BC mainland. This isthmus is bounded on the north by the Sechelt Inlet, and on the south by the Strait of Georgia. The municipality consists of 4 non-contiguous areas, all separated by the

Sechelt Indian Government District Sechelt Indian Government District is a municipality in the Sunshine Coast region of southwest British Columbia, Canada. It was incorporated on March 17, 1988. The district consists of 33 separate pieces of land, of which 32 are located withi ...

Climate

Sechelt's climate is Cfb (Temperate Oceanic) according to the Köppen climate classification, and is designated as Plant Hardiness Zone 8a by Environment Canada. It has the warmest nights in Canada.

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

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 cultu ...

, Sechelt had a population of 10,847 living in 5,128 of its 5,738 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 10,216. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Sechelt 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 ...

(5,955 persons or 56.1%) *

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 popula ...

(4,010 persons or 37.8%) *

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 ...

(170 persons or 1.6%) *

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 ...

(150 persons or 1.4%) *

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

(75 persons or 0.7%) *

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 th ...

(95 persons or 0.9%) *

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 ...

(40 persons or 0.4%) *Other (125 persons or 1.2%)

Attractions

The village itself, the original locus of Sechelt, includes Clayton's Heritage Market (a grocery store named after its pioneering family owners) in Trail Bay Mall. A new public library with municipal hall opened in 1997, and a combined provincial courthouse and

Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...

(RCMP) building, and a public recreation aquatic centre serving Sechelt and the surrounding area, have also been completed since that time. Immediately to the east of the downtown village are the Sechelt or s''hishalh'' First Nation Band Lands, containing a shopping centre, movie theatre, museum, gift shop and one of the largest open-pit gravel

quarries A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envir ...

in North America. Other Sechelt area landmarks include: * Sechelt Hospital (originally St. Mary's, the Sunshine Coast's first hospital, renamed in 2015) * A satellite campus of

Capilano University Capilano University (CapU) is a teaching-focused public university based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, located on the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, with programming that also serves the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and the Sunshin ...

* The local regional government offices of the

* Sechelt airport, presently a small regional aerodrome, a few kilometres east of the downtown village in the Wilson Creek neighbourhood * Davis Bay, with a public seawall walk, wharf, and lands for a public waterfront park, presently known as Mission Point Park

Recreation and tourism

Like other parts of the Sunshine Coast, Sechelt is known for its natural beauty, and is a popular destination for outdoor activities that include

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits faci ...

, diving,

snowshoeing Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

and

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

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 Histor ...

and backpacking,

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 nat ...

and

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

. There is an 18-hole public golf course, and a number of small

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or ...

s are available around Sechelt Inlet. Sechelt has several municipal parks, and larger provincial parks are nearby. Auto enthusiasts come from around the Pacific Northwest for Sechelt's annual Sleepy Hollow Rod Run, and the "Show and Shine" held in conjunction with the August drag races at Sechelt Airport.

Notable parks and conservation areas

Hidden Groves

The Hidden Groves area of old growth forest adjoins the Sandy Hook neighbourhood, 6 km from downtown Sechelt and 2 km from

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park Porpoise Bay Provincial Park is a provincial park Ischigualasto Provincial Park A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state park ...

. It has trails for walkers and hikers of various abilities, from easy walks of around 15 minutes to more strenuous treks of 3 or 4 kilometres. A wheelchair-accessible trail of 480 metres into the Ancient Grove area is also suitable for people with walkers, strollers, and those not so fit. A second 400-metre accessibility trail loops from the entrance kiosk through pristine forest and back. The entrance kiosk features a large map of the trails. All trails are well-marked and maintained. There are signs at all intersections with directions, maps and guides. The Groves includes giant ancient trees, maple wetland, and rocky promontories with views of Vancouver Island and Sechelt Inlet. There is parking at the entrance to the trails. It is a legal off-leash area for dogs. The Sechelt Heritage Forest portion of the Groves is a protected interpretive forest as designated by the Province. Hidden Grove is currently part of the BC Forest and under a special tenure to the Sechelt Community Forest, which has declared the Grove a special high-priority recreational area and mandated it shall not be logged. Volunteers provide daily maintenance.

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park

is some 4 km north of downtown Sechelt, on the east side of

. It is characterized by second-growth forest, open grassy areas and sandy beaches.

Education

The

School District 46 Sunshine Coast School District 46 Sunshine Coast is a school district in British Columbia, Canada. It covers an area in the Sunshine Coast region northwest of Greater Vancouver, including the communities of Gibsons, and Sechelt. The school district has a si ...

operates public schools in the region. The '' Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique'' operates two Francophone schools in that city: the ''école du Pacifique'' primary school and '' école secondaire Chatelech''.Carte des écoles
" '' Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique''. Retrieved on 22 January 2015.

Gallery

Image:Cowrie Street Sechelt.jpg, Cowrie Street, the main village thoroughfare Image:Trail Bay Sechelt.jpg, Trail Bay, and the seawall which runs alongside it, at the southern end of the village. Image:Porpoise Bay Sechelt.jpg, Porpoise Bay, at the southern end of Sechelt Inlet, located on the north end of the village.

References

Community Profile: Sechelt District Municipality, Sunshine Coast Regional District, British Columbia; Statistics CanadaThe District of Sechelt

External links

* * {{Authority control District municipalities in British Columbia Populated places in the Sunshine Coast Regional District