Sechelt (, shíshálh Language: ch'atlich) 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 of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. Approximately northwest of

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 cit ...

, it is accessible from mainland British Columbia by a 40-minute ferry trip between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale, and a 25-minute drive from Langdale along Highway 101, also known as the Sunshine Coast Highway. The name ''Sechelt'' is derived from the she shashishalhem word '' shíshálh,'' 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 at the

isthmus An isthmus (; : isthmuses or isthmi) 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 count ...

of the Sechelt Peninsula, between the southern tip of Sechelt Inlet (Porpoise Bay) and the

Strait of Georgia The Strait of Georgia () 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 of Washington, United Stat ...

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 ...

. Sechelt is a seaside community with approximately 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 of Halfmoon Bay and Roberts Creek, respectively. The 2016 Canadian census placed its population at 10,200. The regional offices 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 Dist ...

of British Columbia are located in Sechelt. Although its population is relatively small for its geographical area, Sechelt has several distinct neighbourhoods. From east to west, they are ts'uḵw'um (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 shíshálh Nation Government District, which contains a substantial commercial district, is immediately east of Sechelt's "downtown" village.

History

The original inhabitants of Sechelt are the shíshálh Nation, a British Columbian First Nation. The town of Sechelt is known as "ch'atlich" in ''she shashishalhem'' (the shíshálh language). For thousands of years, the shíshálh People practiced a hunting and gathering subsistence strategy, making extensive use of the natural food resources located around ch'atlich, and its strategic location for access into the Sechelt Inlet. Europeans began settling in the ch'atlich area in the 1860s and by the 1880s, developing an active centre of the logging and fishing 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 A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths ( ...

. With sustained contact with European settlers, the shíshálh 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 later recognized as a Catholic saint. The congregation was ...

. 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. In 2019, the Seawatch subdivision was evacuated due to a risk of sinkholes. The subdivision was built in 2006 and covenants were placed on the land to release Sechelt from claims relating to the land, including sinkholes. Since the evacuation, multiple lawsuits have been filed between the 14 homeowners, Sechelt, the province of British Columbia, and the property developer over issues including an unnecessarily long state of emergency (awards granted to 2 residents), Sechelt's claim that residents have an obligation to repair infrastructure and pay legal fees (ongoing), Sechelt's withholding of documents (set of documents released to resident), covenants on the properties (deemed valid), and Sechelt's approval of the subdivision (negligence not found).

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 3 non-contiguous areas, all separated by the shíshálh Nation Government District.

Climate

Sechelt's climate is Cfb (Temperate Oceanic) according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, and is designated as USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9a (8b inland) by Environment Canada. It has the warmest nights in Canada.

Demographics

In the

2021 Canadian census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canada, 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%, whic ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), 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 culture. It is headquartered in ...

, 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.

Ethnicity

Religion

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

Irreligion Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, religious skepticism, ...

(5,955 persons or 56.1%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(4,010 persons or 37.8%) *

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

(170 persons or 1.6%) *

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

(150 persons or 1.4%) *

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

(75 persons or 0.7%) *

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

(95 persons or 0.9%) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

(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; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...

(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 is the shíshálh Nation Government District municipality, home of the tems swiya Museum and gift shop, a shopping centre, movie theatre. Other Sechelt area landmarks include: * Sechelt (shíshálh) 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 Sunshi ...

* The local regional government offices of the

* Sechelt airport, presently a small regional aerodrome, a few kilometres (miles) east of the downtown village in the ts'uḵw'um (Wilson Creek) neighbourhood * Davis Bay, with a public seawall walk, wharf, and lands for a public waterfront park, presently known as Mission Point Park * Sechelt Quarry, operated by Heidelberg Materials, 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 manage their safet ...

in North America.

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 fac ...

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), ...

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 footw ...

and

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

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

and

backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...

camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

and

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) 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 ...

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

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") 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 cargo ...

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 (4 miles) from downtown Sechelt and 2 km (1¼ miles) from Porpoise Bay Provincial 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 (about 2 miles). A wheelchair-accessible trail of 480 metres (525 yards) into the Ancient Grove area is also suitable for people with walkers, strollers, and those not so fit. A second 400-metre (yard) 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

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park is some 4 km (2½ miles) north of downtown Sechelt, on the east side of Sechelt Inlet. It is characterized by second-growth forest, open grassy areas and sandy beaches.

Education

The School District 46 Sunshine Coast 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.

Notes

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