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VICTORIA
HISTORY
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Victoria is Western Canada's oldest city. The City
began in 1843 as a Hudson Bay Company trading
post, named in honour of Queen Victoria.
With the Fraser Valley gold rush in 1858,
Victoria grew rapidly as the main port of entry to
the Colonies of Vancouver Island and British
Columbia. When the colonies combined, the City
became the colonial capital and was established as
the provincial capital when British Columbia
joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871.
For most of the nineteenth century, Victoria
remained the largest city in British Columbia and
was the foremost in trade and commerce. However,
with construction of the Transcontinental railway,
Vancouver, as its terminus, emerged as the major
west coast port and the largest city in British
Columbia.
In the twentieth century, Victoria evolved
primarily as a city of government, retirement and
tourism. The City remains, however, Canada's
western naval base and home to a major fishing
fleet. Ship building and repair, as well as forest
products and machine manufacturing industries,
continue as significant sources of employment.
Increasingly, the city is developing as a marine,
forestry and agricultural research centre. The
City is also noted for its fine educational
institutions which include the University of
Victoria, Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific
(one of only six in the world operated by United
World Colleges), and the recently opened Royal
Roads University.
Today with an estimated regional population of
326,000, a moderate climate and scenic setting,
Victoria has retained a very vital but comfortable
quality of life. The City is proud of its British
heritage, its fine homes and neighborhoods, its
historic and attractive downtown, the flowers and
parks and, of course, the Inner Harbour with its
vistas toward the famous Empress Hotel and the
Parliament Buildings.
In a survey conducted by Conde Nast Traveller
magazine, Victoria was judged to be one of the
world's best cities, topping the list in the
category of environment and ambience. In a
cross-Canada survey, Victoria residents registered
the greatest satisfaction with their city. This
satisfaction and regard for the quality of life
and environment is perhaps the most notable
feature of Victoria today, and the challenge in
its future.
HISTORICAL
OUTLINE
For
a historical outline please visit the CITY
OF VICTORIA website...
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BROOKE MILLER
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RE/MAX Camosun
4440 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8X 5J2