Greater Victoria (also known as the Greater Victoria Region) is located in

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 ...

, Canada, on the southern tip of

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 ...

. 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 ...

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 ...

(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, 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 The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary insti ...

, Victoria International Airport, 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 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, 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, and the town of

View Royal View Royal is a town in Greater Victoria and a member municipality of the Capital Regional District of British Columbia, Canada. View Royal has a population of 10,858 residents. With over of parkland, View Royal includes Thetis, McKenzie, Pik ...

. ; West Shore * The cities of Colwood and Langford and the District Municipalities of Highlands, Metchosin, and Sooke, which lie generally west of Esquimalt Harbour 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 The District of North Saanich is located on the Saanich Peninsula of British Columbia, approximately north of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island. It is one of the 13 Greater Victoria municipalities. The District is surrounded on three side ...

, 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) * 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. * Victoria ** ''Burnside-Gorge'' *** ''Rock Bay'' ** ''

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ...

'' ***

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 Aust ...

** '' Fairfield-Gonzales'' *** Cook Street Village *** Humboldt Valley *** ''Gonzales'' ** '' Fernwood'' ** ''Harris Green'' ** ''Hillside-Quadra'' ***''Blanshard'' ***''Quadra Village'' *** Mayfair ** ''

James Bay James Bay (french: Baie James; cr, ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, Wînipekw, dirty water) is a large body of water located on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean, of which James Bay is the southernmost p ...

'' ** ''Jubilee'' *** ''North Jubilee'' *** ''South Jubilee'' ** ''North Park'' ** ''Oaklands'' ** '' Rockland'' ** '' Victoria West'' * Saanich ** ''Blenkinsop'' ** '' Cadboro Bay'' *** 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 * Oak Bay ** Gonzales (Foul Bay) **

Uplands 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 ...

** Willows Beach ** 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) *

** Shoreline * Colwood ** Belmont Park ** Colwood Corners ** Hatley Park ** 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 * Highlands ** Durrance Lake ** Thetis Lake ** Willis Point * Metchosin ** Happy Valley ** Matheson Lake ** Rocky Point ** William Head *

** Brentwood Bay ** Island View ** Saanichton *

** 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 ** Ardmore * Sidney * Sooke ** Broom Hill ** East Sooke ** 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 A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually ...

in Canada, by

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction usi ...

. The combined population of the cities, municipalities, unincorporated areas and Indian Reserves in the region are as follows: # Saanich 117,735 # Victoria 91,867 # Langford 46,584 # Colwood 18,961 # Oak Bay 17,990 #

17,533 #

17,385 # Sooke 15,086 # Sidney 12,318 #

12,235 #

11,575 # Juan de Fuca (Part 1) 5,132 # Metchosin 5,067 # Highlands 2,482 # New Songhees 1A Indian Reserve 1,839 #

East Saanich 2 Indian Reserve East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...

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 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 Esq ...

120 # Union Bay 4 Indian Reserve 109

Ethnicity

In comparison to the

Lower Mainland The Lower Mainland is a geographic and cultural region of the mainland coast of British Columbia that generally comprises the regional districts of Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley. Home to approximately 3.05million people as of the 2021 Cana ...

(

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. ...

and environs), the region does not have a great deal of racial diversity. Most of the population is of European descent. A substantial community of those of Chinese 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 English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

- 140,510 # Scottish - 98,475 #Canadian - 86,000 # Irish - 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 # Chinese - 17,825 # Dutch - 17,790 # First Nations - 15,430 #

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

- 14,140 # Polish - 13,610 # Norwegian - 12,130 # Italian - 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 - 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: Oak Bay's Tea Party,

's Buccaneer Days, Sidney's Sidney Days, Sooke's Sooke Days, Western Communities' 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 ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...

'' 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 The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...

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), 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. An example of this economic opportunity also lies in Victoria's

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...

. The April 19, 2008 '' Victoria Times Colonist'' 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 Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

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

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

, 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 ...

or whatever activities they seek. In June 2010, the Canadian Navy celebrated its 100th anniversary with a Fleet Review in the waters off of Greater Victoria, by Canada's former Governor General Michaëlle Jean. The review was attended by warships from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

, the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

along with US and Canadian Coast Guard 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

. 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 DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...

in Vancouver BC.

Notable places

Educational institutions

* Camosun College (Saanich and Oak Bay) *

Lester B. Pearson College Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific (Pearson College UWC) is one of eighteen schools and colleges around the world in the UWC (United World Colleges) movement. It is named after the late Canadian Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pea ...

(Metchosin)
Oshio CollegeRoyal Pacific Institute

(Victoria) * Royal Roads University (Colwood) *

(Saanich and Oak Bay) * University Canada West (Victoria campus closed 2011) *

Vancouver Island School of Art The Vancouver Island School of Art (VISA) is a private, non-profit post-secondary art school founded in 2004 and located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is accredited by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the British Co ...

(Victoria) * Victoria College of Art (Victoria)

Hospitals

Royal Jubilee Hospital Royal Jubilee Hospital is a 500-bed general hospital in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada located about east of the city centre, in the Jubilee neighbourhood (itself named after the hospital). Overview Its name commemorates the Golden Jubile ...

(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 HMC Dockyard (Esquimalt) * CFB Esquimalt Naden (Esquimalt) * (Victoria) *Bay Street Armoury (Victoria) *Lieutenant General E.C. Ashton Armoury (Saanich) * Victoria International Airport 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 (Saanich) * Francis/King Regional Park (Saanich) * Galloping Goose Regional Trail (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 (Victoria) *

Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt The Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt is a 62 kilometre (39 mi) long greenbelt surrounding the Greater Victoria metropolitan area in Canada. The greenbelt includes green space, forests, farms, and wetlands stretching from Sooke to Salt Spring Island. It ...

East Sooke Regional Park 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 (RCMSA ...

(Juan de Fuca EA) **

Goldstream Provincial Park Goldstream Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is known for the annual fall salmon runs in the Goldstream River, and the large numbers of bald eagles that congregate to feed at that time. The total size of the p ...

(Langford) ** Gowlland Tod Provincial Park (Highlands, and Juan de Fuca EA) ** Mount Work Regional Park (Saanich, Highlands, and Juan de Fuca EA) ** Sooke Potholes Regional Park, Sooke Potholes Provincial Park 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 Saxe, meaning “Saxon,” may refer to: Places Germany * Saxe-Lauenburg * Saxe-Wittenberg * Saxe-Altenburg * Saxe-Coburg * Saxe-Coburg and Gotha * Saxe-Coburg-Eisenach * Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld * Saxe-Eisenach * Saxe-Eisenberg * Saxe-Gotha * S ...

/ Fleming Beach, former military defence gun bunkers/observation (Esquimalt) * Hartland landfill (

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 ...

, tours &

) (Saanich) * Mount Tolmie (Saanich)

Scientific facilities

* Dominion Astrophysical Observatory/

National Research Council of Canada The National Research Council Canada (NRC; french: Conseil national de recherches Canada) is the primary national agency of the Government of Canada dedicated to science and technology research & development. It is the largest federal research ...

(Saanich)
Gonzales Observatory for Atmospheric Biogeochemistry Research
(Oak Bay)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (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 (North Saanich)

Sites of interest

Historical

* Craigdarroch Castle (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 Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...

(Colwood) * Hatley Park (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) * Camosun College (Saanich) *

(Victoria) * Helmcken House (Victoria) * Victoria Police Department Station Museum (150 years of policing artifacts) (Victoria) * Butchart Gardens (

)

Political

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

Cultural

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria 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 ...

(Victoria) * British Columbia Aviation Museum ( Sidney) * CFB Esquimalt Military Museum (

) *

(Victoria) * Maltwood Art Gallery UVic University Centre ( Saanich) * Royal British Columbia Museum & 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 (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 ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of '' John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanis ...

(Colwood) * Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre arena (Victoria) * Royal Victoria Yacht Club (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 (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 (Victoria) * Centennial Stadium (track & field) (Saanich,

) *

Esquimalt Recreation Centre 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 Esq ...

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

Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbor, harbour in Hong Kong separating Hong Kong Island in the south from the Kowloon Peninsula to the north. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on South China Sea were instrume ...

(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 ...

( BC Ferries to

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

) (North Saanich) * Victoria International Airport (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, Helijet 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'', Camosun College student

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, spor ...

* The ''Martlet'',

student newspaper * Black Press community newspapers *
LookOut
', newspaper of CFB Esquimalt

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

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 1070 kHz

FM Radio

* CBUX, Espace musique - 88.9 * CBCV, CBC Radio One - 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 Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

) *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)

Regional organisations

AVI Health and Community Services (AVI)
*Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce * Greater Victoria Film Commission * Greater Victoria Art Gallery * Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition *

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

References

{{Census metropolitan areas by size Southern Vancouver Island

Victoria Populated coastal places in Canada