List of municipalities in British Columbia

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Map of Canada with British Columbia highlighted in red
Location of British Columbia in Canada
Skyline of Vancouver
Skyline of Vancouver, British Columbia's largest city
Skyline of Surrey
Skyline of Surrey, British Columbia's second largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Skyline of Burnaby
Skyline of Burnaby, British Columbia's third largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Skyline of Richmond
Skyline of Richmond, British Columbia's fourth largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Skyline of Abbotsford
Skyline of Abbotsford, the largest city outside of Greater Vancouver
Coquitlam's Town Centre
Skyline of Coquitlam, British Columbia's sixth largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Kelowna Skyline
Skyline of Kelowna, the largest city in the interior of British Columbia
Areal view of Saanich, British Columbia
Aerial view of Saanich, the largest municipality on Vancouver Island and suburb of the capital Victoria

British Columbia is the third-most populous province in Canada, with 5,000,879 residents as of 2021, and is the second-largest in land area,[a] at 920,687 km2 (355,479 sq mi).[2] British Columbia's 161 municipalities cover only 11 percent of the province's land mass yet are home to 89 percent of its population. A municipality is a local government incorporated by the province allowing a community to govern itself and to provide and regulate local services. These services typically include, but are not limited to, the provision of drinking water, sewers, roads, fire protection, street lights, garbage/recycling collection, land use planning, building inspection, and parks.

Within their limited jurisdictions, municipalities are autonomous, responsible and accountable to their citizens and to the province. Their powers and responsibilities are regulated through the Local Government Act,[3] the Community Charter, and, in the case of Vancouver, the Vancouver Charter. They have the power of a natural person, the power to expropriate, and the power to establish and enforce bylaws. They are able to raise funds through property taxes and user fees, and borrow a limited amount through the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia to pay for capital costs.[4]

Municipalities are governed by a mayor and council who are democratically elected every 4 years on the third Saturday in October. The most recent election took place on October 15, 2022; the next election will take place on October 17, 2026.[5] Each municipality is a member of a regional district to which their councils elect representatives. The board of directors of the regional district is used as a forum to discuss regional issues.[4]

To become a municipality, a community, with the assistance of the provincial Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, defines its borders and holds a referendum on the issue. If successful the Cabinet of British Columbia issues a letters patent incorporating the community. Part 2 of the Local Government Act sets out a classification scheme that gives each new municipality a designation. If the population is fewer than 2,500 people the new municipality is designated a village, if between 2,500 and 5,000 a town, and if greater than 5,000 a city. If the new municipality has an area greater than 800 hectares (2,000 acres) and an average population density of fewer than 5 persons per hectare then is it designated a district municipality. The municipality must request change in designation but is not compelled to do so, despite population growth or loss – Greenwood has retained its city status, for example, rather than relinquishing it as other boomtowns of its era have done. There is no longer any legal difference between the designations.[4]

Cities[edit]

A city is a classification of municipalities used in British Columbia. British Columbia's lieutenant governor may incorporate a community as a city by letters patent, on the recommendation of the Minister of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development, if its population is greater than 5,000 and the outcome of a vote involving affected residents was that greater than 50 percent voted in favour of the proposed incorporation.[6]

British Columbia has 52 cities,[7][8][9][10] had a cumulative population of 3,630,140 in the 2021 census. British Columbia's largest and smallest cities are Vancouver and Greenwood with populations of 662,248 and 702 respectively.[11] The fastest-growing city in British Columbia is Langford, which grew 31.8 percent between 2016 and 2021, while the fastest-shrinking is Merritt, which shrunk by 1.2 percent.[11] The largest city by land area is Abbotsford, which spans 375.33 km2 (144.92 sq mi), while the smallest is Duncan, at 2.06 km2 (0.80 sq mi).[11] The first community to incorporate as a city was New Westminster on July 16, 1860,[7] while the most recent community to incorporate as a city was Mission on March 29, 2021.[10]

District municipalities[edit]

A district municipality is a classification of municipalities used in British Columbia. British Columbia's lieutenant governor may incorporate a community as a district municipality by letters patent, under the recommendation of the Minister of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development, if the area is greater than 800 ha (2,000 acres) and has a population density of fewer than 5 people per hectare, and the outcome of a vote involving affected residents was that greater than 50 percent voted in favour of the proposed incorporation.[6]

British Columbia has 49 district municipalities[7][9][12] that had a cumulative population of 669,454 in the 2021 Census.[11] British Columbia's largest and smallest district municipalities are Langley and Wells with populations of 132,603 and 218 respectively.[11] The fastest-growing district municipality in British Columbia is Stewart, which grew 28.9 percent between 2016 and 2021, while the fastest-shrinking is the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, which declined by 18.8 percent.

Of British Columbia's current 49 district municipalities, the first to incorporate as a district municipality was North Cowichan on June 18, 1873, while the most recent community to incorporate as a district municipality was the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) on February 6, 2009.[7][12] Although portrayed as a regional municipality in its official name, the NRRM is actually classified as a district municipality.[12]

Indian government districts[edit]

The lone Indian government district designation was created by the federal shíshálh Nation Self-Government Act and provincial Sechelt Indian Government District Enabling Act and granted to the shíshálh Nation Government District (formerly known as the Sechelt Indian Government District), which governs the shíshálh Nation lands consisting of 33 former Indian reserves.[13][14][15]

Island municipalities[edit]

If the community wishing to incorporate is located within a trust area under the Island Trust Act, it must incorporate as an island municipality.[16] A single island municipality designation has been granted to Bowen Island.

Mountain resort municipalities[edit]

A mountain resort municipality designation is granted by the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development through the Local Government Act if there exists alpine ski lift operations, year-round recreational facilities, and commercial overnight accommodations.[citation needed] British Columbia's lone mountain resort municipality is Sun Peaks.

Resort municipalities[edit]

A single resort municipality designation has been granted to Whistler by the Resort Municipality of Whistler Act.[17]

Towns[edit]

A town is a classification of municipalities used in British Columbia. British Columbia's lieutenant governor may incorporate a community as a town by letters patent, under the recommendation of the Minister of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development, if its population is greater than 2,500 but not greater than 5,000 and the outcome of a vote involving affected residents was that greater than 50 percent voted in favour of the proposed incorporation.[6]

British Columbia has 14 towns[7] that had a cumulative population of 95,922 in the 2021 census.[11] British Columbia's largest and smallest towns are Comox and Port McNeill with populations of 14,806 and 2,356 respectively. View Royal and Smithers are the fastest-growing and fastest-shrinking towns in the province, growing by 11.2 percent and shrinking by 0.4 percent respectively between 2016 and 2021.[11] Of British Columbia's current 14 towns, the first to incorporate as a town was Ladysmith on June 3, 1904, while the most recent community to incorporate as a town was View Royal on December 5, 1988.[7]

Villages[edit]

Shoreline of Zeballos, British Columbia's smallest municipality

A village is a classification of municipalities used in British Columbia. British Columbia's lieutenant governor may incorporate a community as a village by letters patent, on the recommendation of the Minister of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development, if its population is not greater than 2,500 and the outcome of a vote involving affected residents was that greater than 50 percent voted in favour of the proposed incorporation.[6]

British Columbia has 42 villages[7] that had a cumulative population of 48,511 in the 2021 census.[11] British Columbia's largest and smallest villages are Cumberland and Zeballos with populations of 4,447 and 126 respectively.[11] Radium Hot Springs and Silverton are the fastest-growing and fastest-shrinking villages in the province, growing by 72.6 percent and shrinking by 23.6 percent respectively between 2016 and 2021.[11] Of British Columbia's current 42 villages, the first to incorporate as a village was Kaslo on August 14, 1893, while the most recent community to incorporate as a village was Queen Charlotte (now known as Daajing Giids) on December 5, 2005.[7]

List of municipalities[edit]

List of municipalities in British Columbia
Name Status[7] Regional district[7] Incorporation date[7] 2021 Canadian census[11]
Population (2021) Population (2016) Change Land area (km2) Population density (/km2)
Abbotsford City Fraser Valley December 12, 1995 153,524 141,397 +8.6% 375.33 409.0
Armstrong City North Okanagan March 31, 1913 5,323 5,114 +4.1% 5.22 1,019.7
Burnaby City Metro Vancouver September 22, 1892 249,125 232,755 +7.0% 90.57 2,750.6
Campbell River City Strathcona June 24, 1947 35,519 33,007 +7.6% 144.38 246.0
Castlegar City Central Kootenay January 1, 1974 8,338 8,039 +3.7% 19.87 419.6
Chilliwack City Fraser Valley April 26, 1873 93,203 83,788 +11.2% 261.34 356.6
Colwood City Capital June 24, 1985 18,961 16,859 +12.5% 17.66 1,073.7
Coquitlam City Metro Vancouver July 25, 1891 148,625 139,284 +6.7% 122.15 1,216.7
Courtenay City Comox Valley January 1, 1915 28,420 25,639 +10.8% 32.42 876.6
Cranbrook City East Kootenay November 1, 1905 20,499 20,047 +2.3% 31.97 641.2
Dawson Creek City Peace River May 26, 1936 12,323 12,178 +1.2% 26.72 461.2
Delta City Metro Vancouver November 10, 1879 108,455 102,238 +6.1% 179.66 603.7
Duncan City Cowichan Valley March 4, 1912 5,047 4,944 +2.1% 2.06 2,450.0
Enderby City North Okanagan March 1, 1905 3,028 2,964 +2.2% 4.26 710.8
Fernie City East Kootenay July 28, 1904 6,320 5,396 +17.1% 15.11 418.3
Fort St. John City Peace River December 31, 1947 21,465 20,260 +5.9% 32.67 657.0
Grand Forks City Kootenay Boundary April 15, 1897 4,112 4,049 +1.6% 10.37 396.5
Greenwood City Kootenay Boundary July 12, 1897 702 665 +5.6% 2.42 290.1
Kamloops City Thompson-Nicola October 17, 1967 97,902 90,280 +8.4% 297.93 328.6
Kelowna City Central Okanagan May 4, 1905 144,576 127,390 +13.5% 211.85 682.4
Kimberley City East Kootenay March 29, 1944 8,115 7,425 +9.3% 60.51 134.1
Langford City Capital December 8, 1992 46,584 35,342 +31.8% 41.43 1,124.4
Langley City Metro Vancouver March 15, 1955 28,963 25,888 +11.9% 10.18 2,845.1
Maple Ridge City Metro Vancouver September 12, 2014 90,990 82,256 +10.6% 267.82 339.7
Merritt City Thompson-Nicola April 1, 1911 7,051 7,139 −1.2% 26.04 270.8
Mission City Fraser Valley March 29, 2021 41,519 38,554 +7.7% 226.98 182.9
Nanaimo City Nanaimo December 24, 1874 99,863 90,504 +10.3% 90.45 1,104.1
Nelson City Central Kootenay March 18, 1897 11,106 10,572 +5.1% 11.93 930.9
New Westminster City Metro Vancouver July 16, 1860 78,916 70,996 +11.2% 15.62 5,052.2
North Vancouver City Metro Vancouver August 10, 1891 58,120 52,898 +9.9% 11.83 4,912.9
Parksville City Nanaimo June 19, 1945 13,642 12,453 +9.5% 14.52 939.5
Penticton City Okanagan-Similkameen January 1, 1909 36,885 33,761 +9.3% 43.03 857.2
Pitt Meadows City Metro Vancouver April 25, 1914 19,146 18,573 +3.1% 86.34 221.8
Port Alberni City Alberni-Clayoquot October 28, 1967 18,259 17,678 +3.3% 19.66 928.7
Port Coquitlam City Metro Vancouver March 7, 1913 61,498 58,612 +4.9% 29.16 2,109.0
Port Moody City Metro Vancouver March 11, 1913 33,535 33,551 0.0% 25.85 1,297.3
Powell River City qathet October 15, 1955 13,943 13,157 +6.0% 28.91 482.3
Prince George City Fraser-Fort George March 6, 1915 76,708 74,003 +3.7% 316.74 242.2
Prince Rupert City North Coast March 10, 1910 12,300 12,220 +0.7% 66.00 186.4
Quesnel City Cariboo March 21, 1928 9,889 9,879 +0.1% 35.35 279.7
Revelstoke City Columbia Shuswap March 1, 1899 8,275 7,562 +9.4% 41.28 200.5
Richmond City Metro Vancouver November 10, 1879 209,937 198,309 +5.9% 128.87 1,629.1
Rossland City Kootenay Boundary March 18, 1897 4,140 3,729 +11.0% 59.72 69.3
Salmon Arm City Columbia Shuswap May 15, 1905 19,432 17,706 +9.7% 155.19 125.2
Surrey City Metro Vancouver November 10, 1879 568,322 517,887 +9.7% 316.11 1,797.9
Terrace City Kitimat-Stikine December 31, 1927 12,017 11,643 +3.2% 57.33 209.6
Trail City Kootenay Boundary June 14, 1901 7,920 7,709 +2.7% 34.90 226.9
Vancouver City Metro Vancouver April 6, 1886 662,248 631,486 +4.9% 115.18 5,749.7
Vernon City North Okanagan December 30, 1892 44,519 40,116 +11.0% 96.43 461.7
Victoria City Capital August 2, 1862 91,867 85,792 +7.1% 19.45 4,723.2
West Kelowna City Central Okanagan June 26, 2015 36,078 32,655 +10.5% 122.09 295.5
White Rock City Metro Vancouver April 15, 1957 21,939 19,952 +10.0% 5.17 4,243.5
Williams Lake City Cariboo March 15, 1929 10,947 10,753 +1.8% 33.12 330.5
Barriere District municipality Thompson-Nicola December 4, 2007 1,765 1,713 +3.0% 10.73 164.5
Central Saanich District municipality Capital December 12, 1950 17,385 16,814 +3.4% 41.20 422.0
Chetwynd District municipality Peace River September 25, 1962 2,302 2,503 −8.0% 63.55 36.2
Clearwater District municipality Thompson-Nicola December 3, 2007 2,388 2,324 +2.8% 55.65 42.9
Coldstream District municipality North Okanagan December 21, 1906 11,171 10,648 +4.9% 66.57 167.8
Elkford District municipality East Kootenay July 16, 1971 2,749 2,499 +10.0% 108.12 25.4
Esquimalt District municipality Capital September 1, 1912 17,533 17,655 −0.7% 7.08 2,476.4
Fort St. James District municipality Bulkley-Nechako December 19, 1952 1,386 1,598 −13.3% 23.45 59.1
Highlands District municipality Capital December 7, 1993 2,482 2,225 +11.6% 38.01 65.3
Hope District municipality Fraser Valley April 6, 1929 6,686 6,181 +8.2% 40.87 163.6
Houston District municipality Bulkley-Nechako March 4, 1957 3,052 2,993 +2.0% 72.88 41.9
Hudson's Hope District municipality Peace River November 16, 1965 841 1,015 −17.1% 826.70 1.0
Invermere District municipality East Kootenay May 22, 1951 3,917 3,391 +15.5% 10.75 364.4
Kent District municipality Fraser Valley January 1, 1895 6,300 6,067 +3.8% 168.59 37.4
Kitimat District municipality Kitimat-Stikine March 31, 1953 8,236 8,131 +1.3% 239.28 34.4
Lake Country District municipality Central Okanagan May 2, 1995 15,817 12,922 +22.4% 122.16 129.5
Langley District municipality Metro Vancouver April 26, 1873 132,603 117,285 +13.1% 307.22 431.6
Lantzville District municipality Nanaimo June 25, 2003 3,817 3,605 +5.9% 27.68 137.9
Lillooet District municipality Squamish-Lillooet December 31, 1946 2,302 2,275 +1.2% 27.63 83.3
Logan Lake District municipality Thompson-Nicola November 10, 1970 2,255 1,993 +13.1% 324.28 7.0
Mackenzie District municipality Fraser-Fort George May 19, 1966 3,281 3,714 −11.7% 154.19 21.3
Metchosin District municipality Capital December 3, 1984 5,067 4,708 +7.6% 69.57 72.8
New Hazelton District municipality Kitimat-Stikine December 15, 1980 602 580 +3.8% 24.34 24.7
North Cowichan District municipality Cowichan Valley June 18, 1873 31,990 29,696 +7.7% 195.41 163.7
North Saanich District municipality Capital August 19, 1965 12,235 11,249 +8.8% 37.16 329.3
North Vancouver District municipality Metro Vancouver May 13, 1907 88,168 85,649 +2.9% 160.66 548.8
Northern Rockies District municipality[12] Northern Rockies February 6, 2009 3,947 4,862 −18.8% 84,759.31 0.0
Oak Bay District municipality Capital July 2, 1906 17,990 18,094 −0.6% 10.52 1,710.1
One Hundred Mile House District municipality Cariboo July 27, 1965 1,928 1,918 +0.5% 53.01 36.4
Peachland District municipality Central Okanagan January 1, 1909 5,789 5,428 +6.7% 16.10 359.6
Port Edward District municipality North Coast June 29, 1966 470 467 +0.6% 167.16 2.8
Port Hardy District municipality Mount Waddington May 5, 1966 3,902 4,132 −5.6% 38.55 101.2
Saanich District municipality Capital March 1, 1906 117,735 114,148 +3.1% 103.59 1,136.5
Sechelt District municipality Sunshine Coast February 15, 1956 10,847 10,216 +6.2% 39.02 278.0
Sicamous District municipality Columbia Shuswap December 4, 1989 2,613 2,429 +7.6% 12.80 204.1
Sooke District municipality Capital December 7, 1999 15,086 13,001 +16.0% 56.60 266.5
Spallumcheen District municipality North Okanagan July 21, 1892 5,307 5,106 +3.9% 254.92 20.8
Sparwood District municipality East Kootenay October 6, 1964 4,148 3,784 +9.6% 191.30 21.7
Squamish District municipality Squamish-Lillooet May 18, 1948 23,819 19,497 +22.2% 104.71 227.5
Stewart District municipality Kitimat-Stikine May 16, 1930 517 401 +28.9% 551.57 0.9
Summerland District municipality Okanagan-Similkameen December 21, 1906 12,042 11,615 +3.7% 74.04 162.6
Taylor District municipality Peace River August 23, 1958 1,317 1,469 −10.3% 16.92 77.8
Tofino District municipality Alberni-Clayoquot February 5, 1932 2,516 1,967 +27.9% 10.56 238.3
Tumbler Ridge District municipality Peace River April 9, 1981 2,399 1,987 +20.7% 1,557.41 1.5
Ucluelet District municipality Alberni-Clayoquot February 26, 1952 2,066 1,717 +20.3% 6.48 318.8
Vanderhoof District municipality Bulkley-Nechako January 22, 1926 4,346 4,434 −2.0% 53.93 80.6
Wells District municipality Cariboo June 29, 1998 218 217 +0.5% 158.09 1.4
West Vancouver District municipality Metro Vancouver March 15, 1912 44,122 42,473 +3.9% 87.18 506.1
shíshálh Nation First Nations government district qathet and Sunshine Coast March 17, 1988 765 697 +9.8% 11.03 69.4
Bowen Island Island municipality Metro Vancouver December 4, 1999 4,256 3,680 +15.7% 50.12 84.9
Sun Peaks Mountain Mountain resort municipality[18] Thompson-Nicola June 3, 2010 1,404 616 +127.9% 40.85 34.4
Whistler Resort municipality Squamish-Lillooet September 6, 1975 13,982 11,746 +19.0% 240.00 58.3
Comox Town Comox Valley January 14, 1946 14,806 14,028 +5.5% 16.87 877.7
Creston Town Central Kootenay May 14, 1924 5,583 5,361 +4.1% 8.41 663.9
Gibsons Town Sunshine Coast March 4, 1929 4,758 4,605 +3.3% 4.31 1,103.9
Golden Town Columbia Shuswap June 26, 1957 3,986 3,708 +7.5% 11.33 351.8
Ladysmith Town Cowichan Valley June 3, 1904 8,990 8,537 +5.3% 12.04 746.7
Lake Cowichan Town Cowichan Valley August 19, 1944 3,325 3,226 +3.1% 8.24 403.5
Oliver Town Okanagan-Similkameen December 31, 1945 5,094 4,928 +3.4% 5.49 927.9
Osoyoos Town Okanagan-Similkameen January 14, 1946 5,556 5,050 +10.0% 8.41 660.6
Port McNeill Town Mount Waddington February 18, 1966 2,356 2,337 +0.8% 13.77 171.1
Princeton Town Okanagan-Similkameen September 11, 1951 2,894 2,828 +2.3% 59.28 48.8
Qualicum Beach Town Nanaimo May 5, 1942 9,303 8,943 +4.0% 17.98 517.4
Sidney Town Capital September 30, 1952 12,318 11,672 +5.5% 5.11 2,410.6
Smithers Town Bulkley-Nechako October 6, 1921 5,378 5,401 −0.4% 15.26 352.4
View Royal Town Capital December 5, 1988 11,575 10,408 +11.2% 14.33 807.7
Alert Bay Village Mount Waddington January 14, 1946 449 479 −6.3% 1.69 265.7
Anmore Village Metro Vancouver December 7, 1987 2,356 2,210 +6.6% 27.53 85.6
Ashcroft Village Thompson-Nicola June 27, 1952 1,670 1,558 +7.2% 50.86 32.8
Belcarra Village Metro Vancouver August 22, 1979 687 643 +6.8% 5.50 124.9
Burns Lake Village Bulkley-Nechako December 6, 1923 1,659 1,779 −6.7% 6.54 253.7
Cache Creek Village Thompson-Nicola November 28, 1967 969 963 +0.6% 10.40 93.2
Canal Flats Village East Kootenay June 29, 2004 802 668 +20.1% 11.07 72.4
Chase Village Thompson-Nicola April 22, 1969 2,399 2,286 +4.9% 3.75 639.7
Clinton Village Thompson-Nicola July 16, 1963 568 641 −11.4% 8.14 69.8
Cumberland Village Comox Valley January 1, 1898 4,447 3,753 +18.5% 29.04 153.1
Daajing Giids[b] Village North Coast December 5, 2005 964 884 +9.0% 35.58 27.1
Fraser Lake Village Bulkley-Nechako September 27, 1966 965 988 −2.3% 4.06 237.7
Fruitvale Village Kootenay Boundary November 4, 1952 1,958 1,920 +2.0% 2.70 725.2
Gold River Village Strathcona August 26, 1965 1,246 1,212 +2.8% 10.92 114.1
Granisle Village Bulkley-Nechako June 29, 1971 337 303 +11.2% 39.85 8.5
Harrison Hot Springs Village Fraser Valley May 27, 1949 1,905 1,468 +29.8% 5.49 347.0
Hazelton Village Kitimat-Stikine February 15, 1956 257 313 −17.9% 2.89 88.9
Kaslo Village Central Kootenay August 14, 1893 1,049 968 +8.4% 3.01 348.5
Keremeos Village Okanagan-Similkameen October 30, 1956 1,608 1,502 +7.1% 2.09 769.4
Lions Bay Village Metro Vancouver December 17, 1970 1,390 1,334 +4.2% 2.53 549.4
Lumby Village North Okanagan December 20, 1955 2,063 1,833 +12.5% 5.93 347.9
Lytton Village Thompson-Nicola May 3, 1945 210 249 −15.7% 6.73 31.2
Masset Village North Coast May 11, 1961 838 793 +5.7% 20.69 40.5
McBride Village Fraser-Fort George April 7, 1932 588 616 −4.5% 4.62 127.3
Midway Village Kootenay Boundary May 25, 1967 651 649 +0.3% 12.23 53.2
Montrose Village Kootenay Boundary June 22, 1956 1,013 996 +1.7% 1.46 693.8
Nakusp Village Central Kootenay November 24, 1964 1,589 1,605 −1.0% 8.04 197.6
New Denver Village Central Kootenay January 12, 1929 487 473 +3.0% 0.87 559.8
Pemberton Village Squamish-Lillooet July 20, 1956 3,407 2,574 +32.4% 61.36 55.5
Port Alice Village Mount Waddington June 16, 1965 739 664 +11.3% 7.03 105.1
Port Clements Village North Coast December 31, 1975 340 282 +20.6% 13.07 26.0
Pouce Coupe Village Peace River January 6, 1932 762 792 −3.8% 2.06 369.9
Radium Hot Springs Village East Kootenay December 10, 1990 1,339 776 +72.6% 6.34 211.2
Salmo Village Central Kootenay October 30, 1946 1,140 1,141 −0.1% 2.44 467.2
Sayward Village Strathcona June 27, 1968 334 311 +7.4% 4.44 75.2
Silverton Village Central Kootenay May 6, 1930 181 195 −7.2% [20] 0.35 425.7
Slocan Village Central Kootenay June 1, 1901 379 289 +31.1% 0.78 485.9
Tahsis Village Strathcona June 17, 1970 393 248 +58.5% 5.26 74.7
Telkwa Village Bulkley-Nechako July 18, 1952 1,474 1,327 +11.1% 7.04 209.4
Valemount Village Fraser-Fort George December 13, 1962 1,052 1,021 +3.0% 5.16 203.9
Warfield Village Kootenay Boundary December 8, 1952 1,753 1,680 +4.3% 1.89 927.5
Zeballos Village Strathcona June 27, 1952 126 107 +17.8% 1.55 81.3
Sub-total cities 3,630,140 3,367,053 +7.8% 4,497.15 807.2
Sub-total district municipalities 669,454 628,795 +6.5% 91,547.50 7.3
Sub-total Indian government districts 765 697 +9.8% 11.03 69.4
Sub-total island municipalities 4,256 3,680 +15.7% 50.12 84.9
Sub-total mountain resort municipalities 1,404 616 +127.9% 40.85 34.4
Sub-total resort municipalities 13,982 11,746 +19.0% 240.00 58.3
Sub-total towns 95,922 91,032 +5.4% 200.83 477.6
Sub-total villages 48,511 44,493 +9.0% 442.98 109.5
Total municipalities 4,464,434 4,148,112 +7.6% 97,030.46 46.0
British Columbia 5,000,879 4,648,055 +7.6% 920,686.55 5.4

Former municipalities[edit]

Communities in British Columbia that once held their own municipal status include Aennofield, Alberni, Brocklehurst, Chapman Camp, Columbia, Cranberry Lake, Dewdney, Dufferin, Fort Nelson, Fraser Mills, Glenmore, Guisachan, Kinnaird, Marysville, Matsqui, Mission City, Natal, Nicomen Island, North Kamloops, Phoenix, Point Grey, Sandon, South Fort George, South Vancouver, Sumas, Tadanac, Valleyview and Westview.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] The majority of these former municipalities ceased to exist as a result of amalgamation with or annexation by another municipality.[21][22][23] Others, such as Phoenix and Sandon,[26][27] were dissolved from their municipal status as a result of population decline, while Dewdney dissolved due to financial reasons.[24] The Jumbo Glacier Mountain Resort Municipality was dissolved in 2021.[28]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Although British Columbia is the second-largest province in land area, it is third-largest in total area after accounting for freshwater area.[1]
  2. ^ Daajing Giids was formerly known as Queen Charlotte prior to July 13, 2022.[19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Land and freshwater area, by province and territory". Statistics Canada. February 1, 2005. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  2. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, 2021 and 2016 censuses – 100% data". Statistics Canada. March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Local Government Act". British Columbia Queens Printer. 1996. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c Union of British Columbia Municipalities. "Local Government in British Columbia: A Community Effort" (PDF). 2006 Edition. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
  5. ^ "Municipal Election Schedule in Canada". Intergovernmental Committee on Urban and Regional Research. December 15, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d "Local Government Act: Part 2 — Incorporation of Municipalities". Government of British Columbia Queen's Printer. November 12, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address" (XLS). British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  8. ^ "Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council: Order in Council No. 513" (PDF). Province of British Columbia. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Order in Council No. 357". Province of British Columbia. June 26, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
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