Sunshine Coast Regional District, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
The Sunshine Coast Regional District of British Columbia
is located on the southern mainland coast, across Georgia Strait from Vancouver Island
. It borders on the Powell River Regional District
to the north, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
to the east, and, across Howe Sound, the Metro Vancouver District to the south. The regional district offices are located in the District Municipality
of Sechelt
.
make up the inland area. Population is concentrated along the coast. Midway up the coast, beginning at the town of Sechelt, the coastal area forms a peninsula separated from the inland area by Sechelt Inlet
. The 2001 census
reported a total population of 25,599 persons living on a land area of 3,778.17 km² (1,458.76 sq mi).
The Sunshine Coast is typically accessed via boat or plane; no roads connect the district with the rest of the province. From Vancouver, ferries run from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons
across Howe Sound
. At the northern end of the peninsula, ferries run from Earl's Cove to Saltery Bay.
(all population figures from 2006 Census)
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
is located on the southern mainland coast, across Georgia Strait from Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
. It borders on the Powell River Regional District
Powell River Regional District, British Columbia
The Regional District of Powell River is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It includes the City of Powell River and a number of unincorporated areas...
to the north, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, British Columbia
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is a quasi-municipal administrative area in British Columbia, Canada. It stretches from Britannia Beach in the south to Pavilion in the north. Lillooet, Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish are the four municipalities in the regional district...
to the east, and, across Howe Sound, the Metro Vancouver District to the south. The regional district offices are located in the District Municipality
District municipality
A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.-Usage in British Columbia:...
of Sechelt
Sechelt, British Columbia
The District Municipality of Sechelt is on the lower Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Approximately 50 km northwest of Vancouver, Sechelt is accessible to the mainland of British Columbia via a 40 minute ferry trip between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale, and a 25 minute drive from Langdale...
.
Geography
The majority of the Sunshine Coast is sparsely populated. The Coast MountainsCoast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
make up the inland area. Population is concentrated along the coast. Midway up the coast, beginning at the town of Sechelt, the coastal area forms a peninsula separated from the inland area by Sechelt Inlet
Sechelt Inlet
Sechelt Inlet is one of the principal inlets of the British Columbia Coast and the third of such inlets north from the 49th parallel north, the first of which is Burrard Inlet, Vancouver's harbour. The inlet is significant in that it almost makes an island of what is instead the Sechelt Peninsula,...
. The 2001 census
Canada 2001 Census
The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
reported a total population of 25,599 persons living on a land area of 3,778.17 km² (1,458.76 sq mi).
The Sunshine Coast is typically accessed via boat or plane; no roads connect the district with the rest of the province. From Vancouver, ferries run from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons
Gibsons, British Columbia
Gibsons is a coastal community of 4,200 located in southwestern British Columbia, Canada on the Strait of Georgia. It is the main marine gateway to the Sunshine Coast....
across Howe Sound
Howe Sound
Howe Sound is a roughly triangular sound, actually a network of fjords situated immediately northwest of Vancouver.-Geography:Howe Sound's mouth at the Strait of Georgia is situated between West Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. The sound is triangular shaped, open on its southeast towards the...
. At the northern end of the peninsula, ferries run from Earl's Cove to Saltery Bay.
Unincorporated
- Roberts Creek
- Halfmoon Bay
- Madeira ParkMadeira Park, British ColumbiaMadeira Park is an unincorporated community in the area of Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast of southwest British Columbia, Canada. It was named for pioneer Joe Gonsalves' fond childhood memories of Madeira Island.-External links:...
- Garden Bay
- Egmont
- Hopkins Landing
Electoral areas
- Pender Harbour/Egmont/Madeira Park (Electoral Area A) - Pop 2,624
- Halfmoon Bay (Electoral Area B) - Pop 2,558
- Roberts Creek (Electoral Area D) - Pop 3,307
- Elphinstone (Electoral Area E) - Pop 3,552
- West Howe Sound (Electoral Area F) - Pop 2,235
- REDIRECT West Howe Sound, British ColumbiaWest Howe Sound, British ColumbiaWest Howe Sound, British Columbia is also known as Sunshine Coast Regional District Electoral Area F on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is bound on the south by the Town of Gibsons, on the west by Elphinstone SCRD Electoral Area E, on the east by Howe Sound and on the north by...
(all population figures from 2006 Census)
Demographics
(Statistics Canada, 2006)- Population: 27,759
- Population change (2001–2006): 8.4%
- Dwellings: 12,180
- Land area (km².): 3,778.08