About Victoria
Get to know the city, its areas, and its history
Greater Victoria in a nutshell — where things are, how the city came to be, and a few things worth knowing before you visit or move here.
Did you know?
Butchart Gardens began as a limestone quarry in 1904 and now draws over a million visitors a year.
A short history of Victoria
Before 1843
Lekwungen homeland
The Victoria area has been home to the Lekwungen-speaking peoples — today the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations — for thousands of years, on unceded Coast Salish territory.
1843
Fort Victoria is founded
Hudson’s Bay Company trader James Douglas established Fort Camosack, built with the help of Lekwungen carpenters; it was renamed Fort Victoria that same year in honour of Queen Victoria.
1849 – 1858
Colonial capital & gold rush
Victoria became capital of the Colony of Vancouver Island in 1849, then boomed almost overnight in 1858 as the supply port for the Fraser Canyon gold rush.
1858 – 1871
Chinatown & Confederation
Chinese immigrants arriving for the gold rush founded what is often cited as the second-oldest Chinatown in North America. In 1871, British Columbia joined Confederation with Victoria as its capital.
1897 – 1904
Landmarks of the gilded era
Coal baron Robert Dunsmuir’s Craigdarroch Castle (1890) and the Butchart family’s quarry-turned-garden — now the Butchart Gardens, opened to the public in 1904 — date from this period of Victorian-era wealth.
20th century
Naval base & garden city
CFB Esquimalt grew into the Royal Canadian Navy’s Pacific headquarters, while Victoria’s mild climate and flower baskets earned it a reputation as Canada’s “garden city.”
Today
BC’s capital, still growing
Victoria remains the capital of British Columbia and the hub of the Greater Victoria region — a mix of government, tech, tourism, education, and one of Canada’s most walkable downtown cores.
Areas of Greater Victoria
Downtown & Inner Harbour
The historic waterfront core — the Parliament Buildings, Fairmont Empress, float planes, and the Inner Harbour walkway — with condos, shops, and Victoria’s liveliest street life.
Guide coming soonJames Bay
Victoria’s oldest residential neighbourhood, a walkable peninsula between the Inner Harbour and Beacon Hill Park, with heritage homes and easy downtown access.
Guide coming soonFairfield & Cook Street Village
A tree-lined residential area near Beacon Hill Park and Dallas Road’s ocean walkway, anchored by the walkable, café-filled Cook Street Village.
Guide coming soonOak Bay
A distinct, garden-lined municipality on the coast with heritage character, marina views, and some of the region’s most established homes.
Guide coming soonRockland
A prestigious hillside neighbourhood of grand heritage homes, home to Craigdarroch Castle and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Guide coming soonFernwood
Victoria’s arts-and-culture neighbourhood — galleries, live music, and independent shops around Fernwood Village.
Guide coming soonVic West & the Westside
Across the Johnson Street Bridge from downtown — newer waterfront condos, the Galloping Goose trail, and quick access to Esquimalt.
Guide coming soonSaanich & the Peninsula
Victoria’s largest neighbouring municipality — family-friendly suburbs, Uplands and Cordova Bay, Butchart Gardens, and the airport/ferry corridor toward Sidney.
Guide coming soonEsquimalt
A working harbour community anchored by CFB Esquimalt naval base, with more attainable housing and a strong sense of local identity.
Guide coming soonWest Shore (Langford, Colwood, View Royal)
Greater Victoria’s fastest-growing area — newer homes, big-box retail, and a shorter commute for many West Shore employers.
Guide coming soon