Lower Mainland | |
|---|---|
Region | |
 Core area of the Lower Mainland | |
| Coordinates:49°05′00″N122°21′00″W / 49.08333°N 122.35000°W /49.08333; -122.35000 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Region | British Columbia Coast |
| Area | |
• Total | 36,303.31 km2 (14,016.79 sq mi) |
| • Extended area | 31,368.24 km2 (12,111.35 sq mi) |
| • Core area | 4,935.07 km2 (1,905.44 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 3,049,496[a][1] |
| • Density | 84.1/km2 (218/sq mi) |
| • Core area | 2,924,685[b][2][3] |
| • Extended area | 124,811 |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| Postal code prefixes | |
| Area codes | 236,257,604,672,778 |
TheLower Mainland is a geographic and cultural region of themainland coast of theCanadian province ofBritish Columbia that generally comprises theregional districts ofMetro Vancouver and theFraser Valley. Home to approximately 3.05 million people as of the2021 Canadian census,[a] the Lower Mainland contains sixteen of the province's 30 most populous municipalities and approximately 60% of the province's total population.[1]
The region was historically occupied by theSto:lo, aHalkomelem-speaking people of theCoast Salish linguistic and cultural grouping.
Although the termLower Mainland has been used from the earliest period of European colonization in British Columbia, it has never been officially defined in legal terms. The term has historically been in popular usage for over a century to describe a region that extends fromHorseshoe Bay south to theCanada–United States border and east toHope at the eastern end of theFraser Valley. This definition makes the termLower Mainland almost synonymous with theregional districts ofMetro Vancouver andFraser Valley.[4]
However, theBritish Columbia Geographical Names Information System (BCGNIS) comments that most residents of Vancouver might consider it to be only areas west ofMission andAbbotsford, while residents in the rest of the province consider it to be theSea-to-Sky Corridor south ofWhistler and west ofHope.[5]
The region is bounded to the north by thePacific Ranges and to the southeast by theCascade Mountains, and is traversed from east to west by theFraser River. Due to its consistency ofclimate,flora andfauna,geology andland use, "Lower Mainland" is also the name of anecoregion—a biogeoclimatic region—that comprises the eastern part of theGeorgia Depression and extends from Powell River on theSunshine Coast to Hope at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley.[6]
One of the mildest climates in Canada, the region has a mean annual temperature of 9 °C (48 °F) with a summer mean of 15 °C (59 °F) and a winter mean of 3.5 °C (38.3 °F). Annual precipitation ranges from an annual mean of 850 millimetres (33 in) in the west end to 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in the eastern end of the Fraser Valley and at higher elevations. Maximum precipitation occurs as rain in winter. Less than ten percent falls as snow at sea level but the amount of snowfall increases significantly with elevation.[6]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1,121,018 | — |
| 1981 | 1,309,560 | +16.8% |
| 1986 | 1,491,580 | +13.9% |
| 1991 | 1,733,761 | +16.2% |
| 1996 | 2,054,062 | +18.5% |
| 2001 | 2,224,515 | +8.3% |
| 2006 | 2,373,612 | +6.7% |
| 2011 | 2,590,921 | +9.2% |
| 2016 | 2,759,365 | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 2,966,830 | +7.5% |
| Source:Statistics Canada[2][3][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] | ||
As of the 2021 census, the population of the Lower Mainland core area totals 2,966,830:
These figures are slightly inflated due to the inclusion of areas within the regional districts which are not normally considered to be part of the Lower Mainland, notably the lowerFraser Canyon and the heads ofHarrison andPitt Lakes, which are within the FVRD, andLions Bay andBowen Island, which are within the Metro Vancouver Regional District.[citation needed]
The Lower Mainland is among the mostmulticultural and diverse regions in Canada.
As of 2021, Europeans form a plurality with 1,337,105 persons or 45.7 percent of the total population, followed by East Asians with 614,860 persons or 21.0 percent and South Asians with 422,880 persons or 14.5 percent.
| Panethnic group | 2021[2][3] | 2016[7][8] | 2011[9][10] | 2006[11][12] | 2001[13][14] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| European[c] | 1,337,105 | 45.72% | 1,387,125 | 51.09% | 1,403,525 | 54.99% | 1,381,770 | 58.75% | 1,397,990 | 63.51% |
| East Asian[d] | 614,860 | 21.02% | 564,445 | 20.79% | 494,130 | 19.36% | 458,165 | 19.48% | 399,785 | 18.16% |
| South Asian | 422,880 | 14.46% | 330,925 | 12.19% | 285,780 | 11.2% | 233,530 | 9.93% | 183,660 | 8.34% |
| Southeast Asian[e] | 207,420 | 7.09% | 173,060 | 6.37% | 159,430 | 6.25% | 115,185 | 4.9% | 88,000 | 4% |
| Middle Eastern[f] | 89,135 | 3.05% | 63,300 | 2.33% | 49,505 | 1.94% | 36,085 | 1.53% | 27,595 | 1.25% |
| Indigenous | 87,355 | 2.99% | 83,660 | 3.08% | 70,915 | 2.78% | 54,845 | 2.33% | 48,380 | 2.2% |
| Latin American | 54,545 | 1.86% | 36,855 | 1.36% | 30,510 | 1.2% | 24,480 | 1.04% | 20,040 | 0.91% |
| African | 44,700 | 1.53% | 32,325 | 1.19% | 25,385 | 0.99% | 21,945 | 0.93% | 19,320 | 0.88% |
| Other/multiracial[g] | 67,755 | 2.32% | 43,295 | 1.59% | 33,165 | 1.3% | 25,815 | 1.1% | 16,565 | 0.75% |
| Total responses | 2,924,685 | 98.58% | 2,715,000 | 98.39% | 2,552,350 | 98.51% | 2,351,805 | 99.08% | 2,201,330 | 98.96% |
| Total population[b] | 2,966,830 | 100% | 2,759,365 | 100% | 2,590,921 | 100% | 2,373,612 | 100% | 2,224,515 | 100% |
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses. | ||||||||||
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The Lower Mainland includes large irreligious, Christian, and Sikh communities. The Sikh population, numbering over 265,000 persons or 9.1 percent of the total population is statistically significant across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley; proportionally, it is more than four times the national average of 2.1 percent.
| Religious group | 2021[2][3] | 2011[16][17] | 2001[13][14] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
| Irreligion | 1,361,800 | 46.56% | 1,042,815 | 40.86% | 758,130 | 34.44% |
| Christianity | 989,105 | 33.82% | 1,088,160 | 42.63% | 1,138,505 | 51.72% |
| Sikhism | 265,870 | 9.09% | 184,810 | 7.24% | 116,110 | 5.27% |
| Islam | 113,880 | 3.89% | 74,320 | 2.91% | 53,225 | 2.42% |
| Buddhism | 72,595 | 2.48% | 79,680 | 3.12% | 76,140 | 3.46% |
| Hinduism | 71,210 | 2.43% | 42,205 | 1.65% | 28,440 | 1.29% |
| Judaism | 20,430 | 0.7% | 19,125 | 0.75% | 17,555 | 0.8% |
| Indigenous spirituality | 2,895 | 0.1% | 2,590 | 0.1% | 2,225 | 0.1% |
| Other | 26,900 | 0.92% | 18,640 | 0.73% | 11,015 | 0.5% |
| Total responses | 2,924,685 | 98.58% | 2,552,350 | 98.51% | 2,201,325 | 98.96% |
| Total population[b] | 2,966,830 | 100% | 2,590,921 | 100% | 2,224,515 | 100% |
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Regional districts were first created across British Columbia from 1966 to 1967 to form bodies for inter-municipal coordination and to extend municipal-level powers to areas outside existing municipalities. Today, the Lower Mainland includes two regional districts: theMetro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) and theFraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). Both regional districts, however, include areas outside the traditional limits of the Lower Mainland. Metro Vancouver includes areas like Surrey and Langley that are geographically in theFraser Valley.
The Metro Vancouver Regional District is made up of 21 municipalities. The MVRD is bordered on the west by the Strait of Georgia, to the north by theSquamish-Lillooet Regional District, on the east by the Fraser Valley Regional District, and to the south byWhatcom County, Washington, in theUnited States.
The Fraser Valley Regional District lies east of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, and comprises the cities ofAbbotsford andChilliwack, thedistrict municipalities ofMission,Kent, andHope, and the village ofHarrison Hot Springs. It also includes many unincorporated areas in the Fraser Valley and along the west side of theFraser Canyon (the Fraser Canyon is not in the Lower Mainland).
Regional district powers are very limited and other localized provincial government services are delivered through other regionalization systems.
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The region was historically occupied by theMusqueam andTsleil'waututh, and the southern portion was historically occupied by theSquamish. Its claims overlap those of the Tsleil-waututh, Musqueam, and Kwikwetlem. Other peoples who historically occupied the region are theSto:lo,Chehalis,Katzie,Kwantlen,Tsawwassen, andSemiahmoo; many of their territories overlap with those of the Musqueam, and with each other. Many other peoples of theGeorgia Strait region also frequented the lower Fraser, including those from Vancouver Island and what is nowWhatcom County, Washington. Sto:lo "traditional territory", known asSolh Temexw inHalkomelem, roughly coincides with the Lower Mainland, except for the inclusion ofPort Douglas at the head of Harrison Lake, which is inIn-SHUCK-ch territory, and the lands around Burrard Inlet.
Health system services and governance in the Lower Mainland are provided byVancouver Coastal Health, serving Vancouver, Richmond and the North Shore, and the mainland coast as far north as theCentral Coast region, andFraser Health, which serves the area of the Lower Mainland east of Vancouver and Richmond.[18]
The Lower Mainland is considered to have a high vulnerability to flood risk. There have been two major region-wide floods in1894 and1948, both associated with an extremespring freshet of theFraser River.[19][20][21] Other major floods in the Lower Mainland – including June 1972,[22][23] November 1990,[24][25] and November 2021 – have been more localized, primarily impacting areas in the Fraser Valley like theSumas Prairie, with comparatively minor impacts to Metro Vancouver. Prior to the 2021 flood, according to the Fraser Basin Council, scientists predicted a one-in-three chance of a similar-sized flood occurring in the next 50 years.[26]
In the second quarter of 2007, the Lower Mainland was on high alert for flooding. Higher than normal snow packs in theBritish Columbia Interior prompted municipal governments to start taking emergency measures in the region.Dikes along the Fraser River are regulated to handle approximately 8.5 metres (28 ft) at the Mission Gauge (the height above sea level of the dykes at Mission). Warmer than normal weather in the province's Interior region caused large amounts of snow to melt prematurely, resulting in higher-than-normal water levels, which, nevertheless, remained well below flood levels.[27][28]
Flooding can cover much of the Lower Mainland.Cloverdale,Barnston Island, low-lying areas ofMaple Ridge, areas west ofHope,White Rock,Richmond, parts ofVancouver, and parts ofSurrey are potentially at risk. In 2007, the Lower Mainland was largely spared, although northern regions of the province, along theSkeena andNechako Rivers, experienced floods.Climate scientists predict that increasing temperatures will mean wetter winters and more snow at the high elevations. This will increase the likelihood of snowmelt floods.[29]
The provincial government maintains an integrated flood hazard management program and extensive flood protection infrastructure in the Lower Mainland. The infrastructure consists of dikes,pump stations, floodboxes,riprap, andrelief wells.[30]
Whileearthquakes are common in British Columbia and adjacent coastal waters, most are minor in energy release or are sufficiently remote to have little effect on populated areas. Nevertheless, earthquakes with a magnitude of up to 7.3 have occurred within 150 kilometres (93 mi) of the Lower Mainland.
Based on geological evidence, however, stronger earthquakes appear to have occurred at approximately 600-year intervals. Therefore, there is a probability that there will be a major earthquake in the region within the next 200 years.[31]
In April 2008, theUnited States Geological Survey released information concerning a newly foundfault south of downtownAbbotsford, called the Boulder Creek Fault. Scientists now believe this fault isactive and capable of producing earthquakes in the 6.8 magnitude range.[32]
Much of the Lower Mainland is vulnerable toexplosive eruptions from theGaribaldi Volcanic Belt. Volcanoes in this zone are capable of producing large quantities ofvolcanic ash that may cause short and long term water supply problems for Lower Mainland communities.[33] All airports covered by the accompanyingeruption column would be closed, heavyash falls would damage electrical equipment and weak structures could collapse under the weight of the ash.[34]
The Lower Mainland's communities includes large cities in Metro Vancouver, and smaller cities, towns and villages along both banks of the Fraser River. Neighbourhoods within cities are not listed unless historically or otherwise notable and/or separate. Only some of the many Indian Reserves are listed.
The Lower Mainland has experienced two major Fraser River floods in just the past 130 years. The largest flood on written record was in 1894, and the second largest was in 1948. Earlier large-scale floods are also part of the oral history of Coast Salish First Nations.
On June 16, the lower Fraser peaked at Hope, with a maximum instantaneous flow of 3400 cubic metres per second and a maximum elevation of 7.1 metres, well above the danger level of 6.1 metres.
In 1972, the Fraser River again experienced record flood waters – the second highest in recorded times with a discharge of 12,900 cubic metres per second and a maximum height of 10.141 meters at Hope on June 16. Wardle Street and part of Seventh Avenue were submerged, and on Tom Berry Road 10 houses were flooded and families were forced to evacuate their properties. Pumps were brought in to remove water and residents were able to return home after approximately a week.
A Nooksack flood in 1990 swamped the Whatcom Road interchange and western portions of Sumas Prairie. Such a flood is expected to take place every 35 years or so. There are worries that a larger flood event would change the course of the river entirely, diverting it north into the channel of the much-smaller Sumas River.
In 1990, the Nooksack River in northern Washington overflowed its banks, with its waters flooding over the border and into Sumas Prairie. The flood cut off Highway 1, and also inundated the towns of Everson and Sumas.
Lower Mainland travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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| Other | |
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