List of cities in British Columbia

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A photo of the downtown Victoria skyline.
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia.

As of 2024, British Columbia has 161 municipalities,[1] out of which 53 are classified as cities.[2] According to the 2021 Canadian census, British Columbia is the third most populous province in Canada, with 5,000,879 inhabitants, and the second largest province by land area, covering 920,686.55 square kilometres (355,479.06 square miles).[3]

Cities, towns, district municipalities and villages in British Columbia are referred to as municipalities and all are included in local governments in the province, which may be incorporated under the Local Government Act of 2015. In order for a municipality in British Columbia to be classified as a city, it must have a minimum population of 5,000.[4][5] Although the populations of Enderby, Grand Forks, Greenwood and Rossland fall below this threshold, they are still classified as cities.[3]

The largest city by population in British Columbia is Vancouver, with 662,248 residents, and the smallest is Greenwood, with 702 residents. The largest city by land area is Abbotsford, which spans 375.55 square kilometres (145.00 square miles), while the smallest is Duncan, at 2.07 square kilometres (0.80 square miles).[2] The first municipality to incorporate as a city was New Westminster on July 16, 1860,[6] while the province's newest city is Mission, a district municipality that was reclassified as a city on March 29, 2021.[7] Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia.[8]

Cities

A photo of the downtown Vancouver skyline.
Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia by population.
A photo of the downtown Abbotsford skyline.
Abbotsford is the largest city in British Columbia by area.
Cities in British Columbia
Name Regional district[6] Incorporation date[6] Council size[9] Population (2021)[10] Population (2016)[2] Change (%)[2] Area (km2)[2] Population density (people/km2)[2]
Abbotsford Fraser ValleyDecember 12, 1995 9[11]153,524141,3978.6375.33409.0
Armstrong North OkanaganMarch 31, 1913 7[12]5,3235,1144.15.221020.0
Burnaby Metro VancouverSeptember 22, 1892 9[13]249,125232,7557.090.572750.7
Campbell River StrathconaJune 24, 1947 7[14]35,51933,0077.6144.38246.0
Castlegar Central KootenayJanuary 1, 1974 7[15]8,3388,0393.719.87419.6
Chilliwack Fraser ValleyApril 26, 1873 7[16]93,20383,78811.2261.34356.6
Colwood CapitalJune 24, 1985 7[17]18,96116,85912.517.661073.6
Coquitlam Metro VancouverJuly 25, 1891 9[18]148,625139,2846.7122.151216.7
Courtenay Comox ValleyJanuary 1, 1915 7[19]28,42025,63910.832.42876.7
Cranbrook East KootenayNovember 1, 1905 7[20]20,49920,0472.331.97641.2
Dawson Creek Peace RiverMay 26, 1936 7[21]12,32312,1781.226.72461.1
Delta Metro VancouverSeptember 22, 2017[22] 7[23]108,455102,2386.1179.66603.7
Duncan Cowichan ValleyMarch 4, 1912 7[24]5,0474,9442.12.062444.5
Enderby North OkanaganMarch 1, 1905 7[25]3,0282,9642.24.26710.4
Fernie East KootenayJuly 28, 1904 7[26]6,3205,39617.115.11418.3
Fort St. John Peace RiverDecember 31, 1947 7[27]21,46520,2605.932.67656.9
Grand Forks Kootenay BoundaryApril 15, 1897 7[28]4,1124,0491.610.37396.4
Greenwood Kootenay BoundaryJuly 12, 1897 5[29]7026655.62.42290.2
Kamloops Thompson-NicolaOctober 17, 1967 9[30]97,90290,2808.4297.93328.6
Kelowna Central OkanaganMay 4, 1905 9[31]144,576127,39013.5211.85682.4
Kimberley East KootenayMarch 29, 1944 7[32]8,1157,4259.360.51134.1
Langford CapitalDecember 8, 1992 7[33]46,58435,34231.841.431124.4
Langley Metro VancouverMarch 15, 1955 7[34]28,96325,88811.910.182845.2
Maple Ridge Metro VancouverSeptember 12, 2014[35] 7[36]90,99082,25610.6267.82339.7
Merritt Thompson-NicolaApril 1, 1911 7[37]7,0517,139-1.226.04270.7
Mission Fraser ValleyMarch 29, 2021[7] 7[38]41,51938,5547.7226.98182.9
Nanaimo NanaimoDecember 24, 1874 9[39]99,86390,50410.390.451104.1
Nelson Central KootenayMarch 18, 1897 7[40]11,10610,5725.111.93930.6
New Westminster Metro VancouverJuly 16, 1860 7[41]78,91670,99611.215.625052.4
North Vancouver Metro VancouverAugust 10, 1891 7[42]58,12052,8989.911.834913.0
Parksville NanaimoJune 19, 1945 7[43]13,64212,4539.514.52939.5
Penticton Okanagan-SimilkameenJanuary 1, 1909 7[44]36,88533,7619.343.03857.3
Pitt Meadows Metro VancouverApril 25, 1914 7[45]19,14618,5733.186.34221.7
Port Alberni Alberni-ClayoquotOctober 28, 1967 7[46]18,25917,6783.319.66928.9
Port Coquitlam Metro VancouverMarch 7, 1913 7[47]61,49858,6124.929.162108.7
Port Moody Metro VancouverMarch 11, 1913 7[48]33,53533,5510.025.851297.3
Powell River Powell RiverOctober 15, 1955 7[49]13,94313,1576.028.91482.4
Prince George Fraser-Fort GeorgeMarch 6, 1915 9[50]76,70874,0033.7316.74242.2
Prince Rupert North CoastMarch 10, 1910 7[51]12,30012,2200.766.00186.4
Quesnel CaribooMarch 21, 1928 7[52]9,8899,8790.135.35279.8
Revelstoke Columbia ShuswapMarch 1, 1899 7[53]8,2757,5629.441.28200.5
Richmond Metro VancouverNovember 10, 1879 9[54]209,937198,3095.9128.871629.0
Rossland Kootenay BoundaryMarch 18, 1897 7[55]4,1403,72911.059.7269.3
Salmon Arm Columbia ShuswapMay 15, 1905 7[56]19,43217,7069.7155.19125.2
Surrey Metro VancouverNovember 10, 1879 9[57]568,322517,8879.7316.111797.9
Terrace Kitimat–StikineDecember 31, 1927 7[58]12,01711,6433.257.33209.6
Trail Kootenay BoundaryJune 14, 1901 7[59]7,9207,7092.734.90226.9
Vancouver[BC 1] Metro VancouverApril 6, 1886 11[60]662,248631,4864.9115.185749.9
Vernon North OkanaganDecember 30, 1892 7[61]44,51940,11611.096.43461.7
Victoria[BC 2] CapitalAugust 2, 1862 9[62]91,86785,7927.119.454722.3
West Kelowna Central OkanaganJune 26, 2015[63] 7[64]36,07832,65510.5122.09295.5
White Rock Metro VancouverApril 15, 1957 7[65]21,93919,95210.05.174240.6
Williams Lake CaribooMarch 15, 1929 7[66]10,94710,7531.833.12330.5
Total cities — — 3,630,140 3,367,053 7.8 4497.15 807.2

Former cities

Former cities in British Columbia
Name Held city status
Kaslo 1893–1959[67]
Phoenix 1900–1919[68]
Sandon 1898–1920[69]

See also

Notes

  1. Vancouver is Canada's eighth-largest city and British Columbia's largest city by population. The Vancouver CMA includes the cities of Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver and White Rock.
  2. Victoria is British Columbia's capital. The Victoria CMA includes the cities of Colwood, Langford and Victoria.

References

  1. Affairs, Ministry of Municipal. "Regional districts in B.C. - Province of British Columbia". Government of British Columbia. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  2. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2021 and 2016 censuses (British Columbia)". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  3. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  4. Affairs, Ministry of Municipal. "Municipalities in B.C. - Province of British Columbia". Government of British Columbia. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  5. "Local Government Act: Part 2 — Incorporation of Municipalities". Government of British Columbia. December 16, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  6. "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address". Government of British Columbia. Archived from the original (XLS) on July 13, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  7. "Order in Council 0187-2021". Government of British Columbia. March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  8. McGillivray, Brett (September 5, 2024). "Victoria". Britannica. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  9. "CivicInfo BC | Municipalities". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  10. "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population, 2021 census (British Columbia)". Statistics Canada. October 30, 2022.
  11. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Abbotsford (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  12. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Armstrong (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  13. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Burnaby (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  14. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Campbell River (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  15. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Castlegar (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  16. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Chilliwack (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  17. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Colwood (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  18. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Coquitlam (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  19. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Courtenay (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  20. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Cranbrook (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  21. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Dawson Creek (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  22. "Order in Council No. 362". Province of British Columbia. September 22, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  23. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Delta (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  24. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Duncan (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  25. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Enderby (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  26. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Fernie (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  27. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Fort St. John (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  28. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Grand Forks (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  29. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Greenwood (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  30. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Kamloops (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  31. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Kelowna (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  32. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Kimberley (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  33. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Langford (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  34. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Langley (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  35. "Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council: Order in Council No. 513" (PDF). Province of British Columbia. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  36. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Maple Ridge (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  37. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Merritt (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  38. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Mission (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  39. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Nanaimo (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  40. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Nelson (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  41. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: New Westminster (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  42. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: North Vancouver (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  43. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Parksville (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  44. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Penticton (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  45. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Pitt Meadows (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  46. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Port Alberni (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  47. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Port Coquitlam (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  48. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Port Moody (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  49. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Powell River (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  50. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Prince George (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  51. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Prince Rupert (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  52. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Quesnel (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  53. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Revelstoke (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  54. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Richmond (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  55. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Rossland (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  56. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Salmon Arm (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  57. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Surrey (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  58. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Terrace (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  59. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Trail (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  60. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Vancouver (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  61. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Vernon (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  62. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Victoria (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  63. "Order in Council No. 357". Province of British Columbia. June 26, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  64. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: West Kelowna (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  65. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: White Rock (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  66. "CivicInfo BC | Municipality: Williams Lake (City)". www.civicinfo.bc.ca. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  67. City of Kaslo Fonds. The British Columbia Archival Information Network. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  68. "Name Details: Phoenix (Abandoned Locality)". Government of British Columbia. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  69. "From Boom to Bust in 20 Years: Sandon's History as an Incorporated City". Sandon Museum. Retrieved June 26, 2013.