Victoria is a community of choice for its temperate climate, natural beauty, and recreational sites.  For almost every citizen, native born or "immigrant," the decision to live here is consciously made. Victoria is Western Canada's oldest city. The City began in 1843 as a Hudson Bay Company trading post, named in honor of Queen Victoria.  This is a city that is proud of it's British heritage.

With the Fraser Valley gold rush in 1858, Victoria grew rapidly as the main port of entry to the Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. When the colonies combined, the City became the colonial capital and was established as the provincial capital when British Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871.

For most of the nineteenth century, Victoria remained the largest city in British Columbia and was the foremost in trade and commerce. However, with construction of the Transcontinental railway, Vancouver, as its terminus, emerged as the major west coast port and the largest city in British Columbia.

In the twentieth century, Victoria evolved primarily as a city of government, retirement and tourism. The City remains, however, Canada's western naval base and home to a major fishing fleet. Ship building and repair, as well as forest products and machine manufacturing industries, continue as significant sources of employment. Increasingly, the city is developing as a marine, forestry and agricultural research centre. The City is also noted for its fine educational institutions which include the University of Victoria, Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific (one of only six in the world operated by United World Colleges), and the recently opened Royal Roads University.  The City is proud of its British heritage, its fine homes and neighborhoods, its historic and attractive downtown, the flowers and parks and, of course, the Inner Harbor with its vistas toward the famous Empress Hotel and the Parliament Buildings.

In a survey conducted by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, Victoria was judged to be one of the world's best cities, topping the list in the category of environment and ambience.

The region's strategic location as a gateway to the Pacific Rim, its closeness to U.S. markets, and its many sea and air links have made the area a hub for business development and economic investment.  They are home to the sixth busiest airport in Canada, they have scheduled helijet service, float planes, ferries, Highways, and good public transit.