New Westminster
Nestled on a picturesque hillside where history meets elegance along the Fraser River
New Westminster, located on a hillside overlooking the Fraser River, is the oldest incorporated city in BC, was once the provincial capital, and remains an urban hub of the Lower Mainland. The Royal City, as it is still known, began as a pioneer settlement and evolved into a stately Victorian city, and today remains graced with many grand Victorian and Edwardian heritage buildings.
New Westminster resides on the traditional, ancestral and unceded shared territories of the qʷɑ:nƛən [Kwantlen] and Qayqayt [key-kite] First Nations, and is home to the North Fraser Métis Association.
Area Facts
New Westminster, located on a hillside overlooking the Fraser River, is the oldest incorporated city in BC, was once the provincial capital, and remains an urban hub of the Lower Mainland. The Royal City, as it is still known, began as a pioneer settlement and evolved into a stately Victorian city, and today remains graced with many grand Victorian and Edwardian heritage buildings.
Nearly 80,000 residents call the city of New Westminster home.
New Westminster has a number of public and private schools from kindergarten through to grade 12.
Post-secondary and higher education is available through a Douglas College campus, the Justice Institute of British Columbia, Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, a campus of West Coast College of Massage Therapy and a number of continuing education and workplace skills training programs.
New Westminster is one of western Canada’s busiest ports, a major rail junction, and one of the province’s largest industrial and marketing centres. Known for the manufacturing of forest products, New Westminster also has other thriving industries, including food processing (fruit and vegetables), distilling, brewing, shipbuilding, oil refining, and film/television.
Things To Do
Go for a stroll along the waterfront Quayside Esplanade and Boardwalk as you make your way towards the River Market at Westminster Quay – a culinary destination where you can explore local artisan shops and learn about the culture of the city. Spend the day browsing through The Royal Westminster Regiment Historical Society and Museum, perusing all the Brewery District has to offer, or relaxing in one of its many picturesque parks found throughout the city. Being centrally located in the Greater Vancouver area also allows New Westminster easy access to major highways to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Explore the nearby mountains and provincial parks of neighbouring communities.
Explore Our Region
New Westminster is located on the north side of the Fraser River with several bordering municipalities in each direction (Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey and Delta), making it the centre of the Greater Vancouver region. The city is only about 30 minutes (20 km) from Vancouver’s city centre.
Royal Columbian Hospital
Royal Columbian Hospital is a provincial referral hospital (stroke/cardiac/trauma/neurosurgery) located in New Westminster, BC, with 439 acute beds, with nearly 80,000 visits annually.
Royal Columbian Hospital Redevelopment Project
The Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment is a multi-year, multi-phase project to increase the hospital’s capacity, beds and services by about 50 per cent. Phase one is complete and includes a new mental health and substance use wellness centre with more outpatient clinics. Phase two will add an acute care tower with more beds for intensive care, cardiac intensive care, obstetrics, medical and surgical beds and a new larger emergency department.
Royal Columbian Hospital
Royal Columbian Hospital
330 E Columbia St, New Westminster, BC, V3L 3W7, Canada
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