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'Delta' is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada. Located south of Richmond, it is bordered by the Fraser River to the north, the United States (Point Roberts, Washington) to the south and the city of Surrey to the east. Delta is composed of three distinct communities: Ladner, Tsawwassen and North Delta.

Contents

History

Geography and land use

Population and people

Communities

Government and politics

Power

Transportation

Delta Sports

Surrounding municipalities

References

External links

History

Prior to European settlement, Delta's flatlands and coastal shores were inhabited by the Tsawwassen indigenous peoples, of the Coast Salish First Nations . The land was first sighted by Europeans in 1791, when Spanish explorer Lieutenant Francisco de Eliza mistook the area for an island and named it "Isla Capeda". The first Europeans to settle in the area were Thomas and William Ladner, who began farming the area in 1868. Farming and fishing helped the community grow quickly over the next few decades. In 1879, the area was incorporated to become "Delta", and the village of Ladner was made as its administrative centre.
Due to its geography, Delta was a relatively isolated community. The completion of the George Massey Tunnel in 1959 linking Ladner to Richmond and Vancouver along with the opening, in 1960, of the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal and the Highway 99 being rerouted from the King George Highway in Surrey in 1962 to a new route through Delta, ended Delta's isolation and resulted in a massive 400% population growth over the next 20 years. The 1986 completion of the Alex Fraser Bridge connecting North Delta to New Westminster and Vancouver also helped Delta's growth.

Geography and land use

Delta is located south of Vancouver and north of the U.S. border at Peace Arch, Surrey. It is bordered by water on three sides: The Fraser River to the north, the Georgia Strait to the west and Boundary Bay to the south.
At , Delta is the largest municipality in the GVRD; the second largest is its neighbour to the east, Surrey, at .
Delta's flat, fertile land has made it one of the most important agricultural areas in Greater Vancouver. The Agricultural Land Reserve regulations preserve most of this land for agricultural use, preventing its conversion to suburban housing. North Delta is also home to the Burns Bog, 10,000 acres (40 km²) of natural wetlands that are important for wildlife.

Population and people

As of 2005, Delta's population was 102,655. About 23% of Delta's population are visible minorities, of which there are approximately 12,000 South Asians and 5,400 Chinese-Canadians. There are also about 1,400 Aboriginal peoples, some from the Tsawwassen Indian band, who still hold traditional lands on the Tsawwassen Indian Reserve as well as the Hwlitsum First Nation, at the mouth of the Fraser River. But the greatest Native Indian Dean lives in Chilliwack.

Communities

Delta comprises three distinct, geographically separate communities:

★ North Delta (pop: 52,000) is home to over half of Delta's population. It is a largely suburban area in north-east Delta bordered by the Burns Bog and Surrey.

★ Ladner (pop: 25,000) is a 19th century fishing village in north-west Delta that has expanded into a suburb. Fishing and farming are important industries. Ladner Trunk Road is its main street.

★ Tsawwassen (pop: 25,000) is a suburban community in south-west Delta that calls itself the sunniest place in Greater Vancouver. Luxury waterfront homes line Tsawwassen's coast. Tsawwassen is also home to the busy Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal which links the mainland to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The town of Point Roberts sits on a peninsula attached to Tsawwassen (south of 49th parallel north) and actually belongs to Whatcom County, Washington. The town is thus one of the three points in the US that is accessible only through Canada or through a water body. It is accessible by the Tsawwassen/Point Roberts border crossing at the foot of 56th Street, the main artery through the community. Tsawwassen, together with Ladner are also known as South Delta.

Government and politics

Delta is governed by the Delta Municipal Council, led by a Mayor and six Councillors. They are elected for three-year terms, the last elections being held in November 2005. The current mayor is Lois Jackson. Unlike most communities in Canada, but like Vancouver and Richmond, Delta has a system of loosely organized, locally-based political parties such as Jackson's TriDelta.
Delta's rural-urban split is reflected in its politics, with urbanized North Delta voting more to the left, while rural western areas of Delta have voted more conservative. For example, in the 2005 elections to the British Columbia Legislature, the North Delta seat went to the New Democratic Party, while the other seat went to the BC Liberal Party.
Likewise, in the Canadian House of Commons, one of Delta's two seats is held by the Conservative Party while the other is held by the Liberal Party of Canada.
Delta, unlike most Lower Mainland municipalities, has its own police department.

Power

Near Delta, British Columbia is the Arnott Substation (ART) the mainland terminal of the HVDC Vancouver Island.

Transportation

★ Public transportation in Delta is provided by the Translink bus system. There is no rapid transit system in Delta, though the Skytrain system in Surrey comes within three kilometres of the city's borders.

★ Delta is a major transportation hub for the Lower Mainland. Most vehicles leaving Vancouver for the United States pass through Delta's borders. Many vehicles destined for Vancouver Island use the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta.

★ Highway 99 links Richmond to Delta via the George Massey Tunnel, built in 1959. North Delta is linked to New Westminster and Richmond by Highway 91 and the massive Alex Fraser Bridge (opened in 1986). Delta is linked to Surrey, Langley, and all points eastward by Highway 10.

★ Highway 17 in Delta provides a connection to the Tsawwassen B.C. Ferry terminal, which provides car ferry connections to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

★ River Road is also another connector through the municipality. River Road starts in Surrey and heads westbound through North Delta, under the Alex Fraser Bridge, north of Burns Bog, and then terminates at Highway 99, where it becomes Highway 17. River Road is a trucking route through the area, and is soon going to be a part of the "South Perimeter Road" project, hooking up the BC Ferry Terminal and Roberts Bank Superport in Tsawwassen with all points east.

★ Like River Road, the western communities of "South Delta" (Ladner and Tsawwassen) are linked to North Delta and communities to the east by Ladner Trunk Road; east of its crossover of Highway 99, the road becomes Highway 10.

★ 56th Street is another major artery in the community, bisecting the Tsawwassen region; it is the only road leading into the community of Point Roberts, south of the Canadian/American border.

★ Delta is also home to Boundary Bay Airport, Canada's 5th busiest airport by aircraft movements. Boundary Bay Airport is primarily used for private aircraft, commercial charters, and flying lessons.

Delta Sports

Delta has many minor sports teams in hockey, baseball, and lacrosse. Over 160 young people play ringette in Delta. The Delta Ringette Association has 13 teams in 2005.

Surrounding municipalities

References

★ BC Stats. (2005) British Columbia Municipal Population Estimates 1996–2005

External links

★ Official Website of the Corporation of Delta

★ Delta Chamber of Commerce

★ The Delta Ringette Association

★ DRS Earthwise Society

★ The Deltan — Delta's community newspaper