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Burnaby
BC
Burnaby BC covers an area of 98.60 square kilometers (38.07 square miles) and is ideally situated at the centre of the Lower
Mainland region. Burnaby BC has a corridor position between the cities of Vancouver
BC to the west and north, and Coquitlam BC and
New Westminster BC to the east.
Before the advent of settlers in the late 1800's, the area now known as Burnaby
BC was a land of tall trees and wilderness. The
earliest pioneers settled around 1850 and Burnaby
BC developed very slowly until 1887, when the Canadian Pacific Railway was
extended into Vancouver BC from the Port Moody
BC terminal. Due to the dramatic increase in traffic between New Westminster
BC and
Vancouver BC, a tram line connecting the two
centers through Burnaby BC was built.
In October of 1891, the land along the route was subdivided and sold. The population of the area along the Canadian Pacific
line was only about 200 persons who were mainly employed in the agriculture or logging industries. The property taxes the
pioneers paid went straight to the new provincial capital of B.C. in Victoria
BC and gave them no local benefits. A group of
community minded neighbors consolidated to apply for a municipal charter that would guarantee their taxes went to local
roads and services.
The municipality received its charter of incorporation on September 24, 1892. It was named after Robert Burnaby who had
explored the region around Burnaby BC Lake in 1859. Robert Burnaby, a merchant and businessman, was active in a variety of
community affairs and helped develop much of the west coast. Robert Burnaby went on to serve five years in the B.C.
legislature before returning to England because of poor health. In all, he has given his name to a city, a park, a lake, a
hill, a Vancouver BC street, a mountain range in McKenzie Sound, an island and a narrows in the Queen Charlotte Islands.
By 1896, Burnaby BC had its first park along with a store, post office, two schools and a church. Within five years, the
population in South Burnaby BC had grown to 400. The opening of the Barnet Mill in North Burnaby
BC in 1900 started a second
settlement within the municipality.
Almost 100 years later Burnaby's population has grown to over 165,500. Its economic base has changed from logging and
agriculture to service, commercial and industrial activities. Community, business and personal service industries account
for approximately 27 per cent of the employment in Burnaby
BC. This reflects Burnaby's growing role as an urban centre.
In 1992, Burnaby BC celebrated its 100th anniversary and officially changed from the Corporation of the District of Burnaby
BC to
the City of Burnaby BC.
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