is a district municipality in ,
Tsawwassen and
North Delta .
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
European s in
1791 , when
Spanish explorer Lieutenant
Francisco 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
British Columbia Provincial 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.
Delta is located 27 km south of Vancouver and 22km north of the U.S. border at White Rock. It is bordered by water on three sides: The
Fraser River to the north, the
Georgia Straight to the west and
Boundary Bay to the south.
At 364 km&
2, Delta is the largest municipality in the GVRD; the second largest is its neighbour to the east,
Surrey , at 317.4 km&
2.
Delta's flat, fertile land has made it one of the most important agricultural areas in
Greater Vancouver .
North Delta is also home to the
Burns Bog , 10,000 acres (40 km&
2) of natural
Wetlands that are important for wildlife.
As of
2005 , Delta's population is 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, most from the Tsawwassen Indian band, who still hold traditional lands on the Tsawwassen
Indian Reserve .
Delta is comprised of three distinct, geographically separate communities:
- 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. Ladner is also known as East Delta.
- . 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 two 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 is also known as South Delta.
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 .
In the
Legislative Assembly Of British Columbia , as of the 2005 election, one of Delta's two seats is held by the
New Democratic Party Of British Columbia , while the other is held by the
BC Liberal Party .
In the
Canadian House Of Commons , one of Delta's two seats is held by the
Conservative Party Of Canada , the other by the
Liberal Party Of Canada .
Near Delta, British Columbia is the Arnott Substation (ART) the mainland terminal of the
HVDC Vancouver Island .
- 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 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; travelled far enough east, 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 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.
