A Rich History, A Bright Future

New Westminster has a rich history which may only be outshined by its bright future. Established in 1859 by British engineers, New Westminster — a name selected by Queen Victoria herself — was the first capital of the Colony of British Columbia. The Capital was selected for its strategic location and beauty. Later in 1866 when the colony of British Columbia and the colony of Vancouver Island were amalgamated as “British Columbia”, the capital was moved to the city of Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

As the Canadian Pacific Railway completed in 1885, the growth of New Westminster exploded. The new rail line allowed import and export lines to flow from New Westminster’s ports to the rest of Canada and the world. Businesses began popping up along Columbia Street making it one of the most important areas for business in the Province. However, progress was stifled in 1898 when a fire devastated much of the downtown area. Undeterred, residents of New Westminster became even more determined to make their city bigger and better. Businesses reemerged and over the next two decades industries such as lumber, paper and shipping became more robust. Columbia Street became known as the “Golden Mile” attracting consumers from various parts of the Lower Mainland.

Today New Westminster is still benefiting from its strategic location. Located only 21 kms from Vancouver (British Columbia’s largest city), New Westminster is also surrounded by the other three largest cities in the province: Surrey, Burnaby and Richmond. With the integration of vital transportation infrastructure such as the Expo Line and Millennium Skytrain which connect the City with downtown Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey, it is no secret that New Westminster is a prime location for businesses and residents alike.

Over the past few years, New Westminster has seen a number of significant developments in the core of the City. In particular in Sapperton and along Columbia Street and the waterfront.

With over 2,700 units in application (and big players Wesgroup, Bosa Properties, Onni and Aragon all releasing new residential product in the near future), New Westminster continues to invest in making improvements to housing, city services and public amenities.

New Westminster is definitely a city on the rise and, due to its prime location, it and its surrounding cities, are well positioned to prosper for many years to come.