Totems in Stanley Park, Vancouver
Delta is named for the Fraser River delta on which it lies, a fertile oasis of farmland and wetlands. Situated in the southern portion of Metro Vancouver in BC’s Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region, within its boundaries on Westham Island, is the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, home to over 230 species and is the annual migratory stop for some 1.5 million birds on the Pacific Flyway. Over 20,000 snow geese travelling south from Siberia every November make an especially breathtaking spectacle. South of the region is Boundary Bay Regional Park which stretches from Tsawwassen to Crescent Beach in South Surrey. The Boundary Bay Dyke Trail winds through sand dunes, salt marshes, tidal flats and lagoons and is popular with walkers, cyclists, bird-watchers, hikers and equestrians. The sun, the wind, and the beautiful waters of Boundary Bay also call visitors to experience the sheer exhilaration of windsurfing. Centennial Beach has one the region’s warmest and cleanest soft-sand beaches, as well as picnic facilities, beach volleyball, and nature trails.
Historic Ladner is a charming community of unique boutiques and restaurants. During the summer visit the Ladner Village Market, a three-block long open-air market of fresh produce, handmade jewelry and hand-created treasures.
Located east of Hwy 91 and north of Hwy 10, 27 km / 17 mi southeast of Vancouver and 22 km / 14 mi north of White Rock and the Canada/United States border crossing at the Peace Arch Douglas Crossing.
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.
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 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.
British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association Members