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Living and Studying in Victoria
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, located
on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, just off the mainland coast.
It is a vibrant city, with a lively cultural life, outstanding recreational
opportunities, and a friendly, small-town atmosphere. Known around
the world for its charming historical buildings and colourful, well-tended
gardens, Victoria also has Canada's mildest climate and almost
snow-free winters, so outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking,
golf - even scuba diving are year-round pleasures. Winter
sports, like skiing and snowboarding can be found just a few hours
north of the city at the world-class Mt. Washington ski resort.
Victoria is an ideal city for students. It is a true
"college town", with three universities, a public college
and a wide range of private educational institutions. Students here
take advantage of many resources in the community: public libraries,
recreation centres, private and public art galleries, and the Royal
British Columbia Museum, to enhance and extend their studies. They
also enjoy an outstanding cultural scene including two symphony orchestras, an excellent opera company, respected professional and amateur theatres, and a diverse nightlife.
The lifestyle in Victoria and on Vancouver Island is
considered one of the most gentle, welcoming and attractive in North
America. Victoria offers "big city" amenities in a close-knit,
friendly community, and Vancouver Island provides outstanding natural
beauty and recreational opportunities. For students at University
Canada West, that means unparalleled scope for learning and a comfortable, enjoyable life.
Quick facts about Victoria
· One of the safest and healthiest places to live. Click here to read the Victoria News "Pulse of the City" 2007 article on the growth of Victoria's community and environment.
· One of the top ten cities in the world. Condé
Nast Traveler Magazine reader's poll rated Victoria one of the top
ten cities to visit in the world.
· People who live here, love it. Of all the cities
in Canada, people who live in Victoria are the most satisfied with
their city.
· Originally a trading post. Victoria began in
1843 as a Hudson Bay Company trading post, named in honour of Queen
Victoria.
· Not too big. Not too small. 330,000 people
live in the Victoria region. Enough to make it interesting, but not
too many to make it uncomfortable.
· Visitors love Victoria. More than 3.6-million
people a year visit Victoria from other parts of Canada, the United
States and countries around the world.
· Just the right latitude. Victoria lies at 123°
22' west longitude, and 48° 25' north latitude. If you draw a
line around the world at this latitude, you'll pass Dijon, France;
Zurich, Switzerland; Budapest, Hungary; and Rostov, Russia.
· It's Canada - without the snow!
Victoria enjoys some of the most moderate weather in all of Canada,
and many winters, has no snow at all!
· Sunny and warm. Victoria boasts an average
of 2,183 hours of sunshine yearly. Summer is comfortably warm and
dry with temperatures from 18° to 32°C (65° to 90°F)
while the average temperature in January is 3°C (38°F)
· Green and growing. Victoria is called the "city of gardens" for good reason. It has an eight-month frost-free
season, with just enough rain to keep everything growing. Average
annual rainfall is 26.2 inches (compared to over 50 inches in New
York). In winter months we get 5 cm (2 inches) average rainfall and
less than 2.5 cm (1 inch) in the summer.
· Plenty of parks. There are 48 regional, provincial
and federal parks in Greater Victoria, totaling more than 7,600 hectares
(22,724 acres)
· Victoria's Twin Cities: Victoria has
established a Twin City (sometimes called Sister City) relationship
with Napier, New Zealand; Suzhou, China; Morioka, Japan; and Khabarovsk,
Russia
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