The Largest City in BC (in area)
Surrey, one of the fastest growing major cities in Canada, is strategically located at the crossroads of the Pacific Rim, Greater Vancouver and the United States. Easy and convenient access to Vancouver international Airport, two international border crossings into the U.S., an excellent transportation network including six major highways, rail and a deep sea port provide ideal opportunity for transportation of goods and services worldwide - a network essential to the demands of a vibrant City and its growing business sector. In September of 1993, Surrey officially became a City and over the past few years has undergone tremendous change and growth and the overall quality of life has risen to new and impressive heights.
Incorporated in 1879, Surrey has a rich history of diverse ethnic backgrounds that have come together to make Surrey one of British Columbia's most unique communities. Comprised of forests of fir, cedar and hemlock, and basically untouched, the tone of Surrey's future as the City of Parks was set. Logging began, settlement took place, and Surrey started to take shape. As you drive throughout the City, take notice of the heritage markers bearing the names of the early settlers to the area such as Johnston Road, Sullivan Station and Hjorth Road to name a few.
A Brief History
When European explorers, road-builders, loggers and settlers first came to this area, the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen First Nations People had already been present for more than 6,000 years. The settlements along the mouth of the Fraser River, at Crescent Beach, at the mouth of the Campbell River and in the north along the sheltered bends of the Fraser River were well established villages and temporary or seasonal settlements. Community life centred on a hunting and fishing; tidal resources of shellfish, river supplies of salmon, herring, and oolichans, and shorelines and forests of birds, deer, elk and bear provided ample resources to support life in the delta of the Fraser River. The Campbell, Nicomekl and Serpentine Rivers were the inland routes used for trading and communication. The coastal waterways connected the First Nations to the surrounding communities.
