Richmond

Richmond is a coastal town in the Lower Mainland region. To the north are Vancouver and Burnaby and to the south is Delta. New Westminster to the east and into the west is the Strait of Georgia. Lulu Island, the largest and most populous island in the Fraser River delta, makes up the bulk of Richmond.

Richmond is British Columbia’s fourth-largest city with a population of 224,425 as of 2021.

A network of roadways and a tunnel connects Richmond to other cities in the Metro Vancouver area. There are two main freeways, a rapid transit line, and two railway lines that serve in Richmond. Both of Richmond’s international ports are located in the city. Sea Island is also home to Vancouver International Airport. The Canada Line and other modes of public transportation can be found at TransLink Transit Services.

History

The indigenous people were the first recorded people inhabiting the area. To fish and gather berries, the Coast Salish tribes set up temporary encampments on the island, which they relocated season to season.

In the 1860s, farmers were the first Europeans to settle in this area. Because of the island’s low altitude and often-soggy land, early settlements gravitated toward the river as a transportation axis. The Fraser River also served as a means of transportation from New Westminster to Richmond.

In 1879, Richmond became a borough, and in 1990, it became a city.