Abbotsford, British Columbia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abbotsford
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| City of Abbotsford | |||||
     From top, left to right: Abbotsford from Mill Lake, The Reach Gallery Museum, Mill Lake, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford International Airport
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| Nicknames:
"Abby", City in the Country, Raspberry Capital of Canada, A-Town
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| Motto(s): | |||||
 Abbotsford
Location in British Columbia
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| Country | Canada | ||||
| Province | British Columbia | ||||
| Regional district | Fraser Valley | ||||
| Established | 1892 | ||||
| Incorporated | 1945 | ||||
| Amalgamation with the District of Sumas | 1972 | ||||
| Amalgamation with the District of Matsqui | 1995 | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Body | Abbotsford City Council | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Land | 375.33 km2 (144.92 sq mi) | ||||
| • Metro | 606.72 km2 (234.26 sq mi) | ||||
| Area rank | 1st in British Columbia | ||||
| Elevation | 38 m (124 ft) | ||||
| Population
(2021)
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| • City | 153,524 | ||||
| • Estimate
(2022)
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168,478 | ||||
| • Rank | 32nd in Canada 5th in British Columbia |
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| • Density | 409.0/km2 (1,059/sq mi) | ||||
| • Metro | 195,726 | ||||
| • Metro density | 322.6/km2 (836/sq mi) | ||||
| Demonym(s) | Abbotsfordian | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | ||||
| Forward sortation area |
V2S–V2T, V3G, V4X
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| Area codes | 604, 778, 236, 672 | ||||
| GDP (Abbotsford-Mission CMA) | CA$6.9 billion (2016) | ||||
| GDP per capita (Abbotsford-Mission CMA) | CA$38,162 (2016) | ||||
Abbotsford is a vibrant city in British Columbia, Canada. It is located right next to the Canada–United States border, close to Greater Vancouver, and along the Fraser River. With over 153,000 people (as of 2021), it is the largest city in British Columbia outside of the Vancouver area.
Abbotsford is a big part of the Fraser Valley Regional District. It is the fifth-largest city in British Columbia by population. The larger Abbotsford–Mission area has about 195,000 residents. For nine years in a row, Statistics Canada has called Abbotsford "Canada's most generous city" because of how much its residents donate to charity.
The city covers about 375 square kilometers, making it the largest city by land area in British Columbia. To the south, it shares a border with the United States, specifically the town of Sumas, Washington. In Canada, Abbotsford is next to the Township of Langley to the west, the City of Mission to the north, and the City of Chilliwack to the east. Many parts of Abbotsford offer amazing views of Mount Baker and the Coast Mountains.
Contents
History of Abbotsford
Early Settlement
The first people to live in this area were the Stó:lō Nation. Their Indian reserve, called Upper Sumas 6, is still located within Abbotsford today.
European settlers arrived after the gold rush along the Fraser River in 1858. This led to the building of Yale Road, which was the first main road in the Fraser Valley. By the late 1860s, the settlement grew, and people started producing butter, milk, and tobacco. In 1889, John Cunningham Maclure bought the land that would become Abbotsford.
The Gur Sikh Temple, located on South Fraser Way, is a very important building. It is the oldest Sikh temple in all of North America! It was built in 1908 and opened in 1911, making it over 110 years old.
There are a couple of stories about how Abbotsford got its name. One popular idea is that John Maclure named it after his friend Henry Braithwaite Abbott, who worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Another idea is that it was named after Sir Walter Scott's home, Abbotsford House. Maclure himself later said it was a mix of both ideas.
Modern Times
In 1891, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built a train line through the area. This line connected Mission to the railway in Sumas, Washington. It was the only train link between Vancouver and Seattle until 1904. The Village of Abbotsford officially became a village in 1892.
The British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) arrived in 1910. This electric train, called the Interurban, connected Abbotsford with Vancouver and Chilliwack. It stopped running in 1950. Today, you can still take a train to Vancouver from nearby Mission using the West Coast Express.
In 1948, Abbotsford experienced a big natural disaster: a major flood from the Fraser River.
A very special event happened in September 1984. Pope John Paul II held a huge outdoor Mass for over 200,000 people at the Abbotsford International Airport.
Over the years, Abbotsford grew by joining with other areas. In 1972, the Village of Abbotsford and the District of Sumas became the District of Abbotsford. Then, in 1995, the District of Abbotsford joined with the District of Matsqui to form the City of Abbotsford, which made the city much larger.
In November 2021, parts of Abbotsford, especially the Sumas Prairie, faced severe flooding. Many residents had to evacuate their homes due to the rising waters.
Population and People
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1931 | 510 | — |
| 1941 | 562 | +10.2% |
| 1951 | 785 | +39.7% |
| 1956 | 830 | +5.7% |
| 1961 | 888 | +7.0% |
| 1966 | 792 | −10.8% |
| 1971 | 706 | −10.9% |
| 1976 | 9,507 | +1246.6% |
| 1981 | 12,745 | +34.1% |
| 1986 | 14,496 | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 18,864 | +30.1% |
| 1996 | 105,403 | +458.8% |
| 2001 | 115,463 | +9.5% |
| 2006 | 123,864 | +7.3% |
| 2011 | 133,497 | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 141,397 | +5.9% |
| 2021 | 153,524 | +8.6% |
| Sources: Statistics Canada | ||
In 2021, Abbotsford had a population of 153,524 people. This was a growth of about 8.6% since 2016. The city has a population density of about 409 people per square kilometer.
Many people living in Abbotsford were born outside of Canada. In 2021, about 28.6% of the population were immigrants. Most of these immigrants came from India, followed by the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and the United States of America.
Languages Spoken
The most common language spoken at home in Abbotsford is English, which is the first language for about 61% of the people. Punjabi is the second most common, spoken by about 22.6% of the population. Other languages spoken include German, Spanish, and Korean.
Religions
Many people in Abbotsford are Christian. The city also has a large Sikh community. The Gur Sikh Temple, which opened in 1911, is the oldest Sikh temple in Canada and North America. It is a National Historic Site of Canada.
The main religious groups in Abbotsford are:
- Christianity (37.7%)
- No religion (31.5%)
- Sikhism (25.5%)
- Hinduism (2.4%)
- Islam (1.4%)
Ethnic Backgrounds
The largest ethnic group in Abbotsford is people of European background, making up about 55.2% of the population. This includes people with German, Dutch, and British roots.
The next largest group is South Asian, at 30.2% of the city's population. Many of these residents have Punjabi heritage. South Asian people first came to Abbotsford in the early 1900s to work in farming and lumber.
Other groups include Indigenous peoples (4.6%), Southeast Asians (3.1%), and East Asians (2.7%).
Climate
Abbotsford has an oceanic climate, which means it has mild, wet winters and warm, drier summers. Snow can fall heavily, but it usually doesn't stay on the ground for very long. Most snow falls in December and January.
| Climate data for Abbotsford International Airport Climate ID: 1100031; coordinates 49°01′31″N 122°21′36″W / 49.02528°N 122.36000°W; elevation: 243.8 m (800 ft); WMO ID: 71108; 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1944–present |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high humidex | 18.8 | 20.0 | 24.8 | 31.2 | 39.5 | 49.8 | 46.2 | 43.4 | 40.1 | 31.2 | 21.0 | 18.9 | 49.8 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.4 (65.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
29.8 (85.6) |
36.0 (96.8) |
42.9 (109.2) |
38.0 (100.4) |
39.4 (102.9) |
37.5 (99.5) |
29.3 (84.7) |
22.4 (72.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
42.9 (109.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
8.9 (48.0) |
11.4 (52.5) |
14.8 (58.6) |
18.8 (65.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
15.0 (59.0) |
9.5 (49.1) |
6.3 (43.3) |
15.2 (59.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
5.1 (41.2) |
7.2 (45.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.5 (65.3) |
18.7 (65.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
10.7 (51.3) |
6.2 (43.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
10.7 (51.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.6 (33.1) |
1.3 (34.3) |
2.9 (37.2) |
5.2 (41.4) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.9 (51.6) |
12.7 (54.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
9.9 (49.8) |
6.4 (43.5) |
2.7 (36.9) |
0.6 (33.1) |
6.2 (43.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −21.1 (−6.0) |
−18.9 (−2.0) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
1.1 (34.0) |
2.2 (36.0) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−20.0 (−4.0) |
−21.1 (−6.0) |
| Record low wind chill | −26.6 | −29.6 | −19.7 | −7.3 | −4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | −5.4 | −13.9 | −27.6 | −33.3 | −33.3 |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 225.6 (8.88) |
117.1 (4.61) |
145.5 (5.73) |
114.4 (4.50) |
94.0 (3.70) |
69.6 (2.74) |
39.2 (1.54) |
47.1 (1.85) |
77.6 (3.06) |
144.4 (5.69) |
233.1 (9.18) |
197.3 (7.77) |
1,504.6 (59.24) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 204.6 (8.06) |
109.3 (4.30) |
140.4 (5.53) |
113.4 (4.46) |
94.0 (3.70) |
69.6 (2.74) |
39.2 (1.54) |
47.1 (1.85) |
74.0 (2.91) |
145.0 (5.71) |
224.8 (8.85) |
179.8 (7.08) |
1,441.1 (56.74) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 22.1 (8.7) |
7.2 (2.8) |
5.2 (2.0) |
0.8 (0.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
7.1 (2.8) |
14.0 (5.5) |
56.4 (22.2) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 20.5 | 16.2 | 19.5 | 16.3 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 9.5 | 15.7 | 20.3 | 20.3 | 178.5 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.6 | 15.3 | 18.6 | 16.3 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 9.1 | 15.8 | 19.6 | 19.0 | 172.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 3.9 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.42 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 12.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 3pm) | 74.2 | 63.6 | 60.4 | 56.0 | 55.4 | 56.4 | 53.1 | 52.3 | 56.8 | 66.4 | 74.2 | 76.0 | 62.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 68.3 | 99.0 | 131.5 | 171.5 | 208.7 | 213.7 | 276.7 | 263.2 | 201.9 | 122.6 | 64.7 | 64.9 | 1,886.7 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 25.2 | 34.6 | 35.7 | 41.8 | 44.1 | 44.2 | 56.7 | 59.1 | 53.3 | 36.5 | 23.4 | 25.2 | 40.0 |
| Source: Environment Canada (sun, humidex and wind chill 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Economy and Jobs
About 62% of people living in Abbotsford also work in the city. The other 38% travel to nearby cities like Mission, Chilliwack, or Vancouver suburbs for work. Many people also come to Abbotsford from other towns for their jobs.
Abbotsford has a very diverse economy, meaning it has many different types of jobs and businesses. The main industries here are farming, transportation, manufacturing, and retail.
Farming is a huge part of Abbotsford's economy. The city makes the most money per acre of farmland in Canada! It produces almost half of all the chicken eggs and dairy milk for British Columbia.
The BC government has an Animal Health Centre in Abbotsford. This center does over 400 lab tests for animals. It is a top veterinary lab in Western Canada.
Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre is the city's largest employer, with about 2,500 staff. Abbotsford also has a growing aerospace industry, with companies like Cascade Aerospace and Conair Group Inc..
Education
Abbotsford has many schools for students of all ages.
Public Schools
The Abbotsford School District runs 46 public elementary, middle, and high schools. They also have a unique "Abbotsford Virtual School." This online school offers over 30 courses, including a cool program that teaches students about the video game industry!
Private Schools
Some private schools in Abbotsford include Dasmesh Punjabi School, St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary, Mennonite Educational Institute, and Abbotsford Christian School.
Colleges and Universities
For higher education, Abbotsford is home to the University of the Fraser Valley. There are also religious colleges like Columbia Bible College and Summit Pacific College. Other career colleges include Sprott Shaw College and Vancouver Career College.
Arts, Culture, and Heritage
Abbotsford has a lively arts and culture scene.
The Abbotsford Arts Council organizes many free events. These include music concerts in Mill Lake Park and the Arty Awards. They have also supported projects like the "Unity Statue" and the Historical Downtown Art Bench Project. The council also runs the Kariton Art Gallery, which shows art from local artists.
The Reach Gallery Museum displays art from all over Canada and the world. It also has a special heritage archive and offers programs to promote local arts and culture.
The Trethewey House Heritage Site is a restored house from the 1920s. It was built by J.O. Trethewey, who owned a lumber mill near Mill Lake Park. You can visit this house for special events and tours.
The Mennonite Heritage Museum opened in 2016. It tells the 500-year story of the Mennonite movement. It focuses on Mennonites who settled in Abbotsford in the 1930s. The museum also has a gallery for local Mennonite artists, a coffee shop, a bookstore, and a replica of a traditional Mennonite house.
Gallery 7 Theatre and Performing Arts has been putting on plays since 1991. They perform four main shows each year at the Mennonite Educational Institute.
Transportation
Getting around Abbotsford is easy with different transportation options.
Public Transit
Public buses are run by the Central Fraser Valley Transit System. If you want to go to Vancouver, you can take a passenger train called the West Coast Express from nearby Mission.
Air Travel
The Abbotsford International Airport offers air travel. WestJet has regular flights from this airport. The airport is also famous for hosting the yearly Abbotsford International Airshow.
Roads
Major roads that lead into Abbotsford include the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), the Abbotsford-Mission Highway (Highway 11), and the Fraser Highway (Highway 1A). To cross into the United States, you can use the Sumas–Huntingdon Border Crossing.
Media
Because Abbotsford is close to Vancouver, you can usually get most Vancouver TV and radio stations here.
Radio Stations
Two radio stations are based in Abbotsford:
- CIVL-FM: This is the campus radio station for the University of the Fraser Valley.
- CKQC-FM: This station plays country music.
Newspapers and Online News
- The Abbotsford News
- Abbotsford Today (online)
- Fraser Valley Current (online)
Sports and Recreation
Abbotsford is a great place for sports!
Hockey
Abbotsford Minor Hockey is one of the biggest youth hockey groups in British Columbia. It has over 1,000 players aged 5 to 18. Many players from Abbotsford have gone on to play at high levels in the sport.
The Abbotsford Pilots are a junior B hockey team that plays at MSA Arena. From 2009 to 2014, Abbotsford was home to the Abbotsford Heat, a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They played at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.
In 2021, the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL moved their AHL team to Abbotsford. This team is now called the Abbotsford Canucks.
Other Sports
- The BC Angels played arena football at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre in 2012 and 2013.
- The Valley Royals Track & Field Club trains at Rotary Stadium. This club has helped many athletes become Olympians!
- Abbotsford has a strong youth soccer program. It has won national and many provincial titles. Famous soccer players like Sophie Schmidt and Brad Petoom are from here.
- High schools in Abbotsford, like Abbotsford Senior Secondary School and Yale Secondary, are known for their strong sports teams in track and field, volleyball, basketball, and football.
- The rugby club has several teams for men, women, and youth. Many Abbotsford players have even played for Canada's national team.
- Alana Kraus from Abbotsford has won medals in short-track speed skating at the Olympics.
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships | Status |
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| Abbotsford Canucks |
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Ice hockey | Abbotsford Centre |
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Active |
| Abbotsford Heat |
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Ice hockey | Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre |
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Defunct |
| BC Angels |
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Arena football | Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre |
|
|
Defunct |
| Abbotsford Pilots |
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Ice hockey | MSA Arena |
|
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Active |
| Fraser Valley Mariners |
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Soccer | Bateman Park |
|
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Active |
| Abbotsford RFC |
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Rugby | CFV Exhibition Park |
|
|
Active |
| Fraser Valley Thunderbirds |
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Ice hockey | Abbotsford Centre |
|
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Active |
| Abbotsford Air Force |
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Football | Rotary Stadium |
|
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Defunct |
| Abbotsford Flyers |
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Ice hockey | MSA Arena |
|
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Defunct |
| Abbotsford Falcons |
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Ice hockey | MSA Arena |
|
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Defunct |
| Valley Rebels |
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Box lacrosse | MSA Arena |
|
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Active |
| Abbotsford Bandits |
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Box lacrosse | MSA Arena |
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Defunct |
| UFV Cascades |
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Basketball | UFV Athletic Centre |
|
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Active |
| UFV Cascades |
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Soccer | MRC Sports Complex |
|
|
Active |
| UFV Cascades |
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Volleyball | UFV Athletic Centre |
|
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Active |
| UFV Cascades |
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Baseball | Delair Park |
|
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Active |
| UFV Cascades |
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Rugby | Rotary Stadium |
|
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Active |
| CBC Bearcats |
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Basketball | Columbia Place |
|
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Active |
| CBC Bearcats |
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Volleyball | Columbia Place |
|
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Active |
City Areas and Neighbourhoods
Abbotsford is made up of several different areas and neighbourhoods.
Main Areas
- Abbotsford East
- Abbotsford West
- Aberdeen
- Bradner
- Central Abbotsford
- Matsqui
- Poplar
- Sumas Mountain
- Sumas Prairie
Neighbourhoods
- Aberdeen
- Arnold
- Auguston
- Blueridge
- Bradner
- Clayburn
- Clearbrook
- Downtown
- Eagle Mountain
- Gifford
- Glen Mountain
- Huntingdon
- Kilgard
- Matsqui
- McKinley Heights
- Mill Lake
- Mount Lehman
- North Poplar
- Peardonville
- Pepin Brook
- Sandy Hill
- South Poplar
- Straiton
- Townline
Famous People from Abbotsford
Many talented people have come from Abbotsford, including:
- Karen Lee Batten
- Chase Claypool
- Kristina Collins
- Ryan Craig
- Kyle Cumiskey
- Frank Davey
- Sunny Dhinsa
- Dianne Doan
- Brian Doerksen
- Jacob Doerksen
- Burkely Duffield
- Victoria Duffield
- Jared Falk
- Michael Funk
- Amy Gough
- Derek Grant
- Adam Hadwin
- Charles Hill-Tout
- Jacob Hoggard
- Marek Klassen
- Evangeline Lilly
- Gurleen Maan
- Brad Moran
- Greg Neufeld
- Larry Nickel
- Bradley Peters
- Gladys Powers
- Jordan Pritchett
- Nathan Lieuwen
- Mauro Ranallo
- Sophie Schmidt
- Jared Slingerland
- Devon Toews
- David Van der Gulik
- Jake Virtanen
- Shane Wiebe
Images for kids
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Downtown Abbotsford
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Farmhouse and barn in Abbotsford
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Private residences near Upper Ten Oaks in eastern Abbotsford looking north-by-northwest towards Mission
See Also
In Spanish: Abbotsford para niños
