Delta, British Columbia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Delta
City
City of Delta
Bridge Street & Delta Street
Flag Coat of arms Logo
Motto(s):  Ours to preserve by hand and heart
Location of Delta in Metro Vancouver
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional district	Metro Vancouver
Incorporated as a district municipality	November 10, 1879
Incorporated as a city	September 22, 2017
Seats of government	Delta City Hall North Delta Centre for the Arts
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
• Body	Delta City Council
Area
• Total	364 km2 (141 sq mi)
• Land	179.66 km2 (69.37 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	108,455
• Estimate  (2023)	116,610
• Rank	52nd in Canada
• Density	603.7/km2 (1,564/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Deltan
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
Forward sortation area	V4C – V4G, V4K – V4M
Area codes	604, 778, 236, 672

Delta is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Lower Mainland region, which is a busy area around Vancouver. Delta is located south of the Fraser River, a large river that flows into the ocean.

The city is surrounded by water on three sides. To the north, it borders Richmond. To the east, it is next to Surrey. To the south, you'll find Boundary Bay and Point Roberts, which is a small part of the United States. To the west is the Strait of Georgia, which leads to the Pacific Ocean.

Delta includes a few islands like Annacis Island, Deas Island, and Westham Island. Most of Delta is rural, meaning it has lots of open land and farms. It has three main communities: North Delta, Ladner, and Tsawwassen.

History of Delta: How Did It Grow?

Before Europeans arrived, the flat lands and coast of Delta were home to the Tsawwassen First Nation. They are part of the Coast Salish people. In 1791, a Spanish explorer named Francisco de Eliza saw the area. He thought it was an island.

The first European settler, James Kennedy, arrived in 1860. Later, Thomas and William Ladner started farming in 1868. Their hard work led to the area being named after them. Farming and fishing helped the community grow quickly. In 1879, Delta became a municipality, which is like a local government area. Ladner village became its main center.

For a long time, Delta was quite isolated because of its geography. But things changed in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

• In 1959, the George Massey Tunnel opened. This tunnel connected Ladner to Richmond and Vancouver.
• In 1960, the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal opened. This made it easier to travel to Vancouver Island.
• In 1962, Highway 99 was rerouted through Delta.

These new connections ended Delta's isolation. Its population grew by 400% in just 20 years! In 1986, the Alex Fraser Bridge opened. This bridge connected North Delta to New Westminster and Vancouver. This also helped Delta continue to grow.

On September 22, 2017, Delta's local government asked for a change. The Government of British Columbia officially changed Delta from a "Corporation" to the "City of Delta."

Communities in Delta: What Are They Like?

Delta is made up of three main communities. Each one is a bit different:

• North Delta (population: 51,623) is where more than half of Delta's people live. It is a suburban area, meaning it has many homes and neighborhoods. It is located in the northeast part of Delta. It borders the Burns Bog, a large natural wetland, and Surrey.

• Ladner (population: 21,112) started as a fishing village in the 1800s. It is in the northwest part of Delta. Today, it has grown into a suburb. Fishing and farming are still important jobs here. Ladner Trunk Road is its main street.

• Tsawwassen (population: 20,933) is a suburban community in southwest Delta. People often say it's the sunniest place in Metro Vancouver. You can find luxury homes along its coast. Tsawwassen is also home to the very busy Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. This terminal connects the mainland to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands by ferry. Ladner and Tsawwassen are sometimes called "South Delta."

Population of Delta: How Many People Live Here?

Delta has grown a lot over the years. In the 2021 Census, Delta had a population of 108,455 people. This was a 6.1% increase from 2016. The city has a land area of about 179.66 square kilometers. This means there are about 603.7 people living in each square kilometer.

In 2011, the average age in Delta was 42.8 years old. The average value of a home in Delta was about $562,181. The average household income (money earned after taxes) was about $71,590.

Who Lives in Delta?

As of 2021, Delta's population is 108,455. About 45% of the people in Delta are from different backgrounds.

• Around 28,000 people are of South Asian heritage.
• About 9,700 people are of Chinese heritage.
• Around 3,700 people are of Filipino heritage.

There are also about 3,180 Indigenous people living in Delta. This is about 3% of the total population. Some are from the Tsawwassen First Nation. They still have some of their traditional lands near the Fraser River.

What Religions Do People Practice?

According to the 2021 census, people in Delta follow many different religions:

• About 40.1% of people do not have a religion.
• About 32.7% of people are Christian.
• About 17.9% of people follow Sikhism.
• About 3.9% of people follow Hinduism.
• About 3.0% of people follow Islam.
• About 1.4% of people follow Buddhism.
• About 0.4% of people follow Judaism.

Geography of Delta: Where Is It Located?

A trail on Deas Island in late September

Delta is about 27 kilometers south of Vancouver. It is also about 22 kilometers north of the Canada–US border. As mentioned, water surrounds Delta on three sides: the Fraser River to the north, the Strait of Georgia to the west, and Boundary Bay to the south.

Delta is the largest municipality in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). It covers about 364 square kilometers. Its neighbor, Surrey, is the second largest.

Trachycarpus fortunei windmill palms line some streets in Tsawwassen

Delta has flat, fertile land. This makes it one of the most important farming areas in Greater Vancouver. Rules called the Agricultural Land Reserve protect most of this land for farming. This stops it from being used for houses. North Delta is also home to the Burns Bog. This is a large natural wetland that covers 40 square kilometers. It is very important for wildlife.

Delta also includes Annacis Island, which is an industrial island. You can reach it by the Alex Fraser Bridge. This bridge connects Delta with Richmond and New Westminster.

Climate in Delta: What's the Weather Like?

Delta is known for having a drier and sunnier climate compared to other places in Metro Vancouver. For example, it gets almost 40% less rain than downtown Vancouver. It has warm summers and mild winters. This makes it one of the places with the mildest winters in Canada.

Power in Delta

Delta is home to the Arnott Substation (ARN). This is an important station for the HVDC Vancouver Island power circuit.

Transportation in Delta: How Do People Get Around?

The Alex Fraser Bridge links Delta to New Westminster and Richmond.

• Public Transportation: Buses are provided by TransLink. Delta does not have a rapid transit system like SkyTrain. However, the SkyTrain system in Surrey is only about 3 kilometers from Delta's borders.

• Major Hub: Delta is a very important place for transportation in the Lower Mainland. Many vehicles traveling from Vancouver to the United States pass through Delta. Also, many vehicles going to Vancouver Island use the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Delta.

• Highways:

* Highway 99 connects Richmond to Delta through the George Massey Tunnel. * North Delta is connected to New Westminster and Richmond by Highway 91 and the large Alex Fraser Bridge. * Highway 10 connects Delta to Surrey, Langley, and places further east. * Highway 17 connects to the Tsawwassen B.C. Ferry terminal. From here, you can take ferries to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. * River Road is another important road. It goes through North Delta and under the Alex Fraser Bridge. * Ladner Trunk Road connects the western communities (Ladner and Tsawwassen) to North Delta and areas to the east. * 56th Street is a main road in Tsawwassen. It is the only road that leads to Point Roberts, which is just south of the Canada–US border.

• Airport: Delta is also home to Boundary Bay Airport. This is one of Canada's busiest airports for aircraft movements. It is mainly used for private planes, charter flights, and flying lessons.

Main Highways in Delta

• Hwy 10
• Hwy 17
• Hwy 17A
• Hwy 91
• Hwy 99

Education in Delta: Where Do Kids Go to School?

The Delta Public Schools district runs the public schools in the city where English is taught.

For students who speak French, the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates one French-language elementary school in Delta called école du Bois-joli.

Sports and Fun in Delta

Tour de Delta wall cover on electrical box outside of Delta, British Columbia municipal hall

Delta has many sports teams for young people. These include teams for ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, and lacrosse. Over 160 young people play ringette in Delta.

Some famous professional sports players from Delta include:

• Jeff Francis (baseball)
• James Paxton (baseball)
• Justin Morneau (baseball)
• Brent Seabrook (hockey)
• Troy Brouwer (hockey)
• Mitch Berger (football)

Delta is also known for the Tour de Delta. This is a cycling event that tests many of the world's best cyclists. It has been held every July since 2001. It is now Canada's largest cycling event.

The Delta Triathlon is another popular event. It takes place in Ladner at the Ladner Leisure Centre. More than 500 people take part each year.

Famous People From Delta

Many notable people have come from Delta, including:

• Mitch Berger, a former professional football punter.
• Troy Brouwer, a former professional hockey player.
• Tyler Connolly, the singer and guitarist for the rock band Theory of a Deadman.
• Jeff Francis, a professional baseball pitcher.
• Brendan Gallagher, a professional hockey player.
• Jason Priestley, a Canadian actor and director.
• Brent Seabrook, a professional hockey player.
• Will Sasso, a Canadian comedian and actor.

Delta in Movies and TV Shows

Delta has been used as a filming location for movies and TV shows. For example, the TV series Resident Alien is filmed there. The Heritage Hangar at the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta has also been used in many TV series and movies.

Sister City

Since 2010, Delta has a sister city relationship with Mangaluru in India.

See also

In Spanish: Delta (Columbia Británica) para niños