Gibsons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gibsons
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Town
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| Town of Gibsons | ||
Gibsons Harbour
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 Gibsons
Location in British Columbia
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | British Columbia | |
| Region | Sunshine Coast | |
| Regional district | Sunshine Coast | |
| Founded | 1886 | |
| Incorporated | 1929 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.32 km2 (1.67 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) | |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 4,758 | |
| • Density | 1,101.4/km2 (2,853/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | |
| Postal code |
V0N 1V0 & V0N 3V0
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| Area code(s) | 604, 778 | |
| Gibsons Way / Highway 101 | 101 | |
| Waterways | Howe Sound | |
Gibsons is a small town located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada. It's home to about 4,758 people and sits right where the Howe Sound meets the Strait of Georgia.
In the past, Gibsons was known for its forestry (logging) and commercial fishing industries. Today, many people who live here work from home or travel to Greater Vancouver. Gibsons is also a popular place for tourists because of its stunning natural surroundings. It's part of the Pacific Temperate Rainforests and is close to the Salish Sea and the Coast Mountains.
A cool fact about Gibsons is that in 2009, it was named the "Most Liveable Community in the World" for towns under 20,000 people by the LivCom Awards!
You might know Gibsons from the famous Canadian TV show The Beachcombers. This show was filmed here from 1972 to 1990. You can still visit "Molly's Reach," which was a cafe in the show, and see the restored tugboat Persephone. There's also a display about the show at the Sunshine Coast Museum. Other movies like Charlie St. Cloud (2010) and Needful Things (1993) were also filmed in Gibsons.
To get to Gibsons from the mainland, you usually take a BC Ferries ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. There isn't a direct road connection.
Contents
History of Gibsons
The land where Gibsons is located has a rich history. It is the traditional home of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw. Their stories say that this area was where the Squamish people first came to be after a big flood.
The modern town of Gibsons was started in 1886 by George Gibson and his sons. It was officially made a town in 1929 and was first called Gibson's Landing. In 1947, residents asked for the name to be changed to Gibsons, which it is today.
The town has two main parts:
- Lower Gibsons: This is the area by the sea. It has the Gibsons Marina, the famous Molly's Reach, and Winegarden Park. In the summer, you can enjoy live music at the park's auditorium. There are also shops and restaurants that are popular with visitors.
- Upper Gibsons: This part is along the Sunshine Coast Highway (BC Highway 101). Here you'll find bigger stores like Sunnycrest Mall, supermarkets, fast food places, and the town's main schools.
Gibsons is also known for being the first town in British Columbia to recycle styrofoam. The Gibsons Recycling Depot has even shared its recycling ideas with people around the world!
Economy and People
Over the last 30 years, the Sunshine Coast, including Gibsons, has changed its economy. It used to rely mostly on logging and fishing. Now, it has more jobs in construction, business services, retail, and tourism.
Between 2016 and 2021, Gibsons' population grew by 3.3%. In 2021, the average age of people living in Gibsons was 56 years old.
In the 2021 Census, Gibsons had a population of 4,758 people. Most residents are of European background. The town is also home to Indigenous people and people from various other parts of the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
When it comes to religion, the 2021 census showed that many people in Gibsons do not identify with a specific religion. However, a significant number of residents are Christian, and smaller groups follow Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Islam.
Climate and Weather
Gibsons has a mild coastal climate. This means it has gentle, rainy winters and warm, dry summers. The area is part of a temperate rainforest, which explains why it gets a good amount of rain.
| Climate data for Gibsons | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.5 (56.3) |
16.7 (62.1) |
18.9 (66.0) |
25 (77) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32 (90) |
36 (97) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32 (90) |
24 (75) |
17.8 (64.0) |
14.5 (58.1) |
36 (97) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
13.4 (56.1) |
16.9 (62.4) |
19.7 (67.5) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.6 (72.7) |
19.1 (66.4) |
13.5 (56.3) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.1 (43.0) |
13.9 (57.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) |
5.2 (41.4) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.8 (49.6) |
13 (55) |
15.7 (60.3) |
18 (64) |
18.2 (64.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
10.6 (51.1) |
6.4 (43.5) |
4 (39) |
10.6 (51.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.2 (36.0) |
2.5 (36.5) |
4.1 (39.4) |
6.1 (43.0) |
9 (48) |
11.7 (53.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
13.7 (56.7) |
11.1 (52.0) |
7.7 (45.9) |
4.1 (39.4) |
1.9 (35.4) |
7.3 (45.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15.6 (3.9) |
−12 (10) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
3.9 (39.0) |
5.5 (41.9) |
5.6 (42.1) |
0 (32) |
−3 (27) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−17.8 (0.0) |
−17.8 (0.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 183.4 (7.22) |
109.8 (4.32) |
125.4 (4.94) |
104.3 (4.11) |
91.3 (3.59) |
66.8 (2.63) |
41.1 (1.62) |
48.8 (1.92) |
60.5 (2.38) |
152.3 (6.00) |
212.9 (8.38) |
174.3 (6.86) |
1,370.8 (53.97) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 174.4 (6.87) |
103.6 (4.08) |
122.2 (4.81) |
104.2 (4.10) |
91.3 (3.59) |
66.8 (2.63) |
41.1 (1.62) |
48.8 (1.92) |
60.5 (2.38) |
152 (6.0) |
211 (8.3) |
166.6 (6.56) |
1,342.4 (52.85) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 9.1 (3.6) |
6.2 (2.4) |
3.2 (1.3) |
0.1 (0.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.3 (0.1) |
1.9 (0.7) |
7.7 (3.0) |
28.4 (11.2) |
Notable People from Gibsons
Many interesting people have connections to Gibsons, including:
- Ryan Dempster – a professional baseball pitcher
- Bruno Gerussi – an actor famous for his role in The Beachcombers
- Peter Trower – a well-known poet and novelist
- Ken Bell – a Canadian photographer who worked during World War II
- Lyn Vernon – a talented singer (mezzo-soprano) and teacher
- Paul George – an environmental activist
- J.S. Woodsworth – a politician who helped start the Canadian Commonwealth Foundation
- Grace MacInnis – a politician and advocate for women's rights
- Paul Rudolph – a musician and former guitarist for the band Pink Fairies
- Don S. Davis – an actor known for roles in Stargate SG-1 and Twin Peaks
- Devin Townsend – a musician and frontman for several bands
- Celso Machado – a Brazilian guitarist and musician who plays many instruments
- Garth "GGGarth" Richardson – a music producer and recording engineer
- Aristazabal Hawkes – the bassist for the band Guillemots
- Silas White – a publisher, musician, and politician
- Skye Wallace – a singer-songwriter
- Warne Livesey – a music producer and recording engineer
- Joey Cramer – an actor
- Velcrow Ripper – a filmmaker
- Rhys Fulber – a musician and producer
Awards and Recognition
Gibsons has received several awards for its beauty and efforts to be a great place to live:
- In 2005, Gibsons won first place in the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting contest for its water.
- In October 2009, the town was named the "Most Liveable Community in the World" (for towns under 20,000 people) at the Livcom Awards. This award looks at how well communities manage their environment.
- Also in 2009, Gibsons won an Energy & Climate Action Award for its community planning. A big reason for this award was a new housing development that uses Canada's first publicly owned geoexchange system for heating. This system uses the Earth's natural heat!
- In 2013, Gibsons was recognized for its smart approach to managing natural resources to help with climate change.
Other awards include:
- First place in LivCom's "Planning for the Future" category in 2009.
- Communities in Bloom awards: Provincial Champions in 2008, and awards for Environmental Awareness (2007) and best floral displays (2006).
- An award for its Official Community Plan (OCP) from SmartGrowth BC in 2007.
- A National Research Council award in 2006 for building in a way that protects the environment.
Images for kids
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Gibsons Harbour, Sunshine Coast
