Richmond, British Columbia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richmond
City
City of Richmond
Downtown Richmond from the SkyTrain
Flag Logo
Motto(s):  Child of the Fraser Island City by Nature Better in Every Way
Location of Richmond in Metro Vancouver
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional district	Metro Vancouver
Incorporated	10 November 1879 (municipality status)
	3 December 1990 (city status)
Seat	Richmond City Hall
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
• Body	Richmond City Council
Area
• Land	128.87 km2 (49.76 sq mi)
Highest elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	209,937
• Estimate  (2023)	229,781
• Rank	26th in Canada 4th in British Columbia 4th in Metro Vancouver
• Density	1,629.0/km2 (4,219/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Richmondite
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
Forward sortation area	V6V – V6Y, V7A – V7C, V7E
Area codes	604, 778, 236, 672
Highways	Hwy 91 Hwy 99

Richmond is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It's part of the Lower Mainland, a coastal area. Richmond is mostly a suburban city, meaning it has many homes and businesses, but it's not as busy as a big city center. It covers almost all of Lulu Island, which is located between two branches of the Fraser River.

The city also includes Sea Island, where the Vancouver International Airport is located. Richmond is next to Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, Delta to the south, and the Strait of Georgia to the west.

Long ago, the Coast Salish Indigenous peoples lived in this area. The Musqueam Band called a spot near Terra Nova "spələkʷəqs," which means "boiling point." Today, many people from East Asia live in Richmond, making up most of its population. People from other parts of Asia also live here.

Richmond is part of Metro Vancouver. It has eight main neighbourhoods: Sea Island, City Centre, Thompson, West Richmond, Steveston, South Arm, East Richmond, and Hamilton. In 2023, about 229,781 people lived in Richmond.

During the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Richmond Olympic Oval was used for speed skating events.

History of Richmond

Early Days and Naming the City

Long ago, Coast Salish groups set up temporary camps on the island. They came to fish and gather berries. These camps moved around each year. Some summer camps were at Garry Point and Woodward's Landing. There was also a Musqueam village where the Terra Nova cannery is now.

No one knows for sure how Richmond got its name. Here are some ideas:

• The first family to settle here, the McRoberts, had a home in Australia called "Richmond View." They might have named their new home the same.
• W.D. Ferris, who helped create the Township of Richmond, was from Richmond, England.
• Hugh Boyd, an early settler and the first leader of the township, had a wife born in Richmond, England.

Becoming a Township and a City

The area officially became the Township of Richmond, British Columbia, on November 10, 1879. It was set up like towns in Ontario, where different communities are part of one larger area with one government. Each community had a representative on the council until 1946. After that, people were elected from the whole area.

On December 3, 1990, Richmond officially became a City.

The first Town Hall, the Agricultural Hall, and the Methodist Church (now Minoru Chapel) were built near the main settlement on Lulu Island.

Steveston Village: A Historic Fishing Spot

The old fishing village of Steveston is on the southwest tip of Lulu Island. Today, it has museums and historic sites. It's also still a busy harbour for fishing boats. Places like London Heritage Farm, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, and the Britannia Shipyard National Historic Site show off Richmond's rich history.

Geography and Landscape

Islands and Land Features

Richmond is mostly made up of islands in the Fraser River delta. The biggest and most populated island is Lulu Island. Richmond covers almost all of Lulu Island, except for a small part called Queensborough, which belongs to New Westminster.

Sea Island is the next largest island. It's home to the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Besides Lulu and Sea Islands, Richmond has 15 smaller islands. The total land area is about 128.87 square kilometers.

Some other islands include:

• Mitchell Island: An industrial island connected by the Knight Street Bridge to Richmond and Vancouver.
• Richmond Island: Once a sand bar, it's now a peninsula connected to Vancouver, but it's part of Richmond.
• Shady Island: An uninhabited island covered with trees. You can walk to it at low tide from near Steveston.

The city also includes the fishing village of Steveston and Burkeville, which shares Sea Island with the airport. Both were once separate villages before joining Richmond.

Farming and Flood Protection

Because Richmond is on a river delta, it has very rich soil for farming. It was one of the first places in British Columbia where Europeans started farming in the 1800s.

However, being on islands means the land is very low, only about one meter above sea level. This made it easy for floods to happen, especially during high tide. To protect the city, all the main islands are now surrounded by dykes. These dykes protect the city from flooding.

There's a small chance that during an earthquake, the dykes could break. The soft soil might also turn to liquid, causing damage. Richmond could also flood if the Fraser River has a very high spring freshet (when snow melts quickly).

Many recreational trails run along the tops of the dykes. Richmond also has about 1400 acres of parkland.

Building Heights and Climate

Because of the high groundwater (water under the ground), most houses in Richmond don't have basements. Until the late 1980s, most buildings were not taller than three stories. Also, because of the airport nearby, buildings can only be up to 150 feet (45 meters) tall.

Richmond has an oceanic climate (Cfb). This means it has mild temperatures. It gets about 30% less rain than Vancouver because it's not as close to the mountains. It rarely snows in winter, and summers are mild to warm. It can be quite cloudy in the cooler months.

Population and People

How Many People Live Here?

In 2021, Richmond had a population of 209,937 people. This was a bit more than in 2016. The average age of people in Richmond was 43.3 years old. About 13.3% of the population was aged 0 to 14 years.

Richmond is the fourth-largest city in British Columbia. It's smaller than Vancouver, Surrey, and Burnaby.

The city has a land area of 128.87 square kilometers. This means there are about 1,629 people per square kilometer. The average household in Richmond has 2.6 people. Most households have 2 people, and the fewest have 5 or more.

Types of Homes

Many people in Richmond live in Apartment buildings. There are many apartments in buildings with fewer than five stories, and also in taller buildings. Some people live in duplexes (two homes in one building).

Single-detached houses are also popular. Other types of homes include semi-detached houses and row houses.

The average price for a detached home in Richmond is about $1,581,600.

Diverse Community

Richmond has a very high number of immigrants, about 60% of its population. This is one of the highest in Canada.

About half of Richmond residents have Chinese family roots. Many of them moved here in the late 1980s from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. There's also a Japanese Canadian community that has been here for a long time. Overall, almost three-quarters of the city's population comes from Asia. This includes people from India (Indo-Canadians) and the Philippines (Filipino Canadians).

Richmond is also home to two of the largest Buddhist temples in North America: the International Buddhist Temple and the Ling Yen Mountain Temple.

Japanese Community History

Richmond's Japanese community has a long history in Steveston, going back to the 1800s. However, after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, feelings against Japanese people grew. This community faced a difficult time as many residents of Japanese descent were moved to internment camps in other parts of BC and Alberta. Their property was sold.

Languages Spoken

In 2021, the census found that English was the first language for 31.31% of the people. The next most common languages were Cantonese (21.52%) and Mandarin (21.08%).

Other languages spoken as a first language include:

• Filipino (3.70%)
• French (2.39%)
• Southern Min (1.13%)
• Japanese (1.04%)
• Spanish (0.98%)
• Russian (0.92%)
• Arabic (0.74%)

Religious Beliefs

According to the 2021 census, the main religious groups in Richmond are:

• No religion (53.3%)
• Christianity (30.9%)
• Buddhism (5.6%)
• Islam (3.7%)
• Sikhism (3.4%)
• Hinduism (1.3%)
• Judaism (1.2%)

Economy and Development

Richmond has about 100,000 jobs. These jobs are in many different areas. These include services, stores, tourism, light manufacturing (making things), airport services, farming, fishing, and government. Richmond is also a leader in high-tech companies, like Norsat and Sierra Wireless.

Several airlines have offices or headquarters in Richmond. For example, Pacific Coastal Airlines has its main office at Vancouver International Airport.

The very first McDonald's restaurant outside of the United States opened in Richmond in June 1967.

Farming in Richmond

A large part of east Richmond, about 4,916 hectares, is protected as farmland. This area is called the Agricultural Land Reserve. Of this land, 3,012 hectares are actively farmed by 247 farms. The rest is either empty or used for other things.

Cranberries and blueberries are the main crops grown here. Other crops include strawberries, corn, and potatoes. In 2001, Richmond grew about 47% of British Columbia's cranberries.

Shopping Malls and "Golden Village"

Richmond has many popular shopping malls. These include Richmond Centre, Lansdowne Centre, McArthurGlen Vancouver, Parker Place, and Aberdeen Centre. There is also the charming Steveston Village.

The success of these malls has helped Richmond's economy grow a lot. Richmond Centre is one of Canada's most profitable malls. Offices, apartment buildings, and transportation hubs have grown up around it. McArthurGlen Vancouver even won an award as the "Best Outlet Centre" in 2015.

Richmond is also known for its many Chinese-themed shopping malls. Most of these are along No. 3 Road. This area is called the "Golden Village" by Tourism Richmond. It includes malls like Aberdeen Centre, Continental Centre, Union Square, President Plaza, Parker Place, and Yaohan Centre. Alexandra Road is famous for its many restaurants and is often called "food street."

Future City Development

Richmond city planners are updating their official plan for the city center. This plan focuses on the Canada Line (a train system) and will create nine new village centers around the train stations. The population in this area is expected to grow from about 40,000 to 120,000 residents.

A goal of the plan is to make the middle arm of the Fraser River a central part of the city, not just an edge. People want residents to "face the river and embrace the waterfront."

Lansdowne Redevelopment

Lansdowne Centre will be rebuilt starting in 2025. It will become a large community with homes, shops, and public spaces. This project is expected to take 20 years to finish. The owners plan for Lansdowne to be a friendly area for walkers, with shops and services along the streets.

The Olympic Oval Area

A company bought land next to the Richmond Olympic Oval and the Fraser River. They plan to build 16 tall towers, up to 14 stories high. These towers will be closer to the waterfront and will include trees and green spaces. The mayor believes this will be a very high-quality development for Richmond. A new path will be built along the river to connect the project to Aberdeen Centre.

John M.S. Lecky Boathouse

The University of British Columbia built the John M.S. Lecky boathouse along River Road. It attracts crowds for rowing races and dragon boat events. This boathouse also helps more people, including youth and adults, get involved in rowing and dragon boating.

Cambie Road Pedestrian Bridge

There are plans for a pedestrian bridge where Cambie Road meets the river. This bridge would connect nature trails on both sides of the river. It would also make Aberdeen Centre easy to walk to for students at BCIT's aerospace campus.

Capstan Way Development

A developer is planning a large project with 16 buildings near Capstan Way and No 3 Road. This development will include over 2,100 homes, various businesses, and a hotel.

The Canada Line train is very important for this project. A fifth Richmond station at Capstan Way was planned. Developers gave $19 million for the station to be built. Construction on Capstan station started on September 2, 2021.

The project will also include 100 affordable homes, a daycare for 25 children, and a park. The developers also want to create "live-work" homes, where shop owners can live above their businesses.

Aberdeen Square Expansion

Fairchild Developments added a six-floor expansion to its Chinese-themed shopping center, Aberdeen Centre. This plan included an office building and a link to the Canada Line's Aberdeen station. The new complex opened in 2014.

Bridgeport Station Area

The River Rock Casino Resort is near the Canada Line Bridgeport station. It has built a 12-story hotel. The casino also added to the building above its parking garage and the SkyTrain station.

Garden City Lands Future

The Garden City Lands are a large piece of land, about 55.2 hectares. For many years, the federal government used it for radio transmitters. This land has been part of the Provincial Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) since 1973, meaning it's protected for farming.

In 2005, the federal government decided they didn't need the land anymore and sold it. The City of Richmond later bought the land for $59.2 million in 2010. The Musqueam band, who were involved in the earlier sale, later filed a lawsuit against the city. This lawsuit is currently on hold unless the city tries to use the land for something other than farming.

Arts and Culture Scene

Festivals and Events

On Canada Day, Richmond holds an annual festival in Steveston called the Steveston Salmon Festival. This event has a parade and a huge barbecued salmon sale. Local politicians often join the parade and hand out Canadian flags.

The annual Richmond Maritime Festival takes place at the Britannia Shipyard National Historic Site every August since 2004. It's a family event that celebrates the area's history with the sea. It features live entertainment, ships, exhibits, and demonstrations.

In 2002, Richmond hosted a tall ships festival. About 400,000 people came to Steveston for it. The event was very popular but caused a lot of traffic. There wasn't enough parking, so locals started selling parking spots in their driveways. Even though it was popular, the city lost money and decided not to host it again.

Art and Night Market

The Richmond Arts Coalition (RAC) hosts many indoor and outdoor art exhibitions throughout the year. The City of Richmond has a plan to help arts organizations connect and grow the arts community. The RAC helps with Richmond arts events, connects people to artists, offers chances for artists, and supports art projects and education.

During summer weekends, an annual Richmond Night Market is held. You can find toys, clothes, cell phones, and lots of food there. It's very popular and usually crowded.

Richmond also hosted the 2006 Gemini Awards, which celebrate Canadian TV and film. This was the first time the ceremony was held on the West Coast, as it usually takes place in Toronto.

Parks and Recreation Fun

Richmond has 140 public parks and 14 public recreation centers. Some of these include:

• Cambie Community Centre
• City Centre Community Centre
• Hamilton Community Centre
• Iona Beach Regional Park
• Minoru Aquatic Centre
• Minoru Arenas
• Minoru Park
• Richmond Olympic Oval
• Richmond Nature Park
• Richmond Public Library
• Steveston Community Centre
• Watermania Aquatic Centre

The city has a large network of trails, with 136 kilometers for walking and 87 kilometers of bike paths on roads.

Sports and Olympic Spirit

Richmond is home to the Richmond Sockeyes Junior B hockey team. It also hosts the BC Thunder of the National Ringette League. Richmond has two swim clubs: the Kigoos summer swimming club and the Richmond Rapids Swim Club.

Richmond also has many soccer teams called Richmond FC, for all ages and skill levels. The John M.S. Lecky UBC Boathouse on the Fraser River is home to the UBC Thunderbirds rowing team and St. George's School rowing program. This facility also helps more people get involved in rowing and dragon boating. Richmond also has its own short track speed skating club, the Richmond Rockets, and a rugby club, the Richmond Rugby Football Club.

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Richmond

For the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Richmond built an 8,000-seat speed-skating oval. It's located near the No. 2 Road Bridge, across the Fraser River from Vancouver International Airport. The total cost was about $178 million Canadian dollars.

After the Olympics, the Richmond Oval became a recreation center for local residents. It officially opened on December 12, 2008. The city received $141 million from a development company for land next to the Oval. This money helped cover the cost of building the Oval.

Getting Around: Transportation

Richmond is connected to Vancouver and Delta by many bridges and tunnels. It's also connected to New Westminster through Queensborough on eastern Lulu Island. Three bridges connect Lulu Island to Sea Island and the Vancouver International Airport. One bridge connects Sea Island and the airport to Vancouver. Two bridges connect Lulu Island to Vancouver.

Two main highways serve Richmond: Highway 99, which goes to the United States border, and Highway 91, which connects Delta, New Westminster, and Richmond.

Railway bridges connect Lulu Island to Vancouver, New Westminster, and Annacis Island. These bridges are used by major railway companies.

Public Transit and Airport Access

TransLink provides public transportation in Richmond. This includes bus and train service to Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster, Burnaby, and Delta. The Canada Line is a SkyTrain (elevated train) line. It connects Richmond and the airport to Downtown Vancouver. It opened on August 17, 2009.

The Canada Line takes about 25 minutes to get to Downtown Vancouver. Trains run every 3 to 12 minutes, 20 hours a day. Major transit hubs are Richmond–Brighouse station and Bridgeport station. These stations are where many Richmond bus routes start or end. After the Canada Line closes, a late-night bus, the N10 Nightbus, runs every day.

In May 2022, a system for renting e-bikes and e-scooters started in the City Centre area.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located on Sea Island, which is part of Richmond. It provides most of the air travel for the region. Several float plane companies also operate from the south terminal, offering flights to the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. YVR is the second busiest airport in Canada.

Safety and Emergency Services

The Richmond Fire-Rescue Department started in 1897. They are in charge of fire fighting and rescue services in Richmond. The department has seven fire halls and responds to fire and medical emergencies. They also provide emergency services at Vancouver International Airport. Fire stations are located in City Centre, Steveston, Cambie, Sea Island, Hamilton, Shellmont, and Crestwood.

The City of Richmond uses the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for its police services. Their main office is on No. 5 Road. The Richmond RCMP also has smaller community police stations in City Centre, South Arm, and Steveston.

The British Columbia Ambulance Service provides emergency medical help to the city.

Education and Learning

Richmond has campuses for several universities and colleges. These include Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Sprott Shaw College, and Trinity Western University. The British Columbia Institute of Technology also has an aerospace technology campus on Sea Island near the airport.

School District 38 Richmond manages 10 public high schools and 38 public elementary schools. This includes schools with special programs like Montessori, late French immersion, and early French immersion. The district also offers two International Baccalaureate programs at Richmond Secondary School and Hugh Boyd Secondary School.

The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique, which is based in Richmond, runs one French-language elementary school in the city called école des Navigateurs.

Richmond also has many private schools for students from kindergarten to grade 12. Some of these are Richmond Christian School, St. Paul's Elementary School, and Richmond Jewish Day School.

Media and Entertainment

Radio Stations

The Indo-Canadian radio station Sher-E-Punjab has its main office in Richmond.

Two Chinese-Canadian radio stations, which provide news, traffic, and music, are also based in Richmond. Fairchild Radio, located in Aberdeen Centre, has programs for both Mandarin and Cantonese speakers. CHMB AM1320, a radio station for Cantonese speakers, is in East Richmond.

The studio for Z95-3 radio station is in the Ironwood area of Richmond. This station plays a mix of older songs and current Top 40 hits for listeners in Metro Vancouver.

Filming Locations

Steveston Village has been a filming location for many movies and TV shows. Some famous examples include Blade II, The 6th Day, The X-Files, Supernatural, and Smallville. It was also used as the fictional town of Storybrooke in the ABC TV series Once Upon a Time.

Fantasy Gardens (an old amusement park that has moved) was used as Halloweentown in the Disney Channel movie Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge. It also appeared in TV series like Killer Instinct and Stargate SG-1. Cambie Secondary School in the northern part of the city was used for the TV series Aliens in America and Life Unexpected.

The outside of the Workers' Compensation Board building (now WorkSafeBC) was used as a hospital in Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital.

Vancouver International Airport on Richmond's Sea Island has also been featured in many films and TV shows. It often pretends to be Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It has also been used as other airports in movies like Final Destination and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

The Aerospace Technology Campus of BCIT, next to the airport, was used as a military academy mess hall for the Halo 4 prequel series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. Many other films, like Rise of the Planet of the Apes and This Means War, were filmed there because directors liked the building's concrete look.

Richmond is also home to the Vancouver headquarters of the Fairchild Media Group. They broadcast Cantonese and Mandarin television channels from Aberdeen Centre, including Fairchild TV and Talentvision.

Sister Cities Around the World

Richmond has special relationships with other cities around the world, called "sister cities." These relationships help promote cultural exchange and understanding.

• Pierrefonds-Roxboro (Montreal), Canada (since 1967)
• Wakayama, Japan (since 1973)
• Xiamen, China (since 2012)

Since 2008, Richmond also has a friendship city relationship with Qingdao, China.

Notable People from Richmond

Many interesting people have come from Richmond, including:

• Aaron Ashmore, actor
• Shawn Ashmore, actor
• Charlotte Diamond, a children's singer who won a Juno Award
• Evan Dunfee, a race walker and Olympian
• Rick Hansen, a disability activist and former Paralympian
• Manny Jacinto, actor
• James Paxton, a Major League Baseball player
• Coco Rocha, supermodel
• Camryn Rogers, a Gold medal-winning Olympic hammer thrower
• Brent Seabrook, a former professional NHL hockey player
• Ryan Stiles, comedian

Images for kids

• 

  Downtown Richmond from the SkyTrain

• 

  Flag of Richmond

• 

  Logo of Richmond

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  Location of Richmond in Metro Vancouver

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  A modern 1970's West Coast-style Richmond home pictured in 2006.

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  Aberdeen Centre

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  Empire Centre

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  East-facing aerial view of Westminster Highway and Canada Line

• 

  Exterior of the Richmond Olympic Oval with Water Sky Garden sculpture by artist Janet Echelman

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  Capstan Way development in 2018

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  The Garden City Lands

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  City Centre Community Centre

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  Aberdeen Park

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  The Canada Line is Richmond's rapid transit service to Vancouver International Airport and Downtown Vancouver.

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  The Dinsmore Bridge (foreground) is one of three road connections between Lulu Island (at right) and Sea Island (at left).

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  Richmond Fire-Rescue

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  The head offices of the Richmond School District #38, on Granville Avenue

See also

In Spanish: Richmond (Columbia Británica) para niños