Abbotsford, British Columbia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abbotsford
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City of Abbotsford | |||||
Mill Lake in Central Abbotsford
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Nicknames:
"Abby", City in the Country, Raspberry Capital of Canada
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Motto(s): | |||||
Country | Canada | ||||
Province | British Columbia | ||||
Regional district | Fraser Valley | ||||
Established | 1892 | ||||
Incorporated | 1945 | ||||
Area | |||||
• City | 375.55 km2 (145.00 sq mi) | ||||
Elevation | 38 m (124 ft) | ||||
Population
(2021)
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• City | 153,524 | ||||
• Density | 409.0/km2 (1,059/sq mi) | ||||
• Metro | 195,726 | ||||
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 city located in British Columbia, adjacent to the Canada–United States border, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser River. With an estimated population of 153,524 people it is the largest municipality in the province outside metropolitan Vancouver. Abbotsford-Mission has the third highest proportion of visible minorities among census metropolitan areas in Canada, after the Greater Toronto Area and the Greater Vancouver CMA. It is home to Tradex, the University of the Fraser Valley, and Abbotsford International Airport.
As of the 2021 census, it is the largest municipality of the Fraser Valley Regional District and the fifth-largest municipality of British Columbia. The Abbotsford–Mission metropolitan area of around 195,726 inhabitants as of the 2021 census is the 23rd largest census metropolitan area in Canada. It has also been named by Statistics Canada as Canada's most generous city in terms of charitable donations for nine straight years.
The community of 375.55 square kilometres (145.00 sq mi) is the largest city by area in British Columbia. The municipality's southern boundary is the Canada–United States border. In Canada, it is bordered by the Township of Langley to the west, the District of Mission to the north, and the City of Chilliwack to the east. Abbotsford borders the town of Sumas, Washington, to the south. Much of Abbotsford has views of Mount Baker (to the southeast, in Washington) and the Coast Mountains (to the north).
Contents
History
Abbotsford's colonial development began when the Royal Engineers surveyed the area in response to the gold rush along the Fraser River in 1858. This led to the building of Yale Road (today Old Yale Road), the first transportation route to link the Fraser Valley. The settlement grew and the production of butter, milk and tobacco began by the late 1860s. In 1889, former Royal Engineer John Cunningham Maclure applied for a Crown grant to obtain the 160 acres (0.65 km2) that would become Abbotsford.
There is some controversy over the origin of the Abbotsford name. The most commonly cited origin is that Maclure named the land "Abbotsford" after family friend Henry Braithwaite Abbott, the western superintendent of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Until 1922 the name was spelled Abottsford. Maclure's sons later stated that the property had actually been named for Sir Walter Scott's home, Abbotsford, and pronounced it with the accent on ford, while in his later years Maclure himself claimed that the naming had been "a combination of two ideas".
The title passed hands to Robert Ward, who filed a townsite subdivision on July 9, 1891. Also in 1891, the CPR built a railway line through the area that connected Mission with the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway at Sumas, Washington. This route was the only rail connection between Vancouver and Seattle until 1904. The Village of Abbotsford was incorporated in 1892. At that time Robert Ward sold many of the lots to private investors, but also sold off a significant portion to the Great Northern Railway’s subsidiary company the Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway. The British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) arrived in 1910. The Interurban, as the BCER tram linking Abbotsford with Vancouver and Chilliwack was called, was discontinued in 1950, but BCER's successor BC Hydro retains the right to re-introduce passenger rail service. Service to Vancouver runs from neighbouring Mission by way of the West Coast Express.
The most notable natural disaster to hit Abbotsford was a major flood of the Fraser River in 1948.
In September 1984 Pope John Paul II held an open-air mass for over 200,000 people at the Abbotsford International Airport.
The amalgamation of the Village of Abbotsford and the District of Sumas into the District of Abbotsford occurred in 1972. The District of Abbotsford amalgamated with the District of Matsqui in 1995 to become the City of Abbotsford, raising the population significantly.
In June 2013, the City of Abbotsford spread chicken manure on a homeless camp located in the city. Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman publicly apologized for the incident. A lawsuit was launched on behalf of some of the homeless, stating that a bylaw which prevents overnight camping in Abbotsford parks is against their right to shelter. The city has formed a homelessness action plan, and has approved a proposal for a supportive housing facility.
Demographics
Historical population | ||
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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% |
Sources: Statistics Canada |
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Abbotsford had a population of 153,524 living in 53,234 of its 55,659 total private dwellings, a change of 8.6% from its 2016 population of 141,397. With a land area of 375.33 km2 (144.92 sq mi), it had a population density of 409.0/km2 (1,059/sq mi) in 2021.
At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Abbotsford - Mission CMA had a population of 195,726 living in 67,613 of its 70,648 total private dwellings, a change of 8.4% from its 2016 population of 180,518. With a land area of 606.72 km2 (234.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 322.6/km2 (836/sq mi) in 2021.
Languages
According to the 2011 Census, 65.74% of Abbotsford's population have English as mother tongue; Punjabi is the mother tongue of 18.71% of the population, followed by German (4.32%), Dutch (1.12%), Korean (1.00%), French (0.83%), Spanish (0.74%), Vietnamese (0.47%), Chinese, n.o.s. (0.45%), and Tagalog (0.44%).
Mother tongue | Population(2011) | Percentage |
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English | 86,660 | 65.74% |
Punjabi | 24,660 | 18.71% |
German | 5,695 | 4.32% |
Dutch | 1,480 | 1.12% |
Korean | 1,315 | 1.00% |
French | 1,095 | 0.83% |
Spanish | 980 | 0.74% |
Vietnamese | 620 | 0.47% |
Chinese, n.o.s. | 595 | 0.45% |
Tagalog (Filipino) | 585 | 0.44% |
Visible minorities
Canada 2016 Census | Population | % of total population | |
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Visible minority group Source: |
South Asian | 35,310 | 25.5% |
Chinese | 2,290 | 1.7% | |
Black | 1,415 | 1% | |
Filipino | 1,570 | 1.1% | |
Latin American | 1,120 | 0.8% | |
Arab | 340 | 0.2% | |
Southeast Asian | 1,540 | 1.1% | |
West Asian | 215 | 0.2% | |
Korean | 1,340 | 1% | |
Japanese | 515 | 0.4% | |
Other visible minority | 230 | 0.2% | |
Mixed visible minority | 755 | 0.5% | |
Total visible minority population | 46,635 | 33.7% | |
Aboriginal group Source: |
First Nations | 3,180 | 2.3% |
Métis | 3,100 | 2.2% | |
Inuit | 20 | 0% | |
Total Aboriginal population | 6,595 | 4.8% | |
European | 85,325 | 61.6% | |
Total population | 138,555 | 100% |
South Asians
The Abbotsford metropolitan area has Canada's highest proportion of South Asians. In 2016, the City of Abbotsford had 35,310 South Asians, while the Abbotsford CMA had 38,250. Indo-Canadians in Abbotsford have worked in berry farms and in area businesses. Members of the ethnic group first arrived in the early 1900s to work on farms and in the lumber industry. In 1911, the Gur Sikh temple was built in Abbotsford. With the distinction of being the oldest existing Sikh temple in North America, it is also a Canadian National Historic Site.
Ethnic origin (Abbotsford CMA)
Abbotsford has the third highest proportion of visible minorities among Census Metropolitan Areas in Canada, after the Greater Toronto Area and Greater Vancouver.
The largest ethnic group is European, comprising approximately 64% of the population. This group includes German, Dutch, British, Irish, Scandinavian and Slavic ethnic origins. The next largest ethnic group in Abbotsford is South Asian (countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka) comprising 21.7% of the population. This is followed by Aboriginals at 6.2% of the population (which includes Indigenous peoples from other parts of Canada and the United States) and Chinese at 1.4%.
More than a quarter (26.1%) of the city's population was born outside Canada. Of that percentage, a majority is from South Asia, followed by groups from China, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Latin America. English is the primary language spoken, with 78.7% of the population having it as their first language.
Ethnic groups in Abbotsford CMA (2016) Source: [1] |
Population | % | |
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Ethnic group | European | 112,845 | 64% |
South Asian | 38,250 | 21.7% | |
Aboriginal | 10,875 | 6.2% | |
Chinese | 2,515 | 1.4% | |
Filipino | 1,810 | 1% | |
Southeast Asian | 1,715 | 1% | |
Black | 1,670 | 0.9% | |
Korean | 1,515 | 0.9% | |
Latin American | 1,430 | 0.8% | |
Japanese | 630 | 0.4% | |
Arab | 375 | 0.2% | |
West Asian | 230 | 0.1% | |
Multiple minorities | 810 | 0.5% | |
Visible minority, n.i.e. | 270 | 0.2% | |
Total population | 176,330 | 100% |
Ethnic origin | Population (2006) | Percent of 156,640!Comments | |
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Cornish | 10 | 0.01% | |
English | 42,190 | 26.93% | |
Irish | 21,430 | 13.68% | |
Manx | 40 | 0.03% | |
Scottish | 28,695 | 18.32% | |
Welsh | 3,665 | 2.34% | |
misc. British Isles, n.i.e.*|2,265 | 1.45% | ||
Acadian | 55 | 0.04% | |
French | 13,725 | 8.76% | |
Inuit | 50 | 0.03% | |
Métis | 2,670 | 1.70% | |
North American Indian | 5,335 | 3.41% | incl. First Nations, Native Americans and Alaska Natives |
American | 2,320 | 1.48% | |
Canadian | 30,415 | 19.42% | |
Newfoundlander | 65 | 0.04% | |
Québécois | 55 | 0.04% | |
Barbadian | 15 | 0.01% | |
Carib | 15 | 0.01% | |
Guyanese | 20 | 0.01% | |
Haitian | 135 | 0.09% | |
Jamaican | 305 | 0.19% | |
Kittitian/Nevisian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Puerto Rican | 15 | 0.01% | |
St. Lucian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Trinidadian/Tobagonian | 95 | 0.06% | |
Vincentian/Grenadinian | 15 | 0.01% | |
West Indian | 35 | 0.02% | |
15 | 0.01% | ||
Aboriginal from Central/South America | 40 | 0.03% | |
Argentinian | 35 | 0.02% | |
Belizean | 20 | 0.01% | |
Brazilian | 130 | 0.08% | |
Chilean | 110 | 0.07% | |
Colombian | 150 | 0.10% | |
Costa Rican | 55 | 0.04% | |
Ecuadorian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Guatemalan | 85 | 0.05% | |
Hispanic | 10 | 0.01% | |
Honduran | 25 | 0.02% | |
Maya | 30 | 0.02% | |
Mexican | 475 | 0.30% | |
Nicaraguan | 35 | 0.02% | |
Panamanian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Paraguayan | 195 | 0.10% | |
Peruvian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Salvadoran | 540 | 0.35% | |
Venezuelan | 65 | 0.04% | |
Misc. Latin, Central or South American, n.i.e.*|160 | 0.01% | ||
Austrian | 1,500 | 1.00% | |
Belgian | 620 | 0.40% | |
Dutch (Netherlands) | 16,645 | 10.63% | % not incl. Frisians or Flemish |
Flemish | 110 | 0.07% | |
Frisian | 160 | 0.10% | |
German | 32,580 | 20.80% | |
Swiss | 1,215 | 0.78% | |
Finnish | 1,210 | 0.77% | |
Danish | 1,950 | 1.24% | |
Icelandic | 930 | 0.59% | |
Norwegian | 4,715 | 3.01% | |
Swedish | 4,240 | 2.71% | |
Misc. Scandinavian, n.i.e.*|310 | 0.20% | may include Sami and Kven | |
Estonian | 175 | 0.11% | |
Latvian | 40 | 0.03% | |
Lithuanian | 130 | 0.08% | |
Belarusian | 70 | 0.05% | |
Czech | 590 | 0.38% | |
Czechoslovakian | 230 | 0.15% | |
Slovak | 190 | 0.12% | |
Hungarian (Magyar) | 2,150 | 1.37% | |
Polish | 4,940 | 3.15% | |
Romanian | 1,065 | 0.68% | |
Russian | 7,420 | 4.73% | |
Ukrainian | 8,090 | 5.16% | |
Albanian | 135 | 0.09% | |
Bosnian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Bulgarian | 60 | 0.04% | |
Croatian | 245 | 0.16% | |
Greek | 655 | 0.42% | |
Italian | 3,675 | 2.35% | |
Kosovar | 25 | 0.02% | |
Macedonian | 45 | 0.03% | |
Maltese | 55 | 0.04% | |
Portuguese | 745 | 0.48% | |
Serbian | 100 | 0.08% | |
Sicilian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Slovenian | 125 | 0.08% | |
Spanish | 1,600 | 1.02% | |
Yugoslav, n.i.e.*|290 | 0.19% | ||
Basque | 10 | 0.01% | |
Gypsy (Roma) | 35 | 0.02% | |
Misc. Slav (European) | 40 | 0.03% | |
Ethnic groups in Europe, n.i.e.*|260 | 0.17% | ||
Afrikaner | 25 | 0.02% | |
Bantu | 10 | 0.01% | |
Black | 140 | 0.09% | |
Congolese (Zairian) | 20 | 0.01% | |
Congolese, n.o.s.**|15 | 0.01% | ||
Dinka | 40 | 0.03% | |
Ethiopian | 10 | 0.01% | |
Ghanaian | 50 | 0.03% | |
Kenyan | 35 | 0.02% | |
Mauritian | 20 | 0.01% | |
Nigerian | 50 | 0.03% | |
South African | 415 | 0.26% | |
Sudanese | 20 | 0.01% | |
Tanzanian | 15 | 0.01% | |
Misc. African, n.i.e.*|130 | 0.08% | ||
Egyptian | 25 | 0.02% | |
Iraqi | 15 | 0.01% | |
Lebanese | 85 | 0.05% | |
Maghrebi origins | 10 | 0.01% | |
Palestinian | 65 | 0.04% | |
Syrian | 50 | 0.03% | |
Misc. Arab, n.i.e. | 75 | 0.05% | |
Afghan | 50 | 0.03% | |
Iranian | 185 | 0.12% | |
Israeli | 15 | 0.01% | |
Kurdish | 35 | 0.02% | |
Tatar | 10 | 0.01% | |
Turkish | 120 | 0.08% | |
Indian | 23,445 | 16.47% | |
Goan | 15 | 0.01% | |
Nepali | 45 | 0.03% | |
Pakistani | 195 | 0.12% | |
Punjabi | 2,040 | 1.30% | |
Sri Lankan | 50 | 0.03% | |
Tamil | 10 | 0.01% | |
Misc. South Asian, n.i.e.*|820 | 0.52% | ||
Cambodian | 50 | 0.03% | |
Chinese | 2,585 | 1.65% | |
Filipino | 740 | 0.47% | |
Indonesian | 205 | 0.13% | |
Japanese | 890 | 0.57% | |
Korean | 1,665 | 1.06% | |
Laotian | 240 | 0.15% | |
Malaysian | 50 | 0.03% | |
Taiwanese | 75 | 0.05% | |
Thai | 100 | 0.06% | |
Vietnamese | 1,150 | 0.73% | |
85 | 0.05% | ||
Australian | 265 | 0.17% | |
New Zealander | 145 | 0.09% | |
Fijian | 100 | 0.06% | |
Hawaiian | 50 | 0.03% | |
Samoan | 10 | 0.01% | |
*Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses e.g. German-East Indian, Norwegian-Irish-Polish | |||
**Not included elsewhere | |||
***Not otherwise specified |
Ethnic origin by regional grouping | Population | Percent of 156,640 |
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British Isles origins | 65,495 | 41.81% |
French origins1 | 13,745 | 8.77% |
Aboriginal origins2 | 7,860 | 5.02% |
Other North American origins3 | 31,870 | 20.34% |
Caribbean origins | 665 | 0.43% |
Latin, Central and South American origins4 | 2,070 | 1.32% |
Western European origins5 | 46,395 | 29.62% |
Northern European origins6 | 12,140 | 7.75% |
Eastern European origin7 | 21,765 | 13.89% |
Southern European origins | 7,470 | 4.77% |
Other European origins8 | 840 | 00.54% |
African origins9 | 990 | 0.63% |
Arab origins10 | 320 | 0.20% |
West Asian origins11 | 410 | 00.26% |
South Asian origins | 25,800 | 16.47% |
East and Southeast Asian origins | 7,375 | 4.71% |
Oceania origins12 | 565 | 0.36% |
Footnotes to ethnic Origin by regional grouping |
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1Census Canada does not distinguish between European and North American French origins. This category includes Acadians; Québécois-only (not multiple responses) are in North American origins. |
2Métis, First Nations, Inuit, Native Americans, Alaska Natives |
3American, Canadian, Québécois, Newfoundlander, does not include aboriginal peoples |
4Including aboriginal people of South and Central America |
5Germany, Austria, Benelux, Switzerland |
6Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland |
7Slavic and Baltic countries, plus Romania, Hungary and Albania |
8Roma (Gypsy), Jewish, Basque, misc. Slav |
9Excluding Arab countries of the Maghreb, including Afrikaners and other white South Africans |
10Including the Maghreb/North Africa |
11Afghan, Iranian, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Turkish, Georgian, Armenian |
12Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand |
Religion
The majority of Abbotsford's population is Christian, with 61.4% of the population. Many of the largest congregations in the city are Mennonite Brethren. The next largest religious group is Sikh, comprising 13.4% of the population. The city contains the first Sikh Gurdwara built in Canada (in 1911), and the oldest in North America. A National Historic Site, located in Central Abbotsford, it is now over 100 years old.
Climate
Abbotsford has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate type Cfb), with just enough summer precipitation not to be classified as warm-summer mediterranean.
Climate data for Abbotsford International Airport (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
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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 | 38.6 | 46.2 | 43.4 | 40.1 | 31.2 | 21.0 | 18.9 | 46.2 |
Record high °C (°F) | 18.1 (64.6) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
29.8 (85.6) |
36.0 (96.8) |
34.7 (94.5) |
38.0 (100.4) |
36.3 (97.3) |
37.5 (99.5) |
29.3 (84.7) |
22.4 (72.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
38.0 (100.4) |
Average high °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
9.0 (48.2) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.7 (58.5) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.8 (69.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.4 (75.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
9.3 (48.7) |
5.9 (42.6) |
15.1 (59.2) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.6 (38.5) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.8 (49.6) |
13.0 (55.4) |
15.7 (60.3) |
18.1 (64.6) |
18.2 (64.8) |
15.3 (59.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
2.9 (37.2) |
10.4 (50.7) |
Average low °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) |
1.1 (34.0) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.8 (40.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
10.5 (50.9) |
12.2 (54.0) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.3 (48.7) |
5.9 (42.6) |
2.7 (36.9) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
5.8 (42.4) |
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 | −5.4 | −13.9 | −27.6 | −33.3 | −33.3 |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 211.7 (8.33) |
132.3 (5.21) |
149.3 (5.88) |
117.8 (4.64) |
99.8 (3.93) |
74.8 (2.94) |
43.2 (1.70) |
45.9 (1.81) |
75.5 (2.97) |
152.7 (6.01) |
248.2 (9.77) |
186.6 (7.35) |
1,537.8 (60.54) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 193.6 (7.62) |
123.4 (4.86) |
144.9 (5.70) |
117.1 (4.61) |
99.8 (3.93) |
74.8 (2.94) |
43.2 (1.70) |
45.9 (1.81) |
75.5 (2.97) |
152.7 (6.01) |
241.5 (9.51) |
170.9 (6.73) |
1,483.3 (58.40) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 18.5 (7.3) |
8.6 (3.4) |
4.4 (1.7) |
0.5 (0.2) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
6.7 (2.6) |
16.5 (6.5) |
55.2 (21.7) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 20.1 | 16.2 | 19.1 | 16.3 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 9.6 | 15.8 | 20.8 | 19.8 | 179.5 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.2 | 15.4 | 18.6 | 16.3 | 14.4 | 13.0 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 9.6 | 15.8 | 20.2 | 18.2 | 174.1 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 12.2 |
Average relative humidity (%) (at 3pm) | 73.3 | 62.9 | 59.9 | 56.0 | 56.5 | 57.1 | 54.5 | 53.2 | 56.4 | 66.1 | 74.3 | 74.5 | 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 |
Arts, culture and heritage
The Abbotsford Arts Council hosts a number of free local events including music in Mill Lake Park, the Arty Awards and more recently, the Christmas Artisan Gift Fair. It has been involved in projects such as the Abbotsford "Unity Statue", Abbotsford Christmas Craft Fair, Art in the Park, Abbotsford's Art and Heritage Unity Festival, and the Historical Downtown Art Bench Project. As well as maintaining the Kariton Art Gallery which features and hosts exhibitions from local artists of all mediums residing in the Lower Mainland.
The Reach Gallery Museum features exhibitions from across Canada and around the world, as well as the work of local artists. It houses a heritage archive, runs special events, programs and courses and seeks to promote local arts and culture.
Gallery 7 Theatre and Performing Arts has been one of Abbotsford only performing arts organizations since 1991 and operates out of Mennonite Educational Institute. They produce four mainstage productions every year.
Transportation
Public bus transportation is provided by the Central Fraser Valley Transit System. Passenger rail service to Vancouver currently runs from nearby Mission by way of the West Coast Express.
Air links are provided by the Abbotsford International Airport. WestJet provides regular scheduled service from the airport, due to its proximity to Vancouver's eastern suburbs. The airport is also the home of the annual Abbotsford International Airshow.
Major transportation routes leading into Abbotsford are the Trans-Canada Highway (No. 1), the Abbotsford-Mission Highway (No.11) and the Fraser Highway (No. 1A). Access to the United States is via the Abbotsford-Huntingdon/Sumas border crossing.
Cityscape
These places represent parts of the city that have more than one neighbourhood in them.
- 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
- Mount Lehman
- North Poplar
- Peardonville
- Pepin Brook
- Sandy Hill
- South Poplar
- Straiton
- Townline
Surrounding municipalities
Maple Ridge | Mission | Dewdney/Deroche | ||
Township of Langley (Aldergrove) | Chilliwack | |||
Abbotsford | ||||
Lynden, Washington | Sumas, Washington Everson, Washington |
Maple Falls, Washington |
Sister cities
- Fukagawa, Hokkaidō, Japan
Economy
Some 62 percent of residents in Abbotsford work in the City of Abbotsford itself. Most of the remaining 38 percent commute to Mission, Chilliwack or Vancouver and its suburbs (primarily Surrey and Langley). More than 25 percent of Abbotsford's work force commutes to Abbotsford from other municipalities.
The Conference Board of Canada has identified the local economy as one of the most diverse in the country. Abbotsford's main industries are agriculture, transportation, manufacturing and retail. The city earns the highest dollar per acre of agricultural land in the country, greater than the Niagara Region and the North Okanagan. Total sales from agricultural businesses grew from $635,000,000 in 2010 to nearly $1 billion as of 2021 and accounts for almost 50% of all chicken eggs and dairy milk production for all of British Columbia.
The BC government's Animal Health Centre, at the Abbotsford Agriculture Centre offers "more than 400 laboratory diagnostic tests for agents that may be found in wild and domestic birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians" and is the leading accredited full-service veterinary laboratory in Western Canada. The facility has housed a Biosafety level 3 laboratory since October 2009.
Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre and community health services make Fraser Health the city's largest employer with about 2,500 staff. The city is also home to three federal prisons, each of which employs between 200 and 500 officers and support staff. There is also a growing aerospace industry led by Cascade Aerospace and Conair Group Inc.
Local and privately owned confectionery company Brookside Foods was acquired by The Hershey Company in 2011. In 2016, it announced it would be closing.
Sports
Hockey
Abbotsford Minor Hockey is one of the largest associations in British Columbia with more than 1000 players registered from the ages of 5 through 18 years old. This association is recognized by many as a model and a leader in the development of minor hockey programs, and several Abbotsford-raised players have gone on to the highest levels of this sport. In the 2005–06 hockey season, Abbotsford's bantam AAA team were ultimately the Western Canadian Bantam Champions, and eight individual players from this team (the most ever) were selected in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft.
The Abbotsford Pilots of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (junior B level) play at MSA Arena, which is Abbotsford's second largest arena at just over 400 seats. Abbotsford was considered as a possible home for the Chilliwack Chiefs (junior A), who were forced to move in 2006 when the Chilliwack Bruins (a WHL expansion team) took over their arena, Prospera Centre. Abbotsford would have become the home of the Chiefs if the city had supported them in building a new arena; instead, the Chiefs moved to Langley. Construction has now been completed in Abbotsford on a far bigger sports and entertainment centre (with 7,500 seats).
From 2009 until 2014, Abbotsford hosted the NHL's Calgary Flames' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. Home games were played at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.
On May 6, 2021, the NHL's Vancouver Canucks were approved to relocate their AHL affiliate to Abbotsford for the 2021–22 season as the Abbotsford Canucks.
Other sports
From 2012 and 2013, the BC Angels of the Legends Football League's LFL Canada division played at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.
Abbotsford's Jane and Gerry Swan Track at Rotary Stadium is home to the Valley Royals Track & Field Club, who have produced numerous Olympians including two for the 2008 Olympics. Rotary Stadium was also home to the now-defunct Abbotsford Air Force of the Canadian Junior Football League.
Abbotsford has a superior youth soccer program, winning two national titles, and numerous provincial titles. It is also home of soccer all-stars Sophie Schmidt, Brad Petoom and Adam Lang. Abbotsford is home to the Abbotsford Mariners of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League, the highest level of amateur soccer in North America.
Abbotsford is home to many high school sports, with Abbotsford Senior Secondary School, W.J. Mouat Secondary, Rick Hansen Secondary, Robert Bateman Secondary, St. John Brebeuf Secondary, Yale Secondary, and the Mennonite Educational Institute, among others, doing very well in track and field, volleyball, basketball, and football. These schools have consistently ranked among the highest in the province. The Yale Secondary senior boys basketball team, under Coach Al Friesen, won the 2008 'AAA' provincial boys' basketball championship.
Abbotsford's rugby club supports three men's teams, two women's teams, U19 men's and women's, U15 U16 and U17 men's, and a great mini rugby program. Many of Abbotsford's players have gone on to play for Canada, such as Erin Lockwood, Ryan McWhinney, Scott Hunter and Brodie Henderson.
In Olympic sports, Abbotsford's Alana Kraus has won medals in short-track speed skating.
Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abbotsford Canucks |
|
Ice Hockey | Abbotsford Centre |
|
|
Active |
Abbotsford Heat |
|
Ice hockey | Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre |
|
|
Defunct |
BC Angels |
|
Arena football | Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre |
|
|
Defunct |
Abbotsford Pilots |
|
Ice hockey | MSA Arena |
|
|
Active |
Fraser Valley Mariners |
|
Soccer | Bateman Park |
|
|
Active |
Abbotsford RFC |
|
Rugby | CFV Exhibition Park |
|
|
Active |
Fraser Valley Bandits |
|
Basketball | Abbotsford Centre |
|
|
Active |
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds |
|
Ice hockey | Abbotsford Centre |
|
|
Active |
Abbotsford Air Force |
|
Football | Rotary Stadium |
|
|
Defunct |
Abbotsford Flyers |
|
Ice hockey | MSA Arena |
|
|
Defunct |
Abbotsford Falcons |
|
Ice hockey | MSA Arena |
|
|
Defunct |
Valley Rebels |
|
Box Lacrosse | MSA Arena |
|
|
Active |
Abbotsford Bandits |
|
Box Lacrosse | MSA Arena |
|
|
Defunct |
UFV Cascades |
|
Basketball | UFV Athletic Centre |
|
|
Active |
UFV Cascades |
|
Soccer | MRC Sports Complex |
|
|
Active |
UFV Cascades |
|
Volleyball | UFV Athletic Centre |
|
|
Active |
UFV Cascades |
|
Baseball | Delair Park |
|
|
Active |
UFV Cascades |
|
Rugby | Rotary Stadium |
|
|
Active |
CBC Bearcats |
|
Basketball | Columbia Place |
|
|
Active |
CBC Bearcats |
|
Volleyball | Columbia Place |
|
|
Active |
Education
Forty-six public elementary, middle, and secondary schools are administered by the Abbotsford School District. This includes a virtual school called the "Abbotsford Virtual School" that offers more than 30 semestered online courses. This school offers a unique animation and modeling program that teaches students aspects of the video game industry.
Private schools include Dasmesh Punjabi School, St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary, Mennonite Educational Institute, and Abbotsford Christian School.
Post-secondary institutions in the city include the University of the Fraser Valley, religious institutions such as Columbia Bible College and Summit Pacific College, as well as career colleges such as Career Gate Community College, Sprott Shaw College, Vancouver Career College, Métis Skills and Employment Centre, and CDI College.
Notable people
- Karen Lee Batten
- Chase Claypool
- Ryan Craig
- Kyle Cumiskey
- Frank Davey
- Sunny Dhinsa
- Dianne Doan
- Brian Doerksen
- Burkely Duffield
- Victoria Duffield
- Jared Falk
- Michael Funk
- Amy Gough
- Derek Grant
- Adam Hadwin
- Charles Hill-Tout
- Jacob Hoggard
- Chad Kroeger
- Evangeline Lilly
- Brad Moran
- Greg Neufeld
- Larry Nickel
- 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
See also
In Spanish: Abbotsford para niños