The Sunshine Coast lives up to its name- generally winters are mild and wet, and the summers drier than many other coastal areas. Powell River averages between 1400 and 1900 hours of sun yearly. The average temperature for the year in this region can be from 5 to 23 degrees Celsius.

British Columbia’s Southern Coast is home to various wildlife. California and Steller sea lions and harbour seals gather in the winter months to take advantage of the fish that swim along the coastline year-round. The old-growth forests provide homes for the rare marbled murrlet, who depend on the hemlocks for shelter. Around Powell River, more animals gather to feast on the local wild salmon.  Eagles, otters, pine marten and osprey are common, and you can often see the odd black bear, although they tend to frequent the backwoods logging roads. Under the sea, scuba divers can swim with lingcod, red snapper, and giant Pacific octopi.

ACCESS:

Access to this area is by ferry and paved highway. You can access the Sunshine Coast by taking BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, or if coming from Vancouver Island, from Comox to Powell River. To tour the entire area, you will need to take a second ferry from Egmont to Saltery Bay. Once on the Sunshine Coast, Highway 101 runs from Langdale to the end of the highway at Lund. Texada Island is accessed by ferry from Powell River or Comox. 

Distance between Vancouver and the major cities are: 

• Gibsons: 51 km

• Sechelt: 72 km

• Powell River: 184 km

• Lund: 205 km

Another great way to get to the Sunshine Coast is the water taxis! Cormorant Water Taxis offers service from Horseshoe Bay or even from the Delta River Inn, only 2 minutes from Vancouver International airport!

MAJOR CITIES

This area’s traditional resource-based economy, with logging and fishing playing key roles, has recently seen a downturn. However, other areas, such as high tech, tourism and the cultural arts are becoming even more important to the area’s economy and are growing even stronger.  

Real estate is booming in this area! Retirees across Canada are finding its mild climate, beautiful scenery and laid back pace of life as a perfect place to relocate. The Sunshine Coast is also experiencing a wave of buyers from nearby areas looking for recreational property or a second home close to their primary residence, but far enough away to escape to on the weekends. Several British Columbian celebrities maintain vacation properties here.

Major centers in the area include:

Gibsons:  Gibsons is known to most Canadians as the setting for the home of the long-running CBC Television hit “The Beachcombers”. After the show finished, several of the series’ stars chose to make their home here.

Recreation:

• A favorite kayaking spot is Plumper Cove Provincial Marine Park near Gibsons.
• Gibsons offers the Sprockids Mountain Bike Park for mountain bikers

Sechelt: With a population of 7775, Sechelt is known as “The Heart of the Sunshine Coast”, due to the fact that it is the geographic centre of this area. Providing retail and government services to the surrounding communities, this community is also the home to the Sechelt Nation, the first First Nations people to gain self-government in 1986.
 

Pender Harbour: Pender Harbour is actually comprised of three different communities: Madeira Park, Garden Bay, and Irvine’s Landing. With a combined population of 2374, this area combines beautiful scenery, local arts, and historic significance all within kilometers of each other.

Recreation:

• A good spot to head towards for salmon fishing include Smugglers Cove Marina Park close to Pender Harbour.
• Near Pender Harbour are trails leading to the top of Mount Daniel, an area of ceremonial significance for the Sechelt First Nation people, and a protected archeological site.
• Pender Harbour Golf Club Society is a 9 hole course, also open to the public, with mountain views  and water views from the tees

• Try Salmon fishing in the Lang Creek Estuary near Powell River

• Desolation Sound Marine Park is a beautiful area for boating, kayaking, canoing, and any other water sport you can imagine.

• If you are interested in canoeing, the Powell River Canoe Route contains a multitude of lakes, rivers and creeks going through a variety of landscapes and altitudes.

• For hikers, the Sunshine Coast Trail is a 180 km trail going from Saltery Bay into Desolation Sound Marine Park.

• Mountain bikers rejoice! The upper Sunshine Coast has clearly marked trails stretching from Saltery Bay to Lund.

• Powell River was named as the 2004’s Best Overall Dive Destination in the World by Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine.

Texada Island: The largest of the Gulf Islands, Texada Island is home to about 1200 people, with communities at Gillies Bay and Van Anda. Supported by mining, forestry, and tourism industries, this island is a colourful mix of past and present.

PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL PARKS

There are no federal parks located in this area. There are numerous provincial parks, some large, some small, some open to recreational purposes, some with rigid restrictions to protect fragile wildlife.

Explore British Columbia’s Southern Coast- a recreational paradise in beautiful BC.

For More Information:

BC Parks- Sunshine Coast

Town of Gibsons

District of Sechelt

Pender Harbour & District Chamber of Commerce

District of Powell River

Texada Island