Delta is home to a population of more than 108,000 people. We pride ourselves on our past and our sustainable future. Delta has a hospital, an airport, a museum and archives, libraries, sports and recreational facilities, and many bike and walking trails in a varied network of parks including waterfront parks on the Fraser River, Boundary Bay and Strait of Georgia.
Delta encompasses 180 square kilometres bordered by the Fraser River on the north, the United States border and Boundary Bay on the south, the City of Surrey on the east and the Strait of Georgia on the west.
Residents enjoy safe, clean and quiet neighbourhoods, and the stable prosperity of the community makes it attractive for businesses to choose as their preferred location. Delta's estimated household average income is 30 per cent higher than the Canadian average. The municipality also has one of the fastest growing industrial areas in Greater Vancouver.
With the support of a strong farming and agricultural foundation, Delta has grown into three thriving communities: Ladner, Tsawwassen and North Delta. We are a vibrant municipality that is rich in soil and water, rich in history and industry, and especially rich in people.
Archaeological evidence shows that Aboriginal people had seasonal settlements near the present-day Alex Fraser Bridge at the Glenrose and St. Mungo cannery sites over 8,000 years ago. Other aboriginal settlement sites, on the west side of the Beach Grove golf course and along the shores of the Strait of Georgia, date back 4,000 years.
The land that would become Delta was first sighted by Europeans in 1791. Spanish explorer Lieutenant Francisco Eliza mistook the area for an island and named it Isla Capeda.
The Gold Rush of 1858 and the creation of the Colony of British Columbia attracted settlers to the land. In the north of Delta, James Kennedy had pre-empted acreage on the south bank of the Fraser near New Westminster in 1859. The Ladner brothers, William Henry and Thomas Ellis of Cornwall, England, on their way to the gold fields, saw the potential for agriculture in the rich soils of the Fraser River delta and resolved to return. In 1868, they did and claimed land at the head of Chilukthan Slough in present-day Ladner.
Farming and fishing were the economic foundations of Delta. Salmon was first canned commercially on the Pacific coast near Annieville. In 1873, James Deas established a cannery at present-day Deas Island. In 1879, Thomas Ellis Ladner opened a cannery at the north end of Chilukthan Slough and later managed the Wellington Cannery near Westham Island.
As the population grew, incorporation was granted in 1879, and the community of Ladner was designated its administrative centre.
Communities
The City of Delta is made up of three diverse communities.
North Delta is a bustling community full of businesses, shops, restaurants, arts, and culture. In the midst of the bustle is the Delta Nature Reserve and Burns Bog, the largest raised bog on the west coast of the Americas. With fantastic sport parks, recreation centres, and Delta's biggest park, Watershed Park, North Delta is a key recreational destination.
Ladner is a heritage fishing village situated next to the Fraser River. It is home to the civic precinct, including Delta City Hall and Delta Hospital. Ladner is the main hub of Delta's agriculture industry, with Westham Island offering a scenic tour of some of Delta's most popular farms and roadside farmstands. Historic buildings, such as Harris Barn on Arthur Drive, line Ladner's roads, and it is a popular destination for bird lovers due in part to the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
A beachside town located next to the US/Canada border and BC Ferries terminal, Tsawwassen is a tourist destination and a beach paradise for locals. The town features natural spaces, including Boundary Bay Regional Park and Fred Gingell Park, and many recreational opportunities, including golfing and water sports. It offers a mix of housing and businesses, as well as a central shopping corridor with local boutiques and more.
Where to Find Us
Delta encompasses 180 square kilometres bordered by the Fraser River on the north, the United States border and Boundary Bay on the south, the City of Surrey on the east and the Strait of Georgia on the west.
More About Delta
Location
The Boundary Bay Airport is centrally located in Delta and is accessible from Highway 99 or Highway 10. It is just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver and the U.S. Border crossing. The airport has two runways and an air-traffic control tower which operates seven days per week from 7am to 11pm. The Boundary Bay Airport can see over 200,000 takeoffs and landings in a busy year making it one of the busiest airports in Canada. The airport is home to a large number of general aviation operations, including flight training schools and flying clubs that provide flying lessons, aircraft rentals, and safety seminars.
History
The Boundary Bay Airport was re-activated in 1983 after being closed following the Second World War. At that time, Transport Canada was the owner and landlord. Transport Canada entered into an agreement with a private company, Boundary Bay Airport Commission (BBAC), to manage the airside operation and also the development rights to the part of the property known as the "demised lands." Alpha Aviation Inc. assumed the airport Headlease in December 2004 and now operates the airport on behalf of the City of Delta.
The airport is also home to the Heritage Hangar, a very large Second World War era, heavy timber frame, bow-arched structure. It is currently undergoing significant heritage restoration work to ensure that it continues to safely function as a hangar for years to come.
Ownership
In 1997, the ownership of the Boundary Bay Airport was officially transferred from Transport Canada to Delta. The municipality is the landowner, the landlord to the various lease holders, as well as the municipal taxation and regulatory authority of all airport lands. Boundary Bay Airport has over 150 acres of airport industrial land that can support the development of aviation businesses and support services. In addition, the airport has some lands designated as part of the Agricultural Land Reserve. Much of this land is currently leased for agricultural purposes (farming, topsoil storage, and haying) or is considered environmentally sensitive. The land north of the B.C. Rail line commonly referred to as the "North 40" is an off-leash dog park.
Lease Extension
At the April 11, 2011 Executive Meeting, Council considered and approved the Third Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (Headlease) of Boundary Bay Airport between Delta and Alpha Aviation (effective June 1, 2011). The amended Headlease extended the airport lease term until 2099, subject to a future extension of the Operating Agreement for Boundary Bay Airport between Delta and Transport Canada from its current expiry date of 2077. The amendment also clarified maintenance responsibilities, referenced a new Master Servicing Plan for the airport, and updated the rental amount and sale provision for the airport to the benefit of Delta.
Services
Flight information and a list of services available at the Boundary Bay Airport can be found on Alpha Aviation’s website.
Contact Information
For more information on Boundary Bay Airport, please contact the Corporate Services department.
DeltaMap is the City of Delta's Online Mapping System. Use DeltaMap to look up information such as:
- Roads (Street Lighting, Highways, Road Classifications, Road Names, etc.)
- Transportation (Airports, Boat Launches, Ferry Terminal, Marinas, Railways, Truck Routes)
- Community Services (Fire Halls, Hospital, Municipal Hall, Police Headquarters and Stations, Schools)
- Facilities (Arts Centres, Curling Rinks, Fitness Centres, Ice Arenas, Libraries, Museum, Archives, Recreation Centres, Seniors Centres, Swimming Pools)
- Parks & Recreation (Parks, Trails, Community Gardens, Golf Courses, Lacrosse Boxes, Lawn Bowling, Skateboard Parks, Tennis Courts, Water Parks)
- Topology (Steep Slopes, Dyke Elevations)
- Planning & Development (Heritage Sites, Zoning, Land Use, ALR)
- Engineering Utilities (Sanitary, Drainage, Irrigation, Water)
- Rights of Way
- Municipal Easements
- Property (Lot Dimensions, Survey Monuments, Parcel Hooks and more)
- Orthophotos (Aerial)
Delta is a special place where urban and rural landscapes blend together. Nestled between the vibrant communities of Ladner, Tsawwassen and North Delta lies some of the most important agricultural land in British Columbia. Over 50% of Delta’s land is agricultural based. We encourage our residents and businesses to support local agriculture by buying and eating local, or by growing your own food.
Delta has a longstanding and productive farming community, and agriculture represents an important economic and food security component within Delta and the region. Agriculture is a substantial contributor to the economy of Delta with total gross farm receipts of almost $170 million in 2010 (latest figures). In 2016, Delta was home to 23% of the total agricultural land base in Metro Vancouver. Almost 80% of cereal crops, 62% of vegetables, and 22% of forage crops grown in Metro Vancouver are grown in Delta.
Facts
- Nearly all farms in Delta are family owned and operated
- Greenhouses take up only 1% of BC’s farmland, but make up 11% of BC’s total agriculture production
- 9 out of 10 BC tomatoes come from only 200 acres in Delta
- Over half of BC’s green beans and potatoes are grown in Delta.
Delta has an inventory of Delta-owned properties that are either leased or licensed for farming purposes to local farmers. The total land area is 243 ha that are being farmed for soil-based crop production. “Delta Farms" branded signs to be installed on the farms highlight the importance of the City’s role in supporting soil-based farming and food security.
As agriculture shapes Delta’s economy, it also influences how our communities grow. Most of Delta’s farmland is located in the Agricultural Land Reserve, thereby restricting urban sprawl and promoting walkable, compact communities.
With input from the local farming/agricultural producer community, a Delta Agricultural Farm Plan was completed in 2011 which augments policies contained in the Official Community Plan (OCP) and contains strategies to assist in pursing the long term viability of farming in the community. Find more information in Delta's Agricultural Plan.
On February 28, 2019, a new provincial regulation called the Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM Code) came into effect. The new regulation aims to ensure our drinking water, watercourses, and air are protected. More information can be found within the following documents that were provided by the Provincial Government:
- Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Practice
- Agricultural Environmental Management Code (AEM)
Farm Vehicle Awareness – Please be reminded that farm vehicles have the right-of-way on roads and dikes. Also, do not trespass, litter or allow pets to enter onto private farmlands. By respecting private farmland you are supporting local agriculture and wildlife habitats!
Agricultural Odours
Malodour arising from normal agricultural practices can occur throughout the year in Delta. Manure application in spring and summer, decomposition of cover crops during late fall and early spring, volatile organic compounds produced by certain field crops, and on-farm composting and manure storage can all produce odours. Malodours resulting from normal farming practices are protected by the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act. If you have an odour complaint, please contact Metro Vancouver.
External Links
Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust
Ladner Village Market
BC Farmers' Market
BC Agriculture Council
BC/Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer Program
BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation
Farm Folk City Folk
BC 4-H Club
BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative
Agricultural Land Commission
UBC Farm