Burnaby - History

Burnaby is ideally situated at the centre of the Lower Mainland region and it covers an area of 37 square miles. It has a corridor position between the cities of Vancouver to the west and north, and Coquitlam and New Westminster to the east.

The area, today Burnaby, was a land of tall trees and wilderness before 1800's. The earliest pioneers settled around 1850 and the city developed very slowly until 1887. Due to the dramatic increase in traffic between New Westminster and Vancouver, a tramline connecting the two centres through Burnaby was built.

The land along the route was subdivided and sold in 1891. The population of the area along the Canadian Pacific line was only about 200 persons, they were mainly employed in the agriculture of logging industries. The property taxes the pioneers paid went straight to the new provincial capital of British Columbia (Victoria) and gave them no local benefits.

In 1892 September 24, the municipality received its charter of incorporation. It was named after Robert Burnaby, a merchant and businessman, who explored in 1859 the region around Burnaby Lake. He was active in a variety of community affairs and helped develop much of the west coast. Robert Burnaby has given his name to a city, a lake, a park, a hill, a Vancouver street, a mountain range in McKenzie Sound, an island and a narrows in the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Burnaby had its first park along with a store, post office, two schools and a church in 1896. Within five years, the population had grown to 400. In 1900 the Barnet Mill in North Burnaby was opened.

Hundred years later the population has grown to over 165,500. Its economic base has changed from logging and agriculture to service, commercial and industrial activities.

The city celebrated its 100^th anniversary and officially changed from the Corporation of the District of Burnaby to the City of Burnaby in 1992.

Today it’s the most heavily populated district in Greater Vancouver. With the commercial and industrial development, the population has never stopped growing.

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