The Colony of Vancouver Island

By 1848 the British Government decided it needed a more official presence than the HBC – establishes the crown colony of Vancouver Island.

HBC gets trade monopoly in exchange for selling land to British settlers.

James Douglas wanted to give land for free to settlers but the government decided to sell the land for a £1 an acre with a minimum purchase of 20 acres.

The Crown gets involved

Money requirement creates a class system on the island.

Most of the other settlers were working class HBC employees.

James Douglas’ wife Amelia is Métis.

Conflict between settlers

Coal discovered near Nanaimo in the 1840s.

Royal Navy base at Esquimalt was a natural customer.

Island Economy

Douglas was worried as there were only 774 settlers in 1855 and more than 30,000 Aboriginal people on the island.

Douglas negotiated treaties with the nations to give up control of their land forever.

First Nations

Government St.

Government St (2)

First Nations canoes

Fort Victoria

Customs house circa 1898

Quadra and Pandora Church

Downtown 1858

Yates St

Bastion Sq