Southern Gulf IslandsBritish Columbia

Southern Gulf Islands is a town of owners: 86% of households own their home, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

Owners put the median home at $600,000, lower than British Columbia’s towns ($720,000) yet higher than Canadian towns ($406,000). 17% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below both British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).

The police who cover Southern Gulf Islands record less serious crime than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 39

No police detachment reports under Southern Gulf Islands’s name, so these are the nearest detachment’s figures, not the town’s own

The violent index for its police area came to 40, below both British Columbia’s towns (76) and Canadian towns (86). Its police area records 13.4 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Violence across its police area runs at 10.4 per 1,000 residents a year.

Only 6% of adults smoke in the health region around Southern Gulf Islands, against 12% for the typical Canadian town

Measured across the South Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area: health survey and life expectancy

Homes here are 17 km from a hospital on average, above both British Columbia’s towns (4.4 km) and Canadian towns (3.7 km). The survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 55%, ahead of the 50% for British Columbia. Women in the region live to 84.9 and men to 80.5, 82.7 years taken together (2022/2024).

Winters are mild in Southern Gulf Islands: January nights hold at 2.3°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

Expect July highs of around 21.6°C in Southern Gulf Islands. Frost comes on 25 days a year, below British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159) alike. Snow peaks in January: 11 cm in a normal year. For the wettest month, look to November: 131 mm on average.

Southern Gulf Islands earns an A− for schools

Young children have 4.5 km to the nearest elementary school, above both British Columbia’s towns (0.6 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km). Counting a 3 km margin, Southern Gulf Islands has 6 elementary schools, 1 secondary school and 1 school for every grade.

Commuters in Southern Gulf Islands have a short way to work, 20 min on average, less than in British Columbia’s towns and across Canadian towns

The car took 80% of commuters, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (87%) and Canadian towns (89%).

Older than 99% of Canadian towns: half of Southern Gulf Islands is over 61.6

Visible minorities make up 3.7% of the population, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%).

In Southern Gulf Islands, November normally means 8°C afternoons and 4°C nights

November usually brings some 5 cm of snow. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 131 mm. The month after, December, normally sees 6°C afternoons and 2°C nights. August brings the warmest days, 22°C; December the coldest nights, 2°C.

Saanich—Gulf Islands, which takes in Southern Gulf Islands, is held by Elizabeth May (Green Party of Canada)

From British Columbia come 43 MPs, 20 of them with the Liberal Party of Canada.

7 public library branches serve Southern Gulf Islands

They are Galiano Island Community Library, Mayne Island Community Library, Pender Island Public Library and 4 more.

Southern Gulf Islands borders Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 42, above British Columbia’s towns (14) and Canadian towns (4) alike. Inside the town itself, 26% of the land is protected. Of the country within 10 km, 6.2% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. Within 5 km are 83 beaches; Bruce Bight Beach is the nearest.

Earthquake risk in Southern Gulf Islands runs 15 times the typical Canadian town’s: $0.46 per $1,000 a year

Fewer homes than usual carry radon here, 1.8% over the guideline where the typical town has 6.6%. Capital Regional District has mapped the flood hazard here: one study on the national inventory.