Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), StrathconaBritish Columbia

TownGrade

#2,337 of 2,556

It belongs to the Campbell River metropolitan area. 4,546 people live in this town in British Columbia.

3 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Population

4,546

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

51%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona a good place to live?

A town with more to fix than most. Its lowest grade is for safety (D). Overall, Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona earns a D: better than 14% of Canadian towns, and #214 of 250 in British Columbia. People here tend to be in good health (B+). It is strong on schools as well (B+). Cost of living is weaker too (D).

Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

WeakestDSafety DCost of living

How Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona grades

Each subject compares Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedDOpen →Cost of livingIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areB⁺Open →SchoolsSchools do better than mostB⁺Open →Jobs & incomeBelow the middle of the towns comparedCOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC⁺Open →Hazard riskNear typical for the towns comparedB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

What makes Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona stand out

The 3 things Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Safety

Behind 92%

of Canadian towns on safety

Its safety grade: D.

Cost of living

Behind 91%

of Canadian towns on cost of living

Its cost of living grade: D.

Home value ÷ household income

Housing

6.8 times household income

The middle of Canadian towns: 4.7 times

Median owner’s estimate $600,000, Census 2021; income for 2020.

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona.

SafetySafety D

Crime runs heavier where Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona is policed than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns, at an index of 166

166Crime Severity Index

These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona itself

Violence across its police area runs at 32.2 per 1,000 residents a year. Property crime in its police area ran at 111.5 per 1,000 residents a year, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2). Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona doesn’t get its own Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 figures; the ones here come from the Campbell River detachment area.

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

2023182

2024176

2025142

2023–2025	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	111.5	31	31.2
Crime Severity Index	166	83	67
Violent crime	32.2	12.5	12
Violent Crime Severity Index	163	76	86

169

non-violent Crime Severity Index

28%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety166 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

HousingCost of living D

More households own their home in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona than in British Columbia’s towns or across Canadian towns: 89%

$600,000median home value, 2021DCost of living Grade

Source area for rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: the Campbell River metro area

Rent took nearly a quarter of household income, between British Columbia’s towns (24%) and Canadian towns (20%). Shelter took 30% or more of income for 17% of households, below British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike.

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona$600,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Households owning their home	89%	76%	74%
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	17%	21%	18%
Rent as a share of income	23%	24%	20%

$1,656

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$980

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters89% own their home Cost of living6.8 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $600,000, against the median household income Renting$1,656 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · The 2021 census asked owners what their home was worth; those values, and 2020 incomes, are what this compares.

HealthHealth B⁺

Lives run shorter around Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona: 79.5 years, 2.0 below the typical Canadian town’s region

54%very good or excellent healthB⁺Health Grade

9% of adults smoke, daily or now and then, close to British Columbia’s towns (9%) and below Canadian towns (12%). Across the region, 54% of adults say their health is very good or excellent; British Columbia as a whole manages 50%. For Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona itself the measure is access, and it lags: 12 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical.

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona54%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Life expectancy at birth	79.5	81.0	81.5
Very good or excellent health	54%	50%	52%
Chronic conditions (average share)	15%	15%	17%
Smokers	9%	9%	12%

79.5

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

12 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

of adults smoke, age-standardised

8.0 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey54% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting care12 km to a hospital · A pharmacy 8.0 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.3, men 76.9 Conditions and habits15% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Area behind the health survey and life expectancy figures: the North Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area

Climate

January nights in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona drop to −0.5°C (British Columbia towns 0.5°C, Canadian towns −13.5°C)

23.5°CJuly afternoons

The frost-free season runs from 27 April to 13 October, 168 days. Frosty days number 85 in a normal year, higher than British Columbia’s towns (60) yet lower than Canadian towns (159). July afternoons in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona average 23.5°C. Snow peaks in January: 24 cm in a normal year.

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter5.9°C

Spring13.5°C

Summer22.4°C

Autumn13.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Precipitation a year	1,482 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm
January night low	−0.5°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C
Days with frost a year	85	60	159
July afternoon high	23.5°C	23.1°C	25.5°C

89 cm

of snow a year

days with frost a year

168

frost-free days, 27 Apr to 13 Oct

158

days with precipitation a year

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 23.5°C, January lows −0.5°C Rain and snow1,482 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow89 cm of snow a year Weather station7.0 km to the station · Campbell River

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Campbell River)

SchoolsSchools B⁺

No high school in or near Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona: the closest is 8.7 km off

4schools within 3 kmB⁺Schools Grade

The 4 with results split, 1 in the upper two fifths in British Columbia and 2 in the lower. The closest elementary school is 3 km away, above both British Columbia’s towns (0.6 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).

School	Level	Students	System
Ocean Grove Elementary Second fifth in British ColumbiaIn Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), StrathconaElementary	Elementary	–	English public

See all 4 schools →

Schools within 3 km	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	8.7 km	1.8 km	1.2 km
School boards	2	2	3
Nearest elementary school	3 km	0.6 km	0.5 km

8.7 km

to the nearest secondary school

3 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school4 elementary schools Results1 of 4 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Language0 of 4 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia The boardsSD 72 Campbell River Questions“What schools are there in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Work & commuteJobs & income C

Commuters in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona travel further than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns, 29 min on average

4%walk, cycle or take transit

93% of commuters took the car to work at the census.

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van93%

Walk2%

Public transit1%

Bicycle1%

Census 2021	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	29 min	26 min	26 min
Car or van	93%	87%	89%

$88,000

median household income, 2020

14%

worked from home, May 2021

11%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment10% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work4% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to735 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Campbell River

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Outdoors

64% of Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona itself is protected land

49%of the land within 10 km protected

CPCAD lists 34 protected areas within 10 km. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, at 43 km. Parks and reserves take up nearly half of the ground within 10 km, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) and Canadian towns (2.3%). OpenStreetMap shows 11 walking routes nearby, including the Vancouver Island Trail and Phillips Ridge Route.

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona49%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	49%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	23	14	4

43 km

to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

At the edge

to Strathcona Park

beaches within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas34 protected areas within 10 km · Strathcona Park National & provincial parks43 km to a national park · Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Footpaths & routes11 named routes · Vancouver Island Trail

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Who lives here

Older residents shape Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona: 26% are 65 or over, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

52median age

3.6% of residents belong to a visible minority, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%). Under-15s account for 14% of the population.

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), StrathconaBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

26%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree16%

Postsecondary qualification51%

Women and men · all residents

48.1% of Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s residents are women

The 2021 census counted 2,000 women and 2,155 men here, where women make up 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona
	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	14%	14%	16%
15 to 64	61%	64%	64%
65+	26%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	16%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	51%	56%	56%

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages52 median age · 26% are 65 or over Households1,720 households · 2.4 people per household Immigrants11% are immigrants · 4% belong to a visible minority English and French7% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Weather

What November brings in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona: 1°C at night, 8°C by day

8°Ca normal November afternoon

A normal November brings 221 mm of rain and snow. Next comes December, with normal highs of 5°C and lows of −1°C. Snowfall in a normal November: 9 cm. Also worth knowing: the forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Campbell River.

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November8°C

December5°C

January6°C

February7°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	6°C	−1°C	598 mm
Spring	13°C	4°C	278 mm
Summer	22°C	11°C	138 mm
Autumn	14°C	5°C	467 mm

1°C

a normal November night

221 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest August, coldest February

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Campbell River); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

North Island—Powell River, which takes in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona, is held by Aaron Gunn (Conservative Party of Canada)

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona is a regional district electoral area by Statistics Canada’s count of municipalities.

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade B

The nearest public library to Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona is VIRL: Campbell River Branch, 13 km away

The next is VIRL: Quadra Island Branch (Electoral Area C, Strathcona), 14 km away.

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Natural hazardsHazard risk B⁻

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona has one of Canada’s highest earthquake risks: $0.34 a year per $1,000, 11 times the typical town’s

Lowwildfire bandB⁻Hazard risk Grade

Area-wide: radon tests, counted over the North Vancouver Island health region

Radon is lower than usual: 0.9% of tested homes in the survey area topped the guideline, against 6.6% for the typical town. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has mapped the flood hazard here: one study on the national inventory.

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona0.9%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	British Columbia	Canada
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.34	$0.36	$0.030
Radon tests above the guideline	0.9%	1.8%	6.6%

$0.34

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Low

wildfire band

2.8 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

flood study on the national inventory

Full pageElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Earthquakes$0.34 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 WildfireLow wildfire band · No land burned within 25 km since 1986 FloodOne flood study on record Radon0.9% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

15pages on Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

The big questions

SafetyDCrime Severity Index 166 Housing & costDHomes 6.8 × income Property pricesSchoolsB⁺4 schools within 3 km HealthB⁺Life expectancy 79.5 in its region Work & commuteC52% of adults in work Natural hazardsB⁻Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors49% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 24°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 52 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Della Falls and 2 more in and around Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona, the best known first.

All attractions →

WaterfallDella Falls3.2 km outside town, to the southwest Art galleryArt galleryBrian Scott Art Gallery3.8 km outside town, to the south Historic shipHistoric shipDe Havilland Beaver CF-GBV4.9 km outside town, to the north

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (1)

Della Falls: Rob Dabal, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from around Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

No notable person born in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.

How we find them →

Barry PepperCanadian actor · born in Campbell River · born 1970

Emily St. John MandelCanadian writer · born in Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox Valley · born 1979

Brett ConnollyCanadian ice hockey player · born in Campbell River · born 1992

Cameron LevinsOlympic runner · born in Campbell River · born 1989

Teal HarleCanadian freestyle skier · born in Campbell River · born 1996

Marcus RosnerCanadian actor · born in Campbell River · born 1989

Photo credits

Emily St. John Mandel: librairie mollat, CC BY 3.0 · Brett Connolly: Hugh Lee from Edmonton Alberta, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Cameron Levins: sachab, CC BY 2.0

About Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

Town in British Columbia

For Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona, TownRatings uses Statistics Canada’s census-subdivision boundary in British Columbia, and every figure on its pages covers that whole area.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 4,546 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: Strathcona
Metro area: Campbell River
Census subdivision: 5924042

Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

Campbell RiverElectoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox ValleyElectoral Area C, StrathconaElectoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona	4,546	—	D	D	D	B⁺
Campbell River	38,300	9.5	D	D⁻	D	A⁻
Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox Valley	9,803	17	C	D	B⁺	B⁺
Electoral Area C, Strathcona	2,981	18	D	D	D	B⁺

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona

Who are the people of Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona?

At the 2021 census, 11% were immigrants and 4% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 7% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

What kind of homes are in Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona?

85% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 2.4 people; 20% are one person living alone.

Has Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona grown?

It grew from 3,977 people in 2016 to 4,153 in 2021, up 4.4%; the median of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. StatCan’s 2025 estimate is 4,546.

Is Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona a young town or an old one?

Its median age is 52, where Canadian towns sit at 45.2. Under-15s are 14% of residents; over-65s, 26%.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).