Delta Facts:

• The first roads in Delta were Scott Road and Trunk Road, built in the 1880s, basically as dirt trails.
• No roads in Delta were paved until the 1920s.
• The first salmon cannery in BC was built in the Annieville area in 1870.
• Trinity Lutheran Church on River Road was built in 1909.
• The first school in North Delta was built in 1922 (Kennedy School).
• The first recorded land holding in North Delta was a one square mile lot in Annieville, registered in 1860.
• Between 1861 and 1865 Mr. James Kennedy purchased the area now known as Kennedy. In 1870 land was purchased in the Sunbury area for the first time.

History of Delta

The Delta flats were virtually unexplored until sighted by a group of Hudson Bay Company men in 1822. Thirty–six years later two British gold seekers en route to the Caribou Gold Fields, were attracted by Delta’s Agricultural potential and decided to settle there.

Before the first European settlers arrived, most of Delta was an often submerged marshland, with Coast Salish settlements in the highlands of North Delta and the western beaches near what is currently the Tsawwassen Reserve.

Delta's first European pioneers arrived in 1859. They cleared land on the Fraser River shores in North Delta for farming. However, it was the foresight of two brothers, Thomas and William Ladner, who initiated the beginnings of the community of Delta.

Floods in 1891 and 1895 inspired an ambitious diking and drainage project which successfully alleviated flooding in the lowlands.  Modern extensions to the dike system ensure protection from flooding today, and enable modern farms to grow a wide variety of different foods.

Regional Information

Delta covers 364 square kilometers bounded by the Fraser River to the North, the US border to the South, the District of Surrey to the East, and the Strait of Georgia on the West. It was incorporated in 1879 and has a population of about 95,500. 

Delta's elevation is 3 meters or 10 feet and the region is rich in soil, and water for farmland. Delta has maintained its rural charm within a growing region and enjoys the luxury of being close to the city. Delta is accessible to rail, water, and major highways in all directions, and is roughly 30 minutes to Downtown Vancouver, and 25 minutes to Vancouver International Airport.

Delta is approximately 22 km (14 mi.) southwest of Vancouver via the Oak Street Bridge and the Deas Island Tunnel. The community is crossed by both Highways #99 and #91 which provides easy access to both the Vancouver International Airport and the Boundary Bay Airport. 

The Alex Fraser Bridge and the Massey Tunnel connect Delta to the communities of Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, New Westminster and other areas to the north.

The Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal is the embarking point for ferry service to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Delta is also serviced by BC Bus Transit for local destinations with connections to Greyhound Bus Lines for further distances.
 

North Delta

• North Delta (population 49,500+) is the largest residential area in the municipality, bordering with Surrey along Scott Rd.
• Sunshine Hills, Sunshine Woods, Sunshine Village at the southern section of North Delta are well known prestigious developments along with Royal York, Cantebury Heights, Delsom Village, and Sunbury to name just a few other area developments.
• Average price for a detached house in North Delta is approx. $235,723, new homes average $326,000+, townhouses average $175,000, and apartments average $94,466.
• Statistics are for Sept/99. Source: Fraser Valley Real Estate Board.

Ladner

• Ladner (population 21,800+ includes the rural areas) is an older established small town of great charm.
• Housing consists mostly of detached homes, and many apartments, and townhouses. Average detached house is $276,735, townhouse, $205,600, and apartment $140,726 (Oct99).
• Enjoy living on the water? Ladner offers one waterfront townhouse, and three floating homes that have their own moorage.
• Delta’s Municipal Hall, Health Centre, Justice Building, Transit Exchange, Ice Arena, and Swimming Pool are all located in Ladner.

Tsawwassen

• Tsawwassen (population 22,000+), single family homes predominate in Tsawwassen.
• Higher density housing is limited to low-rise townhouses and apartments. Average house $328,676, townhouses $276,065, and apartments $162,454.
• Newer houses attract high income residents and waterfront homes at $425,000 and up to $1,000,000 plus for palatial homes (Oct/99).