Barnston Island (British Columbia)

Location map
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Barnston Island is an unincorporated island located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. Most of the island is part of the Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A; the remainder is Barnston Island 3 Indian reserve, which is outside Electoral Area A limits. Although the island is unincorporated and not officially part of any municipality, mailing addresses on the island use Surrey as the city name.

Located in the Fraser River between Surrey and Pitt Meadows, Barnston Island was named in 1827 for Hudson's Bay Company Clerk George Barnston. The island has no direct road access to the rest of the area. It is accessed through a short 5-minute ferry route from Surrey on 104 Avenue across Parson's Channel; the ferry ride is free. Barnston Island's main road travels along the perimeter of the island.

Barnston Island contains mostly farmland and is home to a total population of 155 persons (2001 census), 46 of whom live on the Barnston Island 3 Indian Reserve, located near the southeast part of the island. Statistics Canada defines the island as Vancouver CMA Census Tract 0251.00 of British Columbia.

Agricultural Land Reserve

In 2004, a group of landowners applied to the provincial Agricultural Land Commission to have approximately 85% of the land outside the Indian reserve removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve. On July 19, 2006 the Commission rejected the application. [cite web|title=Barnston Island Application| url=http://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/application_status/Barnston_Is/35256_main.htm|website=British Columbia Agricultural Land Commission |accessdate=2006-08-14] [cite news| title= Industrial development of Barnston Island rejected|url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/07/25/bc-barnston-alr.html|accessdate=2006-08-14|publisher=CBC News|date=2006-07-25]

Origin of the name

The island was named for George Barnston, a Hudson's Bay Company clerk, who travelled with Chief Factor James McMillan to found Fort Langley in 1827. [ [http://www.discovervancouver.com/gvb/place_names.asp Place names of the Lower Mainland] ]

ee also

*Greater Vancouver Electoral Area A
*Surrey, British Columbia
*James McMillan (fur trader)

urrounding municipalities

Canadian City Geographic Location (8-way)
Northwest = Port Coquitlam
North = Pitt Meadows
Northeast = Maple Ridge
West =
Centre = Barnston Island
East =
Southwest = Surrey
South =
Southeast = Langley Township

Notes

External links

* [http://www.britishcolumbia.com/recreation/?id=41 BritishColumbia.com]
* [http://www.barnstonisland.ca BarnstonIsland.ca]
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=5915809&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=Barnston&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=59&B1=All&Custom= Community Profile: Barnston Island 3 Indian Reserve, British Columbia; Statistics Canada]