New Westminster City Map Poster

About New Westminster

The municipality of New Westminster has a population of 92,792, according to the 2011 Census. Prior to European settlement, the area was inhabited by various groups including the Shishalh people and Squamish peoples. The first Europeans in the area were British officers and explorers who arrived in 1808; they named it "New Westminster" after London's Westminster Abbey because many of its streets ended at or near water (rivers or creeks). In 1827 Fort Langley was established as an agricultural farm on what is now Point Grey and grew into a farming community that eventually became part of Vancouver when it amalgamated with Point Grey from neighbouring Port Moody in 1929. Settlement started here just before British Columbia joined Canada (1871) due to its ideal climate for agriculture; most notably for growing strawberries which required year-round cool weather but no frost nor snowfall during their ripening season (June–August).