03 About Delta
A city of three communities
Delta takes its name from the Fraser River delta, the wide, flat land built up by river silt where the Fraser meets the sea. Coast Salish peoples, including the Tsawwassen and Musqueam, have lived and fished here for thousands of years. Settlers began farming the rich soil in the 1860s, and the municipality was incorporated in 1879. It officially became the City of Delta in 2017.
The city is split by farmland, Burns Bog and highways into three main communities, each with its own town centre and personality.
Ladner, Tsawwassen and North Delta
- Ladner is the original fishing and farming village on the river, with a heritage main street, a harbour and easy access to the Reifel bird sanctuary on Westham Island.
- Tsawwassen sits on a peninsula at the southwest corner, with beaches on Boundary Bay, the BC Ferries terminal and the lands of the Tsawwassen First Nation, home to a large outlet mall.
- North Delta is a hilly residential area on the Surrey border, with busy Scott Road, wooded Watershed Park and edges of Burns Bog.
Wide open landscapes
Much of Delta is farmland in the Agricultural Land Reserve, growing vegetables, berries and greenhouse crops. Burns Bog, at the centre of the city, is one of the largest raised peat bogs on the West Coast and an important natural area. Boundary Bay is a stop on the Pacific Flyway, which makes Delta one of the best places in the region to see migrating shorebirds, snow geese and raptors.
Delta is also an important trade gateway. The Roberts Bank port terminals sit offshore near Tsawwassen, and Highway 17 carries traffic to and from the ferries.
Getting the most out of a visit
Delta rewards people who slow down. Cycle the Boundary Bay dyke, walk Ladner’s village and harbour, or time a visit with the winter bird season. The Massey Tunnel can be slow at rush hour, so plan around peak times if you are driving from Vancouver.
