Vancouver Island, off Canada’s Pacific Coast, is known for its mild climate and thriving arts community.It is part of the CanadianprovinceofBritish Columbia. The southern part of Vancouver Island is the only part of British Columbia orWestern Canadato lie south of the49th Parallel, along with most of the southernGulf Islandsand minor offshore islands. This area has one of the warmest climates in Canada, and since the mid-1990s has been mild enough in a few areas to grow subtropicalMediterraneancrops such asolivesandlemons.
Vancouver Island has been the homeland to manyindigenous peoplesfor thousands of years.The island was explored by British and Spanish expeditions in the late 18th century.