Port Hardy

Port Hardy is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada located on the north-east tip of Vancouver Island.^[6] Port Hardy has a population of 3,902 as of the 2021 census.

Port Hardy
District municipality
District of Port Hardy[1]
Harbour of Port Hardy
Port Hardy Show map of Vancouver Island Port Hardy Show map of British Columbia Port Hardy Show map of Canada
Coordinates: 50°43′28″N 127°29′53″W[2]
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Region	North-Island
Regional District	Mount Waddington
Incorporated	April 5, 1966[4]
Government
• Mayor	Pat Corbett-Labatt[5]
Area
• Land	38.55 km2 (14.88 sq mi)
Elevation	23 m (75 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	3,902
• Density	101.2/km2 (262/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−8 (PST)
Postal code	V0N
Area code(s)	250, 778
Climate	Cfb
Website	porthardy.ca

It is the gateway to Cape Scott Provincial Park, the North Coast Trail and the BC Marine Trail, located on the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. The community has access to various outdoor activities, such as kayaking, caving, scuba diving, nature viewing, surfing, saltwater rapids,^[7] fishing and camping.

Port Hardy's twin city is Numata, Japan.

Name

Port Hardy was named after Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, who served as the captain of HMS Victory.^[6] He served at the Battle of Trafalgar when Horatio Nelson died in his arms.^[8]: 105

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Port Hardy had a population of 3,902 living in 1,791 of its 1,984 total private dwellings, a change of -5.6% from its 2016 population of 4,132. With a land area of 38.55 km² (14.88 sq mi), it had a population density of 101.2/km² (262.2/sq mi) in 2021.^[9]

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Port Hardy included:^[10]

• Irreligion (2,715 persons or 70.3%)
• Christianity (995 persons or 25.8%)
• Sikhism (40 persons or 1.0%)
• Buddhism (25 persons or 0.6%)
• Judaism (15 persons or 0.4%)
• Islam (15 persons or 0.4%)
• Indigenous Spirituality (10 persons or 0.3%)
• Other (40 persons or 1.0%)

Ethnicity

Panethnic groups in the District of Port Hardy (1986−2021)

Panethnic group	2021[10]		2016[11]		2011[12]		2006[13]		2001[14]		1996[15]		1991[16][17]		1986[18][19][20]: 106
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
European[a]	2,785	72.15%	2,820	69.12%	3,015	76.23%	3,115	81.76%	3,965	86.95%	4,680	88.64%	4,395	86.6%	4,575	84.96%
Indigenous	800	20.73%	1,055	25.86%	700	17.7%	485	12.73%	460	10.09%	300	5.68%	460	9.06%	415	7.71%
Southeast Asian[b]	80	2.07%	50	1.23%	60	1.52%	35	0.92%	20	0.44%	105	1.99%	25	0.49%	35	0.65%
East Asian[c]	75	1.94%	85	2.08%	10	0.25%	65	1.71%	60	1.32%	90	1.7%	70	1.38%	105	1.95%
South Asian	40	1.04%	15	0.37%	35	0.88%	30	0.79%	20	0.44%	40	0.76%	85	1.67%	180	3.34%
African	25	0.65%	25	0.61%	15	0.38%	15	0.39%	0	0%	25	0.47%	0	0%	30	0.56%
Latin American	15	0.39%	15	0.37%	60	1.52%	25	0.66%	0	0%	20	0.38%	30	0.59%	45	0.84%
Middle Eastern[d]	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	25	0.66%	0	0%	0	0%	10	0.2%	0	0%
Other/Multiracial[e]	0	0%	10	0.25%	45	1.14%	10	0.26%	35	0.77%	0	0%	—	—	—	—
Total responses	3,860	98.92%	4,080	98.74%	3,955	98.68%	3,810	99.69%	4,560	99.69%	5,280	99.94%	5,075	99.86%	5,385	99.93%
Total population	3,902	100%	4,132	100%	4,008	100%	3,822	100%	4,574	100%	5,283	100%	5,082	100%	5,389	100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Filomi Days

Once a year, Port Hardy holds a celebration in Rotary Park to acknowledge its natural resource based economy.^[21] The three syllables, fi, lo and mi, stand for "fishing, logging and mining". The celebration includes festivities in the park such as activities for children, fundraising concessions, entertainment, beer gardens, bake sales, craft sales, and fireworks. A dance for each age group and a parade are also held on Filomi Days weekend- typically the third weekend in July. Brookes Laidlaw represents the current Vice Admiral in the annual parade.

Tourism

A deer near the Quatse river

Port Hardy's economy relies greatly on tourism. Ferries to Prince Rupert, another popular tourist destination in British Columbia, depart every other day during peak season.

Tourist traffic increases in the summer months. Book hotels and campgrounds in advance.^{[citation needed]}

Wildlife

Deer, black bears, bald eagles, squirrels, seals, salmon and many other species of birds and mammals are often spotted along the Quatse Loop Nature Trail or at Storey's Beach which is a short drive from town. Humpback whales can occasionally been seen surfacing in the bay. Port Hardy has many wildlife charters, fishing charters and places to camp during tourist season.

Climate

Port Hardy has an oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) due to its proximity to the Pacific moderating influence. As a result, summers are very cool for the latitude, whereas winters instead are very mild. Although there is a strong drying trend in summer, its summer rainfall is still higher than those of the southerly mediterranean climates. Winter rainfall is very high and in general Port Hardy is far wetter than Canada's interior.

Climate data for Port Hardy (Port Hardy Airport) WMO ID: 71109; coordinates 50°40′49″N 127°21′58″W; elevation: 21.6 m (71 ft); 1991−2020 normals, extremes 1944−present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high humidex	14.2	16.8	19.5	22.9	35.3	31.9	30.6	32.8	30.1	25.4	18.8	15.7	35.3
Record high °C (°F)	13.8 (56.8)	16.7 (62.1)	19.8 (67.6)	23.3 (73.9)	33.4 (92.1)	31.7 (89.1)	28.0 (82.4)	28.7 (83.7)	26.2 (79.2)	25.6 (78.1)	18.9 (66.0)	14.8 (58.6)	33.4 (92.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6.5 (43.7)	7.2 (45.0)	8.7 (47.7)	11.3 (52.3)	14.2 (57.6)	16.1 (61.0)	18.0 (64.4)	18.4 (65.1)	16.0 (60.8)	11.8 (53.2)	8.3 (46.9)	6.0 (42.8)	11.9 (53.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	4.1 (39.4)	4.4 (39.9)	5.3 (41.5)	7.4 (45.3)	10.2 (50.4)	12.5 (54.5)	14.4 (57.9)	14.6 (58.3)	12.4 (54.3)	8.8 (47.8)	5.6 (42.1)	3.8 (38.8)	8.6 (47.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	1.6 (34.9)	1.2 (34.2)	1.8 (35.2)	3.4 (38.1)	6.1 (43.0)	8.9 (48.0)	10.8 (51.4)	10.8 (51.4)	8.8 (47.8)	5.7 (42.3)	3.0 (37.4)	1.5 (34.7)	5.3 (41.5)
Record low °C (°F)	−14.4 (6.1)	−11.8 (10.8)	−12.8 (9.0)	−3.4 (25.9)	−1.5 (29.3)	1.7 (35.1)	2.8 (37.0)	3.3 (37.9)	−1.2 (29.8)	−5.4 (22.3)	−12.5 (9.5)	−12.2 (10.0)	−14.4 (6.1)
Record low wind chill	−19.8	−23.5	−15.3	−6.9	−4.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	−2.9	−7.7	−20.8	−22.0	−23.5
Average precipitation mm (inches)	239.6 (9.43)	149.7 (5.89)	170.7 (6.72)	119.0 (4.69)	71.6 (2.82)	73.6 (2.90)	57.3 (2.26)	78.0 (3.07)	121.2 (4.77)	244.7 (9.63)	319.3 (12.57)	265.9 (10.47)	1,910.5 (75.22)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	227.2 (8.94)	144.1 (5.67)	165.2 (6.50)	117.6 (4.63)	71.6 (2.82)	73.6 (2.90)	59.5 (2.34)	78.0 (3.07)	121.2 (4.77)	244.7 (9.63)	320.7 (12.63)	255.8 (10.07)	1,879 (73.98)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	12.7 (5.0)	5.6 (2.2)	5.4 (2.1)	1.4 (0.6)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	3.5 (1.4)	10.7 (4.2)	39.3 (15.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	22.6	17.8	21.5	18.6	15.3	16.2	11.5	11.7	15.2	22.0	22.8	22.5	217.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)	21.6	17.2	21.0	18.6	15.3	16.2	11.9	11.7	15.2	22.0	22.6	21.4	214.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)	3.2	2.1	2.3	0.85	0.12	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.08	1.1	3.4	13.2
Average relative humidity (%) (at 3pm)	81.9	76.2	73.6	70.1	69.2	72.1	73.1	74.6	78.0	81.4	82.6	83.4	76.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours	51.4	73.9	114.2	143.2	174.7	165.8	201.8	189.2	150.0	95.5	56.3	46.3	1,462.4
Percentage possible sunshine	19.5	26.2	31.1	34.6	36.4	33.7	40.7	42.0	39.5	28.7	20.8	18.5	31.0
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[22] (sun 1981–2010)[23]

Radio

• CFNI - 1240 Coast AM

Transportation

Port Hardy is located at the northern end of British Columbia Highway 19, which runs south towards Nanaimo. It is served by the Bear Cove ferry terminal, which sees ferry sailings to Prince Rupert and summer-only service to Bella Coola. Port Hardy Airport has flights to Vancouver on Pacific Coastal Airlines.^[24] There are two taxi companies and a public transport bus.

Sister-city relations

• Numata, Hokkaido, Japan since September 1994^[25][26][27]

Gallery

• 
  Thunderbird Mall
• 
  Clock tower
• 
  The Seagate Wharf in Port Hardy
• 
  Carrot Campaign monument
• 
  Port Hardy from the water

See also

• Tlatlasikwala Nation
• Da'naxda'xw Awaetlatla Nation (Tanakteuk First Nation)
• Kwakiutl First Nation (Fort Rupert Band)
• Hardy Island Marine Provincial Park
• Penrose Island Marine Provincial Park

Notes

1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
2. Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
3. Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
4. Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
5. Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.