Vancouver Coast & Mountains, Sunshine Coast, BC

Population: 60,000

History:
The First Nations Coast Salish inhabited the coastal regions of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years prior to the arrival of European explorers in the late 1700's. Within the Coast Salish, there were approximately 20 nations, with their own individual language and culture. The Sliammon band who inhabited the northern tip of the Sunshine Coast were a population of many as 20,000 members.

They had more than 10 permanent villages and numerous seasonal camp sites along the coast. Seasonal villages were inhabited based the time of year and abundance of natural resources like fish, small animals, and berries. Transportation for their journeys was mostly by deeply carved cedar canoe.

Climate:
Summer average 19 degrees Celsius (up to 27)
Winter average (at sea level) 5 degrees Celsius