Sechelt, British Columbia, is a district municipality nestled on the lower Sunshine Coast. Approximately 50 km northwest of Vancouver, it is accessible from mainland British Columbia by a 40-minute ferry trip between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale, followed by a 25-minute drive along Highway 101, also known as the Sunshine Coast Highway.
The original inhabitants of Sechelt are the shíshálh Nation, a British Columbian First Nation. The town of Sechelt, known as "ch'atlich" in the shíshálh language, was settled by the First Nations people thousands of years ago. Europeans began settling in the area in the 1860s, developing an active centre for the logging and fishing industries. The establishment of a Roman Catholic church by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate heavily influenced the shift from a semi-nomadic lifestyle to a more sedentary life in Sechelt.
The original Village of Sechelt was incorporated on February 15, 1956, and later expanded its boundaries in 1986 with the inclusion of several adjacent unincorporated areas. The District of Sechelt, as it is known today, encompasses some 39.71 km² at the isthmus of the Sechelt Peninsula, between the southern tip of Sechelt Inlet (Porpoise Bay) and the Strait of Georgia.
Sechelt is located on an isthmus, a narrow strip of land that bridges between the Sechelt Peninsula and the BC mainland. This isthmus is bounded on the north by the Sechelt Inlet, and on the south by the Strait of Georgia. The municipality consists of four non-contiguous areas, all separated by the shíshálh Nation Government District.
Sechelt's climate is classified as Temperate Oceanic (Cfb) according to the Köppen climate classification, and is designated as USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9a (8b inland) by Environment Canada. It boasts the warmest nights in Canada.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Sechelt had a population of 10,847 living in 5,128 of its 5,738 total private dwellings, a change of 6.2% from its 2016 population of 10,216. With a land area of 39.02 km2, it had a population density of 278.0/km2 in 2021.
Sechelt is home to Clayton's Heritage Market in Trail Bay Mall, a new public library with a municipal hall, a combined provincial courthouse and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) building, and a public recreation aquatic centre. The shíshálh Nation Government District municipality, located to the east of the downtown village, houses the tems swiya Museum and gift shop, a shopping centre, and a movie theatre.
Sechelt is a popular destination for outdoor activities that include kayaking, diving, snowshoeing and skiing, hiking and backpacking, camping and mountain biking. There is an 18-hole public golf course, and a number of small marinas are available around Sechelt Inlet. Sechelt has several municipal parks, and larger provincial parks are nearby.
The Hidden Groves area of old growth forest adjoins the Sandy Hook neighbourhood, 6 km from downtown Sechelt and 2 km from Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. It has trails for walkers and hikers of various abilities, from easy walks of around 15 minutes to more strenuous treks of 3 or 4 kilometres.
Porpoise Bay Provincial Park is some 4 km north of downtown Sechelt, on the east side of Sechelt Inlet. It is characterized by second-growth forest, open grassy areas and sandy beaches.
