City of Burnaby Metro Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia

City - A populated place with legally defined boundaries, incorporated as a city municipality under the provincial Municipal Act. N side of Fraser River, between Vancouver and New Westminster, New Westminster Land District

Mapped Location

City of Burnaby: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on City of Burnaby

  • Feature Type: Incorporated
  • Incorporated: Thursday, September 22, 1892

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for City of Burnaby

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
City of Burnaby Official

 

Origin Notes and History of City of Burnaby

References to City of Burnaby that document the origin of its place name

The Corporation of the District of Burnaby was incorporated under Letters Patent 22 September 1892, named in association with Burnaby Lake. "Burnaby (Municipal District)" confirmed in the 18th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1924, p.357. Name confirmed 11 February 1936. Re-incorporated as a City Municipality by Order in Council 266/92, 17 February 1992, effective 22 September 1992.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

First reeve Charles Shaw. Burnaby Post Office was opened 1 September 1904. See also the municipality's own website.

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office  |  Province of British Columbia

"Locally the idea has long prevailed that the [namesake] was that of Colonel Fred Burnaby, whose "Ride to Khiva" made him famous. But he was not known to fame until long after the name had been given to the lake, which later gave the name to the municipality. Mr. J.C. Brown, ex-MPP and others, remember that the name was applied to the lake at least as early as 1862. On the other hand it seemed improbable that New Westminster would have named so considerable a sheet of water at her very doors after a Victoria merchant in 1860 or thereabouts. After much research, Judge Howay finds that the reason why the name was accepted was because Robert Burnaby, before he became a member of the firm at Victoria, had been secretary to Colonel Moody, RE, in his capacity of Commissioner of Lands and Works. In this capacity he drew up and sold the lots at Queensborough (New Westminster). A second sale of lots took place at New Westminster later, but in the meanwhile, Burnaby had resigned his position as secretary to Moody and joined the commission house in Victoria. As early as January 20, 1860, we find Burnaby registering land in a private capacity. During 1859, in which he served as secretary, Burnaby was in charge of the surveying parties, being then engaged in setting out the lands adjacent to the new capital, and although in 1860 Burnaby had taken up his residence at Victoria, there can be no doubt that his name was attached to the lake with pleasure."

B.C. Geographical Names in Province of British Columbia
Nelson, Denys; Place Names of the Delta of the Fraser River; 1927, unpublished manuscript held in the Provincial Archives  |  Province of British Columbia

 

Related Catalog Titles

A Bibliography for City of Burnaby, Metro Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia

Rooted Chinese Canadian stories in Burnaby by Burnaby Village Museum (Publisher)

Title Cover Image

"From the late 1800s to the present day, Chinese Canadians have made Burnaby into a more vibrant and livable city. Rooted: Chinese Canadian Stories in Burnaby brings together a collection of diverse stories and photographs from the community, celebrating the legacy and contributions of Burnaby’s Chinese Canadian community spanning over a century. This coffee-table book features oral histories and interviews with descendants of multigenerational family farms, green grocers, corner stores, restaurants, and places of worship. Also included are archival research and community perspectives on anti-Asian racism, community activism, courage, and resilience."-- Provided by publisher

pages cm

CIRC [ 0 ]
History · 1st Edition · Burnaby Village Museum, Burnaby, British Columbia, 2023
Related Catalog Items: City of Burnaby

 


 

Metro Vancouver Regional District

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Last updated: 2025-09-23