Mission

The district municipality of Mission is situated in the Lower Mainland in the Province of BC. The small city is located 44 miles and 70 km east of Vancouver, on Highway 7, the Lougheed Highway. The center of the city is known as Mission City. Mission City is located on Fraser River's north bank and overlooks Abbotsford City. Together, Mission City and Abbotsford form part of the Central Fraser Valley. With a population during the year 2006 of approximately 34,500 Mission is the 23rd largest municipality within British Columbia.

Mission is nestled within the rugged Coast Mountains across the Fraser River north of Abbotsford City. The city was named after the very first and biggest mission within the Pacific Northwest. Established during 1861, the Roman Catholic St. Mary's Indian Mission is the namesake of the city.

Mission was a well-known stopping place for trappers, river travelers and settlers, so much so that it was referred to as the Gateway to the Fraser River. Even now, the city remains an important junction. In 1895, when the initial site became part of the CPR or also called Canadian Pacific Railway, the mission was moved. The convent and church and the school were built at what is currently the Fraser River Heritage Park.

The region in and around Mission is a great place for those who like outdoor recreations, with many hills, streams, lakes and forests. It comprises 32 parks, dozens of hiking and biking trails and a couple of golf courses, making it an outdoor heaven. The city is radiant with community spirit and takes much pride it its heritage.

The chief resource sectors in the region comprise hydroelectricity, agriculture and forestry. These sectors provide the foundation for various service and connected retail activities. Over the last few years the manufacturing sector has expanded further than sawmilling and food processing because of transportation improvements.

The manufacturing sector has been dominated by wood and forest related industries. There has been an emphasis on shingle and red cedar shake mills. Mission City holds the only municipal tree farm license in BC as well.

The agriculture within the area is mainly located in a narrow belt along the Fraser River. East of Mission, the unincorporated Dewdney-Deroche district contains most farms within the region. There are approximately 96 hobby and commercial farms in this location. Dairy is the leading agricultural enterprise, whilst other sources of income comprise hogs, vegetables, poultry and beef.

The city of Abbotsford, lies across the Fraser River south of Mission. This area is amongst the better agricultural areas within the province. The soil fertility has helped dub Abbotsford as the Raspberry Capital of Canada and it has become a popular place to homestead for those who want to farm.

Maple Ridge is a quiet pastoral community located west of Mission. This particular community is nestled on the north bank of the Fraser River underneath the Blue Mountain. Maple Ridge has well preserved a lot of their First nations and pioneer history.