A village is a classification of municipalities used in the Canadian province of British Columbia. British Columbia's Lieutenant Governor in Council may incorporate a community as a village by letters patent, under the recommendation of the Minister of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development, if its population is not greater than 2,500 and the outcome of a vote involving affected residents was that greater than 50% voted in favour of the proposed incorporation.
British Columbia has 42 villages that had a cumulative population of 48,511 and an average population of 1,155 in the 2021 Census. British Columbia's largest and smallest villages are Cumberland and Zeballos with populations of 4,447 and 126 respectively.
Of British Columbia's current 42 villages, the first to incorporate as a village was Kaslo on August 14, 1893, while the most recent community to incorporate as a village was Queen Charlotte on December 5, 2005 (later renamed to Daajing Giids on July 13, 2022).
Notes:
Fort Nelson held village status between April 8, 1971, and October 31, 1987, after which it was classified as a town before ultimately amalgamating with the Northern Rockies Regional District on February 6, 2009, to form the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.
Kinnaird held village status between August 6, 1947, and August 5, 1967, after which it was classified as a town before ultimately amalgamating with the Town of Castlegar on January 1, 1974, to form the City of Castlegar.
Mission City held village status between December 12, 1939, and January 1, 1958, after which it was classified as a town before ultimately amalgamating with the District of Mission on November 1, 1969.
As of the 2021 Census, two of the above villages â Cumberland and Pemberton â meet the requirement of having a population greater than 2,500 to incorporate as a town.