White Rock & South Surrey

Why live in White Rock, BC? 

Well, because of its moderate, almost Mediterranean climate, it is the preferred place to live in British Columbia.  The average summer temperature is 23 degrees Celsius (73 Fahrenheit) while the average winter temperature is 6 degrees Celsius (43 Fahrenheit).  White Rock is often referred to as either 'the gem' of the Lower Mainland, in local real estate advertising. Pilots accustomed to flying around the area often refer to it as 'the hole in the sky', referring to the fact that White Rock is often bright and sunny, while the rest of the Lower Mainland peers through rain and cloud.

With a population of 19,735, White Rock is located in the southwest corner of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, forty-five kilometers from Vancouver and is flanked on the south by the Canada/US border and Blaine, Washington. It is a seaside community clustered around an eight kilometer sandy beach and the warm shallow waters of Semiahmoo Bay. It is famous for its 1,500 ft. long pier, its 2.5km long beach promenade, being the home of the Walrus, and of course the large white rock.

South Surrey surrounds White Rock on four sides, with the dividing lines between the two municipalities set at 136th Street (Bergstrom Street) to the West, 16th Avenue (North Bluff Road) to the North, 160th Street (Stayte Road) to the East, and 8th Avenue to the south. Even though the area to the south from 160th Street westward to where 8th meets the water is Semiahmoo First Nations Reserve land, it lies within the bounds of the City of Surrey. From the point where 8th Avenue meets tidewater, the boundary between the two then heads south to the US border within Semiahmoo Bay, and the remainder of the southern border is (technically) the US border.
  • Every year in July, the city hosts the Tour de White Rock bicycle road race that attracts over 150 local and international riders. In 2005, the event was part of the Canadian Cycling Association's national Road Race Series.
  • Every year in late summer, the city celebrates the Spirit of the Sea Festival, which usually includes a parade, fireworks, a sandcastle competition, and various other beach related activities over the course of two days.