Moving to New Westminster: A Guide to the Royal City

New Westminster fits a lot into a small city: a riverfront, heritage neighbourhoods, five SkyTrain stations and one of BC's busiest hospitals, between Burnaby, Coquitlam and the Fraser River. Here is a guide to the Royal City for home buyers.

The short version

A short history

In 1859, Colonel Richard Moody of the Royal Engineers chose the site as the capital of the new colony, and Queen Victoria gave it its name, which is why it is called the Royal City. It served as the capital until 1868, and on July 16, 1860, it became the first incorporated city in Canada west of the Great Lakes. The Hyack Festival, run since 1971, still brings a big parade to the streets each May.

Neighbourhoods

The City's community plan maps ten residential neighbourhoods: Downtown, including Quayside, Queen's Park, Brow of the Hill, Moody Park, Glenbrooke North, the West End, Connaught Heights, Massey Victory Heights, McBride Sapperton and Queensborough. A few highlights:

• Downtown and Quayside. Riverfront living close to New Westminster and Columbia stations and the waterfront parks.
• Queen's Park. Older homes around the city's flagship park, in the City's only heritage conservation area.
• Sapperton. Home to Royal Columbian Hospital and Sapperton Station, with a river walk at Sapperton Landing.
• Queensborough. Across the river, reached by the Queensborough Bridge, with bus route 104 to 22nd Street Station and the Q to Q Ferry to Quayside.

Getting around

• SkyTrain. Five Expo Line stations: New Westminster, at Columbia and 8th Street; Columbia, where you change between trains to King George in Surrey and Production Way-University; 22nd Street; Sapperton; and Braid, near the Coquitlam border.
• The new bridge. The four-lane stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge, which replaced the Pattullo Bridge to Surrey, has had all four lanes open since February 14, 2026, and the old bridge is being taken down through 2027.
• The ferry. The Q to Q Ferry links Queensborough and Quayside. A one-way adult fare is $2.50 in 2026.

Parks and the riverfront

• Westminster Pier Park and the Waterfront Esplanade. Together they form a 2.5 km waterfront park along the Fraser.
• Queen's Park. A 75-acre park, established in 1887, with an arena that seats 3,500, a stadium, a spray park, an off-leash area, a bike skills park and a skatepark.
• Hume Park. About 32 acres, with an outdoor pool, sports fields and access to the Brunette River.
• Glenbrook Ravine. A pond, falls and what the City calls its best forest trail.
• Sapperton Landing. A 1 km riverside walk with tidal channels.

Health care, schools and colleges

• Royal Columbian Hospital. BC's oldest hospital and the only one in the province with trauma, cardiac care, neurosurgery, high-risk obstetrics, neonatal intensive care and acute mental health care on one site. Its new Jim Pattison Acute Care Tower, with a larger emergency department, opened on May 31, 2026.
• Schools. School District 40 runs eight elementary schools, three middle schools and New Westminster Secondary, which has about 2,400 students. Early French Immersion is offered at École Herbert Spencer and École Lord Tweedsmuir, and a new elementary school is planned near Queens Avenue and Eighth Street.
• Colleges. Douglas College has a campus downtown, and the Justice Institute of British Columbia has its main campus in the city.

Buying an older home

As BC's oldest incorporated city, New Westminster has many older homes, so a few extra checks are worth it:

• Heritage rules. In the Queen's Park Heritage Conservation Area, protected homes need a heritage alteration permit for demolition, new buildings and changes to the front, sides or visible roofline. Many non-protected homes built before 1941 also need one to demolish or alter, and every new house must follow the area's design guidelines. Most interior work, paint colours and routine maintenance don't need a permit. Protected homes can also qualify for incentives, such as extra density.
• Heritage status. Elsewhere, a home may be on the heritage register or designated, which can affect what you can change. Ask before you remove subjects.
• Oil tanks. Homes from the 1920s to the 1960s may have been heated with oil, so ask whether a buried tank was found or removed.

I go through the inspections worth adding for an older home in Home Inspections in BC.

Questions buyers often ask me

Why is New Westminster called the Royal City?

Queen Victoria chose its name in 1859, when it became the capital of the Colony of British Columbia, which gave it the nickname the Royal City.

How many SkyTrain stations does New Westminster have?

Five, all on the Expo Line: New Westminster, Columbia, 22nd Street, Sapperton and Braid.

Does Queensborough have SkyTrain?

No. Bus route 104 runs to 22nd Street Station over the Queensborough Bridge, and the Q to Q Ferry crosses to Quayside.

Is the new Pattullo Bridge open?

Yes. Its replacement, the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge, has had all four lanes open since February 2026, and the old Pattullo Bridge is being removed through 2027.

Can I renovate a heritage home in Queen's Park?

Yes, but protected homes need a heritage alteration permit for demolition and for exterior changes to the front, sides or visible roofline, and many older non-protected homes need one to demolish or alter. Most interior work, paint colours and routine maintenance don't need one.

Browse homes for sale in New Westminster, compare its neighbours in Moving to Burnaby and Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam or Port Moody?, and get pre-approved before you start viewing.

Population is from the 2021 Census, and transit details are from TransLink at the time of writing. For the City's heritage rules, see heritage protection and development.