About Greater Victoria

Students-walking-in-Victoria

On Canada's west coast

Royal Roads University is in the City of Colwood, one of 13 municipalities that make up Greater Victoria.

Victoria is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in the Pacific Ocean. It's the capital of the western-most province in Canada, British Columbia (or as we say, BC).

The land we now call Victoria is Indigenous to the Coast Salish Peoples. Royal Roads is located on the traditional Lands of the Lekwungen-speaking Peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Read more about our Indigenous relationships.

On the map

Getting to campus.

Getting to Greater Victoria.

Royal Roads is located (as the crow flies):

  • 98 km from Vancouver, BC
  • 124 km from Seattle, Washington
  • 736 km from Calgary Alberta
  • 3,397 km from Toronto, Ontario

What you'll experience in Victoria

A centre for arts, culture and entertainment

Theatre, restaurants, music, museums.

More than 3.65 million people travel to Greater Victoria every year to experience our history, landscape, architecture and culture.

Our capital city hosts festivals and performances that attract world-class musicians and artists.

We are also a destination for food lovers. We have restaurants that specialize in locally grown ingredients, freshly caught seafood, vegan cuisine, brunch and more.

Natural beauty

Walking, hiking, biking, kayaking — you can do it all year-round in Greater Victoria.

Explore trails on the Royal Roads campus and throughout the region. Choose a flat path or climb a mountain.

Rent a stand-up paddle board and maybe spy orcas, sea lions and otters.

Visit the city's parks and look up, beyond the treetops, for bald eagles.

Our city blends the conveniences and culture of a provincial capital with abundant natural beauty that invites you to spend time in the great outdoors.

Mild weather

Our mild climate makes us unique in Canada.

Flowers start blooming in January. Pale pink cherry blossoms pop open in February, announcing the beginning of spring. Tea plants thrive here, the only place in Canada where they grow.

With our blooms and green spaces dotting the landscape, you'll see why Victoria is the City of Gardens.

Our winters are damp and rainy, but we get less rain than Vancouver or Seattle. We rarely get snow, and our temperature hardly ever drops below freezing.

In general, you'll need a warm waterproof jacket and umbrella for our moderate coastal winter. Evenings can be cool even in the summer, when the coastal wind picks up. Carry a coat or sweater.