New Westminster

City Snapshot

Metro population

84K city · 2.6M Metro Vancouver (2023)

Average commute

31 min (2021)

Climate

Mild wet winters · Warm dry summers · ~165 rainy days/yr

Cost of living (NYC = 100)

Top industries

Health (Royal Columbian Hospital) · Public administration & courts · Education (Douglas College) · Retail & trades · Film

Currency

CAD

Time zone

PT (UTC−8 / −7 DST)

Languages

English · ~45% speak another language at home (Tagalog · Punjabi · Mandarin · Cantonese · Korean)

Best move season

Jun–Sep

Sources

StatCan 2021 Census + 2023 estimates — New Westminster is BC's oldest city, centred on the Fraser River and the Expo Line
CMHC Rental Market Survey 2025 — Vancouver CMA / New Westminster survey zone
Zumper.ca New Westminster rent report (median all-bed ~$2,050, Apr 2026; 1BR down ~10% YoY, 2BR down ~4% YoY) + liv.rent neighbourhood data
Numbeo Cost of Living index, Q1 2026 (New Westminster runs just below the City of Vancouver)
Environment Canada climate normals 1991–2020 (Vancouver / New Westminster)
Fraser Institute 2024 elementary & secondary report cards — New Westminster School District (SD40)

Pacific Relocation's take

The royal city — Metro Vancouver's most central secret.

New West sits dead-center on the SkyTrain map, which makes it our hedge pick when a household splits jobs between Vancouver and Surrey. Queens Park is heritage-house territory with a real community feel; Sapperton serves RCH hospital staff; Quayside puts the river boardwalk at your door. Older stock means character — inspect for it.