Sechelt has nearly twice the population of Gibsons and is one of the main service centres for the Sunshine Coast. Situated 90 minutes west of West Vancouver by ferry and highway, Sechelt’s remote location necessitates both ample local services (including major retailers and grocery stores). It’s a haven for artists, entrepreneurs and outdoor enthusiasts, who come together to create a vibrant community on the coast.
Property values tend to be lower than in the Lower Mainland, though Sechelt waterfront properties command high prices. The most expensive property for sale in Sechelt at the time of writing was a home listed at $4.5 million. Yet the benchmark Sechelt average home prices is around $464,000. View Sechelt MLS® listings of homes for sale.
Sechelt Amenities
Shopping
Sechelt is home to a number of well-known chain retailers along with the many local shops and artisans. Shoppers can stroll the Cowrie Street shopping district or engage in more focussed shopping at Trail Bay Centre Mall or Tsain-Ko Village Shopping Centre. The Sechelt Farmers' & Artisans' Market occurs Saturday mornings from April through September.
Cafés and Restaurants
Sechelt offers everything from fast food chains to fine West Coast dining, along with plenty of options for Chinese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Indian and Thai food. Local favourites include the Lighthouse Pub, with its view of the seaplanes and harbour seals, and Shift Tapas Bar
Arts and Culture
Sechelt is home to two large arts festivals: The Sechelt Arts Festival and the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts. The Sechelt Arts Festival is a 10-day event each fall showcasing local dance, music, theatre and visual artists, while The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts brings literary stars from across the country to Sechelt each summer. There’s also a vibrant community of local artists, many of whom showcase their work during the annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl.
Sports and Recreation
The District of Sechelt maintains 30 municipal parks, nine playgrounds, four multi-use sports fields, seven softball diamonds, two tennis courts, a basketball court and a skateboard park, among other public recreation areas. Sechelt is also an outdoor recreation haven, with plenty of opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, fishing and kayaking.
Transportation
The Sunshine Coast Regional Transit System connects Sechelt by bus with Halfmoon Bay, Roberts Creek, Gibsons and Langdale. From Langdale, there is regular ferry service to and from Horseshoe Bay. Harbour Air, Tofino Air and Sunshine Coast Air also operate seaplane service between Sechelt and Vancouver, and Vancouver Island.
Schools and Education in Sechelt
Elementary schools
· Davis Bay Elementary (homes for sale)
· Kinnikinnick Elementary (homes for sale)
· West Sechelt Elementary (homes for sale)
Secondary schools
· Chatelech Secondary (homes for sale)
Sechelt Property Statistics
Benchmark home price1: 464,300
Rental information2
Average monthly shelter costs for rental dwellings
$981
Makeup of dwellings3
Single-detached houses
80.7%
Semi-detached houses and duplexes
2.3%
Row houses
5.7%
Apartment, under five storeys
8.8%
Moveable dwellings
2.2%
Sechelt Demographics3
Population9,291
Age
80 and over
8.0%
60 to 79
30.3%
40 to 59
29.5%
20 to 39
15.6%
5 to 19
12.2%
0 to 4
4.4%
Neighbourhoods surrounding Sechelt
· Gibsons
· Halfmoon Bay
· Roberts Creek
· Secret Cove
1Sunshine Coast MLS HPI Benchmark Prices, incorporating data from BCNREB, CADREB, FVREB and REBGV, June 2016. The figure applies to all of the Sunshine Coast, including Sechelt.
2Statistics Canada. Sechelt, DM, British Columbia (Code 5931006) (table). National Household Survey (NHS) Profile.2011 National Household Survey. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 99-004-XWE. Ottawa. Released September 11, 2013. The figure Includes all shelter expenses paid by households that rent their dwellings, such as the monthly rent and the costs of electricity, heat and municipal services.
3Statistics Canada. Sechelt, British Columbia (Code 5929011) and Canada (Code 01) (table). Census Profile. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Released October 24, 2012.
