Floating Households

The 1911 Census of Victoria's Harbour
Reconstructing a Population Afloat

Victoria's Inner Harbour in 1912.
Image courtesy of BC Archives, A-05639.

In the early 1900s, Victoria's harbour served not only as a commercial hub and haven for ships, but also as a home for the crews of passenger boats, freighters, tugs, and many other vessels based there.

The 1911 Canadian census recorded ships and crews as unique 'floating households' structured by their roles in the maritime economy.

This historical research project identifies and describes vessels enumerated in Victoria during the 1911 Dominion census. About fifty vessels were recorded and are organized here into eight categories: Canadian Pacific steamships, Grand Trunk Pacific steamships, coastal freighters, tugs, sealing schooners, whaling boats, government vessels, and dredgers.

The vessels were abodes of approximately 1,200 crew members who comprised Victoria's population afloat. Nominal census records of this population provide a new perspective on Victoria's maritime history and insights into the maritime labour force during the Edwardian period.

Researched and written by Patrick A. Dunae
7 May 2026