Sidney, Canada
Sidney, located on the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island, has a population of over 12,000. The town is the business hub of the Peninsula and is the gateway to Vancouver Island.
Sidney's main attraction is its position on the Salish Sea. Sidney-by-the-Sea is the gateway to the southern Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and is a popular eco-tourist destination, with whale-watching, bird-watching, kayaking and scuba-diving. It is home to the new Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary is located within Sidney and the adjoining Sidney Channel Important Bird Area, an internationally recognised site important to a variety of seabirds and waterfowl.
Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Sidney enjoys a cool Mediterranean climate with year-round mild temperatures and moderate rainfall. Most years see very little snow. Daily temperatures seldom climb above 31°C, or dip below -7°C. In the mildest winters, minimum temperatures stay above -3°C. Damaging winds are less frequent than in most other maritime areas of Canada.
The local time of Sidney is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) -7 which is 17 hours behind Cairns.
The population of Sidney is approximately 12,235 (2019).
The agreement was signed in 1984.
- 2025 An exhibition celebrating our 2024 Sister Cities Anniversaries - Lae, PNG; Sidney BC, Canada and Zhanjiang, China was on display at City Library from 20 January until 20 February. This exhibition showcased the gifts received from our Sister Cities on the occasion of our anniversaries and explained the gifts sent from Cairns, along with other items from the general display and information showing our connections. These gifts are now included in the main Sister City display cabinet at City Library.
- 2024 Cairns Sister Cities Ambassador, Sim Hayward, made a visit our Sister City of Sidney to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Sister City relationship with Cairns at a Celebratory event on 31 October at the Mary Winspear Centre with Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith and Sidney Sister Cities Association members. A letter was presented from Mayor Amy Eden to Mayor McNeil-Smith and gifts exchanged.
- 2014 Chair of Cairns Sister Cities Advisory visits Sidney in May to attend celebrations for the 30th Anniversary of the Sister City relationship with Cairns.
- 2014 Two students from Sidney travel to Cairns as part of Youth Ambassadors Program
- 2014 Special celebratory event held in Sidney in May 2014 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Sister City relationship with Cairns.
- 2014 Sidney based nature water colourist, Richard Wong conducts an artist’s residency, workshops, and an exhibition about endangered fauna in Canada and Far North Queensland.
- 2011 Youth Ambassadors attend program in Cairns
- 2010 Sidney participates in Fibres of Life textile exhibition displayed in Cairns
- 2009 Sidney participated in the Cairns "Face of a Sister City" photographic exhibition Face of a Sister City Photo Exhibition - Sidney
- 2008 Sidney participated in "Earth Links" Ceramics Exhibition
- 2001 Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne visited Sidney
Last Updated: 12 March 2025
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