Municipality of Colwood: Neighbourhoods, Schools & More

Colwood is one of Greater Victoria’s small/medium-sized municipalities, sharing a border with Metchosin to the south, Langford to the northwest, and View Royal to the north. The municipality enjoys a long coastline, stretching from View Royal, down past the Esquimalt Lagoon to the Royal Bay neighbourhood.

The city of Colwood, which sits 10km from downtown Victoria, has a rich and fascinating history. Originally developed as a farm to supply the Hudson Bay Company outpost of Victoria, over time the community became one of the first suburbs of the expanding city of Victoria.

Neighbouring Langford has experienced an explosion of growth in the past 25 years, yet Colwood hasn’t changed all that much. There is still plenty of single family homes that were built decades ago, while the municipality is upgrading some of it’s major commercial zones as of late. The most significant project has been Royal Bay, an entirely new neighbourhood being built along with a large high school and commercial properties to come.

Because Colwood outgrew its rural atmosphere into a largely residential community, there is a wide range of housing of various, size, style, and price point, along with many diverse neighborhoods. The municipality is mostly residential, yet draws a decent number of tourists, thanks to Hatley Castle, Fort Rodd Hill, and the beautiful coastline of Esquimalt Lagoon.

The famous Galloping Goose Trail winds through Colwood; originally a rail line connecting Victoria and Sooke, this trail has been developed into a multi-use venue that also connects with other trail systems, for a total length of around 100 km. It’s also home to Juan de Fuca Rec Centre, WildPlay Victoria and Royal Colwood Golf Club.

Colwood by the Numbers

Colwood’s reported population from the 2021 census was 16,859, which means the municipality grew by just 4.8% in the past 5 years.
The population is expected to increase 13% by 2026 and 30% by 2038.
Colwood is home to 600 businesses.
954 per square km population density, which is significantly lower than Langford’s.
22% of residents have a university degree.
Colwood sits on 17.67 square km of land with 60+ parks and 7.6km of waterfront.
Average household income in 2020 was $119,884.

Neighbourhoods of Colwood

These are the major areas or neighbourhoods of Colwood. Either search them or follow the link attached to learn more about what it’s like to live in these areas.

Belmont Park
Colwood Corners
Hatley Park
Mill Hill
Triangle Mountain
Royal Bay
Royal Roads

Schools in Colwood

Despite being a rather small municipality, Colwood is home to a good selection of schools. It helps being next to Langford, which has a significantly larger population and many school options. There are lots of choices right next door.

For younger children living in Colwood, there’s Sangster Elementary, Colwood Elementary, Wishart Elementary and John Stubbs Elementary (which doubles as a middle school as well). Middle school-aged kids can attend John Stubbs or Dunsmuir. Colwood is home to just one high school, but it’s a large one – Royal Bay. Kids from across the western communities attend this brand new school, along with kids from within the growing Royal Bay neighbourhood.

Finally, Colwood is home to Royal Roads University. This private university sits near the beautiful grounds of Hatley Castle, sharing the same property and ocean views. The university is known for its Masters programs and other continuing education.

Colwood Links

Geoff McLean

Geoff is an established real estate professional whose years of experience have earned him numerous awards and accolades. He has been one of the top RE/MAX Realtors in the Victoria (BC) area since 1990, a Victoria Real Estate Board MLS Gold Award winner for more than 36 years, and has won many other awards over the years. What do these awards mean to you? They mean that Geoff works hard and that he produces consistently. He is well connected in the industry and in the community. Connect with Geoff via email geoff@mcleanrealestategroup.ca