Great Moments: Bamfield Centre

Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre: a home for world-class marine science research

In 1969, after years of site searches and discussion, a committee representing the five western Canadian universities — UVic, UBC, SFU, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary — unanimously recommended Bamfield over five other locations on Vancouver Island to site a new marine lab. With support from the universities, the Western Canadian Universities Marine Biological Society purchased 190 acres of land, including nearly two miles of oceanfront and the historic cable station, the eastern terminus of the decommissioned trans-Pacific telegraph, to found the Bamfield Marine Station.

Repurposing a building designed by Francis Rattenbury, the same architect responsible for the BC Legislature and the Empress Hotel, Bamfield offered unparalleled access to a wide array of unique coastal, marine and rainforest habitats, and exceptional species diversity.

The centre rapidly established itself as Canada’s premier coastal and ocean studies facility, offering unique opportunities for teaching and primary marine research. Renamed the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in 2001, the centre continues to grow in size, scope and stature. Its focus remains unchanged: to provide year-round research and teaching facilities to scientists from the five western Canadian universities, as well as visiting scientists from every Canadian province and dozens of international institutions.