Alert Bay

Alert Bay is a small village located on Cormorant Island off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, featuring a population of approximately 450 residents and covering an area of about 0.65 square miles (1.69 square kilometers).

The community was named after the Royal Navy ship HMS Alert, which surveyed the area in the 1860s, and has served for centuries as an important site for the Kwakwaka'wakw people who have inhabited this region.

The village is home to the U'mista Cultural Centre, which displays traditional masks and regalia confiscated in the early 20th century, and hosts Indigenous festivals that celebrate dance, music, art, and storytelling traditions of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation.

Accessible by BC Ferries connecting to Port McNeill and Sointula, Alert Bay offers basic amenities including a health center, grocery stores, small lodges, and a marina for boats arriving from Vancouver Island and the mainland.

The village features the world's tallest totem pole, standing over 173 feet (53 meters) high, which was erected in 1997 to symbolize the cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka'wakw people and serves as a landmark for visitors.

Location: Regional District of Mount Waddington

Elevation above the sea: 30 m

Website: https://alertbay.ca

GPS coordinates: 50.58250,-126.92528

Latest update: November 28, 2025 15:19