Second Chinese arch on Cormorant Street (Pandora Avenue today) in 1876 (Royal BC Museum, BC Archives, E-01926).

June 24, 1858: Victoria, BC, welcomed 300 Chinese men, the first large-scale Chinese migration to Canada, directly leading to Canada's oldest Chinatown. Their arrival, contracted by Hop Kee & Co. from San Francisco, marked the genesis of a vibrant community and Victoria's historic Chinatown. While many initially sought fortune in the goldfields, this laid the groundwork for a lasting Chinese presence, shaping the city's multicultural fabric and initiating subsequent waves of Chinese immigration, profoundly influencing British Columbia.