Free the Island

Vancouver Island is bigger, much bigger, than Prince Edward Island. So why shouldn't it be a separate province?

Sailing around the island at sunset.

Vancouver Island Province Association

Laurie Gourlay, right, is the co-founder of the Vancouver Island Province Association.

Vancouver Island issued its own stamp in 1865.

by Nelle Oosterom

Since before Confederation, people on Vancouver Island have been lobbying for some form of independence.

Efforts to have Vancouver Island stand on its own continue to this day.

The latest movement is the Vancouver Island Province Association, formed in 2013. It’s goal is to make Vancouver Island a province by 2021. It has launched an online petition. It also wants Canada Post to issue a special stamp.

One of the founders, Laurie Gourlay, spoke to Canada’s History senior editor Nelle Oosterom.

To learn more about past efforts to create an independent Vancouver Island, read the the article “Free the Island” by Forrest Pass in the December 2013-January 2014 issue of Canada’s History magazine.

To learn more about the Vancouver Island Province Association, go to VIProvince.ca.