The Times Colonist is the oldest daily newspaper in Western Canada. It was created by the 1980 merger of the British Colonist, which started in 1858, and the Victoria Daily Times, which began publishing in 1884. The British Colonist was founded by Amor De Cosmos, who went on to become the second premier of British Columbia. The newspaper has chronicled the history of Victoria and Vancouver Island from the gold rush days of the 1850s to Victoria's present status as a thriving capital city and an international tourist destination.
Today, the Times Colonist is the dominant medium in the B.C. capital, reaching a quarter of a million households every week. The newspaper's lively blend of local news and informed commentary make it a must-read for Victorians who want to know what is happening in the capital and on Vancouver Island. The Times Colonist has also been recognized provincially and nationally with awards for its investigative reporting, editorials and beat coverage, and timescolonist.com, the newspaper's website, delivers breaking news and other multimedia content to a growing number of readers nearly 24/7.
The newspaper's strong connections with the community stretch back almost to its inception. The Christmas Fund has been delivering Christmas cheer to the needy for more than half a century, the TC 10K is the second largest run in the province, and the Times Colonist Book Drive has raised more than $5 million for literacy projects in Victoria and on Vancouver Island.
The Times Colonist publishes in print six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday, and online 365 days per year.