Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia. Colwood was incorporated in 1985 and has a population of approximately 15,000 people. Colwood lies within the boundaries of the Capital Regional District within an area previously called the Western Communities and now more commonly referred to as the West Shore.
Colwood's best known landmark is Hatley Castle, (also referred to as Hatley Park) a castle-like building originally built as a residence for James Dunsmuir, premier and later lieutenant governor of British Columbia. Hatley Park was acquired by the Canadian Armed Forces and from 1941 until the mid 1990s operated as Royal Roads Military College. The military college was closed in the 1990s and the lands have since formed the campus for Royal Roads University which opened in 1995. The original residence is surrounded by extensive and attractive gardens, including a Japanese garden.
As it lies geographically to the south of Victoria, Colwood is Western Canada's southernmost city.
