"Qualicum" re-directs here. For the neighbourhood in Ottawa, see Qualicum, Ottawa Qualicum Beach () is a town located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. In the 2021 census, it had a population of 9,303. It is situated at the foot of Mount Arrowsmith, along the Strait of Georgia on Vancouver Island's northeastern coast. Qualicum Beach's natural environment and proximity to Victoria and Vancouver have made it a tourist destination, with cottages along the coast. The community is mostly of retirement age, with the oldest average population in Canada with a median age of 65.9 in 2016. Qualicum Beach is served by the coast-spanning Island Highway, the Island Rail Corridor, a local airport, and a nearby ferry to Lasqueti Island. History Etymology The name "Qualicum" comes from a Pentlatch term that means "Where the dog salmon (chum salmon) run." Qualicum First Nation Qualicum Beach is located within the traditional territory of the Qualicum First Nation. People from all over would come to the Qualicum area to gather camas flowers in the spring and chum salmon in the fall. Camas bulbs are sweet tasting and were traded as a delicacy. The traditional diet of the Qualicum First Nation includes clams, including geoducks, butter clams, and horse clams. Pentlatch is the language that was spoken in this area. A large portion of the Qualicum First Nation population was lost due to small pox and war, leading to a loss of the Pentlatch language. Small pox was brought to what is now Canada by French settlers in the 17th century. Additionally, the loss of the Pentlatch language may also be contributed to the residential school system. European Settlers In May 1856, Hudson's Bay Company explorer Adam Grant Horne, with a group of aboriginal guides, found a route across Vancouver Island from the Qualicum River to the Alberni Inlet. Horne Lake is named after him. In 1864, the botanist and explorer Robert Brown led the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition through the area. He found the area deserted as a result of the small pox epidemic of 1862. The first settlers arrived in the 1880s. A road was built from Nanaimo to Parksville in 1886 and extended to Qualicum in 1894. The 20th Century A school house was built in 1912. The school served as an elementary and secondary school until 1952. The school house was later converted into an arts centre. A train station was