CHILLIWACK

district municipality, southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It lies along the Fraser River near the mouth of the Chilliwack River, 55 miles (89 km) east of Vancouver. It is the trading centre of an agricultural, dairying (especially milk), cattle-raising, and lumbering area. Canning and freezing fruits and vegetables are the chief industries. Nearby are the Harrison Hot Springs resort and the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering and Canadian Military Engineers Museum with special displays from the Zulu and South African wars. Chilliwack is a Salish Indian term probably meaning "valley of many streams." Founded by miners returning from the Cariboo gold rush of the 1860s, the settlement was incorporated as the municipality of Chilliwhack in 1873. In 1908 the municipality split into Chilliwack city and Chilliwhack township. The two were reunited in 1980 as the newly created municipal district of Chilliwack. Pop. (1991) municipal district, 49,531; metropolitan area, 60,251.