Live cameras in Port Alberni, Canada

Port Alberni is a city in the Alberni Valley in the center of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, at the head of the Alberni Inlet, the longest inlet on the island. The 2021 census counted about 18,300 residents. Surrounded almost entirely by mountains, with Mount Arrowsmith rising to the southeast, the city grew on forestry, sawmills and the fishery, and the waterfront still has a working harbor. Its location at the end of a long fjord also makes it vulnerable to tsunamis: in 1964 waves from the Alaska Good Friday earthquake surged up the inlet and flooded parts of town.

What the cameras show

The cameras here are DriveBC highway cameras operated by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit, with still images refreshing every few minutes. Highway 4 is the city's lifeline, the main east-west route on Vancouver Island. East of town it climbs over the Alberni Summit, which locals call the Hump, and passes through the old-growth forest of Cathedral Grove before descending toward Qualicum Beach and Parksville. West of the city it continues through the mountains to Tofino and Ucluelet on the Pacific coast. Some views come from higher, exposed points on the route, so they are especially useful for checking snow and ice in winter.

From November 1, 2026, British Columbia keeps its clocks on UTC minus seven and skips the autumn fall-back. In summer that matches the old Pacific daylight time, with long evenings until about half past nine, but in December the sun now rises after nine. The valley sees heavy rain in the cooler months, and the summit can be white while town stays wet.

The MV Frances Barkley carries passengers and freight down the inlet to Bamfield and the Broken Group Islands. In summer, the Highway 4 drive toward Pacific Rim National Park Reserve brings visitor traffic, so the cameras are handy for planning a trip to the west coast.

Sources: Port Alberni - Wikipedia · DriveBC highway cameras · British Columbia Highway 4 - Wikipedia · B.C. permanent daylight saving time - CBC News.