Daajing Giids, formerly known as Queen Charlotte City from 1891–2022, is a charming village municipality nestled in the Haida Gwaii archipelago in British Columbia, Canada. Located on the southern end of Graham Island at Skidegate Inlet, Daajing Giids is a member municipality of the North Coast Regional District.
The name "Queen Charlotte" was first introduced in 1787 by Captain George Dixon during a trading cruise along the coast. He named the island after his two hundred-ton vessel, the Queen Charlotte. The village was founded in 1891 and became the first townsite registered in the islands in 1908. However, it wasn't incorporated as a municipality until 2005.
The townsite was established when the first sawmill in the archipelago began operating in 1908. Following World War I, the town infrastructure rapidly developed to meet the increased demand for lumber to supply allied warplanes. This growth led to the establishment of public education, a hospital, general stores, and even a newspaper.
Logging and fishing were the primary sources of employment during the second half of the 20th century. However, recent years have seen a shift towards tourism-oriented jobs. Despite this shift, the main economic driver remains government jobs, including hospital workers, school district employees, BC Ferries, local Forestry and Parks offices, and more.
Incorporated in 2005, Daajing Giids offers several motels, shops, restaurants, a gas station and auto repair, a credit union, RCMP station, and a hospital. The Daajing Giids Visitor Centre, open year-round, is a popular spot for tourists. With its small harbour, Daajing Giids is often the starting point for chartered tours into Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site on southern Moresby Island.
On May 16, 2022, the village reclaimed its ancestral name of Daajing Giids through a unanimous council vote, becoming the first in B.C. to do so, according to the provincial government.
Daajing Giids is conveniently located just 9 km (5.6 mi) west of Skidegate Landing, which offers BC Ferries landing and connections to Prince Rupert.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Daajing Giids had a population of 964 living in 488 of its 574 total private dwellings, marking a 9% increase from 2016. With a land area of 35.58 km2 (13.74 sq mi), it had a population density of 27.1/km2 (70.2/sq mi) in 2021.
