Thetis Lake is a name that refers to two freshwater lakes (Upper and Lower Thetis) connected by a narrow culvert in the 834-hectare (2,060-acre) Thetis Lake Regional Park outside Victoria, British Columbia, about 12 km (7.5 mi) from the city centre. It was established as Canada's first nature sanctuary in 1958. The park was named for the frigate HMS Thetis, which had been assigned to Esquimalt as part of the Royal Navy's Pacific Squadron.