A forensic investigator removes piles of household items that packed the back of the cube van. (CBC)

Human skeletal remains were found Monday inside a five-tonne cube van at a vacant parking lot in Victoria, authorities said.

"There was a person in there who had clearly been dead for a period of time. This was not a recent death," coroner Barb McLintock said.

Forensic experts spent hours clearing out household items — including clothing, dishes, furniture and suitcases — that were crammed in to the back of the vehicle at the private parking lot on the corner of Catherine Street and Kimta Road.

"Someone was obviously keeping a lot of belongings, theirs or someone else's, in that van," McLintock said. "Whether they were living there or just keeping their belongings there, I have no idea."

The skeletal remains were discovered by a junk removal company hired by a land developer to clean up the site, Sgt. Grant Hamilton of the Victoria Police Department said.

'We don't want to speculate that the remains in the back of that vehicle are that of the owner. That's part of the investigation we're still pursuing.'— Sgt. Grant Hamilton, Victoria police

"There were some reports that this vehicle has been here for upwards to two years. It's on a private lot, and that's why it's been here for two years," Hamilton said.

"Also, there are reports that the owner of the vehicle was reported missing [since January]. We're following up to confirm that."

Investigators have not determined whether the skeletal remains were from a man or a woman. The remains will be sent to Vancouver for identification through dental records or DNA analysis, Hamilton said.

"We don't want to speculate that the remains in the back of that vehicle are that of the owner. That's part of the investigation we're still pursuing," he said.

Police were calling it a suspicious death and haven't ruled out foul play.

Some residents in the neighbourhood, including Joan Steindl, said they were shocked about the discovery but were not completely surprised.

"This is a beautiful area, but across the street is a parking lot where people have been known to be camping out, you know, the homeless and so on," Steindl said.