Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver redirects here. Not to be confused with the smaller Vancouver, Washington, USA, suburb of Portland, Oregon. For more uses see Vancouver (disambiguation)
Vancouver is a Canadian city, in the province of British Columbia. It is a major seaport and the largest metropolitan centre in western Canada, home to 545,000 people in 2001. Vancouver is the main city of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) and of the (slightly more extensive) region commonly known as the Lower Mainland, where 1,986,965 people (2001) live. The current mayor is Larry Campbell, Coalition of Progressive Electors.
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Location
Vancouver is situated at 49 degrees, 16 minutes north, and 123 degrees, 7 minutes west, in the Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8). It is adjacent to the Strait of Georgia, a body of water that is separated from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island.
History
The Strait of Georgia was first explored in 1791 by Spanish explorer Lieutenant Jose Maria Narvaez. In the following year, 1792, the British naval Captain George Vancouver (1757-1798) from King's Lynn in Norfolk joined the Spanish expedition based at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island's west coast and explored in more detail the Strait of Georgia, as well as Puget Sound.
Early industry along Burrard Inlet, the body of water where Vancouver's port is today, was lumbering. The first sawmill began operating in 1863 at Moodyville (in 1915, renamed to the City of North Vancouver). The first export of lumber took place in 1865; this lumber was shipped to Australia. By 1865 the first sawmill, Stamp's Mill, started in what was to become the City of Vancouver.
In 1870, the colonial government of British Columbia surveyed the community officially known as Granville. It was sited immediately west of Stamp's Mill and was commonly known as Gastown, a name that survives today.
In 1885 Granville was selected by the Canadian Pacific Railway to be the western terminus of the transcontinental railway commissioned by the government of Canada under the leadership of Prime Minister Sir John A. MacDonald. (This led to Vancouver's infrequently-used nickname, Terminal City). On April 6, 1886, the City of Vancouver was incorporated, and in May, 1887, the first train from Montreal arrived.
With the arrival of the railway, Vancouver began to grow rapidly as it was fully connected to all of Canada and thus benefitted from access to Canadian markets. Additionally, as part of the agreement to join the Confederation, British Columbia's debt of approximately $1,000,000 was paid in full by the Canadian government, creating additional business opportunities.
Scenery
Vancouver is home to North America's third largest urban park, Stanley Park. Vancouver is within quick access to the sea, mountains, forests and cityscape. Due to tight enclosure buildings in downtown Vancouver are similar to highrises found in Central Hong Kong. On a non-humid day one can see Mount Baker (a volcano in Washington state) to the south-east.
Climate
Vancouver defies the Canadian sterotype of being a cold location in winter and is typically the warmest city in Canada at such time. The temperature and weather are almost in sync with that of Seattle's, Vancouver's nearest major US neighbour-city. Snow is common in the surrounding mountains but not at sea-level. Summer months are usually sunny and the temperature hovers above 20 degrees celsius. Spring and Autumn are typically rainy and windy.
Vancouver can be an expensive city, as housing prices are among the highest in Canada. Various strategies aim to lessen housing costs. These include cooperative housing, suites, infill housing and increased density. Nevertheless, as with many other cities on the west coast of North America, homelessness is a concern, as is the growing gulf between rich and poor.
Vancouver is often considered the most liberal city in Canada, with a bustling music and art scene that is considered far more 'cosmopolitan' than anywhere else in the country. Marijuana laws are generally unenforced within the city region allowing several 'marijuana cafes' to open, earning it the name the Amsterdam of the North.
"Hollywood North," as the city has been called, typically hosts 10% of Hollywood's movies. Many American television series are filmed exclusively in Vancouver.
Tourism is a vital industry in Vancouver. Whistler, BC, 126 kilometres north of Vancouver, has often been designated as having the best skiing mountains in North America. Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour and Cypress Mountain, each with a variety of summer and winter sports, are within thirty minutes drive of downtown Vancouver. The city’s beaches, parks, waterfront and mountain backdrop, combined with its cultural and multi-ethnic character, all contribute to its unique appeal.
In an International Olympic Committee meeting in Prague, Czech Republic, in July 2003, Vancouver received (along with Whistler) the right to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Vancouver was also the site of the 1986 World Exposition.
There is an extensive network of bike paths that provide east/west and north/south routes from one end of the city to the other. Each of the major bike paths has signal control to permit cyclists easy crossing of major arteries.
Municipal bylaws and geography have protected Vancouver from the spread of urban freeways, and the only freeway within city limits is the Highway 1 Freeway, which passes through the eastern edge of the city.
Vancouver is served by Vancouver International Airport, which is located on Sea Island in Richmond. The airport is one of the busiest on the West Coast. A heliport and seaplane dock on Burrard Inlet link downtown directly to Victoria. Vancouver is also served by two B.C. Ferry terminals, one to the northwest near the village of Horseshoe Bay, and one to the south, at Tsawwassen, linking the city to Vancouver Island and other nearby islands.
^ < West VANCOUVER East > Richmond Living
Vancouver is a relaxed city with many diversions and easy access to outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, boating and skiing. There is a lively cultural scene. It has been called a "city of neighbourhoods," each with its own distinctive character. People
Vancouver is home to people of many ethnic backgrounds and religions. It contains the largest Chinatown in North America outside of San Francisco. Street signs written in Chinese and Punjabi (with original English names) can be seen in their respective cultural communities. Prior to the hand-over of Hong Kong to China many Chinese immigrants made Vancouver their new home.Industry
Vancouver is Canada’s largest port and North America’s gateway for Asia-Pacific trade. It ranks second in North America in total foreign exports and second on the West Coast in total cargo volume.Transportation
Vancouver is served by a regional rapid transit system. This is run by the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), although the actual service is contracted out. There are frequent bus services throughout Greater Vancouver with a dense network in the downtown area. A frequent passenger-only ferry service (known as SeaBus) crosses Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver, British Columbia, while a two-line metro system, the SkyTrain, links downtown to Surrey. All these services have an integrated ticketing system, making public transport cheap and efficient. Currently in planning is the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver light rail line, scheduled for completion in time for the 2010 Winter Games. In addition, private companies operate more leisure-oriented passenger ferry services, especially at False Creek. One company in particular, HarbourLynx, provides passenger-only ferry service from Vancouver harbour to Nanaimo harbour on Vancouver Island.Sites of Interest
Notable buildings within the city include Christ Church Cathedral, the Hotel Vancouver (now part of the Fairmont chain), the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (with a world standard collection of Native American art including work by Bill Reid), the art gallery (notable collections include illustrations by Chagall and paintings by Emily Carr) and many striking modern high-rise buildings. Neighbourhoods of interest within the city include the downtown area, Gastown, Chinatown (especially the Dr Sun Yat Sen classical Chinese garden), and Granville Island, Stanley Park, and the University of British Columbia campus and adjacent parklands.Colleges and Universities
Vancouver and its adjacent communities are the home of two major universities, the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, as well as a number of community colleges.Professional Sports Teams
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