Vancouver (British Columbia)

I

Introduction

Vancouver (British Columbia), city in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Situated on a peninsula opposite Vancouver Island, Vancouver is bordered by Burrard Inlet on the north, the Strait of Georgia on the west, and the Fraser River on the south. The city is located about 42 km (26 mi) northwest of the United States border. Vancouver is Canada’s third largest metropolitan region (after Toronto and Montréal) in population and is a leading Pacific Coast seaport and the main commercial, manufacturing, financial, tourist, and cultural center of British Columbia.

II

Vancouver and Its Metropolitan Area

Occupying a picturesque site near the Coast Mountains, Vancouver is a cosmopolitan center with numerous large buildings. Among those considered to have special architectural merit are Robson Square and the Provincial Court House, designed by local architect Arthur Erickson; Cathedral Place; and the Vancouver Public Library, designed by Canadian architect Moshe Safdie. Older buildings of note include the art deco Marine Building (1929-1930) and the “Chateau Style” Hotel Vancouver (1928-1939). Other points of interest include Granville Island, a former industrial-warehouse district in False Creek that has been converted into a mix of buildings for commercial, cultural, and artistic uses and is anchored by a public market; the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens; Chinatown, the traditional center of one of the largest Chinese communities in North America; and Gastown, a restoration of an old section of the city dating from the late 19th century.

Beyond the city boundary to the east lie the communities of Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and New Westminster; beyond them, an outer suburb, Surrey. South of the Fraser River’s north arm is Richmond, and Delta lies across the main channel. North Vancouver and West Vancouver lie across Burrard Inlet. Together, these areas (and other smaller municipalities) make up the Vancouver metropolitan area.

III

Economy of Vancouver

Vancouver is predominantly a service center. Since the 1960s the city has experienced high levels of growth in population, labor force, investment, and trade. Recent growth has been concentrated heavily in the service sector, especially in finance, insurance, and real-estate-related activities. Other areas experiencing rapid growth include tourism (accommodation and food services), health and medical services, and business services.

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Vancouver is Canada’s leading port and one of the busiest in North America. Major exports include forest products, agricultural commodities, coal, potash, sulfur, and other raw materials from western Canada. Major imports include consumer products, textiles and clothing, building materials, and industrial machinery and parts. Tourism is also very important to the city’s economy, and many cruise ships moor at the city’s waterfront.

The city is a regional, national, and international hub. The Light Rapid Transit SkyTrain, opened in 1986, shuttles commuters and other passengers between the city core and the suburbs. In addition, a ferry (the SeaBus) links the city core with the north shore of Burrard Inlet, and buses run through all parts of the metropolitan area. Vancouver is the terminus of two trans-Canada railroads. The Trans-Canada Highway connects Vancouver to other Canadian cities to the north and east. Ferries carry passengers between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Vancouver International Airport serves provincial, national, and foreign destinations.

IV

Population of Vancouver

The population of the city of Vancouver increased from 384,500 in 1961 to 545,671 at the 2001 census, with growth in every five-year period except from 1971 to 1976. In the same 40-year period, the population of the Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area more than doubled, from 827,000 to 2,076,100. Between 1996 and 2001, the city’s population grew 8.5 percent, and metropolitan growth rates exceeded 13 percent. Since 1981, the population of Greater Vancouver has grown faster than that of British Columbia as a whole, with immigration from East Asian countries contributing a large part of this growth.

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