VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

CITY PROFILE & STATISTICS

Vancouver is ranked as one of the top three most liveable places in the world. It is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada, and is also known for its diverse industries including manufacturing, forestry, fishing, mining, tourism, construction & development, real estate, law, finance, insurance, retail, film, and information technology. Vancouver’s economy is expected to see a strong growth of 3.5% in 2016, led by the manufacturing sector with overall widespread gains across all sectors.

Metro Vancouver has a developed transportation system primarily operated by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority. This includes skytrains and buses running across Metro Vancouver, the West Coast Express extending to the Fraser Valley Regional district, and the seabus for crossing the Burrard Inlet between Vancouver and the North Shore municipalities. In 2010, Vancouver expanded the installation of bike lanes throughout its downtown core, with plans for twelve more bike lanes over a five-year period.

There are a number of major parks in the Greater Vancouver area. Stanley Park is Vancouver’s first, and largest urban park. It includes the Vancouver Aquarium, a 22 kilometre Seawall, and various trails and beaches. Queen Elizabeth Park is known as Vancouver’s horticultural jewel for floral display enthusiasts and view-seekers. Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is also a popular tourist destination. Vancouver has a total of nine beaches, eight by the ocean and one by a freshwater lake to enjoy Vancouver’s breezy summer days. In fact, Vancouver enjoyed an average of 289 days of sunshine in 2015. The city’s prime location on the Pacific Coast gives it access to the Sea-to-Sky-Corridor, including Whistler Blackcomb, and Cypress Mountain.

As Vancouver is a culturally diverse city, you can find many different cuisines from all around the world, including Greek, Japanese, Western, French, Indian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and much more. To experience the wealth of Vancouver, you can attend one of its many festivals and events throughout the year such as Eat! Vancouver, Craft Beer Week, International Film Festival, Folk Music Festival, Jazz Festival, Japanese Festival, Italian Day Festival, Chinese New Year Parade, Santa Claus Parade, Festival of Lights, and so forth.