Etymology
The city takes its name fromHistory
Before 1850
Early growth
Incorporation
Twentieth century
Geography
Ecology
The vegetation in the Vancouver area was originally temperate rainforest, consisting of Conifer, conifers with scattered pockets of maple and alder and large areas of swampland (even in upland areas, due to poor drainage). The conifers were a typical coastal British Columbia mix of Douglas fir, Thuja plicata, western red cedar and Tsuga heterophylla, western hemlock. The area is thought to have had the largest trees of these species on the British Columbia Coast. Only in Elliott Bay, Seattle, did the size of trees rival those of Burrard Inlet and English Bay, Vancouver, English Bay. The largest trees in Vancouver's old-growth forest were in the Gastown, Gastown area, where the first logging occurred and on the southern slopes ofClimate
Vancouver is one of Canada's warmest cities in the winter. Vancouver's climate is temperate by Canadian standards and is classified as Oceanic climate, oceanic or Oceanic climate, marine west coast, (Köppen climate classification ''Cfb'') that borders on a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (''Csb''). While during summer months the inland temperatures are significantly higher, Vancouver has the coolest summer average high of all major Canadian metropolitan areas. The summer months are typically dry, with an average of only one in five days during July and August receiving precipitation. In contrast, the majority of days from November through March record some type of precipitation. Vancouver is also one of the wettest Canadian cities. However, precipitation varies throughout the metropolitan area. Annual precipitation as measured at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Richmond averages , compared with in the downtown area and in North Vancouver. The daily maximum averages in July and August, with highs rarely reaching . The highest temperature ever recorded at the airport was set on July 30, 2009, and the highest temperature ever recorded within the city of Vancouver was occurring first on July 31, 1965, again on August 8, 1981, and finally on May 29, 1983. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city was on January 14, 1950 and again on December 29, 1968. On average, snow falls on nine days per year, with three days receiving or more. Average yearly snowfall is but typically does not remain on the ground for long. Winters in Greater Vancouver are the fourth-mildest of Canadian cities after nearbyCityscape
Urban planning
Architecture
Demographics
Homelessness
Homelessness is a significant and persistent issue in Vancouver. A 2019 count found that at least 2,223 people in the city were experiencing homelessness, the highest number recorded since counts began in 2005. Of those surveyed, 28 percent reported having no physical shelter. Indigenous people accounted for 39 percent of all respondents. Three-fifths of respondents reported at least two health concerns, and 67 percent reported an addiction to at least one substance.Economy
With its location on the Pacific Rim and at the western terminus of Canada's Trans-Canada Highway, transcontinental highway and rail routes, Vancouver is one of the nation's largest industrial centres.Government
Regional government
Provincial and federal representation
In the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Vancouver is represented by 11 Member of the Legislative Assembly, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). As of July 2017, there are three seats held by the British Columbia Liberal Party, BC Liberal Party and eight by the British Columbia New Democratic Party, BC New Democratic Party. In the House of Commons of Canada, Vancouver is represented by six members of Parliament. In the most recent 2015 Canadian federal election, 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada, Liberals retained two (Vancouver Quadra and Vancouver Centre) seats and gained another two, while the New Democratic Party (Canada), NDP held on to the two seats (Vancouver East and Vancouver Kingsway), they held at dissolution while the Conservative Party of Canada, Conservatives were shut out of the city. One current Cabinet minister hails from the city – Vancouver South MP Harjit Sajjan is Minister of National Defence.Policing and crime
Military
Jericho Beach in Vancouver is the location of the headquarters of 39 Canadian Brigade Group of the Canadian Army. Local primary reserve units include The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), based at the Seaforth Armoury and the Beatty Street Drill Hall, respectively, and the 15th Field Artillery Regiment (Canada), 15th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. The Naval Reserve Unit is based on Deadman's Island (Vancouver), Deadman's Island in Stanley Park. RCAF Station Jericho Beach, the first air base in Western Canada, was taken over by the Canadian Army in 1947 when sea planes were replaced by long-range aircraft. Most of the base facilities were transferred to the City of Vancouver in 1969 and the area renamed "Jericho Park".Education
Arts and culture
Theatre, dance, film and television
Theatre
Prominent theatre companies in Vancouver include the Arts Club Theatre Company on Granville Island, and Bard on the Beach. Smaller companies include Touchstone Theatre, and Studio 58. The Cultch, The Firehall Arts Centre, United Players, Pacific and Metro Theatres, all run continuous theatre seasons. Theatre Under The Stars (Vancouver), Theatre Under the Stars produces shows in the summer at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. Annual festivals that are held in Vancouver include the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in January and the Vancouver Fringe Festival in September. The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company operated for fifty years, ending in March 2012.Dance
The Scotiabank Dance Centre, a converted bank building on the corner of Davie and Granville, functions as a gathering place and performance venue for Vancouver-based dancers and choreographers. Dances for a Small Stage is a semi-annual dance festival.Film
The Vancouver International Film Festival, which runs for two weeks each September, shows over 350 films and is one of the larger film festivals in North America. The Vancouver International Film Centre venue, the Vancity Theatre, runs independent non-commercial films throughout the rest of the year, as do the The Cinematheque, Pacific Cinémathèque, and the Rio theatres.=Films set in Vancouver
= Vancouver has become a major film location, known as Hollywood North, as it has stood in for several U.S. cities. However, it has started to appear as itself in several feature films. Among :films set in Vancouver, films set in the city and its surroundings are the 1994 US thriller ''Intersection (1994 film), Intersection'', starring Richard Gere and Sharon Stone; the 2007 Canadian ghost thriller ''They Wait'', starring Terry Chen and Jaime King; and the acclaimed Canadian 'mockumentary' ''Hard Core Logo'', and was named the second-best Canadian film of the last 15 years, in a 2001 poll of 200 industry voters, performed by Playback. Genie Awards, Genie Award-winning filmmaker Mina Shum has filmed and set several of her internationally released features in Vancouver, including the Sundance Film Festival, Sundance-screened ''Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity'' (2002).Television shows produced in Vancouver
Many past and current TV shows have been filmed and :Television shows set in Vancouver, set in Vancouver. The first Canadian prime time national series to be produced out of Vancouver was ''Cold Squad'' and its storyline was also physically set in the city. Other series set in or around the city of Vancouver include ''Continuum (TV series), Continuum'', ''Da Vinci's Inquest'', ''Danger Bay'', ''Edgemont (TV series), Edgemont'', ''Godiva's'', ''Intelligence (Canadian TV series), Intelligence'', ''Motive (TV series), Motive'', ''Northwood (TV series), Northwood'', ''Primeval: New World'', ''Robson Arms'', ''The Romeo Section'', ''Shattered (2010 TV series), Shattered'', ''The Switch (TV series), The Switch'', and ''These Arms of Mine (TV series), These Arms of Mine''. Television shows produced (but not set) in Vancouver (that have been produced by American and Canadian studios alike) include ''21 Jump Street'', ''The 100 (TV series), The 100'', ''The 4400'', ''Airwolf'', ''Almost Human (TV series), Almost Human'', ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', ''Backstrom (TV series), Backstrom'', ''Caprica'', ''Cedar Cove (TV series), Cedar Cove'', ''Chesapeake Shores'', ''The Commish'', ''Dark Angel (2000 TV series), Dark Angel'', ''Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV series), Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'', ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'', ''The Good Doctor (TV series), The Good Doctor'', ''Haters Back Off'', ''Hellcats'', ''Intelligence (Canadian TV series), Intelligence'', ''iZombie (TV series), iZombie'', ''The Killing (American TV series), The Killing'', ''The L Word'', ''Life Unexpected'', ''The Man in the High Castle (TV series), The Man in the High Castle'', ''Once Upon a Time (TV series), Once Upon a Time'', ''Psych'', ''Reaper (TV series), Reaper'', ''Riverdale (2017 TV series), Riverdale'', ''Rogue (TV series), Rogue'', ''Smallville'', ''Stargate SG-1'', ''Supergirl (TV series), Supergirl'', ''Supernatural (U.S. TV series), Supernatural'', ''The Tomorrow People (U.S. TV series), The Tomorrow People'', ''The Magicians (American TV series), The Magicians'', ''Tru Calling'', ''Van Helsing (TV series), Van Helsing'', ''Witches of East End (TV series), Witches of East End'', and ''The X-Files''.Libraries and museums
Visual art
Music and nightlife
Musical contributions from Vancouver include performers of classical, folk and popular music. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is the professional orchestra based in the city. The Vancouver Opera is a major opera company in the city, and City Opera of Vancouver is the city's professional chamber opera company. The city is home to a number of Canadian composers including Rodney Sharman, Jeffrey Ryan, and Jocelyn Morlock.Media
Transportation
Sports and recreation
Current professional teams
Sustainability
Twin towns – sister cities
The City of Vancouver was one of the first cities in Canada to enter into an Sister city, international sister cities arrangement. Special arrangements for cultural, social and economic benefits have been created with these sister cities.Notable people
See also
* East Vancouver * Gentrification of Vancouver * Leaky condo crisis * History of Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh longshoremen, 1863–1963Notes
References
Further reading
* * * *External links
* {{Authority control Vancouver, 1886 establishments in British Columbia Cities in British Columbia Populated coastal places in Canada Populated places established in 1886 Populated places in Greater Vancouver Populated places on the Fraser River Port cities and towns on the Canadian Pacific coast