West Vancouver is a

district municipality A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa. Canada British Columbia Under provincial law, municipalities in British Columbia are to be desi ...

in the province of

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

, Canada. A member municipality of the

Metro Vancouver Regional District The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...

, West Vancouver is to the northwest of the city of

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

on the northern side of English Bay and the southeast shore of Howe Sound, and is adjoined by the District of North Vancouver to its east. Together with the District of North Vancouver and the

City of North Vancouver The City of North Vancouver is a city on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. It is the smallest in area and the most urbanized of the North Shore municipalities. Although it has significant industry of its ownincludin ...

, it is part of a local regional grouping referred to as the North Shore municipalities, or simply "the North Shore". West Vancouver is connected to the downtown city of Vancouver via the

Lions Gate Bridge The Lions Gate Bridge, opened in 1938 and officially known as the First Narrows Bridge, is a suspension bridge that crosses the first narrows of Burrard Inlet and connects the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, to the North Shore municipal ...

. Originally named First Narrows Bridge, its completion in 1938 allowed the people of the North Shore municipalities to cross of the Burrard Inlet to the city. West Vancouver had a population of 44,122 at the

2021 Canadian census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sl ...

Cypress Provincial Park Cypress Provincial Park is a provincial park on the North Shore of Metro Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia. The park has two sections: a southern section which is accessible by road, and a northern section which is only accessibl ...

, mostly located within the municipal boundaries, was one of the venues for the

2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...

. West Vancouver is also home of Canada's first shopping mall, Park Royal Shopping Centre, and also the

Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal Horseshoe Bay is a major ferry terminal owned and operated by BC Ferries in British Columbia, Canada. Located in the community of Horseshoe Bay, a neighbourhood of West Vancouver, the terminal provides a vehicle ferry link from the Lower Mainl ...

, one of the main connecting hubs between the British Columbia mainland and

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...

History

West Vancouver 1942 15th Ottawa William Mcphee

Beacon of hope Featured in the October 2007 issue of Digital Photo magazine

The Municipality of West Vancouver was incorporated on March 15, 1912, after separating from the District of North Vancouver. The first municipal election was held on April 6, 1912. In November 1938, the

was opened to traffic, allowing extensive growth of the semi-populated community, previously only accessible by ferry. Some homes in West Vancouver date back to the 1920s and 30s, though most of the currently existing dwellings were built in the 1970s and 80s, and mostly in British Pacific Properties' developments.

Timeline

* 1792: Captain George Vancouver names Point Atkinson * 1866: John Thomas, known as "Navvy Jack", sailed from England or Wales, arriving in Burrard Inlet, in about 1866. He was the first Caucasian resident of West Vancouver, offered first ferry service to what be known as Vancouver in a rowboat. His house still stands today at Ambleside and there is a Navvy Jack Point. Thomas' nickname Navvy Jack today remains used in British Columbia English to mean washed pea

gravel Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone. Gravel is classifi ...

used in construction and landscaping trades, as he was the original supplier of the material to Vancouver and mined it from coves in West Vancouver. * 1872: James Blake preempted the first of land * 1875: First lighthouse at Point Atkinson * 1898: Mr. Francis Caulfeild was put ashore at Skunk Cove * 1905: John Lawson, a local leader settled at foot of 17th street * 1908: First pier, Hollyburn Pier * 1909: ** West Vancouver Transportation Company was formed, provides ferry service across harbour to Vancouver ** "Real estate boom" lots sold for as little as $450 and as much as $4,500 * 1910: Water systems started at Caulfeild and Ambleside * 1911: First primary school, Presbyterian Church at Dundarave * 1912: ** West Vancouver separated from the District Municipality of North Vancouver and incorporated on March 15, 1912. ** Population was approximately 1,500 people ** First municipal election ** Council appointed John Teare as the first police constable on May 17. F.H. Kettle was appointed the second constable on May 28 * 1913: Hollyburn Elementary School structure built, facility of the longest existing school in West Vancouver * 1914: ** First known settlement, the Coast Salish village at Sandy Cove **

Pacific Great Eastern Railway The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

in service from North Vancouver to Caulfeild and Horseshoe Bay ** Colonel Albert Whyte pressed for a spelling change from White Cliff City to Whytecliff * 1915: ** Dundarave Pier built ** Marine Drive was officially opened by Premier Richard McBride * 1916: West Vancouver Municipal Transport bus service started operation * 1922:

British Columbia Electric Railway The British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) was an historic railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Originally the parent company for, and later a division of, BC Electric Company (now BC Hydro), the BCER assumed contr ...

starts electrical service * 1923: Adopted STV for city elections (discontinued in 1930) * 1924: House numbering scheme started * 1926: ** Marine Drive extended to Horseshoe Bay ** ''Town Planning Act'' banned any new industry forming an exclusively residential community with minimum lot sizes * 1927: Inglewood High School built * 1928: Direct telephone service to Vancouver operational * 1930: ** Septic tanks made mandatory ** Only 48 of West Vancouver's 100 kilometres of roads paved * 1931: Dan Sewell opened his marina and the Whytecliff Lodge * 1932: of land bought by A.R. Guinness-Br. Pacific Properties bought for $50 a hectare, they have been developed as the British Properties * 1934: First police car * 1936: Hollyburn Post Office built at 17th street and Marine Drive * 1938:

finished, opened May 29. The bridge cost a total of $6 million to build. It was financed by the Guinness family, in conjunction with the development and marketing of the British Properties. * 1947: Ferry service stopped due to lack of demand after bridge constructed * 1950: ** West Vancouver Memorial Library opened on November 11 (Remembrance Day) ** Park Royal Shopping Centre, Canada's first shopping centre opened * 1951: Hollyburn Mountain opens first chairlift * 1954: Public Safety Building opened. It housed the West Vancouver Police and Fire Departments * 1959: Rezoning allowed 78 apartment buildings in Ambleside * 1961: The Crescent Apartments, West Vancouver's first high rise apartment opened * 1963: Tolls on Lions Gate Bridge lifted on April 1 * 1967: Fire hall was built and opened on November 22, 1967, at 16th and Fulton Ave. The Police Department remained in the Public Safety building * 1973: Clyde McRae completes a world record walk across Canada on Ambleside Beach.

COVID-19

West Vancouver was the second municipality in British Columbia to record cases of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

in March 2020, following the first reported outbreak at Lynn Valley Care Home in the neighbouring District of North Vancouver. On March 12, 2020, long-term care facility Hollyburn House announced they had identified two positive cases among a staff member and resident. Mayor Mary-Ann Booth declared a local state of emergency on March 21, granting the municipal government additional powers to enforce orders issued by provincial health officer Bonnie Henry, including business closures and revocation of business licenses. On October 27, 2021, the district announced a mandatory policy requiring all staff members and volunteers to receive at least two doses of a

COVID-19 vaccine A COVID19 vaccine is a vaccine intended to provide acquired immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19). Prior to the COVID19 pandemic, an e ...

as a condition of continued employment. According to district spokesperson Donna Powers, the policy was implemented "to raise vaccination rates across the community". The West Vancouver Police Department received a similar directive on November 2, allowing officers until January 11, 2022, to provide

proof of vaccination A vaccine passport or proof of vaccination is an immunity passport employed as a credential in countries and jurisdictions as part of efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic via vaccination. A vaccine passport is typically issued by a govern ...

or be put on leave. Following the January 4, 2022, deadline to show proof of vaccination, 16 district employees were put on unpaid leave with possibility of termination.

Commodities

West Vancouver is mainly a residential district as many residents are retired, work at home, or take the short commute to downtown Vancouver. West Vancouver has no manufacturing industry by law. A 13-block strip of Marine Drive serves as a commercial district, featuring shops, small offices, garages and gas stations, restaurants, banks, and other common amenities. The area between 13th and 19th Streets is commonly known as Ambleside Village, and the area between 24th and 26th Streets is known as the village of Dundarave. This commercial area is served by the Ambleside Dundarave Business Improvement Association. West Vancouver is also home to Park Royal Shopping Centre, Canada's first mall. Opened in the 1950s, it now consumes of both sides of Marine Drive near North Vancouver. Park Royal is the second largest mall in British Columbia, after Metropolis at Metrotown in

Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrar ...

. Located nearby is a major bus terminal for

Blue Bus Blue Bus may refer to the following bus companies: In the United Kingdom *Blue Bus and Coach Services, serving Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside *Blue Bus of Penwortham, Lancashire *Blue Bus of North Lanarkshire, also known as Blue Bus ...

and North Vancouver TransLink buses. The West Vancouver Memorial Library, located in Ambleside, has a circulation rate of 21.32 per capita, the highest circulation rate per capita in Canada.

Demographics

At the

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultu ...

, West Vancouver had a population of 44,122 living in 17,690 of its 18,795 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 42,473. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. West Vancouver has the second highest percentage of persons aged 65 or older in BC with 22% of persons fitting into the category, compared with 13% for the rest of the province. The top five professions in West Vancouver are professional science and technical services; retail trade; health care; finance and insurance; and educational services. A large portion of the population is involved in senior management in comparison with the rest of the province.''2001 Census Profile of British Columbia's Regions'', ''West Vancouver DM'' BC Stats (subscription service)

Ethnicity

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in West Vancouver included: *

Irreligion Irreligion or nonreligion is the absence or rejection of religion, or indifference to it. Irreligion takes many forms, ranging from the casual and unaware to full-fledged philosophies such as atheism and agnosticism, secular humanism and ...

(22,625 persons or 52.1%) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

(14,710 persons or 33.9%) *

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

(3,855 persons or 8.9%) *

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

(650 persons or 1.5%) *

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in th ...

(555 persons or 1.3%) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

(300 persons or 0.7%) *

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

(135 persons or 0.3%) *Other (555 persons or 1.3%)

Language

As of the 2006 census, the languages spoken in West Vancouver were: By mother tongue: * English: 70% * French: 1.2% * Other languages: 28% By most commonly used household language: * English: 83% * French: 0.4% * Other languages: 14.5%

Affluence

West Vancouver is Canada's wealthiest municipality, with an average household net worth of CAD$4,454,424. North Vancouver just next door is the tenth richest. West Vancouver is home to some very large, luxurious and expensive properties and houses. Occasionally, houses have been priced and sold at around CAD$30,000,000. In 2011, West Vancouver's average house sold for over CAD$2,000,000; 95% of the houses or close to 16,000 homes are worth over CAD$1 million. In West Vancouver, average total incomes were $86,253 for males and $48,070 for females, almost double the provincial average. Over 80% of the population has a total family income of at least $100,000.

Transportation

West Vancouver is served by West Vancouver Municipal Transit, colloquially known as Blue Bus. It is Canada's longest running municipal transportation system and Canada's first 100% wheelchair accessible transit system. West Vancouver Municipal Transit is one of two bus companies in the Greater Vancouver region operating under contract for TransLink. Transfer is free between West Vancouver Municipal Transit buses and other TransLink buses. The only freeway route within municipal limits is

British Columbia Highway 1 Highway 1 is a provincial highway in British Columbia, Canada, that carries the main route of the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH). The highway is long and connects Vancouver Island, the Greater Vancouver region in the Lower Mainland, and the In ...

(part of the

Trans-Canada Highway The Trans-Canada Highway (Canadian French, French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the A ...

), which begins in the community of Horseshoe Bay and continues east into the District of North Vancouver. Highway 99 also runs through West Vancouver, sharing the freeway alignment with Highway 1 between Horseshoe Bay and Taylor Way, and connects the municipality with Downtown Vancouver (via the

) and Whistler (via the Sea-to-Sky Corridor). Additionally, BC Ferries operates routes departing from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, Bowen Island, and the

Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast may refer to: * Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia **Sunshine Coast Region, a local government area of Queensland named after the region **Sunshine Coast Stadium * Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), geographic subregion of the Br ...

Parks and recreation

West Vancouver is known for its parks such as

, which offers scenic views of Howe Sound and the Metro Vancouver area. Whytecliff Park and Lighthouse Park, near the community of Horseshoe Bay, at the continental terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway. All of West Vancouver is situated on the side of the Coast Mountains. Because of this position, many homes in West Vancouver have views of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and/or Howe Sound. Ambleside Park and the 15-block-long West Vancouver Seawall are popular spots for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Whytecliff Park is regarded as one of the best

scuba Scuba may refer to: * Scuba diving ** Scuba set, the equipment used for scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving * Scuba, an in-memory database developed by Facebook * Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array, either of two in ...

diving spots in

Western Canada Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada� ...

. The District also has many other small parks, as well as Lighthouse Park at Point Atkinson, which contains some old-growth forest and has with views of Vancouver from downtown to Point Grey and is the boundary-point between English Bay and the Strait of Georgia. John Lawson Park is also another popular area for families, it features a playground for children, an open grass field for families to picnic, and a view of

and the downtown skyline which are both across the water. West Vancouver has several public recreation facilities including an 18-hole par 3 golf course, a pool, an ice rink, basketball and tennis courts, skate parks and numerous public parks. The new West Vancouver Community Centre (or WVCC) has been rebuilt and opened Spring 2009. Cypress Provincial Park also has mountain biking trails and a large ski and snowboard resort, which served as one of the venues for the

Politics

As of 2022, the mayor is Mark Sager, who previously served as West Van Mayor from 1991–1996. West Vancouver ridings typically include Squamish and Whistler, and sometimes the Sunshine Coast. Provincially, Joan McIntyre and Ralph Sultan of the BC Liberal Party were elected to the

West Vancouver-Sea To Sky West Vancouver-Sea to Sky (name in effect from April 2009 onwards, previously West Vancouver-Garibaldi from 1991 to 2009) is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. For other current and histori ...

and

West Vancouver-Capilano West Vancouver-Capilano is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. The riding is the wealthiest constituency in British Columbia, with a median household income of $93,569 according to the 20 ...

ridings, respectively, in the 2005 Provincial election (West Vancouver-Sea To Sky Country includes Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton). Federally, West Vancouver-based ridings historically have voted Conservative since 1974, electing John Reynolds of the Reform Party of Canada (later the Canadian Alliance) from 1997 to 2004. Reynolds declined to run for re-election in 2006, however, and Liberal

Blair Wilson Blair Wilson (born May 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician and formerly the member of Parliament (MP) in the 39th Canadian parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country electoral district. He was elected on January 23, 2006 ...

defeated Conservative

John Weston John Weston may refer to: Politicians *John Weston (MP for New Shoreham) (fl.1446-7) *John de Weston, MP for Derby (UK Parliament constituency) * John Weston (MP fl.1339), MP for Derby (UK Parliament constituency) * John Weston (died c. 1433), MP f ...

to replace Reynolds as

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

from the West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country

electoral district An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...

. Wilson left the Liberals in 2007 and joined the

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation f ...

in 2008, becoming the first Green Member of Parliament. The re-election in 2008 saw a rematch between Weston and Wilson. This time Weston emerged as the victor, carrying nearly triple the vote of his incumbent opponent to handily return the riding to the Conservatives. Weston won again in 2011. In the 2015 federal election, Weston was unseated by Liberal candidate Pam Goldsmith-Jones, who was previously the mayor of West Vancouver from 2005 to 2011. Pamela Goldsmith-Jones chose not to run for re-election in the 2019 federal election and Patrick Weiler of the

Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada (french: Parti libéral du Canada, region=CA) is a federal political party in Canada. The party espouses the principles of liberalism,McCall, Christina; Stephen Clarkson"Liberal Party". ''The Canadian Encyclopedia' ...

went on to win the election.

Education

There are 17 public schools that make up School District 45 West Vancouver. There are also 4 private schools in the city. Of these 21 schools, 6 are high schools. Over 80 percent of West Vancouver high school graduates go to post-secondary schools. Many residents from Squamish, the Sunshine Coast, and North Vancouver attend West Vancouver schools.

References

*''Some highlights of West Vancouver'' (author unknown), West Vancouver Memorial Library archives
http://westvancouverpolice.ca/ ''History of the West Vancouver Police Department''
*"West Vancouver", ''The Encyclopedia of British Columbia'' (online edition), C 2000 Harbour Publishing

External links

* * {{Authority control District municipalities in British Columbia Populated places on the British Columbia Coast Populated places in Greater Vancouver