The
City of Vancouver is situated on Canada's south
west Pacific coast just north of the US border,
at the mouth of the Fraser River, in the province
of British Columbia. Vancouver is widely considered
to be one of the most beautiful cities in North
America.
On
top of that it ranks right near the top 10 tourist
destinations by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler
magazine. Magnificent temperate rain forests that
still cover most of British Columbia's coast are within
easy access to Vancouver and attract hikers and nature
lovers from around the world.
Vancouverites tend to have a very laid back attitude
to life. They spend more money on sports equipment
than residents of any other city in Canada and here's
why: the city boasts more tennis players, more boats,
more fitness classes, more vertical feet of skiing
and more Nike running shoes sold than any other city
in the country. Vancouver is made for outdoor activity.
Its mild climate compared to the rest of Canada -
literally means that on an early spring day you can
spend the morning skiing on the slopes of Grouse Mountain
overlooking the city, and the afternoon golfing or
playing tennis in the leafy opulence of the city's
West Side.
Vancouver
follows slightly behind Toronto in cultural diversity
with more than 60 different ethnic groups active in
the city. They contribute to the charm and character
of the region through language,culture and some of
the finest ethnic restaurants in North America.
In
January 2000 Vancouver was chosen as the best city
in the world in which to live by the international
human resources consultants, William M Mercer. Following
Vancouver were Zurich, Bern, Vienna and Sydney. The
survey covered 218 cities and evaluated 39 quality
of living factors including political, economic, environmental,
education, personal safety, and public services.
Although
it is relatively isolated from the rest of Canada,
Vancouver is a gateway city with air links to all
major international destinations. The population of
approximately two million people is spread over several
municipalities in the greater Vancouver area.
Unfortunately,
Vancouver is also Canada's most expensive city in
which to live. House prices and rents are high and
provincial government taxes are among the highest
in the country.
The
municipalities that make up Greater Vancouver stretch
from the Fraser Valley in the southeast to the mountains
of the north shore of the Burrard Inlet. The city
is linked to Vancouver Island by a regular ferry service
from two ferry terminals.
The ferry trip takes approximately 90 minutes and
passes through some of the most spectacular scenery
on the west coast.
One
of Vancouver's main attractions is Stanley Park, 400
hectare forest fringed with beaches and walking paths,
just five minutes from downtown. Stanley Park is one
of the largest urban parks in North America.
The
Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), established
in 1965, is a partnership of the 20 municipalities
and three electoral areas that make up the metropolitan
area of Greater Vancouver. It provides essential regional
services such as water, major parks, air pollution
control, solid waste management, sewage treatment/disposal,
hospital planning and capital financing, regional
housing, labor relations and transportation planning
to the people who live in the GVRD area.
Tourism
is an increasingly important sector
of the British Columbia economy. Greater Vancouver's
scenic attractions make it a popular destination for
Canadians and international travelers.
Vancouver
is a key shipping gateway to western Canada. The port
of Vancouver is Canada's largest port and is one of
the top 20 ports in the world. Port activity includes
almost one million cruise ship passenger who sail
to and from Alaska during the summer cruising season.
Vancouver
has also become the third most important film making
center in North America after Los Angeles and New
York, with approximately 200 films a year now being
shot in the Greater Vancouver area with total budgets
of more than $1billion.
Since
1992, British Columbia has labored under Canada's
only socialist government causing virtually all economic
indicators to lag behind the National average. Statutes
require an election to be called during 2001. All
public opinion polls forecast that the present government
will be soundly defeated. Most forecast the current
government will fail to gain even official opposition
status.
Vancouver
follows slightly behind Toronto in cultural diversity
with more than 60 different ethnic groups active in
the city. They contribute to the charm and character
of the region through language,culture and some of
the finest ethnic restaurants in North America. 
The ferry trip takes approximately 90 minutes and
passes through some of the most spectacular scenery
on the west coast.
municipalities
and three electoral areas that make up the metropolitan
area of Greater Vancouver. It provides essential regional
services such as water, major parks, air pollution
control, solid waste management, sewage treatment/disposal,
hospital planning and capital financing, regional
housing, labor relations and transportation planning
to the people who live in the GVRD area.
sector
of the British Columbia economy. Greater Vancouver's
scenic attractions make it a popular destination for
Canadians and international travelers.
Vancouver
has also become the third most important film making
center in North America after Los Angeles and New
York, with approximately 200 films a year now being
shot in the Greater Vancouver area with total budgets
of more than $1billion.
Canada's
only socialist government causing virtually all economic
indicators to lag behind the National average. Statutes
require an election to be called during 2001. All
public opinion polls forecast that the present government
will be soundly defeated. Most forecast the current
government will fail to gain even official opposition
status.