City guide
Vancouver
BC's largest city — diverse neighbourhoods, walkable streets, ocean and mountain views.
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Vancouver is British Columbia's largest city and Canada's third-largest metropolitan area. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Coast Mountains to the north, and the Fraser River to the south, Vancouver is known for its dense urban core, distinctive neighbourhoods, and access to both ocean and forest within minutes of downtown. The city covers approximately 115 square kilometres and is home to over 660,000 residents (City of Vancouver, 2021). Each Vancouver neighbourhood has its own character — from the beach-and-bike-path lifestyle of Kitsilano to the dense walkability of the West End, from the creative scene of Mount Pleasant to the quiet established streets of Kerrisdale.
Climate at a glance
- Winter
7° / 3°
January high / low · 17 frost days a year
- Summer
23° / 15°
July high / low · 87 days above 20 °C
- Rain
1,537 mm
per year · 142 days with rain
- Snow
37 cm
per year
- Daylight
8 h / 16 h
December / June
Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Measured at Vancouver (Harbour), 2 km away and Vancouver International (Airport), 10 km away. Daylight is calculated from latitude for the shortest and longest day.
People at a glance
- Population
662,248
+4.9% since 2016 · 5,750 per km²
- Age
42.2 avg. age
11% under 15 · 17% 65 and over
- Households
2.1 people per household
305,335 occupied homes
- Home types
31% low-rise apartments
31% high-rise apartments · 23% semi, row or duplex
- Getting to work
56% by car
23% transit · 13% walk · 5% bike · 34% from home
Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population. Commute shares describe people with a usual workplace in May 2021, when many worked from home.