Canada Place
Located on the Burrard Inlet beach, Canada Place is one of Vancouver’s most famous landmarks. It has great views, interesting architecture, historical significance, and is close to all the major attractions.
There is also a good promenade to take around the site. It’s very pretty and you can stop off for dinner at one of the restaurants there. There are hotels, an IMAX theatre, and a cruise ship terminal too.
Canada Place is the location of Vancouver’s World Trade Centre, the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, and the home of the newly opened FlyOver Canada. It is a hub for several conventions and conferences as well as being a popular tourist destination for those visiting from around the world.
Brief history of Canada Place
This area was originally designed to serve the nearby CPR Pier B and C in 1927. It was solely used for this, specifically with nearby shipping lines trading across the Pacific Ocean.
Different arms of governments developed convention, cruise ship, and hotel facilities in 1978. About half a decade later, Canada made a very important contribution to the international market by creating a new, state-owned development company called Canada Place Corporation (CPC).
This was changed to Canada Harbour Place Corporation in 2012 to coordinate the management of all Canada Place facilities.
The work’s getting done, when Queen Elizabeth II arrives with Pierre Trudeau and William Bennett to initiate the first concrete pour.
Canada Place is now managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority who is responsible for the administration of federal port lands around Vancouver.
Designed by DA Architects + Planners, Zeidler Roberts Partnership, and Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, this building’s exterior is covered in fabric roofs that look like sails. It’s one of the main cruise ship terminals in BC, with cruises to Alaska leaving from here.
Canada Place underwent an expansion in 2001 to include an additional cruise ship berth, and it served as the Press Centre for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Getting to Canada Place
The landmark is situated at 780-999 Canada Pl, Vancouver, V6C 3C1.
There are many ways to access Canada Place from foot, including pedestrian access along Howe St. & Burrard St.
If you’re coming with a vehicle, take the same street and start from Hwy 1. Head northwest on Highway-1 West and take Exit 27 for First Avenue.
Now, go from E 1st Ave to Nanaimo St, then turn right and drive until you reach E Hastings. This is where you turn left.
From E Hastings, you’ll get to Seymour St. Take a right turn and drive straight to W Cordova St. Now, turn left on W Cordova St until you reach Howe St, after which you’ll take the second right. Turn left and you’ll see Canada Place straight ahead.
Canada Place is the location for most of Vancouver’s attractions and can be reached via the SkyTrain line via West Cordova Street or at the nearby Waterfront Station terminus.
You can get from downtown Vancouver to the North Shore by taking the SeaBus or BC Ferries from Nanaimo, Vancouver, or Victoria.
Air travel is another popular way to get to Canada Place, YVR Airport being just a 25-minute drive away.
You can find parking at WestPark. In order to enter the parking lot, be sure you descend from Howe Street to arrive at the foot entrance. There are two levels of parking within, with tickets available at the dispenser or booth.
What features does this landmark offer?
1. The Canada Place experience
Canada Place provides a uniquely Canadian experience throughout the year. Stare at the giant, looming white sails. Or walk around the Sails of Light each evening and enjoy the show.
Discover the country on the Canadian Trail. Also, every day at noon, you can hear the 12 O’Clock Horn, now known as the Heritage Horns.
Other experiences include Canada Place Sails, Dream of Canada Exhibit, the Explore Our Stories exhibit, the Voyage Canada exhibit, and the Welcome Centre.
Canada Place is right at the heart of downtown Vancouver and provides a great overlook as well as beginning and endpoints for the Vancouver Seawall.
2. Explore Canada’s largest port
The Port of Vancouver is the country’s top port, so this is an opportunity to tour Canada’s largest and busiest port-of-entry excitingly.
The Port of Vancouver Discovery Centre is a great place to learn more about the port’s operations, trade, transportation, and products. Visitors can enjoy interesting multimedia displays and interactive touchscreen displays that will get them up-to-date on everything they need to know.
Take a look at the free learning experience they have prepared for you. They will discuss the history of the Port of Vancouver and its people, providing you with all of this information in a visually attractive way.
The Discovery Centre is closed at the moment, but it normally operates between 8 am and 8 pm, plus it’s free to visit every day except Christmas day.
3. Attractions and facilities
Canada Place is a multi-purpose building with lots of facilities including the Port of Vancouver’s Cruise Ship Terminal, World Trade Centre’s office tower, VINCI Park parkade, and WestPark.
Canada Place also has a hotel. The Pan Pacific Vancouver has 503 rooms, two restaurants, and is close to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, which also provides great accommodations.
Canada Place is close to a lot of attractions in Vancouver. It’s a quick walk from the SeaBus and SkyTrain terminal at Waterfront Station. Plus, the deck is a great way to see the ocean and the North Shore Mountains.
It’s not that far away from Gastown, Granville Street, or Coal Harbour. It’s also close to the Coal Harbour Seawall which will take you to Stanley Park!
Canada Place is a 5-minute walk from the Olympic Cauldron in the heart of downtown Vancouver. It’s across the street from the Vancouver Convention Centre facility.
You can also see the FlyOver Canada visual adventure. It’s a multi-sensory theatre with movies about Canada. Visitors strap themselves in for an “on the fly” experience of this great country!
4. More points of interest
Restaurants within or nearby the Place include Miku, Five Sails Restaurant, Oceans 999, Marcello Pizzeria, Coal Harbour Bar, Momo Sushi, and Alouette Bistro.
Attractions close by include Vancouver Visitor Centre, Steamworks Brewing Company, Waterfront Station, Stanley Park, Spa Utopia, and Marine Building.
What events are held at Canada Place?
The landmark hosts a variety of events throughout the year. These include conferences, trade shows, and community events like the Canada Place Summer Series and National Aboriginal Day.
Canada Place is the site of the largest annual Canada Day celebration in Vancouver, so make sure to be there on July 1st.
Outdoor movies will be held at the end of the pier on Thursdays in July and August – for free! Don’t forget to bring a blanket and lawn chair for a fun night out.
Zumba Classes take place during the summer, on Monday evenings, and you can enjoy them for free and without any experience!
Canada Place becomes an iconic landmark during the Christmas season by illuminating the building at night and having Christmas displays that are set up on its promenade deck, making it a popular tourist attraction to visit during the holiday season.