North Vancouver, British Columbia (district municipality)

The District of North Vancouver is a district municipality

District municipality

A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.-Usage in British Columbia:...

in British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

and is part of the GVRD. It surrounds the City of North Vancouver

North Vancouver, British Columbia (city)

The City of North Vancouver is a waterfront municipality on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, directly across from Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the smallest of the three North Shore municipalities, and the most urbanized as well...

on three sides.

Geography

The District of North Vancouver is separated from Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

by Burrard Inlet

Burrard Inlet

Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Formed during the last Ice Age, it separates the City of Vancouver and the rest of the low-lying Burrard Peninsula from the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, home to the communities of West...

. It can be accessed by the Lions' Gate Bridge

Lions' Gate Bridge

The Lions Gate Bridge, 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 municipalities of the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and...

, the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing

Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing

The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, also called the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, is the second bridge constructed at the Second Narrows of Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...

, and the SeaBus

SeaBus

The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver and North Vancouver. The SeaBus is owned and operated by the Coast Mountain Bus Company and is an important part of TransLink's integrated public...

passenger ferry.

The District is bounded by the Capilano River

Capilano River

The Capilano River flows from north to south through the Coast Mountains on Vancouver's North Shore and empties into Burrard Inlet, opposite Stanley Park. The river is one of three primary sources of drinking water for residents of Greater Vancouver. The Cleveland Dam, built in 1954, impounds a...

to the west, Indian Arm to the east, Burrard Inlet

Burrard Inlet

to the south, and the Coast Mountains

Coast Mountains

The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...

to the north. It sprawls in an east-west direction across the mountain slopes, and is characterized by rugged terrain and steep and winding roadways. While there is no true urban core within the District, there are a number of separate commercial neighbourhood centres. These include (from west to east): Edgemont Village

Edgemont Village

Edgemont Village is a small commercial area in the District of North Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. It is centred around the intersection of Edgemont Boulevard and Highland Boulevard in the north-western part of the District...

, Upper Lonsdale, Lynn Valley

Lynn Valley

Lynn Valley is a neighbourhood of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Located at the northern edge of Metro Vancouver, it is nestled between the forested slopes of Mount Fromme and Mount Seymour...

, Main Street, Parkgate, and Deep Cove

Deep Cove, North Vancouver

Deep Cove refers to both the community in the easternmost part of the District of North Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada, and also the geographic name of the small bay beside the town. It is affectionately referred to as "The Cove" by local residents. Located at the foot of Mount Seymour,...

The District has a lot in common with West Vancouver

West Vancouver, British Columbia

West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the municipality is northwest of the city of Vancouver on the northern side of English Bay and the...

and the City of North Vancouver

North Vancouver, British Columbia (city)

. Together these three municipalities are commonly referred to as the North Shore

North Shore (Greater Vancouver)

"Vancouver's North Shore" is a term commonly used to refer to several areas adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:*the District of West Vancouver;*the City of North Vancouver;*the District of North Vancouver; and...

. Most of the residents of the District live in single family dwellings. Except for a few more historical areas, much of the development of the District has occurred since the 1950s. The City of North Vancouver

North Vancouver, British Columbia (city)

has considerably higher commercial and residential density. However, the differences between the two "North Vans" are most apparent to their respective residents. For the most part, other Lower Mainland residents rarely distinguish between the District and the City, referring to both collectively as "North Vancouver".

History

For thousands of years, the Indigenous Sḵwxwú7mesh and their kin Tsleil-Waututh

Tsleil-Waututh First Nation

The Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, also known as the Burrard Indian Band or Burrard Band, is a First Nations government in the Canadian Province of British Columbia...

, of the Coast Salish

Coast Salish

Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...

, resided in the land known as North Vancouver. Slightly over 200 years ago, the people of the Sḵwxwú7mesh and Tsleil-Waututh

Tsleil-Waututh First Nation

The Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, also known as the Burrard Indian Band or Burrard Band, is a First Nations government in the Canadian Province of British Columbia...

living on the North Shore had their first glimpse of Europeans. First the Spanish arrived, giving their name to Vancouver’s Spanish Banks and, in 1792, Captain George Vancouver explored the local shores. But it was not until 1862 that the first attempt was made to harvest the North Shore’s rich stands of timber, leading to fuller settlement of the area that would later become North Vancouver.

The first industry on the North Shore was Pioneer Mills, founded in 1862 to log the huge trees of the coastal rainforest. After twice changing hands, the operation was bought by Sewell ("Sue") Prescott Moody in 1865. Near where the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool grain elevators now stand, the town of Moodyville grew up and stood as the main centre of activity on the North Shore until the mill closed in 1901. The first school was established in Moodyville. The second, Central School, opened in 1902 in a building that still stands as part of what is now Presentation House at 3rd Street and Chesterfield Avenue, the current home of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives.

In 1891, the first municipality on the North Shore was formed as the District of North Vancouver. It stretched across the North Shore from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove but omitted Moodyville. In the early years of this century, a real estate boom took place, with speculators – including the British poet Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...

– eager to turn a quick dollar. A new community began to take shape. In 1902, the Hotel North Vancouver was built; in 1905, the first bank, a branch of the Bank of North America, opened. A newspaper, the Express, commenced publication in 1905 and in 1906 the British Columbia Electric Railway

British Columbia Electric Railway

The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the...

began streetcar service.

Industry, particularly shipbuilding, became central, with the magnificent stands of trees a rich resource for a society in which ships, houses and most other manmade things were constructed mainly of wood. The Wallace Shipyards moved in 1906 to the area just east of Lonsdale Avenue, drawn by the arrival of electricity. Over the years, this company, later known as Burrard Dry Dock

Burrard Dry Dock

Burrard Dry Dock Ltd. was a Canadian shipbuilding company headquartered in North Vancouver, British Columbia . Together with the neighboring North Van Ship Repair yard and the Yarrows Ltd...

and then Versatile Pacific Shipyards, became a major force in the local economy. Many of the shipyard's buildings still stand although the company has now ceased operations.

Economic prosperity and rapid growth in the Lower Lonsdale area of North Vancouver led to the establishment in 1907 of the separate City of North Vancouver, with a population of approximately 1,500. West Vancouver separated from the District in 1912. Apart from the addition of Moodyville in 1915, the boundaries of the City have not changed, even though far more people now call the District home.

Communications with Vancouver have always been an important factor in the development of the North Shore. The first ferry service was supplied by "Navvy Jack’s" rowboat in 1866. In 1867, the Sea Foam established regular ferry service that continued until 1958. The SeaBus

SeaBus

re-established water transportation in 1977. Rail service was slower in developing. While the Pacific Great Eastern Railway inaugurated a 12.7-mile run from North Vancouver to Whytecliff in 1914, it was not until the completion of the first Second Narrows Bridge

Second Narrows Bridge

The Second Narrows Bridge is a vertical lift railway bridge that crosses the Burrard Inlet and connects Vancouver with the North Shore. As the name suggests, it is located at the second narrowing of the Burrard Inlet....

in 1925 that rail and road links with the Lower Mainland supplemented the local ferry service.

Early plans for North Vancouver were ambitious. The City as a communications hub and industrial centre was surrounded by the more rural District, both municipalities in a magnificent geographical setting that appeared to open endless possibilities. But early grandiose plans met with a number of setbacks. The real estate boom was overtaken by a worldwide depression in 1913 and then World War I delayed many projects. The depression that began in 1929, coupled with disruptions to communications over the Second Narrows caused by ships colliding with the bridge, led to economic difficulties and severe tax shortfalls. Both the City and the District were placed in receivership in 1933. But the opening of the second road crossing, the Lions' Gate Bridge

Lions' Gate Bridge

in 1938 was a significant factor in making the North Shore more accessible. And the war years led to an economic revival of North Vancouver, especially because of the many ships built in the Burrard Drydock at the foot of Lonsdale for the Canadian war effort.

In the postwar years, the City and the District of North Vancouver boomed, with most of the growth taking place in the District because of its greater land resources.

People and politics

Mayor	Richard Walton (2002, 2005, 2008 municipal election)
Councillors	Roger Bassam (2008); Robin Hicks (2005,2008); Mike Little (2005,2008); Douglas MacKay-Dunn (1999, 2005, 2008); Lisa Muri (1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008); Alan Nixon (2002,2005,2008)
Provincial MLA Member of the Legislative Assembly A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction.... s	Jane Thornthwaite Jane Thornthwaite Jane Thornthwaite is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of North Vancouver-Seymour.... (Seymour); Naomi Yamamoto Naomi Yamamoto Naomi Yamamoto is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of North Vancouver-Lonsdale.... (Lonsdale); Ralph Sultan Ralph Sultan Ralph Sultan is a Canadian politician. He is currently the Member of the Legislative Assembly for West Vancouver-Capilano in British Columbia.... (Capilano)
MP Member of Parliament A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...	Andrew Saxton Andrew Saxton Andrew Saxton is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of North Vancouver in the 2008 Canadian federal election and re-elected in 2011... (2008,2011 federal election)

Industry

While industry was the engine that propelled North Vancouver for much of the twentieth century, this has now largely been replaced by enterprises more in tune with present economic realities. Many North Shore companies are in the business of creating and marketing high technology.

The television and film industry has made the area the centre of Hollywood North. Filming of the popular series The X-Files took place in North Vancouver for five seasons, with many of its "wilderness" sequences shot in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve (LSCR).

Sites of interest

The Capilano Suspension Bridge
Capilano Suspension Bridge
The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The current bridge is long and above the river...

in a private park carries hikers across the Capilano River to nature trails and a unique rain forest canopy walk (there is an admission fee).
The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge
The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is a pedestrian bridge located within Lynn Canyon Park, in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. It is high from the bottom of the canyon. The bridge was built as a private venture in 1912....

is in a District of North Vancouver public park (free admission). Also at the park is the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre.
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain is one of the North Shore Mountains of the Pacific Ranges in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Exceeding 1,200 m in altitude at its peak, is the site of an alpine ski area in the winter season overlooking Greater Vancouver with four chairlifts facilitating 26 runs...

is a ski hill and a tourist destination reached by either a gondola lift
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...

or the famous Grouse Grind hike.
Mount Seymour
Mount Seymour
Mount Seymour is a mountain located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a part of the North Shore Mountains, rising to the north from the shores of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm to a summit of above the Indian River and Deep Cove neighbourhoods...

is a ski and hiking destination in the District.
The Cleveland Dam
Cleveland Dam
The Cleveland Dam is a concrete dam at the head of the Capilano River in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that holds back Capilano Lake. Part of the Capilano River Regional Park, it is not used for generating hydroelectricity, but rather for storing a portion of the Lower Mainland's...

in the Capilano River Regional Park
Capilano River Regional Park
Capilano River Regional Park is located in the District of North Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of twenty-one regional parks operated by the Metro Vancouver. The park encompasses most of the upstream areas of the Capilano River below the Cleveland Dam. The area north of the dam...

offers nature trails as well as a fish hatchery
Hatchery
A hatchery is a facility where eggs are hatched under artificial conditions, especially those of fish or poultry. It may be used for ex-situ conservation purposes, i.e. to breed rare or endangered species under controlled conditions; alternatively, it may be for economic reasons A hatchery is a...

, the Capilano River Hatchery.
Mount Fromme is a popular mountain bicycling destination.
Northlands Golf Course is a public golf course owned and operated by the District of North Vancouver.

Transportation

The main (and only) highway through the District of North Vancouver is the Trans-Canada Highway

Trans-Canada Highway

The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...

(Highway 1). This crosses over the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing

Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing

from Vancouver and goes through the District to the western border with West Vancouver.

Public transit, operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company

Coast Mountain Bus Company

Coast Mountain Bus Company is the contract operator for bus transit services in Metro Vancouver and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority known locally as TransLink, the entity responsible for transit...

and funded by TransLink, runs routes throughout the District, mostly from Lonsdale Quay

Lonsdale Quay

Lonsdale Quay is a major transit hub for Vancouver's North Shore municipalities, as well as a public market and tourist destination. Located at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue in the City of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, it is the northern terminal for the SeaBus passenger ferry...

in the City of North Vancouver. West Vancouver Blue Bus

West Vancouver Blue Bus

West Vancouver Blue Bus Transit system began in 1912, and is the oldest continuously operated, municipal system in North America. These buses are part of the TransLink network but continue to be owned and operated by the District Municipality of West Vancouver under a contract to...

also runs several routes between the two North Vancouvers and West Vancouver.

Demographics

According to the 2006 Census:

Population: 82,562
Growth Rate (2001–2006): 0.3 %
Total Private Dwellings: 30,957
Land Area: 160.67 km².
Density: 513.9 people per km².

External links

Surrounding municipalities

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