Canada City Guide
Gold rushes in 1858 bolstered the local population; the town itself grew around a sawmill and the transcontinental railway terminus. The city was known as Granville for a while but, in 1886, it was renamed Vancouver.
For much of Vancouver’s history and even to a large extent today, the city’s economy has relied on resource-based industries (such as logging and mining) and the transhipment of goods from the rail terminus to ocean-going vessels. Tourism is increasingly a factor, especially after the success of Expo86 and with the rising popularity of Alaska-bound cruises that depart from the Canada Place Terminal.
Vancouver enjoys a maritime climate, with mild winters and warm summers ensuring that the city is green throughout the year. Although winters can be notoriously rainy, there are often long periods of continuous sunshine in the summertime, when visitors come to explore the region’s natural beauty. Snowfall is rare in the city, although is more than adequate for the ski slopes on the mountains to the north.
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