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Location Information

Vancouver, Canada
Language: English, French
Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America. Canada extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. Canada is the second largest country in the world, after Russia, and largest on the continent.

Aboriginal and Inuit tradition holds that the First Peoples inhabited parts of Canada since the dawn of time. Europeans first arrived when the Vikings settled briefly at L'Anse aux Meadows circa AD 1000. The next Europeans to explore Canada's Atlantic coast included John Cabot in 1497 for England and Jacques Cartier in 1534 for France; seasonal Basque whalers and fishermen would subsequently exploit the region. French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1603 and established the first permanent European settlements at Port Royal in 1605 and Quebec City in 1608.

Summer thunderstorms are common throughout Canada. Occasionally, these may become ’severe’. Tornados also occur throughout Canada, with May to September being prime months. The peak season is June and early July in southern Ontario, Alberta, south-eastern Québec, and a band stretching from southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, through to Thunder Bay. The interior of British Columbia and western New Brunswick are also tornado zones.

Canada offers a huge range of attractions, from large cosmopolitan cities such as Montréal and Toronto in the south, to isolated Inuit (Eskimo) settlements dotted around the frozen shores of Hudson Bay. The Rocky Mountains and other ranges offer breathtaking scenery on a grand scale. Some of the best resorts are in the series of great National Parks which preserve the wildlife and forests of Canada in their virgin state.

Canadian cuisine is as varied as the country. The colonial influence is still strong, with European menus available in all major cities. The French influence in Québec is easily discernible in the many restaurants which specialize in French cuisine.

Every major provincial capital in the more populated areas has nightclubs, and hotel dinner/dancing. Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg are centres for ballet, opera and classical music, with visits from leading orchestras and internationally renowned performers. Entertainment in the more remote towns is scarce.

Vancouver is a coastal city and major seaport, located on the mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada.

The Lower Mainland was originally home to various First Nations peoples (belonging to the Coast Salish linguistic group) when George Vancouver explored the area in 1792. In the 1820s, European settlers set up a fur and salmon trading post at Fort Langley, east of present-day Vancouver. 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.

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.

Downtown Vancouver is a compact area full of activity, day and night. Robson Square is a focal point, with a series of landscaped terraces. Separating Downtown from Stanley Park is the West End, who’s green and tranquil streets belie the fact that it has one of the highest population densities in North America. Denman Street typifies the lifestyle, with shops and cafés and a fantastic sunset view over English Bay.

Vancouver offers nightlife to suit all tastes, including nightclubs, pubs, lounges and karaoke bars. Popular areas for going out include Gastown, Yaletown and around Granville Street, which has become increasingly popular of late. The largest cluster of Vancouver’s gay establishments can be found in the Davie Village, on Davie Street west of Granville Street.

Medical Precautions: None

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