Vancouver Harbour

Canadian Pacific Railway had built the enormous two-story Pier B-C in 1927, with its primary purpose to trade with the Orient. Tea, silks, mail and other cargo came across the Pacific Ocean by ship to the terminal in Vancouver. It was then transferred by rail to Montreal and back aboard ships to England. 

The terminal was built in a Spanish style and had a First class passenger lounge. Pier A was to the west of it and was a single deck general freight wharf. Pier D to the east was for the Canadian Pacific Railway's coastal vessels, and it was where the Seabus terminal is today.

Canada Place was constructed in 1986 as the Canadian Pavilion for the World Expo of Transportation that year. Expansion took place in 2001 to accommodate additional berthing for cruise ships. The Canada Place project was built on the former Pier B-C site and included the development of the largest convention centre in Vancouver, the cruise ship centre and the Pan Pacific Hotel. The Pier has a distinctive design of five large sails mimicking those of tall ships of the past.

Every year more than one million cruise ship passengers pass through the Port of Vancouver. This year there will be 300 cruise itineraries by 27 cruise ships from 12 different lines using the facilities at the heart of our city.  More cruise ships than ever are sailing the West Coast waters, with Vancouver the leading homeport for Alaska cruises and the only gateway to Canada's inside passage.

I have passed under Lions Gate Bridge on a Cruise Ship, on a sailboat and a motor yacht. By entering the harbour from seaward, your are welcomed by the span of the Lions Gate Bridge with its one end solidly anchored in the dense urban forest of Stanley Park and the other rooted at the base of the North Shote mountains. While being transfixed to the massiveness and majestic surroundings, you spot a small float plane landing ahead, and beyond that are the SeaBuses crisscrossing the harbour. Pier BC with its tall masts and sails welcomes you to Vancouver, one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.