Metro Vancouver Regional District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Metro Vancouver
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Regional district and metropolitan area
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| Metro Vancouver Regional District Greater Vancouver Regional District (1968–2017) Regional District of Fraser–Burrard (1967–1968) |
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Satellite image of Metro Vancouver
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Location in British Columbia
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | British Columbia | |
| Incorporated | June 29, 1967 | |
| Name change | June 13, 1968 | |
| Name change | January 30, 2017 | |
| Administrative office location | Burnaby | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Regional district | |
| • Body | Board of Directors | |
| Area
(2016)
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| • Total | 2,882.68 km2 (1,113.01 sq mi) | |
| Highest elevation | 1,990 m (6,530 ft) | |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | |
| Population
(2016)
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| • Total | 2,463,431 | |
| • Density | 854.6/km2 (2,213/sq mi) | |
| Canadian CD rank: 2nd | ||
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) | |
| Area code(s) | 604 / 778 / 236 / 672 | |
Metro Vancouver is a special government group in Canada. It helps manage the Greater Vancouver area in British Columbia. Think of it as a team that helps many cities work together.
Its official name is the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD). It used to be called the Regional District of Fraser–Burrard in 1967. Then it was known as the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) from 1968 to 2017.
Metro Vancouver shares borders with Whatcom County, Washington to the south. To the east is the Fraser Valley Regional District. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District is to the north. Across the Strait of Georgia to the west are the Nanaimo Regional District and Cowichan Valley Regional District.
The MVRD is guided by 23 local groups. It provides services, makes rules, and acts as a place for leaders to discuss important topics. Vancouver is the biggest city in Metro Vancouver. The main offices are in Burnaby. The MVRD's borders are the same as the Vancouver census metropolitan area (CMA). This area is defined by Statistics Canada.
Contents
How Metro Vancouver Started
The Greater Vancouver Water District began in 1924. The Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District started in 1956. These groups helped manage water and waste.
The government of British Columbia created a regional district on June 29, 1967. It was first called the Regional District of Fraser-Burrard. Less than a year later, on June 13, 1968, its name changed to the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD).
In 2007, the GVRD wanted to change its name again to "Metro Vancouver." They thought this name would be easier to remember. At first, the government said no because the name didn't include "regional district." But they suggested the GVRD could use "Metro Vancouver" unofficially.
After nine years, people knew "Metro Vancouver" very well. So, in 2016, the GVRD decided to try again. On January 30, 2017, the government officially changed the name. It became the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
Where Metro Vancouver Is
The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) is located east of the Strait of Georgia. It is north of the State of Washington. The Fraser River flows through the middle of it. The MVRD's borders are the same as the Vancouver CMA.
Who Lives in Metro Vancouver
| Metro Vancouver | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1891 | 21,887 | — |
| 1901 | 42,926 | +96.1% |
| 1911 | 164,020 | +282.1% |
| 1921 | 232,597 | +41.8% |
| 1931 | 347,709 | +49.5% |
| 1941 | 393,898 | +13.3% |
| 1951 | 562,462 | +42.8% |
| 1961 | 790,741 | +40.6% |
| 1971 | 1,028,334 | +30.0% |
| 1981 | 1,169,831 | +13.8% |
| 1991 | 1,602,590 | +37.0% |
| 1996 | 1,831,665 | +14.3% |
| 2001 | 1,986,965 | +8.5% |
| 2006 | 2,116,581 | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 2,313,328 | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 2,463,431 | +6.5% |
In the 2016 Census, 2,463,431 people lived in the Metro Vancouver Regional District. This was a 6.49% increase from 2011. The area covers about 2,882.68 square kilometers. This makes it the regional district in British Columbia with the most people and the highest population density.
Many different groups of people live in Metro Vancouver.
| Canada 2016 Census | Population | % of total population (2016) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible minority group | Chinese | 474,655 | 19.6% |
| South Asian | 291,005 | 12% | |
| Filipino | 123,170 | 5.1% | |
| Korean | 52,980 | 2.2% | |
| Southeast Asian | 44,905 | 1.9% | |
| West Asian | 46,010 | 1.9% | |
| Latin American | 34,805 | 1.4% | |
| Japanese | 30,110 | 1.2% | |
| Black | 29,830 | 1.2% | |
| Arab | 16,430 | 0.7% | |
| Visible minority, n.i.e. | 6,490 | 0.3% | |
| Multiple visible minorities | 35,295 | 1.5% | |
| Total visible minority population | 1,185,680 | 48.9% | |
| European Canadian | 1,179,100 | 48.6% | |
| Aboriginal group | 61,455 | 2.5% | |
| Total population | 2,426,235 | 100% | |
Cities and Towns in Metro Vancouver
Metro Vancouver includes 23 different local areas. These are 21 cities and towns, one electoral area, and one First Nation.
| Metro Vancouver members | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Census subdivision | Population
(2016) |
Population
(2011) |
Growth Rate
(2011-2016) |
| Vancouver | City | 631,486 | 603,502 | 4.64% |
| Surrey | City | 517,887 | 468,251 | 10.60% |
| Burnaby | City | 232,755 | 223,218 | 4.27% |
| Richmond | City | 198,309 | 190,473 | 4.11% |
| Coquitlam | City | 139,284 | 126,804 | 9.84% |
| Township of Langley | District municipality | 117,285 | 104,177 | 12.58% |
| Delta | City | 102,238 | 99,863 | 2.38% |
| District of North Vancouver | District municipality | 85,935 | 84,412 | 1.80% |
| Maple Ridge | City | 82,256 | 76,052 | 8.16% |
| New Westminster | City | 70,996 | 65,976 | 7.61% |
| Port Coquitlam | City | 58,612 | 55,958 | 4.74% |
| City of North Vancouver | City | 52,898 | 48,196 | 9.76% |
| West Vancouver | District municipality | 42,473 | 42,694 | -0.52% |
| Port Moody | City | 33,551 | 33,011 | 1.64% |
| City of Langley | City | 25,888 | 25,081 | 3.22% |
| White Rock | City | 19,952 | 19,339 | 3.17% |
| Pitt Meadows | City | 18,573 | 17,736 | 4.72% |
| Electoral Area A | Regional district electoral area | 16,133 | 12,988 | 24.21% |
| Bowen Island | Island municipality | 3,680 | 3,402 | 8.17% |
| Anmore | Village | 2,210 | 2,092 | 5.64% |
| Lions Bay | Village | 1,334 | 1,318 | 1.21% |
| Tsawwassen | First Nation | 816 | 720 | 13.33% |
| Belcarra | Village | 643 | 644 | -0.16% |
| Total Metro Vancouver Regional District | 2,463,431 | 2,313,328 | 6.49% | |
Electoral Area A includes all the land that isn't part of a city or town. This area is about 818 square kilometers. Most of it is in the northern part of the district. It includes homes on Howe Sound and Indian Arm. It also has Barnston Island on the Fraser River. The communities of the University of British Columbia and the University Endowment Lands are also here. Most people in Electoral Area A live in these university communities.
There are also seventeen Indian reserves in the area. These are not managed by Metro Vancouver or local cities. About 7,550 people lived there in 2006.
Cities like Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission are to the east. They are part of a different regional district. This is the Fraser Valley Regional District.
How Metro Vancouver is Governed
Metro Vancouver is made up of four main groups. These are the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVS&DD), the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD), and the Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC). Each group has its own board of directors.
The MVRD board has 40 directors. These directors come from the 23 local areas that are members. The number of directors from each area depends on how many people live there. Each director is also an elected leader from one of the local areas. The only exception is the representative for Electoral Area A, which doesn't have a city council.
In 2017, Metro Vancouver had about 1,500 employees. The organization has ten departments. These departments help with things like human resources, finances, legal matters, and planning.
What Metro Vancouver Does
Metro Vancouver's main job is to manage resources and services for the whole metropolitan area. The Metro Vancouver Board has a plan for 2015 to 2018. This plan guides their work.
The organization divides its work into different areas. Most of its money (84%) is spent on three main services: water, liquid waste, and solid waste.
Managing Water
Metro Vancouver's water service follows a plan called the Drinking Water Management Plan. Its goals are:
- To provide clean and safe drinking water.
- To use water resources in a way that can last a long time.
- To supply water efficiently.
The Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) provides tap water to a large area. All the water comes from three sources: the Capilano reservoir, the Seymour reservoir, and the Coquitlam reservoir. Metro Vancouver controls the Cleveland Dam on the Capilano reservoir. This dam supplies 40 percent of the district's water.
Managing Liquid Waste
Metro Vancouver runs and takes care of the liquid waste system. This includes a network of pipes, pumping stations, and treatment plants. These connect to city sewer systems. The goal is to protect public health and the environment. They also try to get useful resources, like energy, from the waste.
The liquid waste service follows the Integrated Liquid Waste and Resource Management plan. Its goals are:
- To protect public health and the environment.
- To use liquid waste as a resource.
- To manage waste effectively, affordably, and together with others.
Managing Solid Waste
Metro Vancouver's solid waste service follows the Integrated Solid Waste and Resource Management plan. Its goals are:
- To create less waste.
- To reuse, recycle, and recover as many materials as possible.
- To get energy from waste after recycling.
- To put any remaining waste in landfills after recycling and energy recovery.
One idea was to build a very large Landfill near Ashcroft, British Columbia. This is because there isn't much space left in the Lower Mainland for Metro Vancouver's garbage. There are concerns about the environment in that area.
Providing Housing
Metro Vancouver owns and manages housing for people in the region. This is done through the Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC). It also creates plans for homelessness and affordable housing. The MVHC's goals are:
- To increase the amount and types of housing available.
- To increase rental housing and keep existing homes.
- To meet housing needs for people with low incomes.
- To add more rental housing near public transport.
- To end homelessness in the region.
The Metro Vancouver Regional District is the only owner of the MVHC. The housing corporation has 13 directors.
Planning for the Region
Metro Vancouver works with its members to create a shared vision for the region. This vision is about making the area a great place to live for everyone. It's called the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS). The RGS has five goals:
- To create a compact urban area.
- To support a strong economy.
- To protect the environment and deal with climate change.
- To develop complete communities (places where people can live, work, and play).
- To support sustainable ways to travel.
Regional planning also includes plans for farming and food. The organization wants to:
- Grow more food close to home.
- Make the food business more successful.
- Help people choose healthy and sustainable food.
- Make sure everyone has access to healthy and affordable food.
- Create a food system that is good for the environment.
The board also has an Ecological Health Action Plan. This plan helps Metro Vancouver improve the environment in the region.
Improving Air Quality
Metro Vancouver has programs and rules to keep the air clean. This protects people's health and the environment. It also helps improve how clear the air looks. The organization wants to reduce its part in climate change. The goals are:
- To protect public health and the environment.
- To improve how clear the air looks.
- To reduce the region's impact on global climate change.
Managing Regional Parks
The parks department of Metro Vancouver looks after 23 regional parks. They also manage nature reserves and greenways. The goals for regional parks are:
- To promote a healthy environment.
- To encourage outdoor activities for health and well-being.
- To support community involvement and education.
- To encourage donations and economic chances.
Regional parks are different from city parks. They are usually more "wild." They show unique natural areas like bogs and old rainforests.
Boosting Regional Economy
Metro Vancouver also works to help the region's economy grow. This service helps by:
- Encouraging groups to work together.
- Collecting data and doing research about the region.
- Attracting new businesses and investments.
Regional Cooperation
Metro Vancouver also does important support work for all its services. It aims to be a leader and work with its members and other groups. There are eight main directions for this work:
- To guide services and operations with goals for livability and sustainability.
- To make sure regional goals match member goals.
- To teach the public about Metro Vancouver's services.
- To build better relationships with governments, First Nations, and other groups.
- To support combining land use and transportation planning.
- To make Metro Vancouver's role in regional economic growth clearer.
- To work with others to prepare for big emergencies.
- To manage money responsibly.
The board also has a Corporate Climate Action Plan. This plan helps Metro Vancouver reduce its carbon footprint. It also helps prepare its buildings and activities for the changes in climate.
See also
In Spanish: Distrito regional del Gran Vancouver para niños
