Useful Facts For Vancouver and Whistler
Geography
Vancouver
Latitude: 49° 13' North
Longitude: 123° 06' West
Altitude: 2 m (7 ft) above sea level
Population: Based on the 2006 Canadian Census, the official population of the city of Vancouver was estimated at 578,041. Metro Vancouver's estimated total population in 2006 was 2.1 million, over half of the province of British Columbia’s (BC’s) population of 4.1 million.
Whistler
Latitude: 50° 07' North
Longitude: 122° 58' West
Altitude: Whistler Village is 668 m (2,190 ft) above sea level
Population: Based on the 2006 Canadian Census, the official population of Whistler is 9,248.
Time Zone/Daylight Saving Time
BC is located in the Pacific Time zone, eight hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight saving time is observed from April to October.
Weather/Climate
Winters on the BC coast are temperate; if snow falls it doesn't settle for long. The BC interior and the rest of Canada experience freezing temperatures and lasting snow from November to March.
The key to remaining comfortable is to wear layers of clothes that can be easily removed. Always consult the weather forecast before venturing outdoors for extended periods of time.
- Average winter temperatures range from minus 8º to 3º C (18º to 37º F)
- Average snowfall in the valley is 430.5 cm
- Average snowfall in alpine areas is 914 cm (30 ft)
For current climate and weather conditions by province and territory, visit the Environment Canada website
Currency
The currency used in Canada is the Canadian dollar.
Canadian bank notes are:
- $5
- $10
- $20
- $50
- $100
Canadian coins are:
- One cent (penny)
- Five cents (nickel)
- Ten cents (dime)
- 25 cents (quarter)
- One dollar (loonie)
- Two dollar (toonie)
Main currency exchanges are located in Vancouver International Airport, banks and hotels.
Sales Tax
Most goods and services in Canada and BC are subject to five per cent federal tax and seven per cent provincial tax. These taxes may be in addition to the price of goods and services.
Electricity
Outlets and voltage (110 volts) are the same as in the United States. Small appliances — such as hair dryers, irons and shavers — can be used in Canada. Adaptors are required for electrical appliances for visitors from other countries. The frequency of the electrical current in Canada is 60 Hz.
CDMA/GSM (Mobile Phone) Coverage
CDMA phones are currently the most common cellular technology in Canada. CDMA providers include Bell Mobility and Solo Mobile (a subsidiary of Bell). A CDMA phone will have excellent coverage throughout Vancouver, including all venues.
GSM/GPRS is another mobile phone technology used worldwide; Canada's service providers have roaming agreements with GSM/GPRS companies all over the world. Although it will cost more to use a GSM/GPRS phone, it will work almost anywhere around the globe. The main physical difference between CDMA and GSM/GPRS is the use of a SIM card for GSM devices. If your phone is on a GSM network, check with your service provider to make sure there is a roaming agreement with a Canadian provider.
10-Digit Dialing
There are three telephone area codes for the province of British Columbia: 250, 604 and 778. Dialing in BC requires 10-digit phone numbers, so ensure you include the correct area code in front of the local number you are dialing.
Measurement
Canada uses the metric system. Here are some examples of useful conversions:
- 1 Canadian gallon = 4.5 litres
- 1 American gallon = 3.8 litres
- 1 mile = 1.6 kilometres
- 1 kilometre = 0.6 miles
- 30°C = 86°F
- 20°C = 68°F
- 0°C = 32°F
- minus10°C = 14°F
Official Languages
One of Canada’s greatest cultural assets is that the country boasts two official languages: French and English. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) will reflect Canada’s linguistic duality by providing services in both languages in accordance with federal government policy for national events. With just under seven million francophones across Canada, French communities are widespread in BC. From Prince George to Maillardville — the province’s francophone hub — over 60,000 francophones promote their culture and spirit all over the province.
Shopping (hours and days of operation)
Hours and days of operation are determined by each municipality, although most establishments in Metro Vancouver are open seven days a week.
Credit Cards and Travellers Cheques
Most major credit cards are accepted, but visitors are advised to check with the vendor before making a purchase. Cash machines are available in convenient locations throughout Metro Vancouver.
Banking
Banking hours in Canada are 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Some locations and branches have extended hours and operate on weekends. To cash cheques or for other banking services, visitors are advised to confirm operating hours with the various institutions. In major centres, main branches of Canadian banks are also equipped to exchange foreign currency. Additionally, several major European and foreign banks have offices in Vancouver. Most banks have automatic teller machines, which can be accessed 24 hours a day using bank or credit cards from major international banking networks such as Cirrus, Plus and Interac.
Smoke-Free Games
In addition to VANOC’s smoking restrictions at venues, which comply with the IOC’s “smoke-free Games” requirement, smoking is also prohibited in indoor and some outdoor environments within the Host Communities. These include all indoor public places (restaurants, bars, arenas) as well as within three metres of entrances to buildings. Some cities and communities, such as Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler, will have in place further restrictions, including no smoking on restaurant/bar patios and within six metres of entrances. Smoking at transit shelters or in a bus, taxi or limousine is also prohibited. For more information, visit the Vancouver Coastal Health website.
Personal Safety
Canada is a very safe place to visit, but as with any country, being alert is key to ensuring your safety.
Lock your doors and windows, keep everything in your car out of sight when parked and never leave valuables unattended, especially passports or wallets.
For more tips on personal safety, visit the Government of Canada’s SafeCanada website.
Potable Water
Canadian water is considered safe to drink straight from the tap so be sure to fill up your re-usable water bottle and stay hydrated throughout the day. It is especially important to drink water in colder temperatures as there is a tendency not to feel thirsty in in the cold, which can leave you at risk of dehydration.
Alcohol
The legal drinking age in most Canadian provinces and territories is 19, the exceptions being Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, where it is 18. Photo ID is required to purchase alcoholic beverages or enter bars, restaurants or nightclubs where alcohol is served.
Driving
A US driver’s licence is valid in Canada. However, if you are visiting from any other country, you must apply for an International Driving Permit from an automobile association in your country of residence before you leave, to allow you to drive and rent a car in Canada.
Embassies and Consulates
Canada hosts numerous embassies, consulates and high commissions that can provide assistance if you need help with documentation (for example, replacing a lost passport or extending a visa) or dealing with legal, medical or emergency matters.
To search a directory of consular offices across Canada by country of origin, visit the Foreign Affairs Canada website.
Emergencies
For emergencies in both Whistler and Vancouver, dial 911.
Vancouver-Whistler
The Vancouver International Airport services passengers arriving to Vancouver. General inquiries line: 604.207.7077.
To get downtown the Airporter shuttle costs $12 per person one-way or $18 round trip. Taxi fare is metered and in the $26–$35 range. Rental cars and limousines are more than $36 to downtown. Once you arrive downtown Vancouver Nearby Points of Interest include: Gastown - 2 blocks, Vancouver Art Gallery - 5 blocks, Robson Street (shopping and dining) - 6 blocks, Stanley Park - 1.6 km (1 mile), Granville Island - 3.2 km (2 miles), Vancouver Museum - 3.2 km (2 miles) and Grouse Mountain - 10.5 km (6.5 miles)
Perimeter Bus Lines has an express bus to Whistler that leaves the airport regularly. From Vancouver International Airport to Whistler the approximate travel time is 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 hrs and is $67 one way with door to door hotel service. Call 1.877.317.7788
Rocky Mountain Tours Whistler Mountaineer Escape -Travel onboard the Whistler Mountaineer train and discover Vancouver and the resort town of Whistler. Call 1-877-460-3200 (Canada/US) or 1-604-606-7245 (International) and a Vacation Consultant will assist you. Cost is $105 - $175.
Vancouver Transit Translink
Vancouver has a great public transit system network set up with city buses, Seabus, mini ferries and the Skytrain. You'll need exact change when you get on the bus, and be sure to receive a transfer if you're planning to continue your travels, as a transfer is valid for 90 minutes of travel in any direction.
For more information contact: 604-953-3333 www.translink.bc.ca Bus, SkyTrain and Seabus Fares are provided by TransLink seven days a week. Major bus routes operate every 10 minutes and fares are fully integrated from $1.50 -$3.25 A Day Pass is: $6.00 - $8.00
The Waterfront Station is an excellent downtown hub where the Seabus and Skytrain both originate/end as well as many buses starting and ending here. It is near the Pan Pacific Hotel a downtown landmark as well.
Downtown street parking is not always available and cost $1 - $2 an hour. Parkades are located around the city and Canada place usually has a spot for $12 a day or $2 an hour.
BC Ferries operate from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and to Seachelt and Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. Cost is $40 for a vehicle and passenger each way. Vancouver Ferries operate from Tswassen to Victoria on Vancouver Island. It is possible to do a circle tour catching the ferry in Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo on the east coast of Van Island and connecting in Comox to Powell River. From here Highway 99 starts back with a ferry trip following the Sunshine Coast through Sechelt to the seaside village of Gibsons where a no charge 35 minute ferry ride takes you back to Horseshoe Bay. The whole circle tour takes about 7 hours including the 2 ferry trips.
Driving time from Vancouver to Whistler is 2 hours 120 km (75 miles); from Seattle to Whistler is 5 hours to travel 354 km (218 miles).
Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay is a quaint and picturesque seaside village on the North Shore of Vancouver and the gateway to Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast and central Vancouver Island. Located to the northwest of Vancouver, Horseshoe Bay is best known for its BC Ferry terminal, serving Langdale on the Sunshine Coast, Snug Cove on Bowen Island and Departure Bay in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
Horseshoe Bay is the ending point of the intensely scenic Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99), which winds through the Coast Mountains, from coastal rain forest through Squamish and continues on to Whistler.
Journeys began and ended in Horseshoe Bay long before the arrival of the first Europeans. For Native people, Horseshoe Bay was a traditional meeting place, used both as a seasonal fishing encampment and a place to spend a night when traveling between villages on the Squamish River and Burrard Inlet. The sheltered bay was called ch'xay or Chai-hai, after the swishing sound made by schools of little fish stirring up the waters of Horseshoe Bay. In 1991, it was discovered that Horseshoe Bay Park stands atop an ancient shell midden.
The pleasant waterfront of Horseshoe Bay offers quaint cafés, a wide variety of restaurants, shops and boutiques, with great views of the surrounding mountains, islands and scenic Howe Sound. Recreation in and around secluded Horseshoe Bay includes sea kayaking, scuba diving, boating, hiking, skiing and cross-country skiing.The Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal is located on Highway 99, on Howe Sound, 12.5 miles (20 km) northwest of Vancouver.
North Vancouver
Overlooking Burrard Inlet, backed by the Coast Mountains, North Vancouver has some of the Lower Mainland’s best scenery. This area has most everything, alpine wilderness, canyons, rivers, ski facilities and great shopping. North Vancouver was incorporated in 1891 and became a city in 1907.
North Vancouver, on Hwy 99 is only 5 miles north from downtown Vancouver. A city since 1907, the North Vancouver port is one of the most active in the area. It’s waterfront was one of the first on the Lower Mainland to be developed and still remains a very active port.
The early sawmills of the 1860’s are long gone, and the area is now mainly residential and recreational. Both the city and the district are well established areas, with lots of trees and west coast flavoured homes.
The Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain and the Hiwis Feast House are located in North Vancouver, only 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, by car. From Georgia Street, go through Stanley Park and across Lion's Gate Bridge to Marine Drive, then turn left on Capilano Road for 3 miles and watch for the signs to Grouse Mountain. There is a 10 minute Gondola ride to the top of the Mountain.
From Vancouver Island take the BC Ferries ferry to Horseshoe Bay. The Vancouver International Airport is just a 35 minute drive to North Vancouver
Squamish
Squamish is located halfway between Whistler and Vancouver at the head of Howe Sound just 27 miles north of Horseshoe Bay. Known as one of Canada's top 10 recreational destinations and the outdoor adventure capital of Canada, travelers have been drawn here since the days of the Coast Squamish people. The region’s rich history and atmosphere is embodied in its robust tradition of outdoor activities in all seasons.
Surrounded by the scenic Coast Mountains, as the hub of the Sea to Sky Corridor this dynamic young community offers outstanding lifestyle and provides a full range of services to a regional population of more than 25,000
Squamish means 'Mother of the Wind' in Coast Salish, and bountiful breezes have seen windsurfers clocked at more than 36 mph. Squamish is recognized as Canada's windsurfing capital and hosts the PRO-AM Sailboard Races. Squamish Nation is host to the Squamish Pow Wow and Whey-AH-Wichen Canoe Festival.
It's also hugely popular with rock climbers, Hollywood location scouts, flightseers people sightseeing by air or hikers and birdwatchers. It’s possible to watch rock climbers from around the world test their mettle on the steep face of the Chief, a climber's paradise. Once a logging town, Squamish now also offers restaurants, galleries and shops all with snow-tipped Mount Garibaldi as a fabulous, fairy-tale mountain backdrop. The area around offers world class eagle watching, skiing, hiking, climbing, fishing, windsurfing, river and ocean kayaking, river rafting, golfing and horseback riding.
The Brackendale Eagle Reserve (Off Hwy. 99), is 4 miles north of Squamish in the town of Brackendale and is host to the Eagle Festival. Exit Highway 99 at Mamquam Road and head north on Government Road to the viewing area.
The Nu-Salya Chalet is close to Squamish continue on 99 North past McDonalds Restaurant for approx 3 miles and at the 2nd stop light after McDonald's turn right at Mamquam Rd (towards Golf Course + Kayak Centre). At Sign to Garibaldi Highlands turn left at Highlands Way South At top of hill turn right at The Boulevard Turn next left at Perth Drive, stay on right lane and take first right at Thunderbird Ridge, continue Turn next left at Glacier View Drive + first right - watch for the carved Grizzly Bears on right side at Nu-Salya .
Vancouver
Bordered to the west by the Strait of Georgia and to the south by the US/Canada border, Vancouver is a metropolitan city with spectacular beaches of the Pacific Ocean and rugged peaks of the Coast Mountains.
Most of Canada's imports from and exports to the Orient and Australia pass through Vancouver, Canada's gateway to the Pacific. From the harbor entrance, you can see the Lion's Gate, made up of twin mountain peaks closely resembling crouching lions. Visitors enjoy discovering this city, from the First Nations festivals and sacred art collections to the shops of historic Gastown.
The white-sailed Canada Place has a cultural exploration on the promenade with a historical self-guided tour that introduces First Nation legends and Vancouver's history to visitors as it unfolds around Vancouver's premier harbour location. On the outer promenades of Canada Place, you will find 44 historical points of interest surrounding the harbour. Located at each of the stops are educational and interesting plaques describing historical moments in detail with excellent mountain, sea and city views.
A few blocks west of Canada Place near the floatplane terminals is the Coal Harbour Seawalk to Stanley Park. It winds along the water for just under 1 mile before hooking up to Stanley Parks Seawall and North America’s largest urban parks and Totem Pole collections.
A few blocks to the East is historic Gastown, the original heart of the city that sprouted up when an Englishman and his First Nation wife arrived by canoe to open a pub.
South of downtown is the West End, where Granville Island floats in False Creek. Visitors can take the bathtub like passenger ferries to Granville Island to the Emily Carr Studio of Fine Arts and snacks at the public market. This area reaches to the rugged University of British Columbia in Point Grey and the Museum of Anthropology home to one of the world’s best collections of totem poles.
A 2 ½ hour drive through park filled North Vancouver on Highway 99 is Whistler, one of the world’s most famous resorts. The highway follows and hugs the mountainsides of Howe Sound passing the communities of Lions Bay, Britannia Beach, Squamish and Brackendale before entering Whistler.
The jaw-dropping scenic drive from Vancouver to Whistler is often referred to as the 'Sea to Sky' Highway. This two hour drive was voted the most romantic road in the world. The highway has view pull-outs with photo opportunities of snow-capped mountains, eagles, Aboriginal events and the Stawamus Chief granite monolith (one of only two in the world)
The self-guided drive tours can be driven from downtown Vancouver to Whistler, passing through Granville Island, Stanley Park, to the village of Whistler straight through in 6 hours or it’s possible to spend a full day at each spot.
Whistler
Nestled below Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains in the Whistler Valley north of Vancouver, Whistler resort’s location is spectacular with a cluster of little lakes outlined by glacier peaks. The world-class status of Whistler as the top cosmopolitan ski resort village in North America is growing rapidly as it becomes host for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
The Coast Salish (Aboriginal peoples) inhabited much of the land around Whistler for many thousands of years. Today over two million people annually visit here, primarily for its world-famous snow skiing. There are 3 pillars representing the Olympics, sports, environment and Aboriginal people. It will be interesting to watch as Aboriginal tourism comes out of its infancy and is represented to the world. Presently there is a visible Aboriginal presence in Whistler in August with a Celebration of Aboriginal Culture. Music, art, dance, cuisine and educational components come together to provide a cultural experience.
There is a gift shop that carries Aboriginal Art and a cultural centre is due to open in 2007 with a partnership from The Lil'wat Nation and Squamish Nation.
Originally called Alta Lake, it catered to people interested in outdoor activities. In 1965 the area became more popular after the highway was constructed and Whistler Mountain opened for skiing. In 1975 a plan for Whistler Village was developed.
This world renowned all-season resort centre is 74 miles north of Vancouver and travels through the most spectacular roadway in the world - The Sea to Sky Highway.
Driving directions from Vancouver Airport (YVR) to downtown Vancouver to Whistler
Drive east out of the airport on Grant McConachie Way Follow the Hwy 99 North signs over the Arthur Lang Bridge onto Granville Street.
Follow Granville Street north crossing the Granville Street Bridge Shift to the far right lane of the bridge and take the Seymour Street exit Follow Seymour Street north until Georgia Street. Turn left onto Georgia Street Georgia Street and it takes you through Vancouver's downtown core heading west, through Stanley Park and over the majestic Lions Gate bridge. Exit the bridge on the Marine Drive West turnoff, stay in the left lanes and follow the signs to Whistler. Take the first right onto Taylor Way, travel up the hill and turn left onto Highway 1 West. Follow the signs and take Exit 2 (just before the ferry terminal) to Whistler / Squamish Hwy 99.
White Rock
A summer seaside resort, White Rock, with more sunshine than any other spot in the Lower Mainland, is almost picture-perfect, with a promenade that runs for 4 miles on the beach-front.
The community is named for the very large white rock on the beach. Legend has it, that a Sea God’s son fell in love with a Cowichan Indian Maiden. The lovers after being rejected by both fathers, vowed to make a new home.
The Sea God’s son on seeing the big white rock, picking it up, threw it across Georgia Strait and then with his Cowichan princess, they followed the rock to begin a new life and a new tribe. White Rock is host to the Earl Merriot Pow Wow and the Salmon Festival.
White Rock is 28 miles southeast of Vancouver on Hwy 99. It is bordered on the south by the US, north and east by the District of Surrey, and west by Semiahmoo Bay. B.C. Bus Transit serves the area. It is still one of Vancouver’s’ quaint sea-side villages.
