North Vancouver

North Vancouver

North Vancouver, city and district municipality, southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The city lies along the north shore of Burrard Inlet of the Strait of Georgia opposite the city of Vancouver. On the landward side it is surrounded by the much larger (and administratively separate) district municipality of North Vancouver, which extends eastward along the inlet to Indian Arm (the inlet’s northward branch) and borders the district municipality of West Vancouver to the west. The city occupies a relatively small area on low hills near the coastline, whereas the district municipality extends for some distance into ruggedly mountainous and heavily wooded terrain to the north.

The first community there, founded shortly after a sawmill was built on the site in 1863, was for years the largest settlement on Burrard Inlet. In 1872 it was named Moodyville (for Sewell Moody, who owned the sawmill). The district of North Vancouver was established in 1891 and included all of the territory along the northern shore of the inlet except Moodyville. In 1907 the city of North Vancouver was incorporated as an enclave within the district, and in 1915 the city annexed Moodyville. The western portion of North Vancouver district established itself separately as West Vancouver in 1912.

The region’s diversified economy is based on shipping (grain, lumber, and ore), on shipbuilding and sawmilling, and on some light manufacturing. Services have grown in importance, including tourism and filmmaking. The north shore area of Burrard Inlet is connected to the south side by two bridges: the Lions Gate in the west to Vancouver and the Second Narrows in the east to Burnaby (on the east side of Vancouver). In addition, a passenger ferry operates across the inlet between North Vancouver city and downtown Vancouver.

The city has a fine system of parks, but the district municipality is especially noted for the extensive parklands and greenbelts in the mountains behind its southern built-up area. Some two-thirds of Mount Seymour Provincial Park occupies a broad swath of the district’s east side and offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking and mountain climbing in summer and cross-country and downhill skiing in winter. Area district municipality, 62 square miles (161 square km). Pop. (2006) city, 45,165; district municipality, 82,562; (2011) city, 48,196; district municipality, 84,412.