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Bounded on two sides by water, the district of West Vancouver stretches along 28 kilometres of shoreline and up the lower slopes of Hollyburn Mountain, between Capilano River valley and Horseshoe Bay. This area of outstanding natural beauty has the highest income in Canada and a low crime rate. Its residents are strongly committed to maintaining the high quality of life and the charm of the municipality.
For the structure of population and other community statistics visit the BC Stats Web site .
Housing and
Zoning
West Vancouver is a residential area with no industrial
zoning. Most of the housing stock consists of single family
homes a choice of old summer cottages, modest homes and
multimillion-dollar waterfront estates. If you are looking for a
house of outstanding architectural quality with breathtaking
views, West Vancouver is a perfect place to start.
Multifamily developments are relatively scarce
but there is an intention to provide a wide range of housing
types and sizes. High rise apartment buildings are located along
the eastern beachfront.
The municipality is taking care that new
development continues to enhance the park-like environment with
a well-balanced housing density and limited tree cutting. All
land above the 1,200-foot elevation is preserved for
recreational purposes.
House prices are the highest in the region.
For current house prices see our
Market Tracker .
Shopping, Dining and Entertainment
Park Royal is one of the largest shopping
malls in the region with one million square feet of retail and
office space.
Ambleside and nearby Dundarave are the
liveliest retail sections of West Vancouver. Connected with a
15-block long seawall only a block from the waterfront, these
two centres feature hundreds of shops, galleries, excellent
restaurants, and all kinds of services.
Caulfield Centre, servicing affluent new
developments in the area, features one of a kind stores and
services.
Horseshoe Bay's commercial centre abounds with
restaurants and other tourist and traveler related amenities.
Parks and
Recreation
West Vancouver has over 2,500 hectares of
parkland.
The area is noted for excellent salmon fishing
and contains many popular spots for boating, swimming, and scuba
diving. There are excellent marina facilities and numerous
waterfront parks attracting visitors from the entire region.
Cypress Provincial Park offers day and night
downhill skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, hiking and
cross-country skiing along with fabulous views of Vancouver.
Transportation
The picturesque Lion's Gate Bridge connects
West Vancouver to Downtown Vancouver. The district has its own
beloved "Blue Bus", the first public transit system in Canada to
be totally wheelchair-accessible. It connects various parts of
the district with Vancouver and with buses driving to other
cities.
The Upper Levels Highway, part of the Trans
Canada Highway, traverses the area from east to west providing
fast road access to other parts of the region.
Horseshoe Bay at the northwest edge of the
district is a major terminus for the provincial ferry system. It
services Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island), Bowen Island, and the
nearby Sunshine Coast.
Education
West Vancouver public and private schools have
an excellent reputation.
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