Canada Place at Vancouver Waterfront

Canada Place is one of Vancouver‘s best places to visit because of its views, interesting architecture, attractive promenade walk and convenient location.

A number of events happen at Canada Place (which is also the East Building for the Vancouver Convention Centre). Year-round, FlyOver Canada is also located at Canada Place (and showing there in the spring is the film Windborne which is about the Rocky Mountains).

Vancouver’s Canada Place

Built as the Canadian pavilion for the Expo ’86 world’s fair, Canada Place is now part of Vancouver’s main convention centre along with the modern Vancouver Convention Centre building next door. Designed in the form of a giant sailing ship, this is also where many of Vancouver’s visiting Cruise Ships come to dock.

The address for Canada Place is 999 Canada Place. It’s located by the Vancouver Convention Centre about a five-minute walk west of Waterfront Station in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

The outside deck at Canada Place goes all the way around (including up some stairs at one point). It makes for a pleasant walk with its views of the ocean and North Shore Mountains.

In addition to its extensive conference facilities, Canada Place is home to the Pan Pacific Hotel which is one of Vancouver’s finest places to stay. Across the street is the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, which also offers very nice accommodations.

Canada Place is conveniently close to Waterfront Station, which is Vancouver’s SeaBus and main SkyTrain terminus. The facility is also near Gastown, Granville Street, and Coal Harbour and the Coal Harbour Seawall (which goes all the way to Stanley Park).

Canada Place is also not far from the Olympic Cauldron, which is just a five-minute walk away on the other side of the Vancouver Convention Centre building.

An attraction within Canada Place is the FlyOver Canada film experience, which is impressive. At the multi-sensory theatre, visitors watch a pre-show film about Canada. After that they strap themselves into their seats before going on a flying adventure over Canada, from coast to coast to coast.

Flyover Canada at Canada Place

Events at Canada Place

The following are a few of the biggest events that happen at Canada Place each year.

Vancouver Fan Expo – the Vancouver equivalent to Comic-con with celebrity special guests, a ton of people wearing costumes and vendors selling all sorts of collectibles. This event takes place in February. Some years it has happened at Canada Place. More recently, though it has taken place at the Vancouver Convention Centre (in the East building which is just a block away).
Vancouver International Auto Show – a fancy car show featuring all the latest models from major car manufacturers. The event usually happens in March (although not between 2020 and 2023).
BC Bike Show – bike enthusiasts love this event. At it, not only can you check out the newest advances in bike manufacturing but you can go for a ride yourself. There’s also the chance to meet professional BMX athletes. This event usually takes place in March.
Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show – this exhibition happens at the same time as the Bike Show. Admission for one gets you into the other. This show covers everything outdoorsy with travel tips, camping equipment and more.
Vancouver International Wine Show – a prestigious event featuring wines and wineries from around the world. It has taken place at various times in the spring over the past number of years between February and May.

Canada Place at Christmas — Canada Place in Winter

Other Events

In addition to the above and other conferences and trade shows, numerous events take place at Canada Place throughout the year, including the following:

On Thursday evenings in July and August there are sometimes free outdoor movies shown at the end of the pier. Bring your blanket and a lawn chair!
Canada Place is one of the best places in the Lower Mainland to celebrate Canada Day on July 1st.
Zumba Classes take place in the summer on Mondays in the early evening at the north end of Canada Place. Admission is free and no experience is necessary.
In December Canada Place is lit up at night and has Christmas displays around its promenade deck. See Christmas at Canada Place for details.