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.

Canada Place is a waterfront complex that hosts a number of events. This landmark is also the East Building for the Vancouver Convention Centre. FlyOver Canada, a year-round attraction, is also located at Canada Place. Windborne, a film about the Rocky Mountains, shows there in the spring.

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 to resemble a giant sailing ship, this is also the docking terminal for many of Vancouver’s visiting Cruise Ships.

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). 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 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 not far from the Olympic Cauldron, which is a five-minute walk on the other side of the Vancouver Convention Centre building.

An attraction within Canada Place is the FlyOver 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.

North Shore View from Canada Place — Promenade Deck 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 collectibles. This event happens 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 the latest models from major car manufacturers. The event usually happens in March.
BC Bike Show – bike enthusiasts love this event. You can check out the newest advances in bike manufacturing and even go for a ride. There’s also the chance to meet professional BMX athletes. This event takes place in March.
Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show – this exhibition happens simultaneously as the Bike Show. Admission to one gets you in to the other. This show covers everything outdoorsy from travel tips to camping equipment.
Vancouver International Wine Festival – a prestigious event featuring wines and wineries from around the world. It has taken place at various times in the spring in past years between February and May. In 2025 it runs from February 22nd to March 2nd.
In December Canada Place is lit up at night and has Christmas displays around its promenade deck. See Christmas at Canada Place for details.