Isn’t Outer Vancouver Harbour a sight to behold? It’s more than just a pretty view. Outer Vancouver Harbour is a vital artery for Canada. It connects us to over 170 world economies.
Vancouver became a significant city because of its location. Its Pacific Ocean access is key. The spacious and ice-free Outer Vancouver Harbour also helped. There is enough serviceable land for industry. Its proximity to the international border makes it commercially strategic. This counterbalances Seattle. All these factors helped Vancouver grow.
In November 1864, the barque Ellen Lewis sailed from Burrard Inlet. It carried the area’s first lumber export to Adelaide, Australia. Soon, Outer Vancouver Harbour teemed with lumber schooners. These ships came from all over the world.
The Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in 1887. This made Outer Vancouver Harbour even busier. Ships now offered scheduled service to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The international press quickly called Vancouver the Gateway to the Orient.
The federal government opened the Immigration Building in 1914. This six-storey structure dominated the view from Thurlow Street. It stood until its demolition in 1976. The convention center now occupies that site.
The port became well-established after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1886. CP launched service between Vancouver and the Orient a year later. This connected ocean and inland trade. The CPR had a shorter route to China and Japan. It dominated shipments of silk and tea. These were the most lucrative cargoes of the day.
The Panama Canal’s completion in 1914 was another boon for Outer Vancouver Harbour. It made exporting grain and lumber economically feasible. These goods went from Vancouver to the US East Coast and Europe. Today, Outer Vancouver Harbour is Canada’s largest port. In 2016, 136 million tonnes of cargo moved through it. This cargo was valued at $200 billion.
In 1891, the CPR launched its first ocean liners. They were fast, reliable, and luxurious. First-class tourists traveled to see the empire. This added sophistication to Vancouver. Canada Place opened in 1986 on the site of the CPR’s 1927 passenger terminal. It expanded in 2002.
Before air travel, Outer Vancouver Harbour was the gateway for immigrants from the East. In May 1914, the Komagata Maru incident occurred here. 376 would-be immigrants from India were denied entry. They arrived aboard a Japanese steamer. The ship challenged Canada’s continuous journey law. This law was designed to exclude Indian immigrants. After officials refused disembarkation, the ship was quarantined. The Canadian military forced it back to sea after two months.
The Vancouver Harbour Commissioners was established in 1913. The role of the board was to administer the infrastructure of the port. The Commissioners had the power to regulate navigation. They oversaw the operation of port facilities. They also oversaw the development of port infrastructure. This included Ballantyne Pier and the Canadian government grain terminal.
In 1936, the Vancouver Harbour Commissioners was replaced by the National Harbours Board. During this period, Vancouver surpassed Montreal as the leading port in Canada. The production and export of other bulk commodities increased.
The National Harbours Board was replaced by the Canada Ports Corporation in 1983. The Canada Marine Act eventually phased it out. The Act allowed individual bodies to govern specific ports. In Vancouver, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has this role. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority merged with Canada Place Corporation in 2013.
In 2014, the Port of Vancouver was the fourth largest port by tonnage in the Americas. It enables the trade of approximately $240 billion in goods. Port activities sustain 115300 jobs across Canada.
Outer Vancouver Harbour has facilitated trade and immigration. It has also faced challenges. The port has struggled with smuggling. The Hells Angels have extensively infiltrated the port’s operations.
In January 2024, the Solicitor-General of British Columbia asked the federal government to restore the Canada Ports Police. He stated the ports are a sieve for criminal activity.