(Pick-ups to Downtown Hotels at the Vancouver International Airport Domestic & International Terminals)
The YVR Airporter provides bus service to major hotel destinations in
downtown Vancouver, the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal and the bus
depot/train station. The YVR Airporter bus is located on the
International and Domestic Arrivals level curb. No reservations
required. Route #1 and 2 can be used to/from the conference hotel (EMPIRE LANDMARK HOTEL).
Tickets may be purchased at the YVR Airporter counter, their pickup
locations or on the motor coach.
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Further information on service, schedules and fares may be obtained from the Airporter counter located on the International and Domestic Arrivals levels, their website, www.yvrairporter.com (map of the airport and downtown can be found in the website).
It takes approximately 30-40 minutes to travel from the airport to
major downtown hotels in Vancouver. Yellow Cabs and Black Top Cabs are
the major taxi companies in Vancouver. The cost is approximately
CAD$30-35.
Vancouver City is on the western-most part of a peninsula that is a major extension of the Fraser River's delta. The delta juts into a part of the Pacific Ocean, separating Vancouver Island from the mainland, called the Strait of Georgia. Several self-governing urban areas called municipalities make up Greater Vancouver. See also Greater Vancouver Municipalities for details on areas surrounding the city, or see the Maps section to better understand getting around Vancouver.
Across the Strait of Georgia and 96 km (60 miles) to the south-west is British Columbia's capital city of Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Vancouver is almost exactly halfway between Western Europe and the Asia Pacific countries. Thirty-eight kilometres (24 miles) south of downtown Vancouver is the Canada-US boundary.
Warmed by Pacific Ocean currents and protected by a range of mountains, Vancouver enjoys mild temperatures year-round. Winters are wet but temperatures seldom fall below freezing and snow is rare. Summer is sunny and warm, almost never hot and seldom humid. Late autumn can be chilly with occasional rain and fog. The average daily high temperature in August is 74's Fahrenheit (23° Celsius), and average daily low temperature is 56's Fahrenheit (13° Celsius). See Current weather forecast and What to Wear page for additional information.
Based on 2001 Canadian Census reports, the population of the City of Vancouver in 2004 is estimated at 583,296. Greater Vancouver's estimated total population for 2004 is 2.1 million, 50.8% of BC's population of 4.2 million.
English and French are Canada's two official languages. English is the predominant language in British Columbia. The City of Vancouver is quite cosmopolitan and is a mix of many multicultural groups. Because the city is multicultural, it's also multilingual on an unofficial level. Its people speak many different languages and many follow the traditions of their native lands, sometimes moderating them with Canadian culture.
The majority of British Columbia is in the Pacific Standard Time Zone; however, a small portion of the province that borders the Rocky Mountains are in the Mountain Time Zone, one hour ahead of the Pacific Zone. Daylight Savings Time is in effect from 0200hr on the first Sunday in April until 0200hr on the last Sunday in October.
The Canadian dollar is worth around 0.9 US dollar. Most Greater Vancouver establishments accept US dollars and Japanese yen, and usually offer reasonable exchange rates. The Canadian dollar itself is a relatively large gold-coloured coin and the locals have nicknamed it the 'Loonie', officially because it features a Canadian bird, the loon, on its face.
The current Canada/US exchange rate and the exchange rate between Canada and other countries can be found at: www.x-rates.com
Visitors can exchange currency at Canadian chartered banks, trust
companies, credit unions, or at offices of foreign exchange brokers,
but it is advised to have local currency on hand prior to arriving.
Some hotels, merchants, restaurants and suppliers accept US or other
foreign currency at a pre-determined rate, which may differ from the
daily rate posted by financial institutions.
Custom House Foreign Global Exchange - With an automated machine and
staffed kiosk currency exchange service available in the Tourism
Vancouver Tourist info Centre, visitors are guaranteed convenience,
competitive rates and excellent service. Some Custom House branches
provide a buy-back guarantee: Get your foreign
currency from Custom House Global Foreign Exchange and return any
unused bills, up to 1/3 of your original transaction, at the same rate.
Regular banking hours in Canada are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, with extended hours including weekends at some locations. Visitors who wish to cash cheques or require other banking services are advised to check times of operation with the institutions. Most banks have automatic teller machines, which can be accessed 24 hours a day, using bank or credit cards on major international banking networks such as Cirrus, Plus and Interac.
Most major credit cards are accepted, but visitors are always advised to check with the vendor before a purchase is made. Cash machines with 24-hour access are available in many convenient locations throughout Greater Vancouver.
Some properties and resort hotels include tips or gratuities with tours group to simplify bookkeeping. This will usually include gratuities for housekeeping, bell service and food service. If meals are included in the price, customary gratuity will be calculated at 15 per cent. Visitors should be advised that the standard tip in most restaurants is 15 per cent.
There are three levels of taxation that affect visitors to Vancouver. There's a 10% tax charged on accommodation and liquor. For most other goods and services, there is a 7% provincial sales tax (PST) in BC and a 6% federal goods and services tax (GST). See Individual for more details.
Visitors to Vancouver from outside the country can apply to have the GST returned to them when they leave the country, but they must keep purchase receipts as proof of the amount paid. See Visitor Tax Rebate for more details.
Visitors are not covered by Canadian health insurance plans. The Organizing Committee of QShine'07 does not accept any responsibility for individual travel, personal and medical insurance. Participants are advised to have their own personal insurance policies.
Outlets and voltage (110 volts) are the same as in the United States. Small appliances such as hair dryers, irons, razors, etc. can be used in Canada. For those from other countries, adapters are required for electrical appliances. The frequency of electrical current in Canada is 60 Hz.
There are three telephone area codes for the province of British Columbia. Dialling in BC required 10-digit phone numbers, so ensure you include the correct area code in front of the local number.
An extensive variety of cuisine is available representing the multicultural flavour of Vancouver. Fine dining, casual or family friendly restaurants are easily accessible throughout Greater Vancouver. See Dining section to locate restaurants and find out more about the variety of foods and establishments available in Vancouver.
Check out Itineraries for suggestions of what to do and see in Vancouver!
Check out Walkabouts for suggestions of interesting walks around Downtown Vancouver (False Creek, Yale Town, Stanley Park etc.) Vancouver's West Side (Granville Island, Point Grey, UBC etc.) and the North Shore (West Vancouver Seawall, Capilano River, Grouse Mountain etc.).
For more information about Vancouver, please visit the website of Tourism Vancouver www.tourismvancouver.com. The address of Vancouver Touristinfo Centre is Plaza Level, 200 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC V6C 3L6, Tel: 604.683.2000, Fax: 604.682.6839.Victoria has a temperate climate that is usually classified as Marine west coast, with mild, damp winters and relatively dry and mild summers. Daily temperatures rise above 30°C (86°F) on an average of one or two days per year and fall below -5°C (23°F) on an average of only 2 nights per year. During the winter, the average daily high and low temperatures are 8.2°C (47°F) and 3.6°C (38°F), respectively. The summer months are equally mild, with an average high temperature of 19.6°C (67°F) and low of 11.3°C (52°F). Victoria's equable climate has also added to its reputation as the "City of Gardens". With its mild temperatures and plentiful sunshine, Victoria boasts gardens that are home to many plant species rarely found elsewhere in Canada.
Due to its Mediterranean-type climate, Victoria and its surrounding
area (southeastern Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, and parts of the
Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast) is also home to many rare, native
plants found nowhere else in Canada.
Many of these endangered species exist here at the northern end of
their range, and are found as far south as Central and Southern
California, and even parts of Mexico.
The Victoria area has three public post secondary educational institutions: University of Victoria (UVic), Camosun College, Royal Roads University.