Greater Vancouver Regional District
The Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) is a sub-provincial administrative district within the province of British Columbia, Canada. It comprises the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Vancouver, and is essentially synonymous with Greater Vancouver or the Vancouver Metropolitan Area.| Table of contents |
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2 Municipalities 3 Administrative Role 4 External links |
The Greater Vancouver Regional District occupies the southwest corner of mainland British Columbia. It comprises the western half of the lower Fraser Valley (commonly referred to as Lower Mainland), the eastern half being occupied by the Fraser Valley Regional District, which includes the communities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. To the north lie the Coast Mountains and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, including the communities of Squamish and Whistler. To the west lies Georgia Strait, and to the south lies Whatcom County in Washington State.
According to the 2001 census, the metropolitan area is home to 1,986,965
people, about half of the population of British Columbia. Recent estimates (2003) have placed the population at 2.15 million, representing an enormous estimated growth since the last census ocurred.
The Regional District consists of 21 incorporated municipalities and one unincorporated area. The 21 municipalities are:
The principal function of the Greater Vancouver Regional District is to administer resources and services which are common across the metropolitan area. These include community planning, water, sewage, drainage, housing, transportation, air quality, and parks.
For example, GVRD Regional Parks oversees the development and maintenance of nineteen regional parks, as well as various nature reserver and greenways. (The regional parks are distinct from municipal parks in that they are typically more "wild" and represent unique geographical zones within the region, such as bogs and mature rainforests.)
The Greater Vancouver Regional District also oversees TransLink, which administers public transportation and major bridges and highways throughout the region. TransLink also runs the AirCare program, which primarily aims to improve air quality by reducing harmful emissions from automobiles. In the period 1992 to 2002, this program is credited with reducing the air emissions in the urban area by thirty-five percent.
Geography
Municipalities
The unincorporated Greater Vancouver Regional District Electoral Area A, which comprises all unincorporated land within the Regional District boundaries, including the University of British Columbia and Fraser River islands of Douglas Island and Barnston Island.
Administrative Role
External links
GVRD Links
Municipal government links
