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Canada Place - Pan Pacific Hotel - Front entrance to the Trade and Convention Center and Hotel.

CANADA PLACE History and Development Canada's busiest harbor and third largest city surrounds the site of CANADA PLACE. Clearly visible from this site was the growth of the Vancouver area from the visits of the earliest explorers to present status; the completion of sawmills and the arrival of the first ships to provide lumber to world markets; the major immigrations from Asia; the completion of the first transcontinental railway along with the arrival of the first train; and the completion of major shipping terminals to support the economy of the Canadian west. CANADA PLACE is constructed on the site of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Pier B-C on land which was granted to CPR for construction of the railway from sea to sea. Construction of Pier B-C was initiated by CPR in 1925 and completed in 1927 primarily to serve Canadian Pacific, Royal Mail,NYK, OSK, and other shipping lines trading with the orient, Australia and New Zealand. Pier B-C also served the development of British Columbia and the CP Steamships coastal fleet which transported people, vehicles and cargo’s to virtually every accessible portion of the coast and Vancouver Island until 1955. The importance of Pier B-C to the CPR is demonstrated by the fact that its reinforced concrete foundations and pier deck formed the first permanent marine terminal built by the railway. Some 6,000 concrete pilings were cast on-site and driven by steam activated pile hammers into the gravel fill core which was barged from across the harbor or dumped from rail cars. In 1978, Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments commenced planning for development of convention, cruise ship and hotel facilities at Pier B-C supported by The Hon. Grace McCarthy.

Canada Place, a mixed-use commercial facility, is home to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Center, The Pan Pacific Hotel, The Vancouver Port Authority Corporate Offices, Cruise Ship Terminal (Operated by the Vancouver Port Authority), The CN IMAX Theater, World Trade Center Office Complex and Citipark parking facility.