Chad Skelton
Sun
LOWER MAINLAND
First Used: The term Lower Mainland is believed to have been used as early as the first non-native settlements in southwest B.C.
Meaning: “Lower Mainland” remains one of the most common ways to describe the region’s two million residents. Indeed, for several years it was the title of The Vancouver Sun’s local news section (now known as Westcoast News). The term Lower Mainland has generally been used to describe the region from West Vancouver to Hope. Depending on the person using the term, however, the Lower Mainland may include eastern Fraser Valley cities such as Abbotsford and Chilliwack, or it may not.
GREATER VANCOUVER
First Used: Sometime in the early 1900s, if not earlier. Its first official use was in 1914 in the name of the Greater Vancouver Sewerage District. The Greater Vancouver Regional District was formed in 1967.
Meaning: The term “Greater Vancouver” is usually used to describe the 21 municipalities and one electoral area that are members of the GVRD, a government body in charge of things like water and sewage. However, the term is sometimes used more generally to describe suburbs around Vancouver, whether they’re members of the GVRD or not.
METRO VANCOUVER
First Used: “Metro Vancouver,” and “metropolitan Vancouver,” have been used as casual terms to describe the region for decades. If it receives provincial approval, it will replace GVRD as the official name for the region and its government in September. It is also the name of a free commuter newspaper in the city.
Meaning: The terms “metro” and “metropolitan” have been used for more than a century around the world to describe large urban areas. For example, London‘s Metropolitan Police was established in 1829. The term Metro Toronto was used for more than 40 years to describe the regional level of government in that city until 1997, when its six municipalities were amalgamated into one megacity of Toronto.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
