Vancouver

Vancouver (IPA: /vænˈkuːvər/ ) is the most populous city in Western Canada, the third-most populous in the country, and main city and port of the province of British Columbia (BC) and the west coast. It is located in the North Fraser Regional Municipality, the economic centre of the most populous region of the province, the Lower Mainland; the Lower Mainland is a ceremonial county comprising five upper-tier municipalities, which encompasses Vancouver's metropolitan area, with Vancouver its the economic, commercial, and cultural hub. In the 2016 census, the City of Vancouver proper recorded a population of 1,305,334, making it the most populous city in the Lower Mainland, BC, Western Canada, and the third-most populous in Canada, while its estimated population in December 2020 was estimated at almost 1.67 million.

Vancouver is a major port city: its port is the busiest and has the largest annual imports and exports of any port on the west coast of North America. As the largest city in Western Canada, it is also the terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway as well as several passenger (both rapid transit and high-speed intercity) and freight rail lines. Vancouver International Airport, located in neighbouring Richmond, is the third-busiest airport in Canada, after Toronto–Pearson International Airport and Montreal–Trudeau International Airport. It is also served by two nearby Georgia Ferries terminals, with regular daily service to Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, several other islands of the Georgia Strait, and the island country of Haida Gwaii, whose primary trading partner is urban BC.

As British Columbia's largest city, its dedicated British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP) patrol district is composed of the most personnel arranged in units and squads as well as vehicles and other equipment. The city of New Westminster, North Fraser County's third-most populous city, is the provincial capital of BC and thus home to the headquarters and main station of the BCPP.