VANCOUVER, B.C.
JUNE 11-14, 2023
We're off to VANCOUVER, British Columbia!
WHY URBAN EXPLORATION?
It takes leadership and vision to rally a community, identify opportunities, face challenges, and solve problems. And, in order to create change we know we must be open and willing to learn from each other — that’s why we created the Urban Exploration program.
Since 2008, we’ve been bringing together the public and private sectors. City leaders and business leaders. People from our downtown and people from theirs. We believe that the only way to continue building and growing Downtown Denver is to learn from people who are facing the same challenges we are in their respective cities. Who have already solved ‘that’ problem. Who can guide us in our pursuit to build an economically vibrant, healthy, and growing center city.
Using the 2007 Downtown Area Plan to guide the itinerary and foundation of each trip — we focus on real issues that are facing our city; infrastructure, economic development, transit and transportation and public-private partnerships. The result is real inspiration leading to action as we build a great city.
WHY VANCOUVER?
As Canada’s densest city and one of the most ethnically diverse, Vancouver, British Columbia will offer our delegation lessons in developing and maintaining diverse and distinctive neighborhoods, how high-rise residential and mixed-use development is a beneficial alternative to sprawl and ways in which density, design, and land use can contribute to environmental sustainability, affordability, and livability. Get excited to learn and lean into Vancouverism!
.jpg)
.jpg)
FAST FACTS...
POPULATION (3rd largest metropolitan area in Canada):
City population: 662,248 (2021)
Metro area population 2,632,000 (2022) a 1% increase from 2021
-
Vancouver has the highest population density in Canada, with over 5,700 people per square kilometer
-
Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada: 52% of its residents are not native English speakers, 48.9% are native speakers of neither English nor French, and 50.6% of residents belong to visible minority groups
-
Vancouver is one of the most livable cities in Canada and in the world in terms of housing affordability and is also one of the most expensive cities in Canada and in the world
-
Vancouver plans to become the greenest city in the world
-
Vancouverism is the city's urban planning design philosophy. Urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by high-rise residential and mixed-use development in urban centers, as an alternative to sprawl
-
Indigenous settlement of Vancouver began more than 10,000 years ago, and the city is on the traditional and unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples
-
Vancouver has been called a "city of neighborhoods." Each neighborhood in Vancouver has a distinct character and ethnic mix. Neighborhoods with distinct ethnic commercial areas include Chinatown, Punjabi Market, Little Italy, Greektown, and (formerly) Japantown
As well-connected members of our organization, we're always open to your ideas and suggestions on who in our host city could support our Urban Exploration efforts.
If you know of someone we should reach out to, please provide contact information and the context of why you believe they are a great resource in the form provided and we'll reach out.
THANK YOU!
