Lower Mainland

The Lower Mainland is the name that residents of British Columbia apply to the region surrounding the City of Vancouver. While the term has been recorded from the earliest period of European settlement in British Columbia, it has never been officially defined in legal terms, therefore, remains subjective.

Today, the term Lower Mainland generally refers to the legally defined area known as the Greater Vancouver Regional District. This area is made up of 21 municipalities: Anmore, Belcarra, Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley City, Langley Township, Lions Bay, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver City, North Vancouver District, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, and White Rock.

According the 1996 Canada Census there were 1,831,665 persons living in this region.

Government websites for the Lower Mainland

Greater Vancouver Regional District: http://www.gvrd.bc.ca

Village of Anmore: http://www.anmore.com

Village of Belcarra: http://www.vob.belcarra.bc.ca

Municipality of Bowen Island: http://www.bowen-island-bc.com

City of Burnaby: http://www.city.burnaby.bc.ca

City of Coquitlam: http://www.city.coquitlam.bc.ca

Municipality of Delta: http://www.corp.delta.bc.ca

City of Langley: http://www.city.langley.bc.ca

Township of Langley: http://www.township.langley.bc.ca

Village of Lions Bay: No website available

District of Maple Ridge: http://district.maple-ridge.bc.ca

City of New Westminster: http://www.city.new-westminster.bc.ca

City of North Vancouver: http://www.cnv.org

District of North Vancouver: http://www.district.north-van.bc.ca

District of Pitt Meadows: http://www.pittmeadows.bc.ca

City of Port Coquitlam: http://www.city.port-coquitlam.bc.ca

City of Port Moody: http://www.city.port-moody.bc.ca

City of Richmond: http://www.city.richmond.bc.ca

City of Surrey: http://www.city.surrey.bc.ca

City of Vancouver: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca

District of West Vancouver: http://www.westvancouver.net

City of White Rock: http://www.city.whiterock.bc.ca