Metro Vancouver Regional District

Metro Vancouver Regional District is an administrative region in British Columbia stretching along the Fraser River and Burrard Inlet. This area connects 21 municipalities with numerous regional parks and forms the urban center of the province.

The administrative body was founded in 1967 as the Regional District of Fraser-Burrard to coordinate the growing municipalities around the Vancouver area. The name later changed to Greater Vancouver Regional District before the current designation was adopted in 2017.

The region shows itself today through neighborhoods like Richmond or Surrey, where Asian shops and restaurants shape the streetscape. In these areas, you often hear Mandarin or Punjabi alongside English on the sidewalks.

Visitors to the area will find most orientation options and services in downtown Vancouver and the larger municipalities. The individual municipalities are linked by regional bus lines and train connections, allowing travelers to move easily between locations.

The administration manages the drinking water supply from three large reservoirs in the mountains north of the city. These reservoirs lie within protected areas that are normally off-limits to preserve water quality.

Location: British Columbia

Inception: June 29, 1967

Capital city: Burnaby

Shares border with: Whatcom County, Fraser Valley Regional District, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Capital Regional District, Regional District of Nanaimo, Sunshine Coast Regional District

Website: https://metrovancouver.org

GPS coordinates: 49.24940,-122.98000

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:42