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2012 Action Plan

Summarizes key milestones for the year, targets and reviews accomplishments of the past year.
Who is Metro Vancouver 

Metro Vancouver is a political body and corporate entity operating under provincial legislation as a ‘regional district’ and ‘greater boards’ that deliver regional services, policy and political leadership on behalf of 24 local authorities.

Metro Vancouver comprises 22 municipalities, one electoral area, and one treaty First Nation.

Through Metro Vancouver, each representative has a say in how the region is run. The 2012 Board consists of 37 Directors representing 22 Municipalities, one Electoral Area, one treaty First Nation, and one Municipality that is a member of the GVRD for the parks function. These Directors are members of your Municipal or First Nation council who have been appointed to the Board by their respective councils on a “representation by population” basis.

Learn more about the Sustainable Region
Four separate corporate entities operate under the name Metro Vancouver:
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Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD)
 -  Abbotsford* park purposes only 
 -  Anmore 
 -  Belcarra Bowen Island 
 -  Burnaby 
 -  Coquitlam 
 -  Delta 
 -  Electoral Area A
 -  Langley City 
 -  Langley Township 
 -  Lions Bay 
 -  Maple Ridge 
 -  New Westminster 
 -  North Vancouver City 
 -  North Vancouver District 
 -  Pitt Meadows 
 -  Port Coquitlam 
 -  Port Moody 
 -  Richmond 
 -  Surrey 
 -  Tsawwassen
 -  Vancouver 
 -  West Vancouver 
 -  White Rock
Greater Vancouver Sewerage & Drainage District (GVS&DD)
 -  Burnaby 
 -  Coquitlam 
 -  Delta 
 -  Electoral Area A
 -  Langley City 
 -  Langley Township 
 -  Maple Ridge 
 -  New Westminster 
 -  North Vancouver City 
 -  North Vancouver District 
 -  Pitt Meadows 
 -  Port Coquitlam 
 -  Port Moody 
 -  Richmond 
 -  Surrey 
 -  Vancouver 
 -  West Vancouver 
 -  White Rock
Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD)
 -  Anmore 
 -  Burnaby 
 -  Coquitlam 
 -  Delta 
 -  Electoral Area A
 -  Langley City 
 -  Langley Township 
 -  Maple Ridge 
 -  New Westminster  
 -  North Vancouver City 
 -  North Vancouver District 
 -  Pitt Meadows 
 -  Port Coquitlam 
 -  Port Moody 
 -  Richmond 
 -  Surrey 
 -  Tsawwassen
 -  Vancouver 
 -  Village of Belcarra
 -  West Vancouver
Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (MVHC)
 The GVRD is the sole shareholder of the Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation

Roles of Metro Vancouver

Services Metro Vancouver’s core services, provided principally to municipalities, are: drinking water, sewerage and drainage, and solid waste management. Significant services provided directly to the public include regional parks and affordable housing.

Policy Metro Vancouver’s main areas of planning and regulatory responsibility are: utilities, air quality, regional growth, and regional parks. The Board also carries out strategies on other issues best dealt with at a regional level.

Political Forum Metro Vancouver serves as the main political forum for discussion of significant community issues at the regional level. It acts as a facilitator, convenor, partner, advocate, and a significant conduit for information and education to the community.

Metro Vancouver seeks to achieve what humanity aspires to on a global basis – the highest quality of life embracing cultural vitality, economic prosperity, social justice and compassion, all nurtured in and by a beautiful and healthy natural environment.

We will achieve this vision by embracing and applying the principles of sustainability, not least of which is an unshakeable commitment to the well-being of current and future generations and the health of our planet, in everything we do.

As we share our efforts in achieving this vision, we are confident that the inspiration and mutual learning we gain will become vital ingredients in our hopes for a sustainable common future.

Metro Vancouver and Sustainability

Beginning in 2002, sustainability has been at the centre of Metro Vancouver’s operating and planning philosophy. The Sustainability Framework, adopted by the Board in 2008, provides a guide as to how the concept of sustainability is applied in the operations of Metro Vancouver and in its decision-making.

Guides to Achieving Our Vision

The overarching imperatives necessary for creating a sustainable future are:

  • Have regard for both local and global consequences and long-term impacts 
  • Recognize and reflect the interconnectedness and interdependency of systems 
  • Be collaborative

These lead to three sets of sustainability principles for decision-making:

  • Protect and enhance the natural environment
  • Provide for ongoing prosperity 
  • Build community capacity and social cohesion
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Resources

The members of Metro Vancouver are:
City of Abbotsford *
Village of Anmore
Village of Belcarra
Bowen Island Municipality
City of Burnaby
City of Coquitlam
Corporation of Delta
City of Langley
Township of Langley
Village of Lions Bay
District of Maple Ridge
City of New Westminster
City of North Vancouver
District of North Vancouver
City of Pitt Meadows
City of Port Coquitlam
City of Port Moody
City of Richmond
City of Surrey
Tsawwassen First Nation
City of Vancouver
District of West Vancouver
City of White Rock
Electoral Area A
*City of Abbotsford is a member of Metro Vancouver with respect to the provision of GVRD park services.
Watch video clips
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Governance Overview
Sustainable Region Initiative Overview
GVRD History
The Future of Our Region

Fast Facts

  • The GVRD was incorporated by letters patent dated June 29, 1967 and its Board of Directors held its first meeting on July 12, 1967. At that time, there were 950,000 people living in the Lower Mainland. Today, that number has doubled to more than two million residents, and is expected to grow to 2.7 million by 2021.
  • The GVWD was incorporated pursuant to the Greater Vancouver Water Act in 1924 and comprises 17 member municipalities and one electoral area.
  • The GVSDD was incorporated pursuant to the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Act in 1956 and comprises 17 member municipalities and one electoral area.
  • MVHC is a public housing corporation incorporated in 1974 under what was then the Companies Act (now the Business Corporations Act). The GVRD is its sole shareholder.