Quick Info
- Address: 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3T4
- Transit: About a 5 minute walk from Waterfront Station (SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express)
- Hours: The outdoor promenade is open daily; hours for FlyOver Canada and other ticketed attractions vary by season. Check the official Canada Place site for current hours.
- Admission: Walking the promenade and viewing the sails is free. FlyOver Canada and select events require tickets, see the FlyOver Canada site for current pricing.
Hours and prices change seasonally. Please confirm current details on the official sites linked above before visiting.
Photo Gallery
The Five Sails
Canada Place is best known for its roofline: five sweeping white sails made of Teflon-coated fiberglass, rising above Burrard Inlet. The shape is meant to echo a ship under full sail, a nod to Vancouver’s history as a working harbour city. The complex was designed by the joint venture of Zeidler Roberts Partnership, Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership and DA Architects and Planners, and it remains one of the most photographed rooflines on the West Coast.
After dark, the sails are lit up, and the lighting is regularly changed to mark national days, community milestones and public events, so the building looks a little different depending on when you visit.
From Cargo Pier to National Landmark
The land beneath Canada Place has been a working waterfront for a century. It began as Pier B-C, built in 1927 for Canadian Pacific Railway’s transpacific liners. In the early 1980s, the federal government redeveloped the site as the Canada Pavilion for Expo 86, Vancouver’s World’s Fair, with construction starting in 1983 and the building opening on May 2, 1986.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles took part in the ribbon-cutting for the Canada Pavilion, and the site later served as the main press centre for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today the complex houses the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific Vancouver hotel, office space and the cruise ship terminal, all under one roofline.
Walking the Canadian Trail
Along the west promenade, a self-guided walking route called the Canadian Trail sets plaques into the walkway representing each province and territory, with short notes on regional history and symbols. It’s a slow, free way to spend twenty or thirty minutes, and the harbour views of the North Shore mountains make a good excuse to linger at each stop.
Every day at noon, listen for the Heritage Horns: ten horns mounted on the building that play the opening notes of “O Canada” across the waterfront.
FlyOver Canada and What’s Nearby
Inside the north end of the building, FlyOver Canada runs a ticketed motion-simulator ride that takes riders on a virtual flight across Canadian landscapes, from coastlines to mountains to prairies. It’s a popular rainy-day option since it’s fully indoors.
Step outside and you’re a short walk from several other downtown landmarks. The Olympic Cauldron from the 2010 Winter Games sits just west of the building, seaplanes take off and land regularly from the harbour in front of the promenade, and the Coal Harbour Seawall connects toward Stanley Park for a longer waterfront walk.
Canada Place as an Event Venue
The plaza regularly hosts community and civic events, including one of the country’s largest Canada Day celebrations outside Ottawa, along with seasonal programming through the rest of the year. Because line-ups and event schedules shift from year to year, it’s worth checking the official events calendar before planning a visit around a specific date.
Canada Place also functions as Vancouver’s main cruise terminal, with a busy season each year as Alaska-bound ships dock and depart. If you’re visiting during peak cruise season, expect larger crowds and tighter parking near the building.
Tip: Time your visit near noon to catch the Heritage Horns, and come back after sunset to see the sails lit up. It’s essentially two different visits in one day.
Good to know: Canada Place is an active cruise terminal and convention centre. During cruise season and large conventions, some areas of the promenade may have temporary crowd or security restrictions, so build in extra time.
Canada Place turns a working harbour into a place to slow down, standing under five white sails with the mountains on one side and the city skyline on the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada Place free to visit?
Walking the outdoor promenade, viewing the sails and following the Canadian Trail plaques is free. Ticketed attractions inside the building, such as FlyOver Canada, and some special events charge admission.
How do I get to Canada Place by transit?
Waterfront Station is the closest SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express hub, about a five minute walk away. Several downtown bus routes also stop within a short walk of the building.
What is the Canadian Trail?
It’s a self-guided walking route along the west promenade, with plaques set into the walkway representing each Canadian province and territory alongside harbour views.
Is Canada Place a working cruise terminal?
Yes. It’s Vancouver’s main cruise terminal and a home port for Alaska-bound cruises, with a busier season each year as ships arrive and depart.
What are the sails made of?
The five roof sails are Teflon-coated fiberglass, designed to resemble a ship’s sails as a reference to Vancouver’s maritime history.
Explore More of Vancouver’s Waterfront
Canada Place sits along a chain of harbourfront spots worth pairing into one trip.