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City of Burnaby
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 49°16′N 122°58′W / 49.267°N 122.967°W / 49.267; -122.967Coordinates: 49°16′N 122°58′W / 49.267°N 122.967°W / 49.267; -122.967
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
District	Metro Vancouver
Established	1892 (municipality status)
–	1992 (city status)
Government
- Mayor	Derek Corrigan
- MPs	Peter Julian (NDP), Bill Siksay (NDP)
- MLAs	Raj Chouhan (NDP), Richard Lee (Liberal), John Nuraney (Liberal), Harry Bloy (Liberal)
Area [1]
- Total	98.6 km2 (38.1 sq mi)
Elevation	Sea level to 370 m (0–1,214 ft)
Population (2007)
- Total	216,336 (Ranked 22nd)
- Density	2,275.6/km2 (5,123.0/sq mi)
Time zone	Pacific Standard (PST) (UTC-8)
Postal code span
Area code(s)	604 & 778
Website	City of Burnaby

Burnaby is a city in British Columbia, Canada, located immediately to the east of Vancouver. It is the third-largest city in British Columbia by population, surpassed only by nearby Surrey and Vancouver itself.

It was incorporated in 1892 and achieved City status in 1992, one hundred years after incorporation. It is the current seat of the Metro Vancouver government.

History

In the first 30 to 40 years after its incorporation, the growth of Burnaby was influenced by its location between expanding urban centres of Vancouver and New Westminster. It first served as a rural agricultural area supplying nearby markets. Later, it served as an important transportation corridor between Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the Interior and continues to do so. As Vancouver expanded and became a metropolis, it was one of the first-tier bedroom community suburbs of Vancouver itself, along with North Vancouver and Richmond (originally it was primarily a suburb of New Westminster).

At incorporation, the municipality's citizens unanimously chose to name it after legislator, speaker, Freemason and explorer, Robert Burnaby, who had been private secretary to Colonel Richard Moody, the Colony of British Columbia's first land commissioner in the mid-1800s.^[1] In 1859, Mr. Burnaby had surveyed the freshwater lake near what is now the city's geographical centre; Moody chose to name it Burnaby Lake.

Metrotown and central Burnaby, looking north toward Burrard Inlet and the North Shore

Geography and land use

Burnaby occupies 98.60 square kilometres (38.07 sq mi) and is located at the geographical centre of the Metro Vancouver area. Situated between the City of Vancouver on the west and Port Moody, Coquitlam, and New Westminster on the east, the City is further bounded by Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River on the North and South respectively. Burnaby, Vancouver and New Westminster collectively occupy the major portion of the Burrard Peninsula. The elevation of Burnaby ranges from sea level to a maximum of 370 metres (1,200 ft) atop Burnaby Mountain. Overall, the physical landscape of Burnaby is one of hills, ridges, valleys and an alluvial plain. The land features and their relative locations have had an influence on the location, type and form of development in the City.

Burnaby is a maturing, increasingly integrated community, which is centrally located within a rapidly growing metropolitan area. Burnaby's characteristic has shifted from rural to suburban to largely urban. Still, Burnaby's ratio of park land to residents is one of the highest in North America, and it maintains some agricultural land, particularly along the Fraser foreshore flats in the Big Bend neighbourhood along its southern perimeter.

Burnaby parks and lakes

Major parklands and waterways in Burnaby include Burnaby Lake, Still Creek, the Brunette River, Central Park, Deer Lake, Squint Lake, Robert Burnaby Park, Kensington Park, and Burnaby Mountain.

Climate

Transportation

The Brentwood neighbourhood, with Capitol Hill in the distance

The SkyTrain rapid transit system crosses Burnaby from east to west in two places: in the south along the Expo Line (completed in 1986) and in the middle along the Millennium Line (completed in 2002). The SkyTrain has encouraged closer connections to New Westminster, Vancouver, and Surrey, as well as dense urban development at Lougheed Town Centre on the city's eastern border, at Brentwood Town Centre in the centre-west, and most notably at Metrotown in the south.

Major north-south streets crossing the City include Boundary Road, Willingdon Avenue, Royal Oak Avenue, Kensington Avenue, Sperling Avenue, Gaglardi Way, Cariboo Road, and North Road. East-west routes linking Burnaby's neighbouring cities to each other include East Hastings Street, Barnet Highway, the Lougheed Highway, Kingsway (which follows the old horse trail between Vancouver and New Westminster), Canada Way and Marine Drive/Marine Way. Douglas Road, which used to cross the city from northwest to southeast, has largely been absorbed by the Trans-Canada Highway and Canada Way. Since the 1990s, Burnaby has developed a network of cycling trails. It is also well served by Metro Vancouver's bus system, run by the Coast Mountain Bus Company, a division of TransLink.

Demographics

Capitol Hill, looking north-east toward the Coast Mountains and the snow-capped peaks of Golden Ears Provincial Park

Religious profile

Burnaby's religious profile:^[3]

• 35.3% No religious affiliation
• 21.3% Roman Catholic
• 19.9% Protestant
• 6.1% Christian, not included elsewhere
• 4.9% Buddhist
• 4.8% Muslim
• 2.9% Sikh
• 2.3% Christian Orthodox
• 1.5% Hindu
• 0.4% Eastern religions, not included elsewhere
• 0.3% other religions, not included elsewhere
• 0.3% Jewish

People and politics

While Burnaby occupies about 4% of the land area of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, it accounted for about 10% of the Region's population in 2001. It is the third most populated urban centre in British Columbia (after Vancouver and Surrey) with an estimated population of 205,261. Like much of Greater Vancouver, Burnaby has always had large ethnic and immigrant communities: to cite two examples, North Burnaby near Hastings Street has long been home to many Italian restaurants and recreational bocce games, while Metrotown's ever-sprouting condominium towers in the south have been fuelled in part by more recent arrivals from China (including Taiwan , Hong Kong & Macau), South Korea, and the former Yugoslavia. According to the 2006 Census, 54% of Burnaby residents have a mother tongue that is neither English nor French.

Politically, Burnaby has maintained a centre-left city council (which recently completely eliminated the city's debt) and school board for many years, while sometimes electing more conservative legislators provincially (for the Social Credit and BC Liberal parties) and federally (for the Reform, Alliance, and Conservative parties). Its longest-serving politician had been Svend Robinson of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Canada's first openly homosexual member of Parliament, but after 25 years and seven elections he resigned his post in early 2004 after stealing and then returning an expensive ring. Burnaby voters endorsed his assistant, Bill Siksay, as his replacement in the spring 2004 Canadian federal election. In the May 2005 provincial election, residents of the city sent a mix of BC Liberal and NDP representatives to the British Columbia legislature.

According to a 2009 survey by Maclean's magazine, Burnaby is Canada's best run city. The survey looks at a city's efficiency, the cost of producing results, and the effectiveness of its city services.^[4]

Industry and economy

Metrotown at sunset as seen from Lochdale

Major technology firms such as Electronic Arts, Creo (now part of Eastman Kodak), Ballard Power Systems and Telus base their operations in Burnaby; heavy industry includes Chevron Corporation and Petro-Canada petroleum refineries on the shores of Burrard Inlet. Other companies such as eBay, Future Shop and Nokia have significant facilities in Burnaby as well. The City features high density residential areas, major commercial town centres, rapid transit, high technology research and business parks, movie and TV studio facilities and comprehensive industrial estates.

Education

School District 41 is responsible for the public schools in Burnaby. It also has a Community and Adult Education Department, and also an International Students' Programme. Major post-secondary institutions include the main campuses of Simon Fraser University (atop Burnaby Mountain) and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Schools in Burnaby, British Columbia Secondary schools Alpha · Burnaby Central · Burnaby Mountain · Burnaby North · Burnaby South · Byrne Creek · Cariboo Hill · Maples · Moscrop · Willingdon Primary or elementary schools Armstrong · Aubrey · Brantford · Brentwood Park · Buckingham · Cameron · Capitol Hill · Cascade Heights · Chaffey-Burke · Clinton · Confederation Park · Douglas Road · Edmonds Community · Forest Grove · Gilmore Community · Gilpin · Glenwood · Inman · Kitchener · Lakeview · Lochdale Community · Lyndhurst · École Marlborough · Maywood Community · Montecito · Morley · Nelson · Parkcrest · Rosser · Seaforth · Second Street Community · South Slope · Sperling · Stoney Creek Community · Stride Avenue Community · Suncrest · Taylor Park · Twelfth · Westridge · Windsor Private schools Carver Christian High School · St. Thomas More Collegiate · Youth Futures R3 Other schools British Columbia Institute of Technology, Simon Fraser University

Notable residents/natives

• Karl Alzner, hockey player
• Glenn Anderson, hockey player
• Michael Bublé, singer
• Michael J. Fox, actor
• Matthew Good, singer
• Jason LaBarbera, hockey player
• Danielle Lawrie, softball player
• Brad Loree, actor
• Kenndal McArdle, hockey player
• Darren McCarty, hockey player
• Carrie-Anne Moss, actress
• Dave Nonis, former Vancouver Canucks GM
• Dick Phillips, baseball player and manager
• Svend Robinson, politician
• Cliff Ronning, hockey player
• Joe Sakic, hockey player
• Mike Santorelli, hockey player
• Christine Sinclair, soccer player
• Greg Zanon, hockey player

Symbols

Burnaby's official flower is the rhododendron.

Sister cities

Burnaby has three sister cities (or "twin towns"):

• Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
• Kushiro, Japan
• Mesa, Arizona, United States.

Surrounding municipalities

	City of North Vancouver	District of North Vancouver	Belcarra, Anmore, Port Moody
	Vancouver		Coquitlam
		Burnaby
	Richmond	Delta	New Westminster Surrey

See also

• Burnaby Public Library

References

External links

• City of Burnaby
• Tourism Burnaby
• Burnaby Public Library

Subdivisions of British Columbia Subdivisions Regions · Regional districts · Forest Regions and Forest Districts · School districts · Land Districts Settlements Municipalities · Cities · Ghost towns Urban centres Vancouver · Victoria · Kelowna · Abbotsford · Kamloops · Nanaimo · Prince George

From Wikitravel

Burnaby [1] is a suburb of Vancouver. It was incorporated in 1892 and achieved City status in 1992 In the first 30 to 40 years after its incorporation, the growth of Burnaby was influenced by its location between expanding urban centres of Vancouver and New Westminster. It first served as a rural agricultural area supplying nearby markets. Later, it served as an important transportation corridor between Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the Interior of the Province.

Get in

Burnaby is well integrated with nearby municipalities. It is easily accessible by car and Translink [2], the regional transit system, provides bus and Skytrain service to Burnaby.

By public transit

Two Skytrain lines pass through Burnaby. The Expo line connects the city to downtown Vancouver, New Westminster and Surrey, while the Millennium line also starts in downtown Vancouver before running through to New Westminster and looping back around through the northern part of Burnaby to Broadway Station in Vancouver. The approximate travel time from downtown Vancouver to Metrotown (central Burnaby) on Skytrain is 20 minutes.

Many buses connect Burnaby with Vancouver and its suburbs. Some useful bus routes for getting into Burnaby from Vancouver are:

• #19 - runs between downtown Vancouver and Metrotown Mall
• #130 - runs between downtown Vancouver and Brentwood Mall along Hastings St
• #135 - connects downtown Vancouver and Simon Fraser University via Hastings St (services Burnaby Heights area)

The fare to get into Burnaby by public transit is generally $3.75 on weekdays and $2.50 on weekends and evenings after 6:30PM. Fares are transferable between Skytrain and bus within the Translink system.

By car

Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada highway) is the main thoroughfare in and out of the city. Kingsway, Hastings St and Broadway provide further access from Vancouver, while the Lougheed Highway is main arterial road from Coquitlam and otherpoints east.

Get around

The Millennium line Skytrain loops around Burnaby with plenty of stops, but unless you're looking to get to a shopping mall, it will not provide direct access to the city's attractions. It can be used with the buses to get where you want to go, although it will rarely be the fastest way. Fares for public transit within Burnaby are $2.50.

• Burnaby Lake Park, end of Piper Ave. Burnaby's largest lake, a great place to see wild birds.  edit

• Burnaby Mountain Park. Enjoy the mountain, water and spectacular views of Greater Vancouver from this green jewel. Featuring the resplendent Rose Gardens, hiking and walking trails, picnic areas and children's playground.  edit

• Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel (Heritage Village), 6501 Deer Lake Ave, ☎ +1 604 293-6515, [3]. May-early Sept: Tu-Su 11AM-4:30PM, late Nov-Dec: Tu-Su Noon-5PM. Discover Burnaby urban heritage at an authentic turn of the century town and rekindle romance on the restored vintage 1912 carousel. It is staffed by people dressed in period clothes. You can visit the common houses or the many shops, including the Blacksmith and the Chinese Herbalist. It is best to go on the weekend since many of the staff are volunteers and the "town" is somewhat emptier during the week. Saturdays are best. $6-12 (child/adult), carousel $2 per ride. (49.2391,-122.9661) edit

• Capitol Hill Reservoir Park, North Hythe Ave at Dundas St, Capitol Hill. Amazing views of Vancouver, Burrard Inlet, the Lions Gate Bridge and the North Shore Mountains. Best sunset viewing spot in town.  edit

• Central Park. A 90 hectare urban park oasis that features an award-winning children's playground, pitch and putt golf, and a couple of small ponds shared by ducks and remote-controlled boats.  edit

• Deer Lake Park, Deer Lake Ave (parking is available off of Deer Lake Ave and Sperling Ave). Burnaby's hidden gem, an almost circular lake in the middle of the city, offering birdspotting opportunities, great views of Metrotown and miles of shoreline walking. Canoe and kayak rentals are also available. The park includes the Burnaby Art Gallery and Century Gardens [4] that exhibit contemporary and historical artwork in a heritage house. (49.2367,-122.9774) edit

• Simon Fraser University [5]— Located on Burnaby Mountain, discover the Simon Fraser Gallery, and view Northwest Coast Indian artifacts at the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Take a look at the new residential community being built on the mountain, just east of the university.

• Swangard Stadium, 3883 Imperial St (Boundary Rd & Kingsway), ☎ +1 604 435-7121 (events). Located in picturesque Central Park, Swangard Stadium is home to the Vancouver Whitecaps professional soccer club and a host to other track and field and sports events.  edit

• Simon Fraser University (or SFU) [6] is located in north Burnaby atop Burnaby Mountain. SFU was constructed in the 1960s, and while some have compared it to a "concrete jungle," most of the campus buildings were designed by renowned British Columbian architect Arthur Erickson, who also designed the Museum of Anthropology and the Walter Koerner Library at UBC. The university offers a variety of degree programs in the arts, sciences, business and education.
• The British Columbia Institute of Technology [7], or BCIT, is considered one of the best technical colleges in Western Canada. It is known for its proactive approach, taking advice from local businesses and industry when designing its programs. The college specializes in technology and trades career preparation (ranging from computer/network administration, project management, marketing, welding, airplane and marine repair, plus others), but also offers a number of evening courses and part-time options.

• Shopping Malls— Burnaby has large modern malls, including Metropolis at Metrotown, Lougheed Mall and Brentwood Mall. Metropolis [8] is the second largest Western Canadian mall, behind West Edmonton Mall.
• Crystal Mall [9]— An Asian mall with mostly Chinese merchants. Crystal Mall is the largest mixed purpose mall in Canada with stores, public market, professional health and education services, Hilton Hotel and residential apartment suites. It is located a few minutes walk Northwest of Metrotown.
• Hastings Street [10]— For those who enjoy the traditional street front shopping with some local flavour, includes an enticing mix of fine dining, cafes and specialty shops. Look for delis selling delicious cheeses, meats, and baked goods.

• Horizons Restaurant, 100 Centennial Way, 604 299-1155. Nestled in beautiful Burnaby Mountain Park, Horizons overlooks the bright city lights below. Specializing in steaks and seafood grilled over an open flame. It is reasonably common to find coupons for this restaurant in the Georgia Straight.
• Hart House on Deer Lake, 6664 Deer Lake Avenue, 604 298-4278. An idyllic lakefront heritage estate, Hart House invites you to retreat from the city pace and enjoy the best in food and wine. Renowned for its culinary excellence, tranquil setting, and friendly service.
• Anton's Pasta, 4260 Hastings Street, (604) 299-6636. Another crowd favourite. They serve huge dishes of pasta for around $14.
• Bombay Bel, Hastings Street next to Anton's Pasta. A newer Indian restaurant serving delicious Indian food for about $11-15 a plate.
• Tom Yum Thai, 4010 East Hastings Street, 604-677-1489. A new Thai restaurant serving excellent food at low prices but in an unappealing decor.
• Delis, bakeries, and cafes are located all along the Burnaby Heights area (Hastings Street, around Willington and Gilmore). There is a deli/bakery/cafe next to Anton's that is a neibourhood favourite.
• Diamond Alumni Centre, SFU Burnaby Mtn, 778 782-4794. Great food served in a room with an amazing view. Only open for lunch and reservations are recommended. Great prices, partly because it's university subsidized.
• Saffron Suite 5, 4300 Kingsway, (604) 436-5559 . An Indian restaurant with a contemporary decor, near Metrotown. Excellent Indian food at about $11-15 a plate.
• X-site Bar and Grill, 4625 Hastings St, 604.298.7483. A favorite of SFU students. Known for cheap food and drinks and good specials throughout the week.
• The Pear Tree Restaurant, 4120 Hastings Street, North Burnaby (just east of Boundary Rd), ☎ 604.299.2772, [11]. The only restaurant east of Vancouver repeatedly included in the top 10 finest city restaurants. Top reviews over the past decade thanks to the exceptional Continental cuisine offered by the owner and chef Scott Jaeger who represented Canada at international culinary competitions and by his team.  edit

• Hop and Vine, 1601 Burnwood Drive, ☎ (604) 421-1092. Serving great pub food, some of the most tasty burgers in pizza in town, while the beer selection could be better, the outdoor patio is perfect for a drink during summer.  edit
• Soho Bar and Grill, 7090 Lougheed Hwy, ☎ 604-421-4877. While the service may be indifferent and lax at times, go to Soho bar for the cheap drinks (Stella for under $5) and the amount of flat screen TVs showing sports constantly.  edit
• Keg Steakhouse and Bar, 2656 Eastbrook Pky, ☎ (604) 294-4626. Great place to enjoy quality steaks amongst good company. Decorated in tasteful, darker tones, it's an ideal place to enjoy an intimate dinner.  edit

• Accent Inn, 3777 Henning Drive. Located only 10 minutes from downtown Vancouver, this 3.5 star hotel features hundreds of hanging flower baskets, a fitness room, as well as a jacuzzi and sauna. All rooms have kitchenettes, private baths, AC and the beds feature the highest standard of mattress available in Canada. Wireless internet also available.  edit
• Hilton Vancouver, 6083 McKay Avenue, ☎ 1-604-438-1200. Choose from a mountain or a city view at the Hotel, both are guaranteed to please. Great for business travellers with a 16,000 sq. ft. convention centre; fitness facility, and pool.  edit
• Executive Hotel Burnaby, 4201 Lougheed Hwy, ☎ toll free: 1-800-590-3932. Deluxe suites are extremely comfortable, offering spacious living areas, jacuzzi bathtubs, fridge, coffee maker, and microwave. Service is attentive and friendly. $96-$384.  edit
• Holiday Inn Express Midtown, 4405 Central Boulevard, ☎ toll free: 1-877-323-1177. Conveniently located next to BC's largest shopping & entertainment centre. Ideal for families, children under 12 stay and eat free.  edit
• Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre (Grand Villa Casino), 4331 Domimion St (Near Canada Way and Willingdon), ☎ 604-453-0750 (deltaburnaby@deltahotels.com), [12]. checkin: 3:00 pm; checkout: 11:00 am. Awaken and excite the senses at the new Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre. A Hotel designed with the savvy business and adventurous traveler in mind; offering sleek convenient amenities and a harmonious balance between style and comfort. $99 - $200.  edit

Cope

Local semi-weekly newspapers are the Burnaby Now and the Burnaby News Leader.

Get out

Burnaby is well located if you want to move onto to other spots in Greater Vancouver. Nearby destinations include:

• Hiking, skiing and outdoor opportunities abound in the North Shore, 30 minutes away on Highway 1.
• Visit a Buddhist temple or see the historic village of Steveston in Richmond.
• White Rock, with its long stretch of beach, is 45 minutes south near the U.S. border.

Victoria ← Vancouver ←	W  E	→ Coquitlam → Kamloops
END ← Vancouver ←	W  E	→ Coquitlam → Hope