North Vancouver, made up of the two separate municipalities of the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver, is commonly referred to as the “North Shore” or “North Van.” It lies across the Burrard Inlet from Vancouver’s downtown and is easily accessible by car using the Lions Gate Bridge from downtown Vancouver, the Second Narrows (Ironworkers Memorial) Bridge from East Vancouver or by SeaBus from Vancouver’s Waterfront Station.
North Vancouver started out as a logging and mill community, but the building of the Lions Gate Bridge in 1938 led to more residential development. Today it is a family-oriented community in a beautiful location surrounded by ocean, mountains and popular ski and hiking hills (Grouse Mountain and Seymour). It is popular with people who want to live close to the urban conveniences and attractions of downtown Vancouver but still want to enjoy peaceful mountain scenery and life in a smaller community.
The real estate market in North Vancouver includes many single-family homes like bungalows and ranch homes, and offers close-knit, smaller communities like Edgemont Village. There are more townhouses and condos concentrated near the water close to Lonsdale Avenue. The benchmark price of a house in North Vancouver is $1,689,900. The benchmark price for townhouses is $900,400, and for apartments $467,100. View North Vancouver MLS® Listings and upcoming open houses.
North Vancouver Amenities
Shopping
North Vancouver offers a number of great places to shop. Lonsdale Quay is popular with both residents and tourists with a great public market, cafes and shops right on the waterfront. There are many small shops on Lonsdale Avenue -- a haven for Persian cuisine and shopping -- and Edgemont Village in the District of North Vancouver. Marine Drive and Capilano Mall in the City of North Vancouver feature larger stores. In adjacent West Vancouver, there is Park Royal Shopping Centre and the Village at Park Royal.
Cafés and Restaurants
North Vancouver offers a great variety of cafes and restaurants. There are a number of charming waterfront cafes at Lonsdale Quay, and an assortment of ethnic cuisines and family restaurants on Lonsdale Avenue and Marine Drive. The area is also home to a growing craft brewery scene.
Arts and Culture
North Vancouver has a vibrant arts and culture scene embodied in the public art on display throughout the community. There are also plenty of performing arts venues and festivals, including the Caribbean Days Festival in July, North Shore Jazz in June and the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival in February.
Sports and Recreation
North Vancouver is home to Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour Provincial Park, offering easy access to skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking trails in the summer including the popular and challenging Grouse Grind hike. Capilano River Regional Park and Lynn Canyon Park also offer extensive outdoor recreation areas. The 50-km Baden-Powell trail runs from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove.
Transportation
North Vancouver is easily accessible using the SeaBus, by car via the Lion's Gate Bridge or the Second Narrows Bridge or via Highway 1. The bus transit hub of North Vancouver is located in Lonsdale Quay which is also the location of the SeaBus terminal linking North Vancouver to downtown Vancouver's waterfront. The SeaBus travels between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night.
Schools and Education in North Vancouver
There are 26 elementary schools and 7 secondary schools in the North Vancouver School District. There is also a District French Immersion program offered at three of the secondary schools and six elementary schools.
North Vancouver Property Statistics
Benchmark home price1 $1,026,500
Rental information2
Average monthly shelter costs for rental dwellings
$1,174
Makeup of dwellings3
Total occupied private dwellings
51,070
Single-detached houses
38.1%
Apartments, five storeys or more
11.2%
Apartments, fewer than five storeys
25.7%
Semi-detached houses and duplexes
15.7%
Row houses
9.0%
North Vancouver Demographics3
Population 127,330
Age
80+
4.2%
60 to 79
16.7%
40 to 59
32.9%
20 to 39
23.7%
5 to 19
17.7%
0 to 4
4.8%
Neighbourhoods surrounding North Vancouver
1Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Home Price Index for North Vancouver, August 2016.
2Statistics Canada. North Vancouver, British Columbia (Code 59019) (table). National Household Survey (NHS) Profile.2011 National Household Survey. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 99-004-XWE. Ottawa. Released September 11, 2013. The figure includes all shelter expenses paid by households that rent their dwellings, such as the monthly rent and the costs of electricity, heat and municipal services.
3Statistics Canada. North Vancouver, British Columbia (Code 59019) and Canada (Code 01) (table). Census Profile. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Released October 24, 2012.
