Western Canada refers to the vast geographic region of Canada, stretching from the western border of Ontario, to the Pacific Ocean on Canada’s west coast, and is home to the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
Western Canada is sometimes considered to include the territories of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, but they are more commonly identified these days as their own distinct region known as Northern Canada, or the North.
The West, as it is commonly referred to, is home to over 10 million Canadians, and includes the modern major urban centres of Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Victoria. These centers have thriving LGBT communities, with year-round activities, annual festivals and events. There are also numerous other smaller urban centres, with active LGBT communities, hosting annual celebrations, and events of interest. This edition will focus on the spectacular province of British Columbia, with special features on Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler.
Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada’s jewel on the Pacific is a hip, cosmopolitan metropolis of sleek glass towers, miles of sandy beaches, some of the best dining on the planet, and a spectacular backdrop of stunning mountains. As host city to the highly successful 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Vancouver entertained the world in high style, and the world has noticed. Tourism is already up over last season, and the future is looking bright.
Vancouver is also the starting point for many people entering Canada from overseas, and a stylish state-of-the-art airport (YVR) welcomes visitors to the region. Many updates and add-ons also took place in preparation for the Olympics, and one particular new feature is the Canada Line, which offers direct, fast, light rail service from YVR to the downtown core.
Home to the largest LGBT community in Western Canada, Vancouver’s Davie Village is the most recognized focal point for the LGBTQ community, located in the fabulous West End. Rainbow banners line the street posts of this 24/7 hub of activity, where the majority of Vancouver’s gay pubs, restaurants, saunas and dance bars are located.
Davie Village was also the location for PRIDE House Vancouver, during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the focal point being the Qmunity offices where many visitors, including Stephen Colbert from the Colbert Report, stopped by to see what was happening with the LGBTQ community during the Games. Qmunity, formerly The Centre, provides Queer resources, events, support, and programs for BC’s lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer community.
Commercial Drive is a more funky neighbourhood on Vancouver’s east side, packed with smaller, owner-operated businesses, over 400 in all, many of which are one of a kind. It is also ethnically and culturally diverse, with a bohemian vibe, reminiscent of Greenwich Village, with a bit of Haight-Ashbury thrown in for measure. Known locally as “The Drive,” it is home to the annual Dyke March and Festival, as well as East Side Pride, which kicks off Pride season in Vancouver. Popular with Vancouver’s thriving lesbian community, and many others looking to sidestep the downtown core, The Drive is a destination within a destination, and a great place to visit.
Another up and coming area gaining popularity with local LGBTQ community, is the edgy, vibrant Mount Pleasant district, which is a delightful centre of cafes, bistros, boutiques, galleries, antiques shops, and more. Check out the new Community Centre, and several gay-owned and-operated businesses in the area.
Vancouver’s LGBTQ community is a visible, thriving part of the city’s cultural fabric, and the annual Pride Parade and Festival now attracts hundreds of thousands of people each August. 2010 marks 32 years of celebrating the rainbow in Vancouver, and the Vancouver Pride Society is anticipating close to half a million people to take part in the festivities on Sunday, August 1. Pride Week also coincides with two mega fireworks shows in the West End, the Celebration of Light on Wednesday and Saturday nights, so be prepared for the hundreds of thousands of people these events also attract. This is definitely an exciting time to visit the city.
And, as many already know, same-sex marriage was legalized in British Columbia on July 8, 2003, and since then numerous couples from around the world have made Vancouver their destination of choice, when deciding on a location to take their vows. Many couples incorporate their ceremony into a vacation/honeymoon, which makes Vancouver the ideal destination of choice.
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Resources: www.tourismvancouver.com WHISTLER
www.tourismvictoria.com
www.tourismvi.com
www.vcmbc.com
www.gayvan.com
www.gaywhistler.com
www.quickcoach.com
www.vancouverpride.ca
www.victoriapridesociety.org
www.gaytopmodel.com
www.vancouver2011outgames.com
Whistler is an award-winning, year-round mountain resort located within two hours of downtown Vancouver. Along with Vancouver, Whistler Blackcomb and the community of Whistler were official venues for the 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games. In 2011, Whistler will also be a proud host for events during the 2011 Vancouver North America Outgames.
For the first time in Olympic history, there was a venue available to Gay & Lesbian athletes. PRIDE House was located at the centre of Whistler Village in the Pan Pacific Whistler, offering a hip lounge with a cocktail bar with TV monitors to watch the Olympics, hang out, trade pins, a media area to do interviews, and a venue to just have fun. PRIDE House was a groundbreaking venture designed with the core values of celebrating authenticity, diversity and inclusiveness. In recent news, Toronto Pride selected GayWhistler as their choice for their 2010 Sports Award Recipient for PRIDE House at the Winter Olympics.
Whistler Village is world-class in every sense, with fabulous accommodations, excellent restaurants and pubs, a thriving nightlife and home to the annual WinterPride Gay Ski Week. WinterPride 2010 is back on their regular schedule after the Olympics, and will take place January 30 to February 6, 2011.
