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Becoming Vancouver: A History
A lot has changed since the last A-to-Z history of Vancouver appeared several decades ago—award-winning historian Daniel Francis captures all of that change and more in this new era-by-era narrative of Canada’s Pacific Gateway city. Becoming Vancouver follows the evolution of the city: from early habitation by the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations; to the area’s settlement as a mill town; to the “Open City” years of flourishing speakeasies and brothels during the 1920s; to the years of poverty and protest during the 1930s followed by the long wartime and postwar boom to the city’s current status as real-estate investment choice of the global super-rich. Tracing decades of transformation, Becoming Vancouver examines the events and personalities that have defined the city’s geography, economy and politics. Francis enlivens his text with rich characterizations of the people who shaped Vancouver: determined Chief Joe Capilano, who in 1906 took a delegation to England to appeal directly to King Edward VII for better treatment of Indigenous peoples; brilliant and successful Won Alexander Cumyow, the first recorded person of Chinese descent born in Canada; tireless activist Helena Gutteridge, Vancouver’s first woman councillor—just to mention a few.
Vancouver has been called a city without a history, partly because of its youth but also because of the way it seems to change so quickly. Historic business blocks here today are replaced by gleaming new glass and steel high-rises tomorrow, leaving few physical reminders of what was before, and making a work like Becoming Vancouver so essential.
Vancouver has been called a city without a history, partly because of its youth but also because of the way it seems to change so quickly. Historic business blocks here today are replaced by gleaming new glass and steel high-rises tomorrow, leaving few physical reminders of what was before, and making a work like Becoming Vancouver so essential.
- GenresHistoryCanadaNonfiction
389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2021
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131 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 8, 2021
How did the book make me feel/think?
I love Vancouver. I have resided here for 31 years.
Some rich man came and raped the land, nobody caught him. Put up a bunch of ugly boxes and Jesus people bought them. – The Eagles |The Last Resort|
“Becoming Vancouver” is a fabulous essential read with a spectacular cover. Anyone residing in or visiting Vancouver would gain a deep understanding of how this stunning natural canvas came to be, where it's at, and perhaps where it may be going. It's not all rosy. History has a propensity to repeat itself. Only in the current world version, everything is perilously amplified as humanity races toward…
Vancouver is like the perfect Instagram shot if only you crop out the unavoidable suffering of those who are being left behind. Those falling into the throes of addiction, or with mental health issues, and the abject misery of not being born into wealth or coming from a family that staked the first claims to their slice of paradise. Being born into wealth or a construction family is not a qualification. Instead, it reeks of entitlement and privilege often laced in xenophobia and racism, coupled with a tremendous lack of self-awareness. The first inhabitants of Vancouver tried desperately, and succeeded, for the most part, to maintain their advantage by demeaning others and keeping voting rights to themselves. Or starting predatory businesses preying on those less fortunate.
Vancouver has always been a city in constant flux between those who want to exploit its beauty by pushing unfettered development and those who believe Vancouver's pristine beauty should be preserved for all of its citizens to enjoy.
In the wake of the many battles for the city’s soul, Vancouver, like many cities in the world, is leaving behind human destruction as the have-not’s trip into addiction, alcohol abuse, mental health issues, and basically hopelessness. One hundred years ago, homeless men (primarily men) wanted a job. In today's Vancouver, the homeless appear to have lost all hope, and what they seem to quest is to manage their addictions to control the pain of being left behind. You can't walk a block without…
A shiny tower goes up, we look the other way; the city sure is beautiful. But is it? Is Vancouver at a crossroads? Vancouver needs solid leadership, open to listening before Vancouver becomes nothing more than a playground for the super-rich as more and more people fall into despair.
I think it would be fantastic if “Becoming Vancouver” was in every hotel room in the city or offered as a purchase option to everyone visiting the city when they booked their rooms. “Becoming Vancouver” is a captivating read, where, for me, the more I read, the more history I thirsted for. Maybe I will stop by The Sylvia Hotel, the first lounge allowing men and women to drink together (1954).
It is vitally important to study the past if we hope to make the future better for all.
WRITTEN: October 8, 2021
I love Vancouver. I have resided here for 31 years.
Some rich man came and raped the land, nobody caught him. Put up a bunch of ugly boxes and Jesus people bought them. – The Eagles |The Last Resort|
“Becoming Vancouver” is a fabulous essential read with a spectacular cover. Anyone residing in or visiting Vancouver would gain a deep understanding of how this stunning natural canvas came to be, where it's at, and perhaps where it may be going. It's not all rosy. History has a propensity to repeat itself. Only in the current world version, everything is perilously amplified as humanity races toward…
Vancouver is like the perfect Instagram shot if only you crop out the unavoidable suffering of those who are being left behind. Those falling into the throes of addiction, or with mental health issues, and the abject misery of not being born into wealth or coming from a family that staked the first claims to their slice of paradise. Being born into wealth or a construction family is not a qualification. Instead, it reeks of entitlement and privilege often laced in xenophobia and racism, coupled with a tremendous lack of self-awareness. The first inhabitants of Vancouver tried desperately, and succeeded, for the most part, to maintain their advantage by demeaning others and keeping voting rights to themselves. Or starting predatory businesses preying on those less fortunate.
Vancouver has always been a city in constant flux between those who want to exploit its beauty by pushing unfettered development and those who believe Vancouver's pristine beauty should be preserved for all of its citizens to enjoy.
In the wake of the many battles for the city’s soul, Vancouver, like many cities in the world, is leaving behind human destruction as the have-not’s trip into addiction, alcohol abuse, mental health issues, and basically hopelessness. One hundred years ago, homeless men (primarily men) wanted a job. In today's Vancouver, the homeless appear to have lost all hope, and what they seem to quest is to manage their addictions to control the pain of being left behind. You can't walk a block without…
A shiny tower goes up, we look the other way; the city sure is beautiful. But is it? Is Vancouver at a crossroads? Vancouver needs solid leadership, open to listening before Vancouver becomes nothing more than a playground for the super-rich as more and more people fall into despair.
I think it would be fantastic if “Becoming Vancouver” was in every hotel room in the city or offered as a purchase option to everyone visiting the city when they booked their rooms. “Becoming Vancouver” is a captivating read, where, for me, the more I read, the more history I thirsted for. Maybe I will stop by The Sylvia Hotel, the first lounge allowing men and women to drink together (1954).
It is vitally important to study the past if we hope to make the future better for all.
WRITTEN: October 8, 2021
April 26, 2023
I’ve lived in Strathcona or the DTES for more than 12 years now. The history of Vancouver is largely the history of my neighbourhood so much of the stories of this great book we’re familiar to me. However it was very helpful to tie all these stories together in one linear book. Of course there was much that I didn’t know and that was great to come across. Some of the new stories to me were awesome—the paid court jester, for instance—others were depressing—a slew of racist policies that I didn’t even know about. I don’t know how big the audience of this book could be for non-Vancouverites, but for those of us who live here, it’s a fantastic resource.
January 21, 2025
“Becoming Vancouver: A History” by Daniel Francis is incredibly engaging because the book uses vivid storytelling of historical events, making the history of Vancouver come alive for the reader. The book is both factual and narratively written. Another adjective to describe the book would be enriching. Becoming Vancouver teaches the readers about the cultural, economic, and political transformations that Vancouver has gone through in its lifetime.
Daniel Francis’s book starts at the beginning of Vancouver’s history with the land's original habitats the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. It talks about settlers coming and slowly but surely turning the land into a mill town. The book highlights the unfair treatment of non-white Vancouverites throughout the city's history, including the imposition of head taxes on Chinese immigrants, the internment of Japanese Canadians, the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples, and many other injustices. The city's stories from during and after the two world wars span three chapters explaining the impact on the city seemingly far from the battlefield. In the 1950s the city was very unhappy with its old wooden buildings, and it put in the effort to give itself a makeover. Lastly in the 60s and 70s the strata titles act was created which created the condominium providing the legal framework to allow single piece of property to be subdivided into units owned by different owners. This created an explosion of condo construction and further growth in the city making it what it is today. Becoming Vancouver shows that “cities are not built in a day, nor are they built by consensus. Vancouver’s identity has been shaped by conflict and compromise, a reflection of the people who call it home.”
I have grown up in Vancouver for most of my life and with that comes some knowledge about the city. But without this book I do not believe that I would have learned or connected the things I already knew about the city together. With this book I learned about the dual identity of Vancouver— the city’s consistent struggle between preserving its natural beauty while also creating a livable environment versus attracting global capital and becoming a hub for investment. This tension is the recurring theme that adds to the understanding of its urban and social history. A fact that stuck with me that I didn’t know before was that 1,400 of Vancouver's men died in World War I “a greater toll per capital than any other city in Canada.” This was shocking to me considering that Vancouver is one of the farthest cities in Canada from the war itself.
I enjoyed the variety of people talked about in the book. Stories about people such as Chief Joe Capilano, the Squamish Nation leader in the 1800s, Joe Fortes, the “mayor” of English Bay, and Helena Gutteridge, the first female councilor in Vancouver. Hearing about the people who have made up Vancouver in its past makes history feel more personal and relatable.
The one subject I thought was missing was residential schools and the life of indigenous people longer after it had been settled. Throughout the book there are stories of indigenous people, but I would have loved more personal stories of indigenous people living in Vancouver in its later years. Even though there were no residential schools specifically in Vancouver there were many in greater Vancouver and it would have been worth discussing.
An important implication of Becoming Vancouver is how the city doesn’t just come from the settlers who first arrived, but various communities have contributed to the city’s evolving identity. The book also encourages the readers to pay attention to the ongoing tensions between development and preservation, and how it affects modern cities. Through learning about Vancouver’s history, we can better understand how past decisions have shaped the challenges we face today. The book shows us the importance of balancing a growing city with cultural and environmental stewardship. An example in the book is Vancouver’s rise as a hub for global real estate investment. This has brought Vancouver economic growth, but it has also contributed to severe housing unaffordability.
I would recommend Becoming Vancouver to any Vancouverite who is interested in learning about the city they live in, history, or the evolution of cities.
Daniel Francis’s book starts at the beginning of Vancouver’s history with the land's original habitats the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. It talks about settlers coming and slowly but surely turning the land into a mill town. The book highlights the unfair treatment of non-white Vancouverites throughout the city's history, including the imposition of head taxes on Chinese immigrants, the internment of Japanese Canadians, the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples, and many other injustices. The city's stories from during and after the two world wars span three chapters explaining the impact on the city seemingly far from the battlefield. In the 1950s the city was very unhappy with its old wooden buildings, and it put in the effort to give itself a makeover. Lastly in the 60s and 70s the strata titles act was created which created the condominium providing the legal framework to allow single piece of property to be subdivided into units owned by different owners. This created an explosion of condo construction and further growth in the city making it what it is today. Becoming Vancouver shows that “cities are not built in a day, nor are they built by consensus. Vancouver’s identity has been shaped by conflict and compromise, a reflection of the people who call it home.”
I have grown up in Vancouver for most of my life and with that comes some knowledge about the city. But without this book I do not believe that I would have learned or connected the things I already knew about the city together. With this book I learned about the dual identity of Vancouver— the city’s consistent struggle between preserving its natural beauty while also creating a livable environment versus attracting global capital and becoming a hub for investment. This tension is the recurring theme that adds to the understanding of its urban and social history. A fact that stuck with me that I didn’t know before was that 1,400 of Vancouver's men died in World War I “a greater toll per capital than any other city in Canada.” This was shocking to me considering that Vancouver is one of the farthest cities in Canada from the war itself.
I enjoyed the variety of people talked about in the book. Stories about people such as Chief Joe Capilano, the Squamish Nation leader in the 1800s, Joe Fortes, the “mayor” of English Bay, and Helena Gutteridge, the first female councilor in Vancouver. Hearing about the people who have made up Vancouver in its past makes history feel more personal and relatable.
The one subject I thought was missing was residential schools and the life of indigenous people longer after it had been settled. Throughout the book there are stories of indigenous people, but I would have loved more personal stories of indigenous people living in Vancouver in its later years. Even though there were no residential schools specifically in Vancouver there were many in greater Vancouver and it would have been worth discussing.
An important implication of Becoming Vancouver is how the city doesn’t just come from the settlers who first arrived, but various communities have contributed to the city’s evolving identity. The book also encourages the readers to pay attention to the ongoing tensions between development and preservation, and how it affects modern cities. Through learning about Vancouver’s history, we can better understand how past decisions have shaped the challenges we face today. The book shows us the importance of balancing a growing city with cultural and environmental stewardship. An example in the book is Vancouver’s rise as a hub for global real estate investment. This has brought Vancouver economic growth, but it has also contributed to severe housing unaffordability.
I would recommend Becoming Vancouver to any Vancouverite who is interested in learning about the city they live in, history, or the evolution of cities.
August 14, 2024
Good overview of the history of its city from its founding to the Pandemic era. This book focuses primarily on Vancouver proper and not metro Vancouver. It demonstrates that many of the social problems the city currently faces (housing prices, homelessness, drug addiction, etc) are not recent phenomena but have existed in the city at various times in its history, some as far back as its founding (ie. real estate speculation).
Further, this overview of the city’s history provides insight into areas of its history that could warrant further reading. For example, the story of the Penthouse and its role in enabling prostitution in the West End me to find that two entire books have been written on this by Aaron Chapman, one on crime in the West End and one on the Penthouse.
Overall, a good primer on Vancouver’s story.
Further, this overview of the city’s history provides insight into areas of its history that could warrant further reading. For example, the story of the Penthouse and its role in enabling prostitution in the West End me to find that two entire books have been written on this by Aaron Chapman, one on crime in the West End and one on the Penthouse.
Overall, a good primer on Vancouver’s story.
February 10, 2025
Francis masterfully takes the reader through the various decades of Vancouver's development. Along the way, vignettes are offered of individuals - both famous and not - who bore witness to important events that helped shape Vancouver into Canada's West Coast hub. Punches are not pulled, as Francis opens bare the mistreatment inflicted upon Vancouver's most vulnerable: Unscrupulous land deals foisted upon British Columbia's First Nations - deals that often amounted to little more than theft of traditional lands; the racism that permeated every aspect of society for decades, whether the denial of immigration due to Asian heritage, or the denial of gainful employment or education for the same reasons; or, the institutional misogyny that allowed dozens of women to become victims of a serial killer. It's all there, unrolled in a very balanced and well-researched story-line.
October 28, 2021
What a great book! I cant say enough great things about this book.
As someone who has lived in the Vancouver area my whole life, it was so interesting to read about areas and names I had seen before. Expanded on some historical events I knew a bit about. It was a page turner. So informative and interesting. Well written. Lots of great information. I have been talking about it ever since.
As someone who has lived in the Vancouver area my whole life, it was so interesting to read about areas and names I had seen before. Expanded on some historical events I knew a bit about. It was a page turner. So informative and interesting. Well written. Lots of great information. I have been talking about it ever since.
February 15, 2022
A solid look at the history of Vancouver, chronicling the villages of the Squamish, Musequem, and Tsleil-Waututh all the way to the outbreak of Covid in 2020. Francis, a Vancouver native, mixes politics and society evenly throughout, showcasing how the city grew from a small settlement and terminus of the railway into the major global metropolis that it is today.
January 29, 2024
The author makes no attempt to weave any stories out of characters or events, they just present a very straightforward history of Vancouver. However, it's an easy read and will leave you more informed. If Vancouver is a place you're interested in knowing more about, this book is a good choice.
December 1, 2021
As a long time resident on Vancouver, I really appreciate the research that went into this text. I found the read very enjoyable and helpful
June 13, 2022
A very readable history of the City of Vancouver. It's amazing how much has changed in such a short period of time.
March 13, 2024
Loved this book almost as much as I love this city that has adopted me.
Not a big book, but it covers a lot of field in a very efficient and entertaining way.
Not a big book, but it covers a lot of field in a very efficient and entertaining way.
August 22, 2023
This book isn't just a glimpse into the past; it's a portal that transports readers into the heart of Vancouver's evolution, offering a comprehensive perspective that is both enlightening and thought-provoking.
One of the book's standout features is its incisive exploration of the iconic "Vancouver Special" housing zoning and the daunting specter of housing affordability. Francis skillfully unravels the intricate threads of foreign capital and empty homes that have contributed to the city's enduring unaffordability. This insightful analysis offers a valuable lesson in the nexus of economics, real estate, and community dynamics that continue to shape Vancouver's urban landscape.
The book resonates as a powerful testament to the ongoing challenges of gentrification and the perceived elimination of Vancouver's middle class. As the city's social fabric evolves, Francis skillfully highlights the narratives of those caught in the crosshairs of shifting demographics and economic forces. With great awareness, he captures the tension between the city's soaring progress and the very real threats of eroding affordability.
Becoming Vancouver adeptly guides readers through the city's tumultuous recent history, touching on the (ongoing) impact of COVID-19 and the devastating (ongoing) grip of the fentanyl crisis. The book underscores Vancouver's resilience in the face of adversity and serves as a mirror to the challenges faced by its citizens.
While the book masterfully navigates the city's intricacies, it could benefit from acknowledging the origins of the illicit fentanyl, , as expounded in the book Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic. This connection could have added a layer of depth to the understanding of Vancouver's struggles.
Becoming Vancouver stands as a testament to meticulous research, insightful analysis, and a keen sense of storytelling. Prepare to be educated, moved, and enlightened as you journey through Vancouver's captivating narrative. Embrace the opportunity to delve into the city's past, present, and future, and emerge with a richer understanding of the forces that have shaped and continue to shape this dynamic metropolis.
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The Two Michaels: Innocent Canadian Captives and High Stakes Espionage in the US-China Cyber War
Claws of the Panda: Beijing's Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada
4.2/5
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews