Vancouver’s Chinatown in Canada’s Top 10 Endangered Places List

Feb 1

National Trust for Canada

Canada’s largest Chinatown stands as a testament to the integral role the Chinese community has played in shaping Vancouver. Since before the city’s founding in 1886, Chinese immigrants settled in the area of Carrall Street and Pender Street, forming a tight-knit self-segregated community, amidst racial prejudice. They brought with them Chinese architectural styles, whose influence is felt throughout the neighbourhood and in the National Historic Site at its core. The blend of Chinese and Western styles lends Chinatown its distinctive feel, giving rise to places like the Sam Kee Building, the world’s narrowest commercial building, and the Chinese Freemason’s Building. Today, Chinatown continues to be a hub for social and cultural activities for Vancouver’s thriving Chinese community. Read more…