Frequently Asked Questions

A (Primary) – The site represents the best example of a style or type of building. It may be associated with a person or event of significance, or an early pattern of development. 

B (Significant) – The site represents a good example of a particular style or type, either individually or collectively. It may have some documented historical or cultural significance in a neighbourhood.

C (Contextual or character) – The site represents a building that contributes to the historic character of an area or streetscape, usually found in groupings of more than one building, but may also be of individual importance. 

These are important buildings or sites that do not have an A, B, or C classification on the Heritage Register. These can include municipally owned buildings, parks, landscapes, or other tangible or intangible heritage assets. 

The Vancouver Heritage Register is a recognition and protection tool put in place and managed by the City of Vancouver. Vancouver Heritage Foundation has drawn on publicly available open data to create this map to provide an easy-to-use visual representation of the heritage register for research purposes. 

For each address on the Vancouver Heritage Site Finder map, the following information will be available: an image of the site, the neighbourhood it is in, the level of heritage significance where applicable, protection status (if any), any VHF grants received, a brief description, and sources for the description information.

The Vancouver Heritage Site Finder is a work-in-progress. Please contact us if you would like to help us add information or photographs – there are still hundreds of sites that require additional information. 

VHF recommends consulting with Heritage Planning staff at the City of Vancouver prior to making any alterations or considering demolition of any site listed on the Heritage Register. Restrictions may apply on alterations, both to the exterior and interior. Demolition permits will not be issued before development and building permits for the new development are approved, allowing the opportunity for discussion of alternatives.

The first step is to contact Heritage Planning staff at the City of Vancouver. More information on this and other questions regarding the Register can be found here. 

For general inquiries, website questions and volunteering inquiries, please email us or phone 604 264 9642.

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