Vancouver, Vancouver was first settled in the 1860s as a result of immigration caused by the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. The city developed rapidly from a small lumber mill town into a metropolitan centre following the arrival of the transcontinental railway in 1887. The Port of Vancouver became internationally significant after the completion of the Panama Canal. It has become the busiest port in Canada, and exports more cargo than any other port in North America. Vancouver is consistently ranked one of the three most livable cities in the world. Return