Discover Vancouver’s Greener Side with Urban Future Walks

Vancouver is one of the greenest cities on the planet. Sustainability in Vancouver means more than just forests and green space, though we’ve got plenty of those. You can learn about Vancouver’s many sustainability initiatives without ever leaving Downtown’s vibrant neighbourhoods.

Urban Future Walks is a guided tour experience where you can hear about exciting advancements in urban design and sustainable futures happening right now in Downtown Vancouver.

Walking tours are a great way to meet new people and learn about different areas from a fresh perspective. Vancouver offers a wide variety of walking tours all summer long, from Talaysay Tours to Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours and Historic Chinatown Tours.

What makes Urban Future Walks unique? It’s a rare opportunity to take part in a UBC research study while getting to know cool facts about the city.

What Is Urban Future Walks?

Urban Future Walks tours are part of PhD research currently being conducted at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability. Embarking on one of these tours is the perfect way to see Downtown Vancouver through fresh eyes and to understand the many ways that Vancouver is a global leader in green thought.

With tours beginning on May 16 during the Victoria Day long weekend and finishing September 7, you’ll get to experience the city’s vibrant summer vibes while enjoying guided interpretations of dozens of sites and attractions.

How to Get Involved

When you sign up online, you’ll be offered one of three options. You can choose an in-person group walking tour, a group virtual tour, or an individual virtual tour. Don’t worry, if you’re matched with an option you weren’t hoping for, you will get a second chance at being assigned a different format!

Each of these tours is its own exciting and unique experience. Like the walking tour, the group virtual experience also takes place in person downtown, but you get to participate in a one-of-a-kind virtual experience rather than exploring the city on foot. Both group options last about 1.5-2 hours.

The third option, the individual virtual experience, is great for accessibility and allows you to complete the experience on your device at your own pace, from wherever you happen to be.

What Can You Expect?

These tours are designed to highlight sustainability-related features (and futures!) of the Downtown Vancouver landscape that can be easily overlooked. They’re an immersive way to get to know some of the iconic buildings and sites that make up the city’s urban centre from a sustainability perspective, while also potentially meeting and connecting with new people.

When you visit Downtown Vancouver, you might notice that restaurants, work, and leisure all operate near each other to create a bustling hub of activity. This mix of compact layouts, multi-use public spaces, and short walking distances is part of what makes Vancouver a leader in sustainability.

From exploring the lively city centre near Robson Square to taking in stunning vantage points looking over Vancouver’s natural skyline, you’ll explore the streets that connect this urban grid and support both local livelihood and sustainability.

Public transport enthusiasts can look forward to learning more about the roles that TransLink and Vancouver’s sophisticated network of ride shares and bike shares, including Evo, Lime e-scooters, and e-bikes, play in our green city.

You’ll be sure to see these transportation options from a new perspective. Who knows, maybe you’ll even leave the experience on an e-bike!

What Else Can You Do in Downtown Vancouver?

Whether it’s learning about the iconic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s fascinating sustainability-related history and future, or hearing about the sustainability considerations that went into the construction of buildings like the Vancouver Convention Centre, you’ll be surprised and inspired by the green initiatives that quietly shape Downtown’s core.

The tour doesn’t just cover buildings, either. Keep your eyes peeled for the opportunity to see striking Indigenous artworks. You can expect a reminder that Vancouver's story runs deeper than its modern skyline.

The tour takes you right through the city’s centre, including Coal Harbour, where you can shop and dine after learning interesting facts about the buildings and structures that surround you.

Make sure to sign up in advance to snag a spot. If you participate in brief pre- and post-tour surveys, you will be entered in a lottery draw for a $100CAD reward.

So take advantage of this exciting chance to make a difference by contributing to a UBC research study focused on sustainability. You’ll leave with a sense of why Vancouver has a global reputation as a truly green city.