East Vancouver

East Vancouver (also "East Van" or the "East Side") is a region within the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby. East Vancouver is divided from Vancouver's "West Side" (not to be confused with the "West End" of Downtown Vancouver or with West Vancouver) by Ontario Street (though nearby, larger Main Street is often referred to as the divider as shorthand).

East Vancouver has been the first home for many non-British immigrants since the 1880s. Historically, it was also a more affordable area and traditionally the home for many lower-income working class. The East Side is best summarized by its diversity – in family income, land use, ethnicity and mother tongue. The rapid increase in housing prices and gentrification may be affecting diversity of the area.

In 1860, the False Creek Trail was built following an old aboriginal path to connect False Creek with New Westminster. The first permanent European settlement in the area arose in 1865 in what is now Strathcona, Vancouver's first neighbourhood. Even at that time, Strathcona was known simply as the "East End". In the 1880s, the first homes were built in what is now Mount Pleasant.

Construction of North Arm Road (now Fraser Street) began in 1872. This road was constructed to allow farmers to bring their produce to market from the north arm of the Fraser River. Later, in 1890, a railway linked South Vancouver and Mount Pleasant. Besides agriculture, canneries were a major employer for many residents in the 1880s and 1890s.

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