▁in ▁the ▁world ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁de cade . ▁, ▁V ancouver ▁has ▁been ▁ranked ▁as ▁having ▁the ▁third - high est ▁quality ▁of ▁living ▁of ▁any ▁city ▁on ▁Earth . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁according ▁to ▁For bes , ▁V ancouver ▁had ▁the ▁fourth - most ▁expensive ▁real ▁estate ▁market ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁V ancouver ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁ranked ▁among ▁Canada ' s ▁most ▁expensive ▁cities ▁in ▁which ▁to ▁live . ▁Sales ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁were ▁ 5 6 . 3 % ▁higher ▁than ▁the ▁ 1 0 - year ▁average ▁for ▁the ▁month . ▁For bes ▁also ▁ranked ▁V ancouver ▁as ▁the ▁t enth - clean est ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁V ancouver ' s ▁characteristic ▁approach ▁to ▁urban ▁planning ▁origin ated ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁when ▁city ▁pl ann ers ▁began ▁to ▁encou rage ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁high - r ise ▁resident ial ▁to wers ▁in ▁V ancouver ' s ▁West ▁End , ▁subject ▁to ▁strict ▁requirements ▁for ▁set back s ▁and ▁open ▁space ▁to ▁protect ▁sight ▁lines ▁and ▁preserve ▁green ▁space . ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁these ▁dense ▁but ▁live able ▁neighbourhood s ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁re development ▁of ▁urban ▁industrial ▁sites , ▁such ▁as ▁North ▁False ▁Creek ▁and ▁Co al ▁Har bour , ▁beginning ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s . ▁The ▁result ▁is ▁a ▁compact ▁urban ▁core ▁that ▁has ▁gained