▁a ▁resort ▁community ▁ ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁Green pe ace ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁V ancouver . ▁The ▁city ▁became ▁the ▁permanent ▁home ▁to ▁ ▁T ED ▁con ferences ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁V ancouver ▁was ▁originally ▁named ▁Gast own ▁and ▁began ▁as ▁a ▁settlement ▁which ▁grew ▁around ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁makes h ift ▁ta vern ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁edges ▁of ▁H ast ings ▁Mill ▁built ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁and ▁owned ▁by ▁propriet or ▁G ass y ▁Jack . ▁The ▁original ▁site ▁is ▁marked ▁by ▁the ▁Gast own ▁steam ▁clock . ▁Gast own ▁then ▁formally ▁registered ▁as ▁a ▁town site ▁dub bed ▁Gran ville , ▁B urr ard ▁In let . ▁The ▁city ▁was ▁renamed ▁" V ancouver " ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁through ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Pacific ▁Railway ▁( CP R ). ▁The ▁Canadian ▁Pacific ▁trans cont inental ▁railway ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁by ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁The ▁city ' s ▁large ▁natural ▁se ap ort ▁on ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁became ▁a ▁vital ▁link ▁in ▁the ▁trade ▁between ▁Asia - P ac ific , ▁East ▁Asia , ▁Europe , ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Canada . ▁ ▁, ▁Port ▁Metro ▁V ancouver ▁is ▁the ▁fourth - larg est ▁port ▁by ▁t onn age ▁in ▁the ▁Amer icas , ▁the ▁bus iest ▁and ▁largest ▁in ▁Canada , ▁and ▁the ▁most ▁divers ified ▁port ▁in ▁North ▁America