Permanent "VANCOUVER" sign receives green light for installation before 2026 FIFA World Cup

This is the proposed location of the permanent "VANCOUVER" sign

City Council approves consideration of permanent landmark "VANCOUVER" sign project

New strategy envisions surge in public art in downtown Vancouver

Major traffic changes coming to Canada Place Way ahead of Vancouver cruise ship season

Permanent Komagata Maru Place street signs installed at Canada Place Way

Opinion: How to create a successful new permanent "VANCOUVER" sign

City Council endorsed City of Vancouver staff’s recommendations to proceed with detailed design, planning, and procurement, and set aside up to $300,000 in funding from the municipal government toward this public art project. It was approved in a 10-1 vote, with only COPE councillor Sean Orr voting in opposition.

The City’s contribution will be further supplemented by a $200,000 contribution from local tourism authority Destination Vancouver and another $200,000 from the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association (VHDA).

City staff began planning the project following an unanimous City Council decision in March 2024 to support a member motion by ABC city councillor Peter Meiszner, which directed staff to explore the creation of a permanent “VANCOUVER” sign. As part of the initial planning process over the past year, City staff consulted with other municipal governments with such signs.

This public art initiative is a direct response to the overwhelming success and overall popularity of recent temporary installations — most notably the first temporary “VANCOUVER” sign first introduced on Canada Place Way for the Liven UP Coal Harbour Winter 2023/2024 activations, which returned in Winter 2024/2025 at a different location on the Coal Harbour seawall next to the seaplane terminal. It was followed by a second temporary “VANCOUVER” sign nearby, installed as part of the Junction Public Market during Summer 2024, which proved to be popular as well.

The identified Canada Place Way location is the same location of the first temporary sign in Winter 2023/2024. This same general area was also previously home to the temporary “CANADA 150” sign in 2017.

“My driving force in bringing this forward was really my love for Vancouver and my passion for the city and wanting to celebrate that. I think many times in Vancouver, we don’t take those opportunities. We’re very modest and we don’t really realize the incredible place that we live in. So I really want to see us really step up and celebrate our city,” said Meiszner today, highlighting the large crowds that were attracted by the previous temporary signs.

“We saw overwhelming success of the temporary Vancouver sign last summer. And it’s not often that we have such a strong proof of concept on a placemaking initiative. That was a massive success.”

A key difference from the previous temporary signs is that those installations were created by renting prefabricated letter signs that lacked durability and were not built to withstand the elements or resist wear and tear, including vandalism. Unlike the future new permanent sign, they were also not custom-designed to reflect Vancouver’s identity or celebrate civic pride and local culture.

“We’re really modelling this after the ‘TORONTO’ sign, which has been such a success,” said Rachel Magnusson, the Associate Director of Street Activities for the City of Vancouver, during the meeting.

The convention centre will cover a portion of the construction cost, specifically preparing the site for the sign’s installation, which is estimated at between $80,000 and $150,000.

This involves removing one large concrete planter, covered seating area, and lamp post to make space for an aluminum “VANCOUVER” sign measuring up to 13.5 metres (44 ft.) in length, 1.8 metres (5.9 ft.) in height, and one metre (3.3 ft.) in width. Such removal work of the existing installations also creates a larger space for people to gather and take photos with the sign.

The permanent sign will be set back from the seawall railing, allowing pedestrians to comfortably walk between the back face of the sign and the edge of the promenade. This ensures continued public access to unobstructed waterfront views and maintains the site’s overall accessibility — an improvement over previous temporary signs, which were placed directly against the railing.

The total cost of this public art project is between $580,000 and $950,000. This includes $250,000 to $350,000 to fabricate the sign, and $100,000 to $200,000 for the installation of a reinforced concrete base, electrical wiring, and mounting hardware on the Canada Place Way viaduct. Another $150,000 to $200,000 would be spent on local First Nations representation, including artist compensation.

Downtown Van, the local business improvement association (BIA) for downtown Vancouver’s Central Business District, will also provide capital funding.

To cover the electricity costs of nighttime lighting, programming, cleaning, and maintenance, including the repairs required for vandalism, the City will also set aside $50,000 annually for operating and maintenance costs.

“The temporary sign was already a proof of concept, an extremely popular draw with locals and tourists. It generated buzz and evidently a strong sense of civic pride,” Winki Tam, the Director of Strategy and Development for Downtown Van, told City Council during the meeting.

“As a BIA, we look toward other downtown cores like Toronto, Chicago, and Amsterdam, where their signs have had continual economic benefits, helping to enhance the city’s appeal to international visitors and supporting their business and retail districts. We emphasize that initiatives driving significant foot traffic like this are more important than ever,” said Tam.

Earlier this year, the BIA shared visitation to downtown Vancouver fell in 2024. It is suggested that this significant public art project can play a role in making the city centre a more inviting and vibrant destination for both local residents and visitors.

“These installations don’t just look good, they work to boost foot traffic and tourism. They bring people downtown, support business, and create lasting impact in our most visited public spaces,” continued Tam.

During the deliberations, it was noted by City Council that some groups have expressed strong interest in helping to fundraise to cover some of the costs. So far, City staff have not looked into potential philanthropic opportunities. With this in mind, City Council approved an amendment by Meiszner to direct City staff to engage with potential community partners and interested philanthropists to possibly reduce the municipal government’s financial contribution.

Some concerns were raised over the high capital cost of installing the sign, but City staff asserted that these costs are comparable to projects of a similar scale led by other organizations.

Mayor Ken Sim — who voted in favour of the project — also noted that he is more focused on the ongoing operating and maintenance expenses. However, he emphasized that these concerns do not diminish his support, given the anticipated benefits of the sign as a landmark attraction that attracts people.

“I can tell you, this is a no brainer,” said Sim, adding that “if this costs $50,000 to operate per year ongoing, that’s what we should be concerned about. Not the initial startup.”

“I will personally commit to making sure that we lead the charge and we will be looking for interested third parties to help us with this. And based on my conversations around this town, there are a lot of people that love our city and would be enthusiastic supporters of it. In fact, we might have a situation where we’re oversubscribed.”

Independent city councillor Rebecca Bligh said, “I think that we’ve got some good financial partners that have come forward. There’s still more opportunity for fundraising, which I think shows that we recognize the City can’t do everything on our own. We want to promote good partnerships that want to bring forward a positive activation in our city, and this could be one example and there could be more in the future as well.”

ABC city councillor Brian Montague added, “I think the effect investments like this have on the economy can’t be stated enough. This is more than just a sign. If there are concerns about the cost, those are hurdles that we can overcome… We want Vancouver to be not just a place where people reside or people punch a clock, but a place where people are excited.”

“I like to think of myself as someone who’s extremely fiscally responsible. My wife calls me cheap, but I don’t like spending money. I don’t like spending stupid money. I don’t think this is stupid money. I think this is a worthwhile investment,” continued Montague.

When asked about City staff’s recommendation to place the sign along the Canada Place Way promenade, Magnusson explained that while all the shortlisted locations offered iconic backdrops, not all met the operational requirements. The selected site stood out due to the presence of key partners — specifically the convention centre  — who are capable of overseeing the day-to-day management and monitoring of the sign.

In addition to the selected location, City staff also explored several alternative sites, including Jack Poole Plaza, Harbour Green Park along the Coal Harbour waterfront, the North Plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery on West Georgia Street, Creekside Park near Science World, Kitsilano Beach Park, and Sunset Beach Park.

Jack Poole Plaza, already home to the iconic Olympic Cauldron, was ruled out due to its frequent use as a major event venue. A permanent sign in the plaza would limit its flexibility to host large-scale gatherings and, in many instances, the sign would be obstructed by event infrastructure.

Similarly, the North Plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery was deemed unfeasible, as it regularly serves as a site for events and film productions, presenting comparable visibility and accessibility challenges.

ABC city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung raised some safety concerns about whether the selected location on the Canada Place Way promenade offers sufficient space for people to step back and capture all nine letters of the “VANCOUVER” sign in photos. She questioned whether the promenade is wide enough to allow for this without pedestrians inadvertently stepping into the adjacent roadway and potentially into the path of oncoming vehicles.

This location not only sees high pedestrian through traffic, but it is also a coach bus pick-up and drop-off zone, and the location of the FlyOver and Canada Place kiosks. In 2017, a coach bus mounted the curb on the Canada Place Way promenade and hit three tourists from Massachusetts, killing one individual.

“So part of the reason for the removal of the planters is to ensure that there is that space and also make sure that the letters are pulled away from the edge of the water there so that you can’t climb on the letters or climb on the railings and things like that. So we have done an assessment of that,” explained Magnusson.

“As of right now, we think there’d be enough space,” continued Magnusson, noting that they are in discussions with the convention centre, and will also engage with the Vancouver Police Department and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, which oversees Canada Place.

Magnusson also shared that all three local First Nations — Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh — have expressed interest in participating in the sign’s design process, although their degree of involvement has yet to be determined. She suggested this involvement could, for example, be assigning a letter for each First Nation to design, or perhaps a changeable art wrap after the sign is installed, similar to the “TORONTO” sign.

Following today’s approval, City staff will proceed with the design and procurement process through Summer 2025, with fabrication occurring in the fall and winter.

In late 2024, City staff will provide City Council with an update on the project’s progress. The sign will be installed in Spring 2026, just ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, 2026.

During the meeting, one public speaker expressing support proposed that a portion of the funding for the sign should be drawn from the municipal government’s FIFA World Cup budget, suggesting it could serve as a lasting legacy piece from the tournament.

This was the case for the “TORONTO” sign, with its first iteration being a temporary installation fabricated for the decorations of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. Due to its unexpected popularity, Toronto’s temporary sign — designed to have a lifespan of only a few months — remained in place for years, until 2020 when its poor condition had become highly apparent, and $760,000 was spent to upgrade it into a permanent, durable sign.

The City of Vancouver recently initiated a bidding process for a contractor to supply the extensive FIFA World Cup-branded decorations that will blanket BC Place Stadium’s exterior, downtown Vancouver, and other pertinent destinations and sites starting in Spring 2026.

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