Vancouver is an interesting city. The most significant physical difference that strikes me between it and other cities are the downtown high-rise buildings. In most cities, the high buildings appear to be business offices. In Vancouver, the majority appear (at least from design) to be residences. It really does make for a different feel.
Also, for some reason, Vancouver has an Asian feel to it (at least to me). It feels very much like I imagine Shanghai or Hong Kong or Taipei would feel.
Do you remember the British putting up signs in the middle of Peking in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, "Chinese and Dogs Not Allowed"? Very nice of those English sons of... something.
Well, some Hong Kongers, running away from Chairman Mao's ghost, fled over to Vancouver with all their cash and assets. They built some of those residential high rises.
But I guess some subconciously wanted some measure of revenge and while they didn't post signs, they did not permit whites to apply for any of the housing units, Chinese only! Well, that didn't last. I heard the rest of Canada got a wee bit upset. Doh! Canada is not England! Besides, I always thought those Kongers were kind of... sons of ... English.
Racism is always evil and sinful, no matter who practices it.