Metro Vancouver & Sustainability – Activities & Resources

Putting Ourselves and Metro Vancouver on the Map!

Metro Vancouver is a federation of 21 municipalities, one Electoral Area and one Treaty First Nation that collaboratively plans for and delivers regional-scale services, including drinking water, wastewater treatment and solid waste management. This activity aims to spark student inquiry, observation and exploration of the relationships between our everyday lives, our region and the many connections to Metro Vancouver services - to meet our needs at home, at school and in the community.

Boundaries

Municipal Boundary
Regional Parks Boundary

Regional Parks & Greenways
Watershed Boundary

Watersheds
LSCR Boundary

Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve

Facilities

Regional Drinking Water Facilities

Dam

Regional Liquid Waste Facilities

Regional Solid Waste Facilities

Regional Air Quality Monitoring Stations
MVHC

Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation

Municipal Halls

Metro Vancouver Head Office

Transportation

Major Roads
Seabus

Sea Bus/Ferry

Skytrain

1. View the Metro Vancouver Map

Download the Metro Vancouver Satellite Map (PDF) OR use the Interactive GIS Metro Vancouver Map (above).

What do you see?
What parts or features of our region do you recognize?

2. explore the map with a focus on places that are important to you:

Where is your home? Where is your school?
Where are other places you care about (e.g. parks, community centre, playing fields etc.)?

3. Reflect on your learning:

What else did you notice on the map that was significant to you?
What does the map tell you about how Metro Vancouver services meet the needs of residents?

How are you connected to Metro Vancouver services?

Metro Vancouver provides core services including drinking water, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, parks, affordable housing and more to its 2.7 million residents. Use this map activity to introduce and explore the many connections between the lives of residents and Metro Vancouver services - to support a livable and sustainable region.

Explore the Metro Vancouver Satellite Map (PDF) and respond to these focus questions

Where does your water come from? How does it get to you?
Where does your wastewater (liquid waste) go? How does it get there?
Where does your waste (garbage) go? How does it get there?
Where are Air Quality Monitoring Stations? What service do they provide? How do these facilities connect to air quality and climate?
Where are regional parks & greenways? What services do these provide?
What makes Metro Vancouver livable?
What other questions arise for you?

TEACHER GUIDES

Food for Thought: Exploring Agriculture and Sustainability in Metro Vancouver

Practical and engaging lessons, activities and videos about local agriculture, sustainability and food systems.

Get Outdoors: An Educator’s Guide to Outdoor Classrooms

This educator guide supports teachers and students to head outside and engage in experiential learning in the outdoor classroom. It includes fun, easy and hands-on activities along with tip sheets, checklists, field trip planners and other materials to help plan highly engaging learning experiences.