Canada's first mall is the Park Royal Shopping Centre which opened in the 1950s. It was located in the district municipality of West Vancouver and a member municipality of Metro Vancouver. The municipality can be considered an eco-friendly zone because manufacturing facilities are prohibited by law. For this and other significant reasons, the West Vancouver real estate industry has large and expensive properties and houses. With a population of less than 45,000 in 2006, it is the retirement hub of Metro Vancouver where it has the second largest population of senior citizens in British Columbia.  



Although primarily a residential district, West Vancouver has some of the best public and private facilities in Metro Vancouver. There are numerous public parks like the Cypress Provincial Park which has a ski area in winter and hiking trail during summer. Aside from this, a 25-block strip of Marine drive features banks, small offices, gas stations, restaurants, and other establishments. This makes West Vancouver real estate a place of choice not only for retirees but for other people who look for prime properties as investments or a place to live.

Professionals in the senior management industry could find reasonably priced properties that are for sale or for rent. There are condominiums and townhouses at Dundarave and Ambleside. West Vancouver real estate can be a home and a place of work for professionals and individuals involved in health care, insurance, finance, and technical services. The Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal is also an important facility that made the area accessible to the rest of the people from the mainland of British Columbia. Another important transportation system is the Blue Bus transit system. Through these transport systems, every area within West Vancouver is accessible especially for the elderly who are living a slow-paced life. This district municipality is like a city for the retiring elderly.