It has been a busy summer at the U.S. Consulate General Vancouver! To find out what we have been up to, read on below about the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, our Annual Independence Day Party, Indian Summer Fest, and more! Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Joe Biden came to Vancouver as a Presidential …

As FIFA Women’s World Cup play unfolded in Canada, U.S. Consulate General Vancouver welcomed Lori Lindsey to the city to start the soccer superstar’s Sports Diplomacy tour in Canada. The Department of State’s Sports United worked with the Public Affairs section to bring the former U.S. women’s team midfielder to Vancouver on June 16 and …

Emmy nominated American film director, writer, producer and advocate, Marta Cunningham, visited Vancouver two weeks ago as part of a speaking / film screening tour to Canada. Her first feature, the documentary Valentine Road, was acquired by HBO documentaries and premiered to great acclaim at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. She has screened Valentine Road …

Chasing Ice Documentary Screening & Discussion On April 23, 2015, CG Platt and PA hosted a film screening of “Chasing Ice” in celebration of Earth Day. 57 individuals were in attendance, and included academia, environmental experts, and students. The screening was followed by a panel discussion and a networking reception. The screening and discussion was …

Consul General Lynn Platt helps open the new Trusted Traveler Enrollment Center (EC) in the Birch Bay Square business center, Blaine, Washington. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today announced the relocation and expansion of a joint “Trusted Traveler” Enrollment Center (EC) in the Birch Bay Square business center, …

The Vancouver Writers Fest is an annual event which brings together literary notables from around the globe for five days of book readings, lectures and other events. For the past 27 years, it has provided a platform for authors and readers to meet, engage in discussion, and exchange inspiration and ideas. The Writers Fest events …

The 2nd annual TEDxRenfrewCollingwood was a daylong event that showcased and celebrated dynamic ideas and peoples from the East Vancouver neighborhood, as well others from across North America. All the talks were presented at Windermere Secondary School’s auditorium on Saturday, October 25. This year’s theme was “Rock, Paper, Scissors!” which incorporated a varied series of …

On Thursday September 11, 2014, Deputy Principal Officer Joe Salazar and representatives from the US Consulate attended the 13th annual 9/11 Memorial Ride and Service at the Peace Arch Boarder Crossing. Members of Canadian and American emergency services, border officials, and military personnel rode motorcycles and emergency vehicles to Peace Arch from the River Rock …

During her first week as Vancouver’s Consul General, Lynne Platt accompanied Ambassador Bruce Heyman to Whitehorse for the 11th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region (CPAR). The conference was attended by approximately 150 people including parliamentary representatives, indigenous peoples, organizations affiliated with the Arctic Council, and local dignitaries. The discussions addressed the issues of …

The U.S. Embassy is providing funding for 19 Canadian small business development experts, including participants from BC and Yukon, to travel to Grapevine, TX, near Dallas, to participate in the Small Business Network of the Americas 2nd Annual International Sister Center Workshop. ( Media Advisory )    

The US Consulate in Vancouver is delighted to be taking part in the City of Vancouver’s Pride festivities. The Consulate sent representatives to the Pride Week Proclamation and Launch on July 28 at Vancouver City Hall. The Proclamation was opened by a prayer from a Coast Salish Elder, which was followed by the Proclamation speech …

The United States Consulate General Vancouver was pleased to send a representative to attend the Qatuwas 2014 Canoe Journey and inaugural Indigenous Economic Opportunities Summit. The Qatuwas Tribal Journey, which was originally first held in Bella Bella, British Columbia in 1993, is a week-long cultural event in which coastal tribal communities from Alaska to Oregon …

The US Consulate was delighted to attend the Pacific North West Economic Region (PNWER) summit from July 20-24. Described as the “Gold Standard” of US-Canada relations, PNWER is a unique platform for leaders in government, and the private and non-profit sectors to come together and address common issues. The PNWER initiative was organized and created …

The U.S. Embassy, in conjunction with the State University of New York (SUNY) in Plattsburgh and Fulbright Canada, are pleased to announce the selection of 18 Canadian youth and three Canadian adult educators for a Youth Ambassadors Program. Over 150 people across Canada applied for this program, and 21 participants were selected from a variety …

The 4th annual Indian Summer Festival was a wonderful opportunity for South Asian art and culture to truly shine in Vancouver. Through public art exhibitions, literary presentations and mesmerizing performances by poets, musicians and dancers alike, this vibrant community has shown off its best and brightest throughout the last ten days. The U.S. Consulate General …

The Consulate General in Vancouver was delighted to ring in another July 4th this year in a celebration truly reflective of the close ties of the United States and Canada. Consul General Anne Callaghan welcomed over 400 guests to the celebration of the 238th anniversary of American Independence at her 4th of July garden party. …

The United States Ship (USS) Decatur, an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, visited Vancouver this week. The visit is an outward demonstration of the commitment that the US and Canada have to sustaining their cross-border cooperation. The U.S. Navy performs many friendship missions in order to foster relationships with their international partners, and in addition to …

On route to RIMPAC, a multinational maritime exercise that takes place in the north Pacific Ocean and is held every two years by the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the USS Nimitz dropped anchor near Esquimalt Harbour for a friendly visit to the city of Victoria, which it last visited in 2007. This visit …

The U.S. Consulate welcomed Dr. Christopher Sands, former Fulbright scholar and senior fellow at John Hopkins University, as part of a state department-sponsored cross-Canada speaker series. Vancouver was the first stop on a visit which will also include programs in Calgary and Toronto. During his time in Vancouver, Dr. Sands spoke to business leaders, researchers …

The Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration has come to a close in a whirlwind of vibrant colors and sounds. The week long celebration, held in the cities of Vancouver and Surrey, was an opportunity for performers from across Canada and the U.S. to showcase their talents and passion for Bhangra. The Consulate sponsored four American Bhangra …

The Consulate welcomed Dr. Mary Ellen Weber, a former NASA astronaut, as part of a State Department-sponsored coast to coast visit across Canada to promote youth engagement in science and technology. During her time in Vancouver, Dr. Weber spoke to hundreds of students of various ages from around the region. At Princess Margaret Secondary School …

Ambassador Bruce Heyman and his wife Vicki are in Vancouver this week kicking off their cross-Canada trip which will take them to more than ten cities over the next few weeks. During the visit, Ambassador Heyman met with government, business, First Nations, community, and cultural leaders to discuss bilateral relations and learn about issues relevant …

Consulate General Vancouver and Commercial Service from Consulate General Calgary welcomed dozens of U.S. companies to GLOBE 2014, North America’s Largest International Forum on Business & the Environment. Held biannually in Vancouver, GLOBE is at the forefront of new ideas and insights on business and sustainability, bringing thousands of environmental business leaders, corporate environmental managers, …

The US Consulate General Vancouver welcomed Dr. Juley Fulcher, Esq., an expert in the prevention of domestic and dating violence. Dr. Fulcher spoke on the UBC and SFU campuses to students and faculty. She spoke with students and service providers on how best to address this global issue. In addition, she hosted a web seminar …

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Consul General Anne Callaghan hosted a networking and mentorship reception for young female professionals across a variety of sectors. A senior investment banker, the CEO of the YWCA, and one of the Vancouver Sun’s most senior columnists joined the Consul General in highlighting things they wished we knew at …

During a visit to Tesla Motors’ Vancouver Service Centre Consul General Anne Callaghan test-drove the Tesla S and learned about the California-based manufacturer of electric cars’ expansion in Canada. Robin Peterson, Tesla’s Field Director for Western Canada, talked about upcoming plans for expansion, including the showroom set to open this spring on Robson Street in …

US Consul General Anne Callaghan spoke at the opening reception of the Active America China conference in Richmond on Tuesday, March 11th. The conference welcomed businesses in the tourism industry from across North America, and connected them with tour operators in China. China is the fastest growing inbound tourism market to the United States, and …

The American Citizen Services Unit decorated the office in pink, blue, and white on March 11 to welcome families who visited the Consulate to register their babies as United States citizens. Consul General Anne Callaghan and Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs Russel Brown, who was visiting from Ottawa, received families and presented commemorative certificates and …

Dozens of American agricultural producers and exporters participated in the annual Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA)’s Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Vancouver Convention Centre last week. The event is CPMA’s keystone event and Canada’s largest event dedicated to the fruit and vegetable industry. The event provides a unique forum for industry leaders to …

The US Consulate General Vancouver hosted a Google Hangout to answer questions from the web about Visas. Our two consular officers answered dozens of questions that were submitted both in advance, and live during the web chat. Consular officers spoke for more than 45 minutes, and questions came from a variety of sources, and were …

Consulate General Vancouver welcomed Tayyibah Taylor, the founding editor-in-chief and publisher of Azizah Magazine, a leading publication for Muslim Women, for a two-day visit last week. Ms. Taylor, who was named as one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, and whom Huffington Post included in …

The US Consulate Vancouver co-sponsored a visit from Ryan Mulholland, a Senior Renewable Energy Trade Specialist at the US Department of Commerce. Mr. Mulholland visited Vancouver in order to speak at an energy conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre, organized by the Sauder School of Business. The conference was attended by more than 200 industry …

Cindy Biggs, the Principal Commercial Officer at the US Consulate General in Calgary, visited Vancouver to attend the 1st Annual Indigenous Energy Summit , and the BC Association of Mineral Exploration (AME)’s 2014 Mineral Exploration Roundup . We talked with her about some of the work the Commercial Service does to help facilitate the movement of goods, services, and individuals more swiftly across the Canada-US …