Is Vancouver Still a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone?

Vancouver, BC - Visitors to Vancouver may recall the once-prominent signs proclaiming the city a “Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone.” Though these signs have mostly faded from view, Vancouver’s official status remains unchanged.This symbolic stance began in 1983, when Vancouver City Council passed a resolution declaring the city a nuclear weapons-free zone.

The decision was spurred by public opposition to federal plans permitting U.S. cruise missile tests over Canadian territory, alongside widespread anti-nuclear sentiment during the Cold War. Though symbolic—Canada has never owned nuclear weapons—the resolution underscored Vancouver’s commitment to peace and disarmament.

To broadcast this position, signs were erected at key entry points, such as along Lougheed Highway and near the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge on McGill Street. These modest brown-and-white markers, with their understated lettering, carried a powerful message.

Vancouver lacks nuclear infrastructure or military bases, but its stance struck a chord during a tense era. In the 1970s, over 60,000 nuclear warheads existed worldwide, some aboard U.S. Navy ships. That shifted in 1991, when the U.S. began removing nuclear weapons from most surface vessels.

The most likely location for nuclear weapons nearest to Vancouver is Naval Base Kitsap in Washington State, specifically the Bangor Trident Base on the Kitsap Peninsula. This base is part of the U.S. Navy's nuclear submarine infrastructure and is known to house nuclear warheads, primarily associated with Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Kitsap is located west of Seattle on the eastern shore of the Hood Canal in Puget Sound, so it is not too far away from us.

Over time, the signage dwindled, particularly before the 2010 Winter Olympics, as the city polished its image. Today, few signs remain, and with a typical lifespan of only 10 to 12 years, most of them are probably gone. Yet Vancouver’s nuclear-free status endures on paper. In 2019, the city council reaffirmed this by endorsing the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, aligning with global disarmament efforts.Though the signs may fade, Vancouver’s peaceful legacy persists—quietly, but officially.

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