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1880
In February, the Government of Canada contracts with American Andrew Onderdonk to build 206 km (128 miles) of future transcontinental railway in British Columbia between Yale and Savona, at the west end of Kamloops Lake.
A blast of dynamite at Yale, signals the beginning of construction, in B.C., of the transcontinental railway, May 14.
1881
The government's attempts to build the railway fail, and a private company, Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR), is incorporated. In its charter the CPR commits to completing the transcontinental railway by May 1891.
1882
Work begins in February on another government-contracted Onderdonk section of the CPR between Port Moody and Yale, B.C.
1884
The rails between Port Moody and Yale come together 2.4 km (1.5 miles) east of Nicomen, B.C., January 22.
In August, CPR vice-president W.C. Van Horne visits the Burrard Inlet and chooses the small milling village of Granville as the future site for CPR's western terminus. The site is later given the name suggested by Van Horne – Vancouver.
1885
Railway crews working from east and west meet at Craigellachie, BC – more than five years ahead of schedule. On November 7, CPR's senior director Donald Smith drives in the last spike on Canada's first transcontinental railway.
1886
The government turns over its 372 km (231 miles) of operating railway in B.C. to the CPR, July 1.
The first regular passenger train arrives on time, July 4, at Port Moody, B.C., six days after leaving Montreal.
A ship under charter to CPR arrives in Port Moody with a cargo of tea from Japan, forging Canada's first trading partnership with the Pacific Rim. The tea travels by rail to eastern cities.
Construction begins on the 14-mile line extension between Port Moody and what is to become the Port of Vancouver.
1887
CPR opens Hotel Vancouver, May 19.
The first train into Vancouver rolls onto the pier at the end of the 20-km (12.5-mile) extension, May 23.
A pioneer shipment of silk from the Orient arrives in Vancouver, June 14.
1891
CPR introduces its own 6,000-ton white Empress ships to the trans-Pacific trade. These are the first three twin-screw vessels to ply the Pacific Ocean.
1899
Inauguration of The Imperial Limited – a new and faster transcontinental passenger train.
1901
CPR purchases the Canadian Pacific Navigation Company, including nine screw-steamers and five paddle steamers, some of which are former Hudson's Bay Company steamers, serving the B.C. Coast.
CPR completes the 14-mile Vancouver & Lulu Island (V&LI) branch from Vancouver's False Creek to Steveston on the south arm of the Fraser River.
1905
CP acquires Esquimalt & Nainaimo Railway on Vancouver Island.
1908
CPR completes the 10-mile V&LI branch from Marpole to New Westminster
1912
CPR begins two-year development of rail freight yard in Coquitlam to serve greater Vancouver area.
1914
CPR begins development of exclusive Vancouver residential community, Shaughnessy Heights, named after its president, Thomas G. Shaughnessy. Much of this is on District Lot 526, granted to CPR when the built its 1887 extension from Port Moody into Vancouver proper.
1919
The first trip of the Trans Canada Limited all-sleeping car train between Montreal/Toronto and Vancouver, June 1.
1942
Canadian Pacific Air Lines is formed and eventually headquartered out of Vancouver.
1948
CPR dieselizes its entire railway operations on Vancouver Island.
1955
The inauguration, in April, of the stainless steel, scenic-domed transcontinental passenger train The Canadian between Montreal/Toronto and Vancouver. It features the longest dome-car ride in the world.
1962
The incorporation of Canadian Pacific Investments Limited (CPI) to oversee all Canadian Pacific non-rail interests. CPI assumes control of CP Oil and Gas and Pacific Logging.
1963
The incorporation of Marathon Realty Company Limited to administer CPR land and real estate.
1965
First of Canadian Pacific (Bermuda) Ltd.'s fleet of ocean-going bulk carriers, the 13,000-ton dry cargo vessel R.B. Angus, enters service between B.C. ports and Tokyo, Nov. 19.
1967
The unveiling of $200-million Canadian Pacific development project for the Vancouver waterfront, June 28.
1970
CPR inaugurates coal unit train service. Each train moves 9,526 tonnes (10,500 tons) of coal from southeastern BC to Roberts Bank port for export to Japan. CPR goes on to develop the
$30-million unit train system which allows BC coal to travel to tidewater at low cost and remain competitive in Asian markets.
1980
CPR opens $5.5-million Mayfair intermodal terminal facilities in Vancouver to serve its new domestic container project, April 30.
CPR completes $46-million double-tracking program for its Calgary-Vancouver main line. This increases rail-line capacity to handle larger volumes of freight traffic through the B.C. mountains.
1983
An official ceremony turns over CPR's Drake Street Yard and Shops and former False Creek container terminal to the City of Vancouver as the main site for their future Expo 86.
1985
CPR's Dunsmuir Tunnel becomes a sky train corridor to downtown.
1986
Expo 86 opens on the former site of CPR's Drake Street Yard and Shops and former False Creek container terminal.
1999
CPR opens the Vancouver Intermodal Facility at Roberts Bank to serve the growing international container market.
CPR opens a 42.5-hectare (105-acre) domestic intermodal facility in Pitt Meadows, B.C., with a throughput capacity of 120,000 containers and trailers.
2001
B.C. elects Gordon Campbell as its new premier. Campbell is a former City of Vancouver mayor from the late 1980s and a previous Canadian Pacific Marathon Realty developer looking after the False Creek lands development and turn over to the city for Expo 86.
2005
Mail, Rail & Retail, a collaborative Canadian icon heritage display, featuring Canadian Pacific Railway, Hudson's Bay Company, Canada Post and the Canadian Museum of Civilization, opens, March 4, at the Vancouver Museum.
Official Vancouver Museum launch of the Mail, Rail & Retail exhibit, March 10.
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