Pacific Centre

Pacific Centre, officially branded CF Pacific Centre since 2015, is a large enclosed shopping mall in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. It occupies a prominent position in the city centre and is integrated with the surrounding Granville commercial district, Vancouver City Centre and Granville SkyTrain stations, and nearby office, hotel, and retail developments. Most of the mall’s retail space is located below street level, allowing the complex to function as an extensive underground shopping environment while maintaining connections to major downtown streets and transit facilities. The centre was developed between 1971 and 1973 as a major downtown retail project and was informally associated with the Eaton Centre shopping-mall format because of its original Eaton’s department-store anchor. Its early development involved Cemp Investments, Toronto-Dominion Bank, and T. Eaton Company. The mall’s anchor mix changed substantially over time. Eaton’s was replaced by Sears Canada after 2002, and the Sears premises were vacated in the fourth quarter of 2012. Nordstrom subsequently occupied the former department-store space from 2015, but closed its Canadian operations in June 2023. The former anchor space and other prominent parts of the complex have continued to evolve as the property has been repositioned toward a more contemporary downtown retail and experiential mix. Pacific Centre expanded and improved its connections to the surrounding urban infrastructure during the 2000s. Vancouver approved a major expansion proposal involving approximately 53,700 square metres of additional or reconfigured retail premises, including storefronts extending toward both sides of West Georgia Street. A direct connection to Vancouver City Centre station on Granville Street opened in August 2009 alongside the Canada Line, strengthening the mall’s role as a transit-linked shopping destination. The property is also directly connected to Vancouver Centre mall and has historically been linked to the former Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver. A connection to Granville station through the Hudson’s Bay location ceased to be available after that store closed in 2025. Ownership was broadened in 2017. Cadillac Fairview announced an agreement to sell a combined 50 percent interest in its Vancouver properties, including Pacific Centre, to the Ontario Pension Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, with each acquiring a 25 percent stake. Cadillac Fairview retained the remaining 50 percent and continued to manage the properties. Cadillac Fairview itself is associated with the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. The complex has also undergone architectural and retail modernization. In the early 2020s, the glass-domed rotunda at the northeast corner of West Georgia and Howe streets was redeveloped into a new two-storey pavilion of approximately 1,300 square metres. The pavilion included a flagship Apple store and represented an effort to strengthen Pacific Centre’s street presence and attract globally recognized retail concepts. With more than 100 stores and shops, Pacific Centre is described as the largest mall in downtown Vancouver by store count and one of Canada’s busiest shopping centres. It recorded approximately 22.1 million annual visitors in 2018, according to the cited reference material. Its positioning combines urban convenience, direct rapid-transit access, department-store and specialty retail history, dining, and premium international brands. The centre remains an active downtown commercial property managed by Cadillac Fairview, although its tenant composition and physical connections continue to change as Vancouver’s retail and office districts evolve.

Pacific Centre was built between 1971 and 1973 as a major downtown Vancouver retail development. Its original development was a joint venture involving Cemp Investments, Toronto-Dominion Bank, and T. Eaton Company. The centre was informally associated with the Eaton Centre model and initially featured Eaton’s as a department-store anchor. This placed the property at the centre of Vancouver’s downtown retail network and helped establish an extensive underground shopping environment beneath and around the Granville commercial district. The mall’s anchor history reflects broader changes in Canadian department-store retailing. Eaton’s was replaced by Sears Canada after 2002. Sears later vacated the former anchor premises in the fourth quarter of 2012. Nordstrom opened in the space in 2015, but its Canadian flagship closed on 13 June 2023 when Nordstrom withdrew from Canada. Pacific Centre has therefore repeatedly adapted its large-format spaces as traditional department stores lost importance and specialty, luxury, technology, and experiential retail became more prominent. A major expansion and connectivity program was approved by the City of Vancouver. The proposal covered approximately 53,700 square metres and included retail premises extending toward street level on both sides of West Georgia Street, as well as a direct connection to Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station on Granville Street. The station connection opened in August 2009 with the Canada Line. Pacific Centre is served by both Vancouver City Centre and Granville stations, which link the complex to Vancouver’s Expo and Canada lines. The mall is also directly connected to Vancouver Centre mall and was connected to the former Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver. The Hudson’s Bay route to Granville station was no longer available after the department store closed in 2025. In January 2017, Cadillac Fairview announced the sale of a combined 50 percent interest in its Vancouver properties, including Pacific Centre. The Ontario Pension Board and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board each acquired a 25 percent stake. Cadillac Fairview retained the other 50 percent and continued to manage the properties. This ownership arrangement placed Pacific Centre within a group of large institutional real-estate holdings while preserving Cadillac Fairview’s operational role. The property’s physical modernization continued in the early 2020s. The glass-domed rotunda at the northeast corner of West Georgia and Howe streets was redeveloped into a two-storey pavilion measuring approximately 1,300 square metres. The pavilion included a flagship Apple store and provided a more visible street-facing architectural element for a mall whose retail area had historically been concentrated underground. Pacific Centre is described as the largest shopping mall in downtown Vancouver by number of stores, with more than 100 stores and shops. It was reported to have approximately 22.1 million annual visitors in 2018, making it the seventh-busiest mall in Canada on that measure. Its current role combines shopping, food and beverage, services, and transit-oriented urban activity. The property remains active under Cadillac Fairview management, with its tenant mix and internal connections subject to continuing change in response to department-store closures, redevelopment, and shifts in downtown Vancouver’s commercial environment. The mall was also the site of a notable security incident in 2012. A guard working through the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association’s Genesis Security operation was recorded physically confronting and assaulting a person with a disability who had been accused of shoplifting. The British Columbia attorney general ordered an investigation, and in January 2013 the Ministry of Justice determined that unnecessary force had been used. The guard was fined, had the security licence suspended for two months, and was required to complete use-of-force recertification before receiving a licence again.

• 2025

  Hudson’s Bay connection ends

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The closure of the Hudson’s Bay store ended the former direct internal route between the mall and Granville station.

• 2023

  Nordstrom closes

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom’s Pacific Centre flagship closed on 13 June as the retailer exited the Canadian market.

• 2017

  Institutional ownership expands

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Ontario Pension Board and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board each acquired a 25 percent interest, while Cadillac Fairview retained 50 percent and management responsibility.

• 2015

  Official CF Pacific Centre branding introduced

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The property adopted the CF Pacific Centre name under Cadillac Fairview’s retail branding system. Nordstrom also opened in the former department-store space.

• 2012

  Sears premises are vacated

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Sears Canada vacated the former Eaton’s anchor premises in the fourth quarter.

• 2009

  Canada Line connection opens

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The direct connection to Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station opened in August alongside the Canada Line.

• 2002

  Sears Canada succeeds Eaton’s

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Sears Canada replaced Eaton’s as the department-store anchor following the end of Eaton’s operations.

• 1973

  Pacific Centre completed

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The mall was completed after a development period running from 1971 to 1973, with Eaton’s as its original department-store anchor.

• 1971

  Construction begins

  [1]Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Construction began on the major downtown Vancouver shopping-centre project that became Pacific Centre.

A large, centrally located urban shopping centre focused on convenient transit access, a broad specialty-retail mix, premium and international tenants, and integration with Vancouver’s downtown commercial infrastructure.

• Fashion

  Fashion and apparel retail

  Pacific Centre’s fashion offer includes clothing, accessories, footwear, and related specialty retail distributed through underground mall spaces and street-facing premises. The tenant mix has historically included department-store retail and has increasingly incorporated international and premium brands.

• Consumer electronics

  Apple flagship store

  An Apple flagship store was included in the new two-storey pavilion created during the redevelopment of the northeast rotunda at West Georgia and Howe streets. The store strengthens Pacific Centre’s technology and destination-retail profile.

• Food and services

  Food, beverage, and services

  In addition to merchandise retail, the centre accommodates food and beverage outlets and personal or convenience services typical of a major urban shopping mall. These uses support commuters, office workers, residents, and visitors using the adjacent transit network.

• 2013

  Unnecessary force finding

  The British Columbia Ministry of Justice ruled that the guard had used unnecessary force. The guard was fined $230, had the security licence suspended for two months, and was required to complete use-of-force recertification.

  Source

• 2012

  Security guard assault investigation

  A person with a disability was physically assaulted by a Genesis Security guard during a shoplifting confrontation at or near Pacific Centre. Video evidence led British Columbia’s attorney general to order an investigation.

  Source

Read more

• 2023

  Manage the Nordstrom anchor closureOther

  Background

  Nordstrom decided to exit the Canadian market, affecting its Pacific Centre flagship and the mall’s large former department-store space.

  Action taken

  Nordstrom closed the Pacific Centre store on 13 June 2023.

  Aftermath

  The closure created a significant anchor-space transition within the mall and continued the property’s long-term evolution away from traditional department-store dependence.

  Source

• 2017

  Sell a combined 50 percent ownership interestM&A

  Background

  Cadillac Fairview sought institutional participation in its Vancouver property portfolio, including Pacific Centre.

  Action taken

  The Ontario Pension Board and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board each acquired a 25 percent interest, leaving Cadillac Fairview with 50 percent and management responsibility.

  Aftermath

  Pacific Centre became jointly owned with major Ontario institutional investors while day-to-day management remained with Cadillac Fairview.

  Source

• 2015

  Rebrand as CF Pacific CentreStrategy

  Background

  Cadillac Fairview introduced a consistent CF-branded identity for its shopping-centre portfolio.

  Action taken

  Pacific Centre was officially branded CF Pacific Centre while continuing to use Pacific Centre as its established public name.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand aligned the property with Cadillac Fairview’s broader retail portfolio.

  Source

• 2009

  Open direct connection to Vancouver City Centre stationStrategy

  Background

  The mall’s expansion and urban-integration plans included a direct connection with the Canada Line and Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station.

  Action taken

  Pacific Centre opened the station connection in August 2009, improving access between the mall and Vancouver’s rapid-transit network.

  Aftermath

  The connection reinforced the centre’s position as a transit-oriented downtown retail destination.

  Source

1. 1Pacific Centreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2CF Pacific Centre official retail siteshops.cadillacfairview.com