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Although the sky was pouring rain the morning of the May 2, 2010, dedication, Latter-day Saints agreed with President Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of the Church, that it was a “beautiful day.”
The Prophet expressed that the Vancouver temple holds a special place in his heart because he helped pick the temple’s site with previous Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. “Now we see a lovely temple here,” he said. “It couldn’t have been created for a more noble purpose.”
From 1959 to 1962, President Monson also served as a mission leader in Canada with his wife, Sister Francis Johnson Monson, and spoke of his “underlying love for Canada” at the dedication.
“We carry Canada in our hearts,” he said.
Speaking to the youth in attendance at the dedication, President Monson told the young Latter-day Saints that “this is your temple.”
Accompanying the Prophet at the dedication ceremony were President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency; Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder William R. Walker, executive director of the Temple Department and Sister Ann M. Dibb, President Monson’s daughter and second counselor in the Young Women general presidency.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We dedicate this temple as an abode for Thee and Thy Son. Let Thy glorious light ever shine upon it. Wilt Thou place Thy ratifying seal of approval upon this dedicatory service and upon all we have done and will do in this, Thy holy house, which we now present to Thee. O Holy Father, accept of our love. Let Thy blessings distill upon us as the dews from heaven. May we walk with faith, never faltering, in the testimonies which we carry in our hearts concerning Thee and Thy precious Son, our Redeemer.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Vancouver British Columbia Temple here.
The Vancouver temple was announced in letters to local Church leaders on May 25, 2006, by the First Presidency — then consisting of President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust.
Ground was broken for the temple on Aug. 4, 2007. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy, who had been released as president of the North America Northwest Area earlier in the month, presided over the event, and nearly 400 Church members were present.
A public open house was held from April 9 to April 24, 2010. More than 40,000 visitors toured the house of the Lord during this time.
A cultural celebration was held May 1, 2010. Roughly 1,200 youth performed in the celebration, and Church President Thomas S. Monson said it “was truly one of the finest [he had] ever seen.”
The temple was dedicated in three sessions on May 2, 2010, by President Monson.
On May 25, 2006, the First Presidency announced a temple for Vancouver, British Columbia. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Aug. 4, 2007, with Elder Ronald A. Rasband presiding.
Nearly three years later, beginning April 9, 2010, the public was allowed to tour the new temple until April 24, 2010. After a cultural celebration the day prior, President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the Vancouver British Columbia Temple on May 2, 2010.
The Vancouver temple stands on 11.6 acres and is a total of 28,165 square feet. The exterior was made with Branco Siena granite from Brazil, and the structure was designed with a single spire and angel Moroni statue. Trees and flowers fill the grounds around the building.
The temple’s interior includes hardwood from the west coast of Africa and features the motif of British Columbia’s provincial flower — the Pacific dogwood — in paints and carpet sculptings.
25 May 2006
2 May 2010
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This was the seventh Latter-day Saint temple in Canada and the first in British Columbia. Temples in the country preceding the Vancouver temple were the Cardston Alberta, Toronto Ontario, Halifax Nova Scotia, Regina Saskatchewan, Edmonton Alberta and Montreal Quebec temples.
It was the first Canada temple announced in the 21st century.
At the time of its dedication, the Vancouver temple served around 22,000 Saints in 91 congregations in British Columbia and northern Washington state.
It was dedicated the same month as the Calgary Alberta Temple groundbreaking ceremony, which was held May 15, 2010.
This temple was dedicated the same month as The Gila Valley Arizona Temple dedication, held May 23, 2010.
The Vancouver temple was the seventh to close for a period of time at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to minimize the spread of the virus. On March 25, 2020, the First Presidency closed all temples worldwide because of the pandemic.
The temple stands in a residential area home to multiple schools and parks.
Built roughly 10 miles north of the United States-Canada border, the temple is also approximately 11 miles from the Strait of Georgia, which pours into the North Pacific Ocean.
This was the seventh Latter-day Saint temple in Canada and the first in British Columbia. Temples in the country preceding the Vancouver temple were the Cardston Alberta, Toronto Ontario, Halifax Nova Scotia, Regina Saskatchewan, Edmonton Alberta and Montreal Quebec temples.
It was the first Canada temple announced in the 21st century.
At the time of its dedication, the Vancouver temple served around 22,000 Saints in 91 congregations in British Columbia and northern Washington state.
It was dedicated the same month as the Calgary Alberta Temple groundbreaking ceremony, which was held May 15, 2010.
This temple was dedicated the same month as The Gila Valley Arizona Temple dedication, held May 23, 2010.
The Vancouver temple was the seventh to close for a period of time at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to minimize the spread of the virus. On March 25, 2020, the First Presidency closed all temples worldwide because of the pandemic.
The temple stands in a residential area home to multiple schools and parks.
Built roughly 10 miles north of the United States-Canada border, the temple is also approximately 11 miles from the Strait of Georgia, which pours into the North Pacific Ocean.
