Vancouver Was Built on Gold | Fraser River Gold Rush Explained Before the skyline… before the ports… before the global trade — there was gold. In 1858, the Fraser River Gold Rush transformed British Columbia forever. Thousands rushed to Canada in search of opportunity, and that single metal helped shape Vancouver into the powerful city it is today. But this isn’t just history. This is a wealth lesson. What the Fraser River Gold Rush teaches us is simple: Gold doesn’t just create opportunity — it