Vancouvers Chinatown is one of the largest historic Chinatowns in North America. However, it went into decline as newer members of Vancouvers Cantonese Chinese community founded a new retail area centred around Victoria and 41st Ave in the 1980s and 90s to cater to a more suburban population. Today this is the largest Chinese Canadian neighbourhood in greater Vancouver.

Chinatown was once known for its neon signs but like the rest of the city lost many of the spectacular signs to changing times and a new sign bylaw passed in 1974. The last of the spectaculars was the Ho Ho sign (which showed a rice bowl and chop sticks) which was removed in 1997. Ongoing efforts at revitalization include efforts by the business community to improve safety by hiring private security; looking at new marketing promotions and introducing residential units into the neighbourhood by restoring and renovating some of the heritage buildings. Current focus is on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the distinctive Association buildings.

Chinatown is becoming more prosperous as new investment and old traditional businesses flourish. Today the neighbourhood is complete with many traditional restaurants, banks, open markets and clinics, tea shops, clothing and other shops catering to the local community and tourists alike. The Vancouver office of Sing Tao, one of the citys four Chinese dailies, remains in Chinatown along with the new Channel M television studio and headquarters.