1. Vancouver invented Cosmetic Botox – Yes, the Real Housewives of Vancouver (and Real Housewives the world over) owe a debt to Vancouver: Without the work of Vancouver-based cosmetic surgeons Drs. Alastair and Jean Carruthers, who discovered the wrinkle-killing effects of Botox, upper middle class people and Hollywood celebrities would just have to look their age.

2. Hidekazu Tojo of Tojo’s invented the California Roll – Chef Tojo’s (of Vancouver’s famous Tojo’s Restaurant) claim of inventing the California Roll—plus several other famous sushi rolls—is controversial, but the man himself says it’s true: check out hison-air claim in this video featuring our own Remy Scalza.

3. Vancouver Started the Occupy Movement – Occupy Wall Street—the protest movement that made headlines in September 2011 and created Occupy protests/movements around the world (including Occupy Vancouver)—was initiated by Adbusters, the Vancouver-based “anti-consumerist” magazine.

4. Vancouver invented Chinese Buffets – Chinese immigrants played an enormous roll in the history of Vancouver; their labour was vital to the creation of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which led to Vancouver’s incorporation as a city in 1886. While the railway was built, Chinese cooks in Gastown invented the first Chinese buffets: Chinese smörgåsbords for Scandinavian loggers and mill-workers.

5. Greenpeace Started in Vancouver – Greenpeace, the world-famous NGO that works on global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling and anti-nuclear issues, started right here in Vancouver in 1971, when it grew out of peace movement and anti-nuclear protests. Today, Wikipedia describes Greenpeace as “the most visible environmental organization in the world.”

http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2012/07/31/5-ways-vancouver-changed-the-world-that-may-surprise-you/#more-26057