Eric Williamson, owner, AAA Vancouver Eco Tours

Eric Williamson, owner of AAA Vancouver Eco Tours (formerly North Van Green Tours), runs daily sightseeing excursions of North Vancouver in a Toyota Land Cruiser that runs on vegetable oil collected from local restaurants. Tours are four hours in length and explore Cates Park, Deep Cove, the Seymour Conservation Reserve and the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge.

Why did you convert your car to run on veggie oil and start a North Vancouver sightseeing company?
I wanted to have a locally-based business that was environmentally friendly and would change how people think. We're caught in a cycle of believing that we need to continually buy things from other people. I want to show people that you can break the consumption cycle. I've always believed action starts at home. I converted the car about two years ago and started North Van Green Tours (now AAA Vancouver Eco Tours) shortly after.

Why do your tours focus on North Vancouver?
I'm from North Van and I take my guests to the places that I like to go. Deep Cove, Lynn Canyon, Grouse Mountain… These are the places that I love and that I want to share with other people. Also, North Vancouver is so accessible, but it's not really known by tourists.

What kind of experience do visitors get from your tour?
Lots of sightseeing tours drag people around by the ear. We try to give our guests a context for understanding North Vancouver and empower them to feel comfortable coming back on their own. We drop them off at various locations, leave them to explore on their own and pick them up again after. If they like bird watching, I bring them to Maple Wood flats with binoculars and a bird book. If they want to hike, I drop them off at a trail head and pick them up at the other end. We always visit Deep Cove village and the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. All tours begin at Lonsdale Quay Market, so that visitors get to experience taking the SeaBus across from downtown. The SeaBus is great fun and really enables people to understand North Vancouver's proximity to Vancouver. To me it's a wonderful part of the eco tour experience.

What is your favorite "secret" place in Vancouver to take visitors?
I really think Deep Cove is often overlooked. It's only 20 minutes from North Vancouver but most tours don't go there. It's a tiny, waterfront village at the entrance to Indian Arm. It's quiet and beautiful and one of the best places in Vancouver to kayak, hike and mountain bike. You have to see it. And the Deep Cove honey doughnuts are out of this world.

AAA Vancouver Eco Tours runs year-round with excursions most days.

www.vancouverecotours.com

June 2007