No timeline to fix Gastown Steam Clock, stuck on wrong time for at least weeks
Talk about bad timing — in more ways than one.
For at least the last several weeks, visitors seeking a photo opportunity have been congregating around the Gastown Steam Clock, only to find its iconic face displaying the wrong time. The malfunction comes at an especially inopportune moment, just ahead of Vancouver’s busy tourism season, with a record-breaking cruise ship schedule set to ramp up later this month and global attention turning toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup starting in June.
The 49-year-old clock — one of Vancouver’s most photographed attractions — has long served as both a timepiece and a symbol of the historic Gastown district. But lately, its hands have failed to keep pace, leaving tourists and locals alike doing double takes.
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Upon inquiry, the City of Vancouver told Daily Hive Urbanized today the issue stems from an internal mechanical problem that is still being investigated.
The process to determine the issue is underway. After the problem is identified, a timeline for the repair will be established.
The time on the Gastown Steam Clock is a tad off. pic.twitter.com/95Ic1zbWh9
— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) March 29, 2026
“The Gastown Steam Clock is currently experiencing an issue with its mechanical system, which is affecting the movement of the clock hands,” stated the City.
“A diagnostic assessment of the issue is underway, which will help determine next steps for repair. City staff are prioritizing the diagnostic work in anticipation of the upcoming tourist season, including FIFA World Cup 2026™, and will have a further update on the repair schedule once this work is complete.”
The City emphasized that while the clock’s hands are out of sync with real time, other aspects of the landmark fixture remain operational, including the emitting steam and the periodic steam whistle.
“The steam whistle is not impacted by this mechanical issue and continues to play its signature melody at regular intervals on the quarter hour,” continued the City.
That means visitors can still hear the familiar whistles that draw crowds every 15 minutes — even if the time displayed does not match.
Gastown Steam Clock with the wrong time, as seen at 6:22 p.m. on April 3, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)
Gastown Steam Clock with the wrong time, as seen at 6:22 p.m. on April 3, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)
The clock was first built in 1977 and undergoes regular upkeep and maintenance by City crews. It operates through a mechanical system that drives the clock hands, and a separate system that controls the steam whistle.
The clock last received a major maintenance overhaul just over a decade ago. Between October 2014 and January 2015, the clock was temporarily removed from its prominent Water Street corner location in Gastown for the first time ever for an off-site rehabilitation project on all aspects of its systems and structure.
In 2022, it underwent some on-site repairs after vandals smashed the glass that contained the internal mechanisms.
Renowned Canadian clockmaker Raymond Saunders, who designed the Gastown Steam Clock in the 1970s and numerous other clock fixtures, passed away in 2024 at the age of 84.
The clock’s steam comes from the Creative Energy steam plant, which provides the space and water heating needs for over 200 buildings across the downtown Vancouver peninsula through an underground pipe steam distribution network that spans over 14 km. The steam plant is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of West Georgia Street and Beatty Street, where a new replacement and expanded steam plant has been under construction over the last few years. As well, a major new data centre could also be built on top of the future steam plant.
Late this spring, just ahead of the FIFA World Cup, the city will gain another landmark fixture that will become popular with tourists and locals as a symbol of civic pride — the installation of a permanent giant three-dimensional VANCOUVER letter sign at the plaza entrance into the Canada Place pier.