Originally Posted by vanpoodle

There is only one terminal at YVR. Well, there is what they call the South Terminal which is for private planes, small planes and freight. Highly doubtful you're coming in there -- I have never been in that terminal, all my flights within Canada, to the US and International have all been at the main terminal.
You'll likely have to go through customs when you arrive, collect your bags and re-check them, though I could be wrong -- if you're at the same section of gates and they're able to check your bags through that would make life much easier. From my experience the flights to and from the US use one area of the terminal and the international flights are in a slightly different area. I have never done a connecting flight through YVR, just arrived and departed there so that is not my expertise. But it is nothing like O'Hare or LHR, it is a very small airport in comparison.