The group have embarked on a world tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their seminal album.
They will play every song from the 1987 album, which included hits such as Where the Streets Have No Name and With or Without You.
At the BC Place Stadium on Friday, they opened the set with Sunday Bloody Sunday and closed with a brand new unreleased song - Little Things.
English rock band Mumford & Sons were the supporting act.
The tour will take in more than 30 shows across North America and Europe, including dates in London and at Dublin's Croke Park, where the band played a triumphant homecoming show on the original Joshua Tree tour.
Irish rock band U2 have opened their Joshua Tree tour in Vancouver, Canada.