The new stars in YVR will make what you just did a normal practice. They are understaffed and overworked in YVR approach and need to have more people qualify therefore they decided to try and make life easier for the arrival controller and have every aircraft come into YVR on a downwind.
Does it works for us? absolutely not, Does it work for ATC? Time will tell but my sources says not so far!
Get used to it, its here to stay.