British Columbia - British Columbia

British Columbia (BC) is a western province of Canada, between the Pacific Ocean, and the Rocky Mountains. British Columbia is about four times the size of Great Britain with 4.6 million inhabitants.

Several north-south mountain ranges cross through the province, such as the Rockies, the Selkirks, the Purcells and the Coastal Range.

BC has great scenery along the coast and inland, and is a rewarding destination for outdoor life, especially downhill snowsports and wilderness backpacking.

It is a land of contrasts with the metropolis of Vancouver, a progressive global hotspot, against a rich backdrop of the heritage of the First Nations of British Columbia.

Regions

Cities

Listed below are just nine of the province's most notable urban destinations. Links to others will be found in the various regional articles.

• 49.260833333333-123.113888888891 Vancouver is a city of steel and glass condominiums and outstanding natural beauty, frequently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world.
• 48.422151-123.36572 Victoria is the provincial capital, on the south tip of Vancouver Island.
• 50.6761-120.3413 Kamloops is called the tournament Capital of Canada.
• 49.8801-119.44364 Kelowna is the largest city in the British Columbia interior.
• 49.5-117.283333333335 Nelson is "The Queen City" of the Kootenays, renowned for its tourism, culture and outdoor activities.
• 49.491111111111-119.588611111116 Penticton is a popular summer destination on Okanagan Lake.
• 53.916944444444-122.749444444447 Prince George is the largest city in Northern British Columbia and the center of the BC Forest Industry.
• 54.312194444444-130.327083333338 Prince Rupert , Canada's rainiest city, is the hub of the North Coast.
• 50.120833333333-122.954444444449 Whistler is a summer and winter outdoor destination and the site of many events in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Other destinations

With its abundance of mountains, coastline and wilderness, British Columbia has many destinations outside of its cities and towns. Listed below are nine of the province's most notable other destinations.

• 51.3-117.5191 Glacier National Park — high peaks in the Columbua Mountains, large, active glaciers, and one of Canada's largest cave systems

• 52.3892-131.4712 Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve — historic villages of the Haida First Nation, deep fjords, rugged mountains, salmon spawning streams, sub-alpine tundra
• 50.8831-116.0493 Kootenay National Park — includes parts of the Kootenay and Park mountain ranges, the Kootenay River and the Vermilion River
• 49.066666666667-120.783333333334 Manning Provincial Park — a wide range of summer & winter recreational opportunities such as hiking, horseback riding, kayaking & canoeing
• 53.0339-119.2325 Mount Robson Provincial Park — includes Mount Robson, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies
• 48.6361-124.7696 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve — rugged coasts, lush temperate rainforests, and the famous West Coast Trail
• 48.8333-123.57 Salt Spring Island — the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands, replete with artist studios, hiking, kayaking, climbing, yoga
• 59.8675-138.0148 Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park — part of the Kluane-Wrangell-St. Elias-Glacier Bay-Tatshenshini-Alsek UNESCO World Heritage Site in the northwestern corner of British Columbia
• 51.3953-116.4879 Yoho National Park — in the Canadian Rocky Mountains along the western slope of the Continental Divide of the Americas in southeastern British Columbia

Understand

BC was the sixth province to join the Confederation of Canada, in 1871. This was done at least partly on the basis of a promise by the Federal Government to build a railway linking BC to the rest of Canada. Significant geographical barriers and political feuding delayed the completion of this railway until 1885 when the last spike was driven home at a place called Craigellachie in the Eagle Pass area in the interior of BC.

Being on the Pacific, there has always been a strong Asian influence. Many Chinese men arrived in the early part of the 19th century to work in the gold rush of that era and later many more worked on the construction of the railway through the mountains.

The indigenous people of BC have been called Indians or Native Canadians, but now the generally accepted term is First Nations.

Prior to arrival of Europeans BC was a very prosperous area. This was largely due to the abundance of salmon. This was demonstrated by the advanced culture that existed in BC. More than thirty languages belonging to seven different language families were spoken in BC. The arrival of Europeans began as a positive relationship. However, the Europeans brought smallpox and other diseases, which decimated the First Nations population.

Many First Nations people were encouraged or even forcibly required to send their children to residential schools during the early to mid 20th century. These schools were government sponsored. The primary intent of the schools was to assimilate the First Nation population. Children were taught that their culture was backward and evil and were not allowed to speak their native languages. This systemic problem is finally being addressed and discussed openly.

Many of the First Nation communities have been trying to revive their culture and are now often the center of much of the ecotourism industry.

With a few exceptions, the First Nations of BC (unlike the rest of Canada) have never signed treaties or ceded their territory to Canada. Therefore, the official ownership of much of the province is contested as the First Nations claim much of the province as their territory. The courts have generally acknowledged that there is a basis for the claims based on historical use of the land and have urged the governments to negotiate a settlement to these claims. Settling these land claims has been a complex issue that is still ongoing. The first modern treaty signed was by the Nis'ga in Northern BC. In 2007, the Tsawassen and Maa-Nulth First Nations signed treaties with the Province and the federal government.

Talk

Although Canada is officially a bilingual French/English country, you would be hard pressed to find many French-speaking people in BC. Services are available in English and French at offices of the federal government. Provincial and municipal governments operate in English only. Some businesses, especially in Vancouver and Victoria offer services in a number of languages (primarily Asian ones). Banks sometimes indicate by a sign in the window which languages are offered. Due to the large number of Chinese immigrants, Mandarin, Cantonese and to lesser extent, other Chinese dialects are spoken by many Chinese residents of Vancouver. Some municipal services in Chinese-dominated neighbourhoods may be available in Chinese.

With the migration of people from all over Canada into British Columbia, most citizens here speak with a general Canadian accent while in rural areas, people may speak with a slight twang. At one time Chinook Jargon, a bridge language for trading between English, French and First Nations peoples in the late 1800s and early 1900s, was common and almost became the official language of BC. Now there are very few speakers of the language, but many terms from the language are common slang terms in rural parts of BC.

Cheechako

Newcomer, implying "tenderfoot" (more common in Northern BC and the Yukon).

Saltchuck

The ocean. Often abbreviated as in "out on the chuck"

High Muckamuck

The chief, or boss, or "high pooh-bah"

Tyee

king or chief or boss, can also mean a large Chinook salmon

Cultus

Bad or worthless, also "ordinary"

Skookum

Strong, powerful, or impressive, also just means "big and thick".

Skookumchuck

"strong water", used for rapids, especially saltwater rapids

Get in

By plane

Vancouver airport is the major international airport of the province, which is served by most major international airlines. Victoria, Abbotsford, Cranbrook, and Kelowna also have international airports that have service to a number of locations within Canada and to some destinations in the United States.

By car

There are a number of land border crossings from the United States into BC from Washington (state). See the Lower Mainland (BC) and Northwest Cascades (WA) articles for details. There are also land border crossings into BC from Idaho, Montana and Alaska. BC is also connected to Alberta and the Yukon by a number of major highways.

By bus

Rider Express buses from Calgary run through British Columbia to Vancouver.

By boat

There are ferries from Washington into Victoria and Sidney, and from Alaska into Prince Rupert. Except the Victoria Clipper all the other ferries do take vehicles onboard:

• Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) (Alaska Ferry), 2000 Park Ave, Prince Rupert BC V8J 3S1, ☏ 1 907 465-3941 (main number), 1 250 627-1744 (Prince Rupert Terminal), toll-free: 1 800 642-0066. Connects Prince Rupert to Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Kake, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, Skagway in the southeast panhandle of Alaska. They also have a separate sailing to and from Bellingham to southeast Alaska. Some of the sailings from Bellingham continue north towards Valdez and Kodiak from the southeast part of Alaska during the summer. (updated Dec 2018)
• Blackball Transport (MV Coho), ☏ 1 250-386-2202 (Canada), 1 360 457-4491 (US). Goes across the San Juan de Fuca between Victoria Harbour and its own terminal in Port Angeles, WA (updated Dec 2018)
• Washington State Ferries, 2499 Ocean Ave, Sidney BC V8L 1T3 (18 mi (29 km) north of Victoria along BC-Hwy 17 and 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Swartz Bay (location of BC Ferries to the lower mainland and the Gulf Islands)), ☏ 1 206 464-6400. Once daily ferry sailing between Sidney, Friday Harbor and Anacortes during the fall & spring. During the summer they operate twice daily sailings and NO sailing to/from Sidney in the winter. Check schedules. (updated Dec 2018)
• Victoria Clipper, (office) 2701 Alaskan Way on Pier 69, Seattle WA 98121, ☏ 1 206 443-2560, toll-free: 1 800 888-2535. Direct passenger only ferry between Victoria Harbour and Pier 69 at the Seattle waterfront. Some of the sailings make an additional stop in Friday Harbor, going both direction. (updated Dec 2018)

By rail

VIA Rail offers two different ways of entering British Columbia.

• "The Canadian", runs along the historic and scenic Canadian National Railway from Jasper, turning south at Ashcroft and along the Canadian Pacific track to Mission, and on to Vancouver.

• "The Skeena", from Jasper over Canadian National's former Grand Truck Pacific BC North line, to Prince George and Prince Rupert. There is a connection with BC Ferries' Inside Passage and Queen Charlotte routes at Prince Rupert.

Amtrak offers rail service by between Seattle and Vancouver.

Rocky Mountaineer (Rocky Mountain Rail Tours) offers an elite-class, expensive passenger tour service to Prince George and Jasper, returning to Vancouver via the another CN line via Kamloops. It does not pick up passengers along the route. In Prince George, where guests are placed in local hotels, as again in Jasper.

Get around

By air

BC is a large province. The most convenient way to get to much of the province is by air. However, this can be quite expensive. It is often more expensive to fly to some point in BC than it is to fly to Europe. Vancouver is the regional hub for most air service within BC. Float planes can also be convenient for accessing many coastal locations.

By car

Getting around here is not always easy. Many worthwhile destinations are outside of the cities and not accessible by public transportation options. This makes renting a car quite a popular option for getting around, although there is some bus service to be found. Bear in mind when travelling by car that headlights should be used both day and night, regardless of conditions. If driving during the winter, plan your route carefully as British Columbia experiences some hazardous weather.

If you drive or rent a vehicle, be aware that provincial law requires fuel to be prepaid before filling up. If you use a "pay-at-pump" interface, the station may place a hold on an available amount in your account which may last for a few days. It is wise to ensure you have adequate funds or credit limit room on your payment cards before visiting.

Itineraries:

• Sunshine Coast-Vancouver Island Circle Tour - a good way to see Vancouver, the neighbouring Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island
• Driving between the Pacific Coast and the Rockies

By bus

• YVR Skylynx offers service between Vancouver and Whistler.
• Ebus connects Vancouver, Abbotsford, Kelowna, and Kamloops.
• Tofino Bus and Island Link Bus provide a network of intercity bus routes on Vancouver Island.
• ^{[dead link]}Rider Express, toll-free: 1-833-583-3636. Bus service along the Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary to Vancouver. Service between Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Kamloops, Hope, Abbotsford, and Vancouver, and to Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Regina. (updated Dec 2020)
• Radiating from Prince George, BC Bus North serves routes to Prince Rupert, Valemount, Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson. Service is two return trips per week except one trip per week to Fort Nelson.
• Moose Travel Network runs a unique service on less travelled routes that is a combination between "just getting you there" and a tour of some very worthwhile destinations. They have a number of quite flexible packages available, many of them connecting the coast with popular destinations in the Canadian Rockies like Jasper, Banff and Calgary. There is also daily bus services to Vancouver Island and Whistler.
• BC Transit operates city buses in Victoria and only coordinate & manage local public transportation for Nanaimo, Kamloops and in other cities and towns outside of Vancouver. In the Vancouver metropolitan area Translink operates buses, the SkyTrain rail and the West Coast Express (WCE) commuter rail.

By ferry

You will also find that the ferry service (provided by BCFerries) is the only way to access many island and coastal communities. Some of the smaller islands can be visited on foot or by bicycle, but in many cases additional road transportation is necessary. Although ferry service is generally reliable, taking an automobile on board is rarely cheap, and you will likely find it less expensive to take the ferry as a foot passenger and rent an automobile at your destination. If you are taking bus service across a ferry, you should confirm when buying your bus ticket that the ferry fare is included.

By rail

VIA Rail Canada operates "The Canadian" (from Toronto to Vancouver) and "The Skeena" (Jasper to Prince Rupert), both running three times per week. However, since 2014, VIA Rail no longer runs "The Malahat" between Victoria and Courtenay on Vancouver Island along the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island.

Rocky Mountain Rail Tours operates tourist trains from Vancouver to Whistler, Vancouver to Kamloops, Kamloops to Banff or Calgary, Kamloops to Jasper, and Whistler to Jasper during the tourist season (May–October).

There are many tourist/railfan railway operations that run in BC. With the possible exception of the White Pass and Yukon, these lines offer only round trip excursions. The Alberni Pacific Railway^{[dead link]} in Port Alberni runs on former Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway trackage. The Kettle Valley Steam Railway runs out of Summerland BC on the last remaining portion of the famous Kettle Valley Railway. The Kamloops Heritage Railway that runs ex-CNR steam over the Kelowna Pacific, CN, and CPR. The White Pass and Yukon Route operates out of Skagway, Alaska, and runs through northern BC on its way to Whitehorse, Yukon.

The Kaoham Shuttle, a short-haul rail-bus, is operated by the local Indian band connecting Lillooet to Shalalth and Seton Portage at the far end of Seton Lake. However, for visitors, using this service could be a challenge. See the Lillooet article for details.

See

Vancouver, as the province's largest city, has the biggest concentration of cultural institutions, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Museum of Anthropology, and Science World. It has live theater, shopping, nightlife and casinos, in a spectacular setting. Vancouver's massive Stanley Park, which covers a peninsila attached to the city's downtown, is not just your average urban park! You can stroll through the park on the seawall, check out the aquarium, take a look at the totem poles, and stop at various historical points of interest.

Victoria, a smaller city that is the seat of the provincial government, trades on its English charm, is home to the Royal British Columbia Museum, and the beautiful Butchart Gardens, which offer over 50 acres (22 hectares) of gardens and floral display.

In Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver, is the International Buddhist Temple, the most authentic example of traditional palatial Chinese architecture in North America. It is an edifice straight out of the Chinese past, as it resembles any authentic temple that can be found along the banks of the Yangtze River, where one of the world's oldest civilizations originated. Come explore traditional Chinese art, culture, and the Buddhist philosophy inside this magnificent place. Free admission.

The history and culture of British Columbia's First Nations (Indigenous) peoples can be explored all around the province. The Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, and the U'mista Cultural Society in Alert Bay are excellent places to start.

British Columbia's spectacular scenery is the main reason many visit come to the province, whether it's for the rugged coastline, or the majestic peaks of the Coast Mountains and Rocky Mountains range, the vine and orchards of the Interior, or the canyons of its many rivers.

Do

British Columbia has an embarrassment of riches when in comes to outdoor activities in every season.

Backpackers should head to the West Coast Trail, the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail closer to Victoria, or the BC sections of the Trans Canada Trail. As hiking is a popular pastime residents, most cities and towns have ample ell-marked and well-maintained hiking trails.

Kayakers will be thrilled by Desolation Sound, Telegraph Cove, the Broken Islands, Haida Gwaii, and opportunities to kayak among Orcas.

Rock-climbing opportunities abound in the Rocky Mountains, andthe Stawamus Chief in Squamish is world-famous among rock climbers.

Go skiing at Whistler-Blackcomb, North America's largest ski area, or the other excellent ski areas throughout the province in destinations near Kimberley, Fernie, Nelson, Kelowna or Rossland. If skiing's not your thing, there's winter surfing in Tofino.

Roam the open range on horseback or try world-class fly-fishing in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.

Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park in North Vancouver and hike the many forest trails in the area.

Explore British Columbia's many national, provincial and local parks. Yoho National Park in eastern BC bordering Banff National Park on the Trans-Canada Highway, and Glacier National Park, which takes in part of the Selkirk Mountain Range where the Trans Canada Highway crosses the range through Roger's Pass, are among the highlights. Vancouverutes take their parks so seriously, they hold elections for their parks board!

Sleep

Accommodation throughout BC can always be arranged in the usual motels, hotels and B&Bs. BC Provincial Parks have had a good reputation over the years and most have very nice campgrounds. Camping in BC is an experience you shouldn't miss.

Drink

The legal drinking age in BC is 19.

Beer, wine and spirits are available from the government liquor stores (BCL). They are also available from private beer and wine stores which are usually associated with pubs or bars. Most BCL stores close at 8PM while most private liquor stores are open until 11PM. You cannot buy alcohol in grocery stores.

BC is home to a number of breweries, including the Columbia Brewery in Creston which brews Kokanee, the Granville Island Brewery in Vancouver and Nelson Brewing Company in Nelson. Most breweries offer tours.

BC is also well-renowned for its wine and the Okanagan Valley is the centre of the wine industry in the province. It's a perfect area to visit during the Autumn grape harvest. Many wineries are open for tastings.

Stay safe

Outside of the metropolitan areas, much of BC is pretty remote. The more remote the area, the better prepared you need to be.

If you are thinking of travelling off designated ski or snowmobile trails always take an avalanche safety course. Travel with experienced guides, talk to locals, look at the Canadian Avalanche Centre's forecast. Or best of all, just play it safe and ski at one of BC's great ski resorts.

Outside the winter months always inform yourself about local concerns with carnivorous wildlife, i.e., bears and cougars. If you're in the BC woods, you can assume that there are likely bears and other wildlife in the area. You're in their territory and it's good practice to make noise and keep your eyes (and ears) open. Knowing how to avoid wildlife encounters is a good idea.

Petty property crime is a problem in the major cities, as it is in most, so don't leave items visible in a vehicle. Violent crime is relatively infrequent. Simple precautions will normally preclude a brush with crime. A problem area for tourists to avoid is the infamous East Hastings area of Vancouver.

Experiments with late bar/nightclub closing times (4AM) have also led to increased problems and violence on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver (especially on weekends).

Close to 20 women have been killed or are missing along the "Highway of Tears" (Highway 16) between Prince George and Prince Rupert since about 1970. Young women should not hitch-hiking along this highway, especially if you are alone. As of late July 2019, travel on the Alaska and Cassiar Highways in northern British Columbia is not recommended. However, an alternative option for travel between Alaska and the lower United States is the Alaska Marine Highway between Bellingham in Washington State and Haines in Alaska.^{[dead link]}

Smoke

The use and possession of recreational marijuana was legalized in all of Canada in 2018. However, there are strict anti-smoking bylaws that apply. Avoid flaunting your use — do not walk down the street smoking, or use it in a busy park. British Columbia has strict anti-smoking regulations against any kind of indoor smoking so lighting up in a bar or nightclub will get you in trouble with staff and other patrons. Pot cafes in Vancouver often provide a smoking room where you can safely and discreetly indulge; however, unlike their Amsterdam counterparts, they will not sell you marijuana.

Although Canada has legalized marijuana, it is illegal to take it across the border to neighbouring Washington State, where it is also legal. This is considered as drug trafficking and it is a criminal offence.

Go next

To the south is Washington (state) in the U.S.A. which is home to the Olympic Peninsula, Mount Ranier National Park, the North Cascades mountain range, a highly developed agricultural region and the vibrant cities of Seattle-Tacoma on the Pacific coast.

To the east is the province of Alberta which is home to a beautiful mix of prairie, boreal forest and mountains and an economy that fluctuates with the price of oil. It is also home to the cities of Edmonton (the provincial capital) and Calgary (a self-styled cow-town). The mountain towns of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper are popular and busy in all seasons.

To the north is the Yukon Territory, a vast, sparsely-populated wilderness.