|
Top 10
tourist attractions in British
Columbia |
Resources
• Stanley Park,
Vancouver >
city.vancouver.bc.ca
•
Whistler Blackcomb Resort,
Whistler >
whistler-blackcomb.com
•
Butchart Gardens,
Victoria, Vancouver Island >
butchart gardens.com
•
Granville Island,
Vancouver >
granville island.bc.ca
•
Whistler Mountain,
Whistler >
whistler-resort.com
•
Vancouver Aquarium Marine
Science Centre, Vancouver >
vanaqua.org
•
Royal British Columbia
Museum, Victoria, Vancouver Island >
rbcm1.rbcm.gov.bc.ca
•
Grouse Mountain,
Vancouver
>
grouse mountain.com
•
Pacific Rim National Park,
Tofino, Vancouver Island >
pc.gc.ca
•
Capilano Suspension Bridge
and Park, Vancouver >
capbridge.com
P.S.: This website (eyewitness-travel-guide.com)
provides;
World
travel destinations & top ten tourist attractions interactive
photo
gallery.
You may want to explore later > if so
you can
add this website to your favorites!..
The
Province of British Columbia
Author:
Dave Lympany
The
Province of British Columbia is located in Western Canada, it
borders with the Yukon and Northwest Territories to the North,
Alberta to the East and the U.S. states of Montana, Idaho and
Washington to the south. The Pacific Ocean coastline to the west is
the only part of Canada on the Pacific Ocean and is home to
Vancouver Island.
With an area of 944,735 square kilometers; it is Canada's third
largest province in area and population (4,162,535). More than half
of the population lives in the south western corner of the Province.
Most of British Columbia is in Pacific Mountain time which is
Greenwich meantime (GMT)-8 hours. Daylight saving is in effect from
April to October making it GMT -9 hours. Being home to the fantastic
scenery of the many Provincial and National Parks, British Columbia
is a magnet to outdoor enthusiasts and tourists alike. The hundreds
of Provincial parks are fantastic though completely out shadowed by
the majestic National parks including Yoho, Kootenay and Glacier
National Parks.
The Province has many different landscapes including beautiful
beaches, immense lakes and rivers, mountains and even a desert area.
British Columbia is also home to some of Canada's wettest and driest
areas. The climate varies greatly from one area to the next, but
generally the coastal area of British Columbia tends to be the
mildest with cool and wet winters, the summers are warmer but the
area is still prone to precipitation. The interior has cold winters
with a lot of snow and dry hot summers. All these factors combine to
create fantastic sports and Recreational Opportunities that will
keep all the family busy!
The City of Vancouver lies in the southwestern corner of British
Columbia and as Canada's third largest city dominates as the
population centre of the Province. The Provincial capital is
Victoria, a much smaller city on the southern tip of Vancouver
Island. Vancouver is one of the most amazing cities in the world
with great beaches, skiing, hiking, sailing and most other
activities catered for. The city has an outstanding and vibrant
night life with world class restaurants and clubs. Victoria is a
more sedate affair, though it too offers an exciting nightlife.
Being the Provincial capital means that there is some history in
Victoria with the Parliament building overlooking the harbour area.
There are several other cities of a fair size - Kamloops, Kelowna,
Revelstoke, Vernon and Prince George being the largest. The northern
cities tend to be supported by logging and fishing industries while
the southern areas generate excellent income form the tourist
industry. The Okanagan area is a vacation centre for many Canadians
with hot summers spent by warm lakes. The winters bring snow to the
Fernie, Panarama and Kimberley ski resorts, whilst Whistler
Blackcomb is one of the premier resorts in North America and due to
host the 2010 Winter Olympics. Already projects are beginning to
improve the infrastructure and there are plans to build a two lane
highway linking Vancouver and Whistler Mountain Resort. As with all
the Provinces; Education, Healthcare, Social Assistance Benefits and
Driver Licensing are all managed by the Provincial Government of
British Columbia. The Provincial regulators for qualification
transfer can be found in our "Jobsearch" pages. One extremely
important responsibility of the Provincial Government is to
administer the Employment Standards which include your rights
(maternity, minimum wage etc.) and responsibilities as an employee
in BC. It is imperative that you understand these before you start
work.
The liquor laws, as with all of Canada, are very strict in the
Province. The legal drinking age is 19 years and licensed
establishments will ask for I.D. if someone looks under the age of
25 years. Drinking is not permitted in a public place unless it has
been specially approved. Liquor in a moving vehicle must be sealed
and not accessible to anyone in that vehicle. Apart from the
Provincial Income Tax British Columbia has two main taxes, firstly
the GST (Goods & Services Taxes) this is currently at 7% and is
applied to most goods and services sold in Canada. Secondly, PST
(Social Services Tax - Provincial) this is currently at 7.5% and is
applied to merchandise that is bought or leased in B.C. There are
some exemptions to PST; these include all food items for human
consumption, clothing and footwear for children less than 15 years
of age and medications.
Also, there is an environmental tax which is charged to tires and
lead acid batteries bought in the province. Hotel rooms are subject
to taxation charged at between 8 - 10% depending on the location. Be
aware that most prices are advertised without any taxes; these are
normally added on at the point of payment and can cause confusion if
you are not expecting it!
The main industries of B.C are Forestry, Fishing, Agriculture,
Mining, Tourism and Manufacturing. After several years in recession,
the British Columbia economy is now recovering. The forestry
industry has received a massive boost after a lengthy dispute with
the USA over lumber import duties imposed by the US on Canadian wood
is drawing closer to settlement. The world free trade organisation
has ruled in Canada's favour and it looks likely that the US will
have to repay the Billions of dollars in illegal duties already
collected and allow the free trade to resume. This enables the
Province to claim one of North America's most competitive Business
Climates and has tremendous economic opportunities existing
throughout the Province.
About the
Author:
The author
immigrated to Canada in 2003 and has constructed a free
information website
http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com
about
Canadian
Immigration and life in Canada based on his family's experiences.
Things To Do and See
in British Columbia
Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC
On Dec. 15, 2006, a major windstorm caused major damage to
Stanley
Park, knocking down hundreds of trees and temporarily
closing access to the popular park, except for the seawall paths.
Attraction type: Urban park; Park
Butchart Gardens,
Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC
These internationally acclaimed botanical gardens are organized
around
themes, such as the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden
and the
Italian Garden. The gardens have over one million plants,
all
artistically arranged with not a blade or petal out of place.
Special
colored
lighting illuminates the gardens on summer evenings and
musical entertainment fills the air.
Attraction type: Garden; Specialty museum; Landmark/point of
interest
Whistler Blackcomb
Resort, Whistler, BC
Year round resort area that offers top-notch downhill and
heli-skiing
during the
winter and early spring, and alpine hiking and glacier
skiing during the warmer months.
Attraction type: Ski area; Golf course; Resort community
Whistler Mountain,
Whistler, BC
This mountain provides some of the best skiing in the world.
Attraction type: Ski area; Resort community; Mountain; Hiking trail;
Cross-country ski area; Snowboard ski area
Granville Island,
Vancouver, BC
Former industrial site has been transformed into an artsy,
posh
neighborhood with quaint shops, cafes and bookstores.
Attraction type: Island; Neighborhood; Town center/square/plaza
You may
also be interested in...
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Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Canada - Tours & Photo Gallery
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Pacific Northwest Travel
Guide
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Unbiased Hotel Reviews, Photos and
Travel Advice
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