The Province of British Columbia
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.
For more, detailed information please visit
http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/immigratebc.html