BRITISH COLUMBIA, "THE PACIFIC PROVINCE"
BY
CLAY LARROY
Traveling is great personal interests because it will make a
more open-minded person when it comes to inter acting with people. It also made
it easier to understanding as to why people act the way they do in their own
society and in a society as diverse as the U.S. It has long been said that
travels “broadens the mind”. Now new evidence proves that jumping on a plane
will not only make you smarter, but more open-minded. When you need to plan a vacation contact me!
The Province of British Columbia
By 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 center 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 harbor 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 center 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 "Job
search" 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 organization
has ruled in Canada's favor 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
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.
Article
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dave_Lympany/20613
It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw.
-Emily Carr
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