British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province situated between the Pacific in the west and the Rocky Mountains in the east. As you can imagine, such placement affords fantastic landscapes throughout the province and breathtaking views with lots of geographical variety. There is a cornucopia of activities such as mountain climbing, river rafting, beach-combing, hiking, biking, skiing, golfing, fishing and practically anything else you can think of!
But British Columbia isn’t just for sports enthusiasts. Its cities and towns offer fine dining, a paradise for shopping enthusiasts and some of the finest museums, galleries and theatres on the continent. Its 4.5 million inhabitants (mostly in Vancouver and Victoria) enjoy a mild climate and cultural diversity in one of the best places to live in the world.
Indeed, 35,000 immigrants come to British Columbia each year. They come not only because of the climate, education and cultural advantages but because of the extensive service and industrial economy. The forestry, mining and construction sectors thrive here and telecommunications dominate the technology industry. Tourism provides a major portion of the province’s revenue along with the fishing, cattle and dairy industries.
Most people live in the Vancouver area, an important technology and business center. Unemployment is the lowest in 30 years, as low as 4.5%, and growth forecasts are glowingly optimistic. It is very easy to get a job no matter what your skills.
British Columbian's enjoy a high standard of living and economic opportunities. The cost of living is one of the highest in Canada because of housing costs but personal income is also among the highest with an average of $31,500 annually. The minimum wage is $8 an hour and BC has the second lowest personal income tax rate.
Housing costs are fairly high; the average city dweller spends anywhere from 30-60% of their income on shelter, an average of $904 per month. However, if you live in a suburb like Surrey or Burnaby you’ll pay much less and it’s just a short commute to the city. The most popular areas are Victoria, Vancouver, North Vancouver and Richmond; those areas have more costly housing.
British Columbia has an excellent public transit system and the education system is top rate. It is peppered with world-renowned universities whose average tuition is about $4500 per year. The health care system is one of the best in Canada.
British Columbia is a wonderful place to live, work and real estate is booming.
