British Columbia (BC), Canada's westernmost province, is situated in the Pacific Northwest, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It shares borders with Alberta to the east, Yukon and the Northwest Territories to the north, the U.S. states of Washington, Idaho, and Montana to the south, and Alaska to the northwest. Known for its diverse geography, BC boasts rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, inland deserts, and grassy plains. British Columbia is considered part of the Pacific Northwest and the Cascadia bioregion, along with the American states of Alaska, Idaho, (western) Montana, Oregon, Washington, and (northern) California.
Key sectors in British Columbia's economy include forestry, mining, filmmaking, tourism, real estate, and construction. Main exports consist of lumber, timber, pulp and paper, copper, coal, and natural gas. The Port of Vancouver stands as Canada's largest and North America's most diversified port, highlighting BC's significance in maritime trade. British Columbia's government is promoting a vision of BC as the jurisdiction that will drive Canada's next phase of economic growth and is prioritizing sectors that can drive near-term investment and employment growth, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), mining and critical minerals, port and supply chain infrastructure, and electricity generation and transmission. Recent developments include a new partnership with the federal government to build more homes, with the combined investments accelerating construction-ready projects. The new St. Paul's Hospital in the False Creek Flats is on budget, as of December 2025 and is expected to begin operations in Spring 2026.
