Beautiful British Columbia
We’ve already talked about the community of Shawnigan Lake and the region of Vancouver Island, but what about British Columbia, the province where Shawnigan Lake School is located? From the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains, and from cosmopolitan world-class cities to pastoral rural settings, BC has a lot to offer, whether you are a resident or a tourist.
The westernmost of Canada’s 10 provinces and the only province on the Pacific coast, British Columbia is a place of diverse landscapes and wildlife, from the Rocky Mountains in the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west, with a vast interior dominated by mountain valleys and graced by immense lakes like the Okanagan and Shuswap.
BC is Canada’s third-largest province in both size and population. Much of the population is concentrated in the Lower Mainland around Vancouver, the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada, up the Fraser Valley toward Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
The provincial capital city, Victoria, is located on Vancouver Island. Greater Victoria is the second largest metropolitan area in the province, but is still significantly smaller than Vancouver. Large communities in the Interior include Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George.
A wide range of industries power BC’s economy, including agriculture, tourism, logging, mining, fishing, and technology. The Port of Vancouver is the largest port in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. Arts and music thrive in BC, and the province has earned a reputation as “Hollywood North,” as the third-largest film and television production centre in North America behind California and New York.
The agriculture industry provides the province (and beyond) with fresh fruit and vegetables, and has led to successful spinoffs like wineries, breweries and cideries, and BC’s fisheries provide fresh seafood.
From an education perspective, there are several degree-granting post-secondary institutions in BC, providing a wide range of programs. Most prominent are the University of British Columbia (Vancouver), the University of Victoria, and Simon Fraser University (Burnaby), but the list also includes the University of Northern BC (Prince George), Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Surrey), Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops), University of the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford), Emily Carr University of Art + Design (Vancouver), Vancouver Island University (Nanaimo), Royal Roads University (Victoria), Capilano University (North Vancouver), and Trinity Western University (Langley).
BC is located on the traditional territories of more than 200 First Nations, each with their own unique cultures, traditions and artforms. The province also retains traces of its colonial history, notably including early contact by European explorers, the fur trade, and multiple gold rushes.
With a variety of climates and natural backdrops, BC is a hotbed of recreation options. The province has more than 300 golf courses, and fantastic locations for hiking, rock climbing, fishing, boating, surfing, and other water sports. BC also boasts some of North America’s best skiing, highlighted by Whistler Blackcomb north of Vancouver, the site of alpine skiing events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. BC is currently preparing to host seven matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at BC Place in Vancouver. The Lower Mainland is also home to professional sports in the National Hockey League, Canadian Football League, Major League Soccer, National Lacrosse League, Canadian Elite Basketball League, and high-A Minor League Baseball, and has recently been awarded one of the first six teams in the Northern Super League women’s soccer circuit.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
