Transportation in British Columbia

Okook pej kopa Chinook Wawa: Kinchoch Kolompi Illahee yaka ko-klatawa

Transportation in British Columbia is of vital importance to the functioning of British Columbia's society and economy.

Road transport
British Columbia has a well-developed network of highways and trunk roads.

Rail transport
As in many countries, rail transport is an extremely important component of BC's transportation system. As in the rest of North America, the transport of freight comprises the bulk of rail traffic in the Dominion; however, passenger transport has been and continues to be of major importance in BC - in contrast to railways on the rest of the continent, where the importance of the railway to the movement of passengers declined after the 1960s, outside of eastern Canada, the northeast and west coast of the United States, and Mexico. It is only since the dawn of the 21st century that its significance has started to increase once again, with the introduction of true high-speed rail service.

In BC, rail transport is provided by a number of companies, both Crown corporations and privately owned companies.

The price of train tickets in BC is specified by the Ministry of Labour, Industry and Railways in the Schedule of Railway Fares published every three years; this Schedule of Fares is applicable to tickets on all public-service railways in BC.

Companies based in BC

 * British Columbia Railway (BCR), Crown, 5541.4 miles
 * Washington & British Columbia Railway (W&BC), Crown-private partnership, 757.9 miles
 * Skeena Pacific Railway (SPR), private-regional partnership, 487.4 miles
 * Royal BC Navy Railway Flotilla (RBCN), Crown (RBCN), 260.0 miles
 * British Columbia Hydro Railway (BCH), Crown (BC Hydro), 215.2 miles
 * Kootenay & Arrowhead Railway (K&A), private-municipal partnership, 60.2 miles
 * Menzies Bay Railway (MBR), private, 26.0 miles
 * BC Army Railway Regiment (BCAR), Crown (BC Army), 32.7 miles
 * Spokane International Railroad (SI), Crown-private partnership, 158.5 miles

Companies based outside of BC

 * Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), private (Canadian), 1117.4 miles in BC
 * North Western Pacific Railroad (NWP), private (US), 139.6 miles in BC
 * Canadian National Railway (CN), Crown (Canadian), 26.2 miles in BC
 * VIA Rail (VIA), Crown (Canadian), operates passenger trains along CN trackage in BC

Air transport
Commercial air transport is less important in BC than rail transport, but it nevertheless plays an important role, especially in the North and along the central and northern coast, where the road and rail network is less well developed or nonexistent. Air traffic for passenger and freight is provided by a number of Crown corporations and privately owned companies.

As BC's gateway to the world, the most important airport in BC is Grant McConachie International Airport in Vancouver; it is the busiest airport in the Dominion and is the primary airport for overseas services.

Both the Royal BC Air Force and the Royal BC Navy operate regularly scheduled services that are open to the public serving routes in remote areas that are socially essential, but that offer little chance of profitability; these generally operate once a week. The RBCAF also operates scheduled flights between its bases that are open to members of the BCDF and their families.

The registration prefix for civilian aircraft registered in BC is VB.


 * Airports of British Columbia

Defunct airlines of BC
= Maritime transport =
 * BC Ferries
 * Imperial Pacific Steamships
 * Seaspan

= Public transit =
 * Urban Transit Authority
 * Greater Vancouver Transit Authority