I have decided to do this page because when I first came to Vancouver I found I did not really understand where each area was that people were talking about. I am not sure that I do now so this should help me as well as others!
When people in BC talk about the Lower mainland they mean Vancouver, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
This is the area immediately outside Vancouver. It comprises the cities of Abbotsford, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, Mission, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey, and White Rock, plus the North Shore area of Vancouver, which is North Vancouver and West Vancouver(West Van). It includes the city of Vancouver
This is the city of Vancouver
This is the area that extends from the Greater Vancouver area. Langley, Mission, Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
This is the area to the North of North Vancouver and includes the cities of Squamish and Whistler, as well as the Sunshine coast.
This area is North of Vancouver and Northern Vancouver. You cannot get here by land but have to take a ferry ride. It is part of the mainland of BC and is NOT an island. It includes these places: Gibson, Roberts Creek, Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay, Pender Harbour, Egmont, Earl's Cove, Nelson Island
This is the area that is to the west of the city of Vancouver, separated by water as it is a BIG island, over 300 miles long. Included are the cities of:
Victoria, (the capital of BC), Nanaimo, Parksville, Saanich, Port Alberni, Ucluelet, Tofino, Comox, Courtenay, Port Hardy as well as many other cities.
Vancouver Island is also divided into these areas: North Island, Central Island, Pacific Rim, Cowichan, and South Island.
These are the Islands that are off Vancouver Island between it and the mainland.
Northern Gulf Islands:
Cortez Island, Denman Island, Hornby Island, Lasqueti Island, Quadra island, Texada Island
Southern Gulf Islands:
Gabriola Island, Galiano Island, Mayne Island, Pender Island, Salt Spring Island, Saturna Island and Thetis Island.
The Thompson/Okanagan region includes the cities of Kamloops, Merrit, and Vernon as well as those I mention below in the Okanagan region.
Included in the area known as the Okanagan are these cities:
Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, Penticton, Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos
This is the area to the East of the Okanagan and includes these cities:
Rock Creek, Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Christina Lake
This includes the cities of Castlegar, Cranbrook, Creston, Elkford, Fernie, Golden, Invermere, Kaslo, Kimberley, Nakusp, Nelson, New Denver, Revelstoke, Rossland, and Trail.
This area is north of the coastal area. This includes these places: 100 Mile House, Anahim Lake, Bella Coola, Clinton, Klemtu, Lillooet, Limpo Lake, Quesnel, Wells and Williams lake.
As the name suggests this area is the northern most part of British Columbia. It includes these places: Atlin, Burns Lake, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson, Fort St James, Fort St John, Houston, Hudson's Hope, Kitimat, MacKenzie, McBride, New Hazelton, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Queen Charlotte City, Sandspit, Smithers, Stewart, Terrace, Tumbler Ridge, and Vanderhoof.
give just 6 areas
1) Vancouver Island, Victoria and the Gulf Islands
2) Vancouver Coast and Mountains
3)Thompson Okanagan
4)Kootenay Rockies
5)Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
6)Northern British Columbia