165-454: Dawson Creek is a city in northeastern British Columbia , Canada. The municipality of 24.37 square kilometres (9.41 sq mi) had a population of 12,978 in 2016. Dawson Creek derives its name from the creek of the same name that runs through the community. The creek was named after George Mercer Dawson by a member of his land survey team when they passed through the area in August 1879. Once
330-743: A RCAF station during WWII, in September 1944. The station disbanded in March 1946. By 1951, Dawson Creek had more than 3,500 residents. In 1952, the John Hart Highway linked the town to the rest of the British Columbia Interior and Lower Mainland through the Rocky Mountains; a new southbound route, known locally as Tupper Highway , made the town a crossroads with neighbouring Alberta . The next year, western Canada's largest propane gas plant
495-762: A Visible minority group (primarily Filipino and South Asian). According to the 2021 census , religious groups in Dawson Creek included: At the foot of Bear Mountain ridge, the city developed around the Dawson Creek watercourse which flows eastward into the Pouce Coupe River . The city is located on the Pouce Coupe Prairie in the southwestern part of the Peace River Country , 72 km (44.7 mi) southeast of Fort St. John, and 134 km (83.3 mi) northwest of Grande Prairie, Alberta. According to
660-621: A humid continental climate with widely variable precipitation. For example, the average daily low in Prince George (roughly in the middle of the province) in January is −12 °C (10 °F). Small towns in the southern interior with high elevation such as Princeton are typically colder and snowier than cities in the valleys. Heavy snowfall occurs in all elevated mountainous terrain providing bases for skiers in both south and central British Columbia. Annual snowfall on highway mountain passes in
825-527: A competing town while South Fort George, which was built close to the old HBC Post and the village, welcomed the railway and its townsite. In 1911, federal Indian agent W.J. MacAllan took on the negotiations with assistance from Nicolas Coccola , a reverend. Coccola had interests in the well-being of the Lheidli T'enneh but was also negotiating on behalf of the railway company which might connect to his mission on Stuart Lake. Father Coccola had wanted to relocated
990-675: A detachment of the Rocky Mountain Rangers Army Reserve unit was to be formed in Prince George. In 2014, the Rocky Mountain Rangers increased recruiting efforts in the community to reach platoon and then company size. Prince George hosted the 2015 Canada Winter Games . Prince George is located in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George near the transition between the northern and southern portions of
1155-475: A dominant business centre in the area. After much speculation by land owners and investors, the Northern Alberta Railways built its western terminus 3 km (2 mi) from Dawson Creek. The golden spike was driven on December 29, 1930, and the first passenger train arrived on January 15, 1931. The arrival of the railway and the construction of grain elevators attracted more settlers and business to
1320-479: A few minutes. In the winter, the city can get bitterly cold and dry, with 17 to 18 days of −30 °C (−22 °F) lows per year. It is subject to very strong winds year round. Unlike most of the province , the city and its region use Mountain Standard Time ( UTC−07:00 ) all year round, since the area already has long daylight hours in the summer and short daylight hours in the winter. In other words, residents of
1485-508: A land area of 316.74 km (122.29 sq mi), it had a population density of 242.2/km (627.2/sq mi) in 2021. In 2001, 23% of households were one-person households, below the 27% average provincewide, and 31% married couples with children, above the 26% average. Prince George had a smaller proportion of married couples than the province, 47% compared to 51%, but very similar persons per households. Only 14% of residents between 20 and 64 years of age completed university, almost half
1650-474: A large part of the city and its local sources of air pollution are contained within a valley, there are often meteorological conditions that trap pollutants and result in episodes of poor air quality and unhealthy levels of air pollution exposure in some areas. More people die in Prince George every year due to diseases associated with air pollutants than any other community in the province , according to data gathered by two BC physicians. Although, "Copes said it
1815-500: A long-time affiliate of CBC Television before moving to a CTV 2 affiliation in 2016, has been broadcasting from Dawson Creek since 1959. A local community group, the Cable 10 Society, operates a community television station . Dawson Creek is also served by local repeater CFSN-TV channel 8, owned locally by Dawson Creek Hypervista Communications and repeating CTV station CFRN-DT Edmonton in analogue. As of 2016, CBC Television service in
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#17328456059571980-509: A majority of days, as in January 2006 when the mean daily maximum temperature was 1.5 °C (34.7 °F). On the other hand, Arctic air masses can settle over the city for weeks at a time; in rare cases, such as January 1950, the temperature stays well below freezing over a whole calendar month. Summer days are warm, with a July high of 23.1 °C (73.6 °F), but lows are often cool, with monthly lows averaging below 10 °C (50 °F). The transition between winter and summer, however,
2145-517: A population density of 461.2/km (1,194.5/sq mi) in 2021. The 1941 census, the first to include Dawson Creek as a defined subdivision, counted 518 residents. Its growth spurred by the construction of the Alaska Highway, the town recorded a sevenfold increase to 3,589 residents in the 1951 census. Within five years, the population more than doubled to 7,531. New transport links with southern British Columbia and Alberta spurred continued growth into
2310-413: A post-secondary certificate (including degree, diploma and trades certificate), compared to the provincewide rate of 55%. Among those aged 25–64, 17% did not have a high school certificate or equivalent, higher than the 10% provincewide rate. As of the 2016 Canadian census , nearly 16% of the city's population belong to an Aboriginal group ( Métis or First Nations ) with an additional 10% belonging to
2475-483: A rail line through the Rocky Mountains. Passenger rail service ended as commodity shipments of grains, oil and gas by-products, and forestry products became more important in the resource-based economy. The city draws its water supply from the Kiskatinaw River , 18 km (11 mi) west of town. Before reaching the city, the water is pumped through a settling pond, two storage ponds, and a treatment plant where it
2640-516: A series of devastating epidemics of diseases the people had no immunity to. The population dramatically collapsed, culminating in the 1862 smallpox outbreak in Victoria that spread throughout the coast. European settlement did not bode well for the remaining native population of British Columbia. Colonial officials deemed colonists could make better use of the land than the First Nations people, and thus
2805-503: A significant increase in unemployment. Unemployed men were often housed in one of several relief camps east of Prince George, where the men worked on construction projects or remained idle; away from the city of Prince George. Between 1930 and 1935, Prince George and the work camps were home to labor protests and sit ins organized by a local branch of the Communist sympathizing National Unemployed Workers Association, who sought basic needs for
2970-514: A small farming community, Dawson Creek became a regional centre after the western terminus of the Northern Alberta Railways was extended there in 1932. The community grew rapidly in 1942 as the US Army used the rail terminus as a transshipment point during construction of the Alaska Highway . In the 1950s, the city was connected to the interior of British Columbia via a highway and a railway through
3135-827: A small island off the coast of Haida Gwaii . Many healthy populations of fish are present, including salmonids such as several species of salmon , trout , steelhead , and char . Besides salmon and trout, sport-fishers in BC also catch halibut , bass , and sturgeon . On the coast, harbour seals and river otters are common. Cetacean species native to the coast include the orca , humpback whale , grey whale , harbour porpoise , Dall's porpoise , Pacific white-sided dolphin and minke whale . Some endangered species in British Columbia are: Vancouver Island marmot , spotted owl , American white pelican , and badgers. White spruce or Engelmann spruce and their hybrids occur in 12 of
3300-617: A sub-office in Dawson Creek. The only radio station broadcasting from the city is 890 CJDC AM , which first went on air in 1947. Originating in Chetwynd, 94.5 Peace FM (CHET) is rebroadcast in Dawson Creek on CHAD-FM 104.1. The Fort St. John stations 95.1 Energy FM (CHRX) , 101.5 The Bear FM (CKNL) , and 101.1 The Moose FM (CKFU) also reach the city. Also available locally is CBKQ-FM 89.7, repeating CBC Radio One station CBYG-FM from Prince George ; and CBUF-FM-7 93.7 FM, repeating Première Chaîne station CBUF-FM from Vancouver . CJDC-TV ,
3465-469: A townsite of their own (Prince George). Plans for the townsite for Prince George were created by Brett and Hall of Boston, and the land cleared in May 1913. Fort George, South Fort George, and Prince George pursued the right to incorporate with initial proposals including all three townsites. The GTP shows no interest in including Fort George, and South Fort George left the negotiations. The GTP lands now known as
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#17328456059573630-744: A traffic circle where a metal statue marks the beginning of the Alaska Highway, and the Mile Zero Post is now located. Officially designated British Columbia Highway 97 , it runs north from Dawson Creek to Fort St. John and the Yukon – where it becomes Highway 1 – before reaching Alaska. The other highways emanating from Dawson Creek are the John Hart Highway, also 97 (southwest to Chetwynd and Prince George ), Highway 2 (south to Grande Prairie and southern Alberta), and Highway 49 (east to Peace River and northern Alberta). A road with few intersections along
3795-655: A very wide range of birds, has long been popular. Bears ( grizzly , black —including the Kermode bear or spirit bear) live here, as do deer , elk , moose , caribou , big-horn sheep , mountain goats , marmots , beavers , muskrats , coyotes , wolves , mustelids (such as wolverines , badgers and fishers ), cougars , eagles , ospreys , herons , Canada geese , swans , loons , hawks , owls , ravens , harlequin ducks , and many other sorts of ducks. Smaller birds ( robins , jays , grosbeaks , chickadees , and so on) also abound. Murrelets are known from Frederick Island,
3960-455: A wholly unorganized area of British North America under the de facto jurisdiction of HBC administrators; however, unlike Rupert's Land to the north and east, the territory was not a concession to the company. Rather, it was simply granted a monopoly to trade with the First Nations inhabitants. All that was changed with the westward extension of American exploration and the concomitant overlapping claims of territorial sovereignty, especially in
4125-527: Is Vancouver . Vancouver and its suburbs together make up the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada , with the 2021 census recording 2.6 million people in Metro Vancouver . British Columbia is Canada's third-largest province in terms of total area, after Quebec and Ontario . The first known human inhabitants of the area settled in British Columbia at least 10,000 years ago. Such groups include
4290-734: Is flocculated , filtered, and chlorinated . The city also provides drinking water for Pouce Coupe and rural residents. Sewage is processed by a lagoon system east of town and released into the Pouce Coupe River. Dawson Creek is located in School District 59 Peace River South which maintains four elementary schools ( Tremblay , Frank Ross , Crescent Park , and Canalta elementary schools), and one high school ( Dawson Creek Secondary School ). Mountain Christian School, and Ron Pettigrew Christian School are K-12 private schools located in
4455-487: Is The Baldy Hughes Addiction Treatment Centre. The original radar system has been removed and the location now operates a weather station and Nav Canada system. In 1953, (Central) Fort George Townsite incorporated into the City of Prince George. On June 25, 1956, at just after 7 p.m., a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane built in 1943 (serial number 8300, bearing Canadian registration CF-HSC) flown by Frank Samuel Pynn, out of
4620-533: Is a diverse and cosmopolitan province, drawing on a plethora of cultural influences from its British Canadian , European , and Asian diasporas , as well as the Indigenous population . Though the province's ethnic majority originates from the British Isles , many British Columbians also trace their ancestors to continental Europe , East Asia , and South Asia . Indigenous Canadians constitute about 6 percent of
4785-578: Is a significant centre for maritime trade : the Port of Vancouver is the largest port in Canada and the most diversified port in North America . Although less than 5 percent of the province's territory is arable land , significant agriculture exists in the Fraser Valley and Okanagan due to the warmer climate. British Columbia is home to 45% of all publicly listed companies in Canada. The province's name
4950-454: Is also home to a public francophone elementary and secondary school, both of which are part of School District 93 Conseil scolaire francophone , a province-wide francophone school district. Post-secondary education choices include the regional College of New Caledonia (CNC), which offers two-year university-transfer courses, plus vocational and professional programs. Several BC universities, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and
5115-541: Is another key dominant part of this city. With the University of Northern British Columbia , the College of New Caledonia and School District #57, education adds more than $ 780 million into the local economy annually. Forestry dominated the local economy throughout the 20th century, including plywood manufacture, numerous sawmills and three pulp&pellet mills as major employers and customers. The spruce beetle epidemic of
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5280-574: Is based on four major industries: agriculture, retail, tourism, and oil and gas. Agriculture has historically been the most important industry to Dawson Creek, as the city is the regional transshipment point for agricultural commodities. The city is surrounded by the Agricultural Land Reserve , where the soil can support livestock and produces consistently good yields of quality grain and grass crops, such as canola, hay, oats, alfalfa, wheat, and sweet clover. The service and retail sector caters to
5445-548: Is generally in the subarctic climate zone, but even there, milder air can penetrate far inland. The coldest temperature in British Columbia was recorded in Smith River , where it dropped to −58.9 °C (−74.0 °F) on January 31, 1947, one of the coldest readings recorded anywhere in North America. Atlin in the province's far northwest, along with the adjoining Southern Lakes region of Yukon , get midwinter thaws caused by
5610-485: Is home to First Nations groups that have a deep history with a significant number of indigenous languages. There are more than 200 First Nations in BC. Prior to contact (with non-Aboriginal people), human history is known from oral histories, archaeological investigations, and from early records from explorers encountering societies early in the period. The arrival of Paleoindians from Beringia took place between 20,000 and 12,000 years ago. Hunter-gatherer families were
5775-406: Is home to at least 34 distinct Indigenous languages . Major sectors of British Columbia's economy include forestry , mining , filmmaking and video production , tourism , real estate , construction , wholesale , and retail . Its main exports include lumber and timber , pulp and paper products, copper , coal , and natural gas . British Columbia exhibits high property values and
5940-528: Is now the United States include Vancouver, Washington ( Fort Vancouver ), formerly the "capital" of Hudson's Bay operations in the Columbia District, Colville, Washington and Walla Walla, Washington (old Fort Nez Percés ). With the amalgamation of the two fur trading companies in 1821, modern-day British Columbia existed in three fur trading departments. The bulk of the central and northern interior
6105-483: Is often made with recreational vehicles, sometimes in convoys which gather in the city. In the winter, the hospitality industry caters to workers from the oil patches. Discoveries south of Dawson Creek and higher energy prices have spurred oil and gas activities, which have in turn driven the nearby Fort St. John economy to spill over to the Dawson Creek economy. British Columbia's first wind farm, Bear Mountain Wind Park ,
6270-511: Is served by several regional newspapers. The Dawson Creek Daily News (formerly Peace River Block Daily News ) and Fort St. John's Alaska Highway News , both part of the Glacier Ventures chain of local papers, are daily available in the city. The Vault Magazine is a free alternative newspaper available in the city bi-weekly. The Northeast News , a free weekly published in Fort St. John, has
6435-663: Is short. There is some precipitation year-round, but February to April is the driest period. At the airport snow averages 205.1 cm (80.7 in) each year and is heaviest in December and January, usually, but not always, falling between October and May. One of the highest temperature ever recorded in the Prince George area was 39.8 °C (103.6 °F) on June 28, 2021 at Prince George Massey Auto ( 53°53′59″N 122°47′21″W / 53.89972°N 122.78917°W / 53.89972; -122.78917 ( Prince George Massey Auto ) ). The lowest temperature ever recorded
6600-483: Is the Dawson Creek Fall Fair & Exhibition — a five-day professional rodeo, with a parade, fairgrounds, and exhibitions. City recreation facilities include two ice hockey arenas, a curling rink, an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor ice rink, and a speed skating oval. The South Peace Community Multiplex, a new facility completed in 2010, boasts a pool, indoor rodeo grounds and ice rink. Voters approved building
6765-462: Is the only province in Canada that borders the Pacific Ocean. British Columbia's highest mountain is Mount Fairweather ; the highest mountain entirely within the province is Mount Waddington . British Columbia's capital is Victoria , located at the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island . Only a narrow strip of Vancouver Island, from Campbell River to Victoria, is significantly populated. Much of
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6930-439: Is very close to (and once had) a subarctic climate ( Dfc ) as May and September averages are both close to the 10 °C (50 °F) threshold. Winters are milder than the latitude and elevation might suggest: the January average is −9.6 °C (14.7 °F), and there are an average of 38 days from December to February where the high reaches or surpasses freezing. Winter months in which Pacific air masses dominate may thaw on
7095-613: The Canada Land Inventory , the city is on soil that has moderate limitations, due to an adverse climate, that restrict the range of crops or require moderate conservation practices. The land is flat, but slopes upwards in the northeastern corner elevating a residential area over the rest of the city. The city is in the British Columbia Peace Lowland ecosection of the Canadian Boreal Plains ecozone on
7260-1042: The Chinook effect, which is also common (and much warmer) in more southerly parts of the Interior. During winter on the coast, rainfall , sometimes relentless heavy rain, dominates because of consistent barrages of cyclonic low-pressure systems from the North Pacific. Average snowfall on the coast during a normal winter is between 25 and 50 centimetres (10 and 20 in), but on occasion (and not every winter) heavy snowfalls with more than 20 centimetres (8 in) and well below freezing temperatures arrive when modified arctic air reaches coastal areas, typically for short periods, and can take temperatures below −10 °C (14 °F), even at sea level. Arctic outflow winds can occasionally result in wind chill temperatures at or even below −17.8 °C (0.0 °F). While winters are very wet, coastal areas are generally milder and dry during summer under
7425-582: The Coast Salish , Tsilhqotʼin , and Haida peoples, among many others. One of the earliest British settlements in the area was Fort Victoria , established in 1843, which gave rise to the city of Victoria, the capital of the Colony of Vancouver Island . The Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866) was subsequently founded by Richard Clement Moody , and by the Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment , in response to
7590-664: The Columbia in the name Columbia Rediviva came from the name Columbia for the New World or parts thereof , a reference to Christopher Columbus . The governments of Canada and British Columbia recognize Colombie-Britannique as the French name for the province. British Columbia is bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean and the American state of Alaska , to the north by Yukon and
7755-638: The Dakelh (Carrier) and the Tsilhqotʼin . The inlets and valleys of the British Columbia coast shelter large, distinctive populations, such as the Haida , Kwakwakaʼwakw and Nuu-chah-nulth , sustained by the region's abundant salmon and shellfish. These peoples developed complex cultures dependent on the western red cedar that included wooden houses, seagoing whaling and war canoes and elaborately carved potlatch items and totem poles . Contact with Europeans brought
7920-578: The Fraser Canyon , close to the confluence of the Fraser and Thompson rivers, where the terrain is rugged and covered with desert-type flora. Semi-desert grassland is found in large areas of the Interior Plateau , with land uses ranging from ranching at lower altitudes to forestry at higher ones. The northern, mostly mountainous, two-thirds of the province is largely unpopulated and undeveloped, except for
8085-557: The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . Moody selected the site for and founded the mainland colony's capital New Westminster . The colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia were incorporated in 1866, subsequent to which Victoria became the united colony's capital. In 1871, British Columbia entered Confederation as the sixth province of Canada, in enactment of the British Columbia Terms of Union . British Columbia
8250-460: The Inside Passage 's many inlets provide some of British Columbia's renowned and spectacular scenery, which forms the backdrop and context for a growing outdoor adventure and ecotourism industry. 75 percent of the province is mountainous (more than 1,000 m [3,300 ft] above sea level ); 60 percent is forested; and only about 5 percent is arable. The province's mainland away from
8415-791: The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia , Dawson Creek is situated in the Peace River South provincial electoral district and is represented by Mike Bernier of the British Columbia Liberal Party . Bernier has been the Member of the Legislative Assembly since 2013 provincial election and prior to that served as mayor of Dawson Creek between 2008 and 2013. His predecessor, Blair Lekstrom, also served as mayor of Dawson Creek between 1996 and 2001 before being elected as
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#17328456059578580-521: The Millar Addition and the railway's townsite, Prince George, where the station was built. Hammond also developed his lots further, including additions such as Central Fort George. Although George Hammond fought a series of bitter legal battles for a railway station in Fort George. The Railway argued against a station in Fort George as it was their investment and risk, thus they would build a station in
8745-520: The North Coast just south of Southeast Alaska . The exception to British Columbia's wet and cloudy winters is during the El Niño phase. During El Niño events, the jet stream is much farther south across North America, making the province's winters milder and drier than normal. Winters are much wetter and cooler during the opposite phase, La Niña . There are 14 designations of parks and protected areas in
8910-664: The North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), effectively established a permanent British presence in the region. The Columbia District was broadly defined as being south of 54°40 north latitude, (the southern limit of Russian America ), north of Mexican-controlled California, and west of the Rocky Mountains . It was, by the Anglo-American Convention of 1818 , under the "joint occupancy and use" of citizens of
9075-514: The North West Company fur trading post of Fort George, which was established in 1807 by Simon Fraser and named in honour of King George III . The post was centred in the centuries-old homeland of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation , whose name means "people of the confluence of the two rivers." The Lheidli T'enneh name began to see official use around the 1990s and the band is otherwise historically referred to as Fort George Indian Band. Throughout
9240-649: The Northwest Territories , to the east by the province of Alberta , and to the south by the American states of Washington , Idaho , and Montana . The southern border of British Columbia was established by the 1846 Oregon Treaty, although its history is tied with lands as far south as California . British Columbia's land area is 944,735 square kilometres (364,800 sq mi). British Columbia's rugged coastline stretches for more than 27,000 kilometres (17,000 mi), and includes deep, mountainous fjords and about 6,000 islands, most of which are uninhabited. It
9405-574: The Oroville–Osoyoos Border Crossing , is one of several wine and cider -producing regions in Canada. Other wine regions in British Columbia include the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley . The Southern Interior cities of Kamloops and Penticton have some of the warmest and longest summer climates in Canada (while higher elevations are cold and snowy), although their temperatures are often exceeded north of
9570-463: The Prince George Airport , was observed flying in an unsafe manner, it went into a half roll, seemed to fall over on its back and nosed into a deep ravine in the cut-banks on the north side of town approximately one kilometre from the city centre. Pilot Frank Pynn, a former Royal Air Force Transport Command pilot, and his passenger, 15-year-old Jimmy Clarke, died on impact. Alcohol consumption
9735-563: The Progressive Conservative Party from 1972 to 1993. Oberle served as Canada's Minister of Science and Technology in 1985 and Minister of Forestry in 1989. British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC ) is the westernmost province of Canada . Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains , the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, forests, lakes, mountains, inland deserts and grassy plains. British Columbia borders
9900-482: The Rocky Mountain Trench . Prince George proper contains several areas: South Fort George, the Hart, the residential and light industrial neighbourhoods north of the Nechako River ; College Heights, the southern part of the city which contains a mix of residential and commercial areas, and the Bowl, the valley that includes most of the city and the downtown. There are also a number of outlying localities that are also part of Prince George, such as Carlson . The cutbanks of
10065-428: The Rocky Mountains . Since the 1960s, growth has slowed, but the area population has increased. Dawson Creek is located in the dry and windy prairie land of the Peace River Country . As the seat of the Peace River Regional District and a service centre for the rural areas south of the Peace River , the city has been called the "Capital of the Peace". It is also known as the "Mile 0 City", referring to its location at
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#173284560595710230-441: The fur trade , rather than political considerations. In 1794, by the third of a series of agreements known as the Nootka Conventions , Spain conceded its claims of exclusivity in the Pacific. This opened the way for formal claims and colonization by other powers, including Britain, but because of the Napoleonic Wars , there was little British action on its claims in the region until later. The establishment of trading posts by
10395-1101: The 14 biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia . Common types of trees present in BC's forests include western redcedar , yellow-cedar , Rocky Mountain juniper , lodgepole pine , ponderosa or yellow pine , whitebark pine , limber pine , western white pine , western larch , tamarack , alpine larch , white spruce , Engelmann spruce , Sitka spruce , black spruce , grand fir , Amabilis fir , subalpine fir , western hemlock , mountain hemlock , Douglas-fir , western yew , Pacific dogwood , bigleaf maple , Douglas maple , vine maple , arbutus , black hawthorn , cascara , Garry oak , Pacific crab apple , choke cherry , pin cherry , bitter cherry , red alder , mountain alder , paper birch , water birch , black cottonwood , balsam poplar , trembling aspen . First Nations peoples of British Columbia used plants for food, and to produce material goods like fuel and building products. Plant foods included berries, and roots like camas . Environment Canada subdivides British Columbia into six ecozones : The area now known as British Columbia
10560-526: The 14 different designations that includes over 800 distinct areas. British Columbia contains seven of Canada's national parks and National Park Reserves: British Columbia contains a large number of provincial parks , run by BC Parks under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment. British Columbia's provincial parks system is the second largest parks system in Canada, the largest being Canada's National Parks system. Another tier of parks in British Columbia are regional parks , which are maintained and run by
10725-409: The 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930s and did not experience any significant growth until World War II when an army camp was built at the foot of Cranbrook Hill, bringing new life to the struggling businesses and service industries. The Great Depression saw massive decline in lumber production in the region, falling from 105 million board feet in 1929 to only 15 million board feet by 1932 and
10890-449: The 1960s, with the population reaching its all-time high in 1966, but area population increased. In the 1970s, the provincial government moved its regional offices from Pouce Coupe to the city, Northern Lights College opened a Dawson Creek campus, and the Dawson Creek Mall was constructed. Several modern grain elevators were built, and the town's five wooden grain elevators, nicknamed "Elevator Row", were taken out of service. Only one of
11055-450: The 19th century, HBC Fort George trading post remained unchanged, and Fort St. James reigned as the main trading post and capital of the New Caledonia area. Even during the Cariboo Gold Rush , Fort George was isolated from the newfound trade. Then, when the Collins Overland Telegraph Trail was built in 1865–67, it bypassed Fort George trading post, following the Blackwater Trail from Quesnel and continuing northwest towards Hazelton . In
11220-417: The 21st century has come to be dominated by service industries. The Northern Health Authority, centred in Prince George, has a $ 450 million annual budget and invested more than $ 100 million in infrastructure. Part of these investments was the 2012 opening of the BC Cancer Agency 's Centre for the North, which includes for radiation therapy facilities and associated buildings for modern cancer care. Education
11385-465: The Alaska Highway. The Mile "0" post, depicted in the city flag, was located the traffic circle a few blocks to the northeast, but has been relocated to in the historic downtown area, one block south of the Northern Alberta Railways Park. The four- acre (1.6 ha ), mostly paved NAR Park is the gathering point for travelers. The park includes the Dawson Creek Art Gallery, which exhibits work by local artists and craftsmen. The Station Museum, connected to
11550-404: The BC Liberal Party and New Democratic Party candidates. Federally, Dawson Creek is in the Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies riding, represented in the House of Commons of Canada by Conservative Party Member of Parliament Bob Zimmer . Before Zimmer, who was elected in May 2011, the riding was represented by Jay Hill since 1993 . The riding was represented by Frank Oberle of
11715-430: The Band did not consider the vote final. The Band appointed Oblate Missionary E.C Bellot as an emissary to Ottawa with a larger cash demand of $ 1000 per acre, which was refused by DIA representatives. Upon return to Fort George, a new vote by the Band unanimously turned down the sale. During this time, the business developers of Fort George Townsite opposed the sale of the reserve lands as it would lead to its rival building
11880-481: The City of Prince George were incorporated on March 6, 1915, following the borders of the 1,366 acres they had initially acquired. At this time, many owners of Prince George businesses, particularly ones on George Street, lived in South Fort George. As the Prince George townsite developed and grew, many buildings were moved from the older townsites to the new business areas of Prince George, often being rolled into
12045-563: The HBC post and then in 1909, development of two townsites began as two rival land speculation companies built the communities of South Fort George and Fort George (sometimes referred to as Central Fort George ). South Fort George was built on the Fraser River near to and just south of the Hudson's Bay Company 's trading post. The GTP meanwhile was trying to acquire land for its own townsite which delayed
12210-654: The Interior during mid-summer, with the record high of 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) being held in Lytton on June 29, 2021, during a record-breaking heat wave that year . The extended summer dryness often creates conditions that spark forest fires, from dry-lightning or man-made causes. Many areas of the province are often covered by a blanket of heavy cloud and low fog during the winter months, in contrast to abundant summer sunshine. Annual sunshine hours vary from 2200 near Cranbrook and Victoria to less than 1300 in Prince Rupert , on
12375-505: The Lheidli T'enneh to a safer area where they would be away from settlers and could be schooled in agriculture and in religion. Coccola suggested to the band that "if it tolerated intoxicating liquor and moral disorders, he would be the first to insist to have them removed". Coccola made several statements that he would convince or persuade the Band to relocate if they refused offers, and even involved himself in pricing amounts that could be offers to
12540-509: The Lheidli T'enneh. With several offers and refusals, the Lheidli T'enneh saw a split in support for a land sale. Chief Louis favored the surrender of the land, but Joseph Quah, an influential leader in the Band, wanted a higher price. On 18 November 1911, The Fort George Indian Band eventually agreed to sell the Reserve No.1 lands for $ 125,000 (one quarter to be paid immediately) which included $ 25,000 for construction on reserve No.2 and No.3 and
12705-528: The Lhiedli T'enneh instead, even though Charles Vance Millar , then the owner of the BC Express Company , was well into negotiations to purchase that property himself. The railway compensated Millar by giving him 81 ha (200 acres) of the property and, by 1914, when the railway was completed and the first train arrived, there were four major communities in the area: South Fort George, Fort George Townsite,
12870-770: The MLA. Before Bernier and Lekstrom, Peace River South was represented by Dawson Creek resident Jack Weisgerber . Weisgerber was first elected in 1986 as a member of the Social Credit Party and served as the province's Minister of Native Affairs for three years. While the Social Credit Party lost power in 1991 , Weisgerber was re-elected and served as interim party leader. He joined the Reform Party of British Columbia in 1994 and won re-election in 1996 as party leader, even though Dawson Creek polls put him in third place behind
13035-465: The Multiplex in a 2004 referendum which projected its cost at C$ 21.6 million. The project became controversial when construction began and the cost projection was raised to $ 35 million. The facility is located close to the city's exhibition grounds, away from residential uses. It features an indoor rodeo arena and a 4,000-seat convention centre/ice arena with skyboxes. Nearby Bear Mountain, located south of
13200-520: The Nechako Basin contains over 5,000,000 bbl (790,000 m ) of oil. Other industry includes two chemical plants, an oil refinery, brewery , dairy , machine shops, aluminum boat building, log home construction, value added forestry product and specialty equipment manufacturing. Prince George is also a staging centre for mining and prospecting, and a major regional transportation, trade and government hub. Several major retailers are expanding into
13365-564: The Nechako River and soon grew to a length of more than 6 km (3.7 mi), causing widespread flooding in the city. Faster runoff due to devastation of nearby lodgepole pine forests by the mountain pine beetle was identified as a contributing factor. A state of emergency was declared on December 11. On January 14, 2008, with the ice jam still present, the Provincial Emergency Program approved an unprecedented plan to melt
13530-457: The Nechako River are one of Prince George's many interesting geological features. Local wild edible fruit include bunchberries , rose hips , blueberries, cranberries , chokecherries , strawberries, raspberries, saskatoons , currants, gooseberries , and soapberries (from which " Indian ice cream " is made). Morel mushrooms are also native to this area. The area has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ), but
13695-586: The Pacific Ocean, inscribing a stone marking his accomplishment on the shoreline of Dean Channel near Bella Coola . His expedition theoretically established British sovereignty inland, and a succession of other fur company explorers charted the maze of rivers and mountain ranges between the Canadian Prairies and the Pacific. Mackenzie and other explorers—notably John Finlay , Simon Fraser , Samuel Black , and David Thompson —were primarily concerned with extending
13860-686: The Prince George market, a trend expected to persist. In recent years, several market research call centres have opened in Prince George. Heritage, College Heights, Hart Highlands and St. Lawrence Heights are prime residential areas, both commercial and residential development are growing at an accelerated rate and more subdivisions are planned for St. Lawrence Heights, West Cranbrook Hill and East Austin Road. Prince George's education system encompasses 40 anglophone elementary schools, eight secondary schools, and eight private schools. The anglophone public schools are all part of School District 57 Prince George . It
14025-781: The United States and subjects of Britain (which is to say, the fur companies). This co-occupancy was ended with the Oregon Treaty of 1846. The major supply route was the York Factory Express between Hudson Bay and Fort Vancouver . Some of the early outposts grew into settlements, communities, and cities. Among the places in British Columbia that began as fur trading posts are Fort St. John (established 1794); Hudson's Hope (1805); Fort Nelson (1805); Fort St. James (1806); Prince George (1807); Kamloops (1812); Fort Langley (1827); Fort Victoria (1843); Yale (1848); and Nanaimo (1853). Fur company posts that became cities in what
14190-481: The acquisition of the Reserve No.1 lands were made by the GTP and others such as Charles Millar (of BC Express) who wanted to develop the land. The Department of Indian Affairs in conjunction with railroad representatives made several offers for the land. In 1910 Chief Louis described the attachment to the land and village to McDougall, who reported that "Land, Cash, and farm equipment" would be needed to overcome resistance, and
14355-751: The area east of the Rockies , where the Peace River Country contains BC's portion of the Canadian Prairies , centred at the city of Dawson Creek . 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 . Because of the many mountain ranges and rugged coastline, British Columbia's climate varies dramatically across
14520-736: The area is maintained only through pay television means. The City of Dawson Creek has a council-manager form of municipal government. A six-member council, along with one mayor, is elected at-large every four years. Current mayor Darcy Dober assumed the position following an election win over Council member Shaely Wilber in October 2022. Previous mayors of the city have included Dale Bumstead (2013–2023), Mike Bernier (2008–2013), Calvin Kruk (2005–08), Wayne Dahlen (2001–05), Blair Lekstrom (1997–2001), Bill Kusk (1994–96) and Robert Trail (1967–75, 1982–93). The city government administers infrastructure and services such as
14685-809: The art gallery, displays artifacts and exhibits associated with the construction of the NAR railway and the Alaska Highway. Other parks in Dawson Creek include the Mile Zero Rotary Park and the Walter Wright Pioneer Village. Annual events in the city include the Dawson Creek Art Gallery auction, the Dawson Creek Spring Rodeo, and the Peace Country Blue Grass Festival. The largest event, held annually since 1953,
14850-421: The band members out, targeting two cabins in the village that were empty as the residents were away hunting "I knew that to set fire to the cabins would cause a flare up of intense excitement and give me the break I needed, for a crisis had to be created before the deadlock could be broken". The site of Reserve No.2 (Shelley) was much further away from the new Prince George townsite and other communities. The land
15015-420: The band was considered to be averse to a sale. McDougall met with Chief Louis again in December 1910 offering $ 68,300 ($ 50/acre) but Chief Louis told McDougall that "they could not in their present mind surrender this reserve". A vote was held at a meeting two days later with members of the Band over age 21. The vote approved the surrender of the reserve land 12–11, but Chief Louis asked to talk with his people and
15180-587: The blocking presence of successive mountain ranges, the climate of some of the interior valleys of the province (such as the Thompson, parts of the Fraser Canyon, the southern Cariboo and parts of the Okanagan) is semi-arid with certain locations receiving less than 250 millimetres (10 in) in annual precipitation. The annual mean temperature in the most populated areas of the province is up to 12 °C (54 °F),
15345-451: The bottom of Cranbrook Hill. Barracks were built to house the soldiers, dining halls constructed to feed them, and wet canteens for their leisure and entertainment. There were rifle ranges, mortar ranges and artillery ranges. The camp closed at the end of the war. Most of the buildings were either demolished or moved to new locations, although some remain in their original locations, such as the former transportation building on 15th Avenue, that
15510-453: The city – the terminal of rail transport – to construct the Alaska Highway . The highway was completed in less than a year; even after the workers involved in its construction departed, population and economic growth continued. In February 1943, a major fire and explosion in a livery barn, packed with road-building supplies including dynamite, caused serious damage to the center of town; five people were killed and 150 injured. Dawson Creek became
15675-434: The city's inhabitants, smaller nearby towns, and rural communities. However, there is significant retail leakage to Grande Prairie, the closest major Alberta city, where there is no provincial tax on retail purchases, while British Columbia charges 7%. In 2006, the BC government rejected a proposal to lower the sales tax in the province's border communities to 4%. The problem of leakage has been exacerbated in recent years by
15840-499: The city, provides over 20 km (12 mi) of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails, as well as areas for downhill skiing and about 500 km (300 mi) of trails for snowmobiles, mountain bikes, and all-terrain vehicles. The city was once home to a North American Hockey League team, the Dawson Creek Rage , beginning in the 2010–11 season until it ceased operations in 2012 due to financial difficulties. Dawson Creek
16005-560: The city. In 1908, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway identified the Reserve No.1 land as an ideal area for a railway and station site, and attempted to claim all the 1366 acres as needed for railway purposes. This was rejected due to the Department of Indian Affairs . The Department of Indian Affairs wished to protect the Lheidli T'enneh's interests but also supported railway development. Between 1908 and 1911 several offers for
16170-469: The city. There is also Notre Dame which is a K-7 Catholic school. Established in 1975, Northern Lights College has a campus in Dawson Creek that houses its Regional Administration and two Centres of Excellence. At Northern Lights College, students can earn a one-year certificate, a two-year diploma or associate degree, or complete upgrading courses to get their high school diploma. The cultural identity of Dawson Creek rests on its designation as Mile "0" of
16335-584: The coast in 1775. In doing so, Pérez and Quadra reasserted the Spanish claim for the Pacific coast , first made by Vasco Núñez de Balboa in 1513. The explorations of James Cook in 1778 and George Vancouver in 1792 and 1793 established British jurisdiction over the coastal area north and west of the Columbia River. In 1793, Sir Alexander Mackenzie was the first European to journey across North America overland to
16500-535: The coastal regions is somewhat moderated by the Pacific Ocean. Terrain ranges from dry inland forests and semi-arid valleys, to the range and canyon districts of the Central and Southern Interior , to boreal forest and subarctic prairie in the Northern Interior. High mountain regions both north and south have subalpine flora and subalpine climate . The Okanagan wine area , extending from Vernon to Osoyoos at
16665-475: The coldest in British Columbia with moderate snowfall. Winter is the longest season, lasting from the end of October to the beginning of April. Summer is typically 2 to 3 months, from June through August. Spring and Autumn are usually short seasons, lasting one to two months in length. A freeze has been recorded for every month of the year including all the summer months. Precipitation peaks during July, likely due to thunderstorm activity. The economy of Dawson Creek
16830-693: The constructions of what would become Prince George for several years. Fort George townsite was built 3.2 km (2 mi) to the northwest on the Nechako River. The name had been registered by the district lot original purchasers with some concerns due to its similarity to the HBC trading post's name. George Hammond, the CEO of the Natural Resources Security Company, bought nine district lots and promoted his community of Fort George in exaggerated and questionable advertisements all over Canada and Britain, describing Fort George in glowing terms as being
16995-497: The continental Interior Platform . Located in the Cordillera Climatic Region, it lies at the southern end of a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfc ). In the summer, the city is often dusty and arid; temperatures during the day are warm, but cool at night, typically falling below 10 °C (50 °F). Highs reaching 30 °C (86 °F) occur only twice per year on average. Heavy rain showers are sporadic, lasting only
17160-615: The creek was one of many farming communities established by European-Canadian settlers moving west through the Peace River Country . When the Canadian government began issuing homestead grants to settlers under the Dominion Lands Act in 1912, the pace of migration increased. With the opening of a few stores and hotels in 1919 and the incorporation of the Dawson Creek Co-operative Union on May 28, 1921, Dawson Creek became
17325-667: The east side. In the 2014 municipal election, the people of Prince George voted in favour of removing fluoride from their drinking water in a non-binding referendum. Prince George's new mayor and city council, at their first meeting, decided to follow the wishes of its voters. Fluoridation of the city's water supply ended in December 2014. The Prince George airshed has many local sources of various air pollutants including several major industrial sources (pulp mills, sawmills and an oil refinery), vehicle emissions, locomotives, uncovered coal cars, unpaved and paved road surfaces, vegetative burning and residential and commercial heating. Because
17490-511: The future hub of British Columbia, the " Chicago of the north", and having mild winters and being suitable for any agricultural endeavour. Hammond claimed the existence of buildings and facilities in advertising when none existed at the time. Lots sold in 1912 for $ 400, rising to $ 500-$ 1,000 by 1913. Ten paddle steamer sternwheelers serviced the area, coming up on the Fraser River from Soda Creek docking at both South Fort George and Fort George Townsite. South Fort George developed close to
17655-399: The historic elevators remains, converted to an art gallery. Since the 1970s, with the nearby town of Fort St. John attracting much of the area's industrial development and Grande Prairie becoming a commercial hub, the town's population and economy have not significantly increased. Since 1992, the city has undergone several boundary expansions. One expansion incorporated undeveloped land in
17820-539: The hub of British Columbia. Canadian Forces Station Baldy Hughes (ADC ID: C-20) was constructed in 1952 as a General Surveillance Radar station. It was located 35.9 km (22.3 mi) south-southwest of Prince George, and was closed in 1988. It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line network controlled by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Today the former station
17985-416: The ice by piping water from a pulp mill steam plant 2.7 km (1.7 mi) to the jam area where it would be mixed with well water and poured into the river at a temperature of 15 °C (59 °F). In the interim an amphibious excavator was used for 10 days to move some of the ice. Costing C$ 400,000 to build and C$ 3,000 per day to run, the "Warm Water System" was completed on January 29, by which time
18150-551: The ice jam had grown to 25 km (16 mi) long. As a result of long-term lobbying from local groups (championed by local advocate Sheldon Clare, and members of 396 Air Cadet Squadron, 2618 Army Cadet Corps, 158 Sea Cadet Corps, 142 Navy League Corps, Branch 43 Royal Canadian Legion , and the Peacekeepers Association) in February 2011, Canadian Armed Forces 39 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters announced that
18315-523: The influence of stable anti-cyclonic high pressure. Southern Interior valleys are hot in summer; for example, in Osoyoos , the July maximum temperature averages 31.7 °C (89.1 °F), making it the hottest month of any location in Canada; this hot weather sometimes spreads towards the coast or to the far north of the province. Temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in the lower elevations of valleys in
18480-596: The installation of low-voltage street lights and solar-powered hot water heaters, the city was awarded the Federation of Canadian Municipalities ' 2007 Sustainable Community Award. City council appoints one person, usually the mayor, to serve as a board director with the Peace River Regional District. Concurrent with municipal elections, residents also elect two school board trustees to School District 59 which consists of seven trustees. For representation in
18645-471: The introduction of large-format retail stores into the small city. Residents still cross the border for high-priced items but now also purchase medium- and low-priced items from foreign-owned large-format chain stores. Dawson Creek has a large tourism industry as Mile "0" of the Alaska Highway. Thousands of people drive on the highway every year, starting in Dawson Creek and ending in Fairbanks, Alaska . The trek
18810-621: The islands of southern Alaska and northern British Columbia. The Na-Dene language group is believed to be linked to the Yeniseian languages of Siberia: the Dene of the western Arctic may represent a distinct wave of migration from Asia to North America. The Interior of British Columbia is home to the Salishan language groups such as the Shuswap (Secwepemc) , Okanagan and Athabaskan language groups, primarily
18975-479: The land should be owned by the colonists. To ensure colonists would be able to settle properly and make use of the land, First Nations were forcibly relocated onto reserves , which were often too small to support their way of life. By the 1930s, British Columbia had over 1500 reserves. Lands now known as British Columbia were added to the British Empire during the 19th century. Colonies originally begun with
19140-415: The late 1800s many Lheidli T'enneh lived in a village built next to the HBC trading post due to the ease of preparing furs and trading directly, without great distances to travel. In 1903, the area's fortune began to change when reports said that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (later part of Canadian National Railway ) would pass near the fur trading post. In 1906, agricultural settlement began around
19305-437: The late 1980s and 1990s resulted in a short term boom in the forest industry as companies rushed to cut dead standing trees before the trees lost value. Sawmill closures (and the creation of 'supermills') occurred around 2005, and the largest pellet mill closed in 2022 due to dwindling supply and lack of a sea port. Mining exploration and development may become the future of Prince George. Initiatives Prince George estimates that
19470-559: The main social structure from 10,000 to 5,000 years ago. The nomadic population lived in non-permanent structures foraging for nuts, berries and edible roots while hunting and trapping larger and small game for food and furs. Around 5,000 years ago individual groups started to focus on resources available to them locally. Coast Salish peoples had complex land management practices linked to ecosystem health and resilience. Forest gardens on Canada's northwest coast included crabapple, hazelnut, cranberry, wild plum, and wild cherry species. Thus with
19635-507: The metro census agglomeration has a population of 89,490. It is often called the province's "northern capital". because it serves as a centre for higher education, health care, government services, arts and entertainment, sports, and support for major industries such as forest products and mining. Prince George is roughly a 9 hour drive west of Edmonton , Alberta, east of Prince Rupert, British Columbia , and north of Vancouver , British Columbia. The origins of Prince George can be traced to
19800-647: The mildest anywhere in Canada. The valleys of the Southern Interior have short winters with only brief bouts of cold or infrequent heavy snow, while those in the Cariboo , in the Central Interior , are colder because of increased altitude and latitude, but without the intensity or duration experienced at similar latitudes elsewhere in Canada. Outside of the driest valleys, the Southern and Central Interior generally have
19965-470: The native population of what became British Columbia. The arrival of Europeans began around the mid-18th century, as fur traders entered the area to harvest sea otters . While it is thought Sir Francis Drake may have explored the British Columbian coast in 1579, it was Juan Pérez who completed the first documented voyage, which took place in 1774. Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra explored
20130-503: The near defunct HBC post, along the Fraser River after being purchased in 1909 by the Northern Development Company, with lots going on sale in 1910. BC Express Company paddle wheelers landed in South Fort George and the area grew with speculation about the railway coming to the area. South Fort George would remain its own community until 1976 when it incorporated into the City of Prince George. Properties were sold in both of
20295-475: The new name but they were unsuccessful. In May 1915, residents voted by plebiscite to name the new city as Prince George with a vote of 153–13. With the onset of World War I in 1914, the local economy was devastated as many local men enlisted and the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway was halted, creating a massive drop in population. Many men enlisted in Prince George from
20460-465: The new subdivisions of Spruceland, Lakewood, Perry and Highglen were built. Then, in 1975, Prince George amalgamated and extended its borders to include the Hart area to the north, Pineview to the south and the old town of South Fort George to the east. Low-lying areas adjacent to the confluence of the rivers, which can freeze, mean that those areas suffer recurring flooding. In late 2007 an ice jam formed on
20625-408: The next decade. The population peaked in 1966 at 12,392, then declined throughout the 1970s, rising again briefly during the construction of the nearby town of Tumbler Ridge in the early 1980s. Dawson Creek's population has remained relatively stable since then. Between 2005 and 2009, the population rose from 10,869 to 11,514, per provincial estimates. According to the 2016 Canadian census , there
20790-402: The northwest corner of the city, while further incorporations have included undeveloped land to the south and north. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Dawson Creek had a population of 12,323 living in 5,405 of its 6,189 total private dwellings, a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 12,178. With a land area of 26.72 km (10.32 sq mi), it had
20955-565: The passage of time there is a pattern of increasing regional generalization with a more sedentary lifestyle . These indigenous populations evolved over the next 5,000 years across a large area into many groups with shared traditions and customs. To the northwest of the province are the peoples of the Na-Dene languages , which include the Athapaskan-speaking peoples and the Tlingit , who live on
21120-418: The preservation of the original village cemetery. The band committed to relocate by June 1912. The vote for this agreement saw 32 in favor and one against, and three abstentions. The timeline was difficult to keep as new buildings had to be constructed. Delays in contracts being awarded by the government to build a new village meant that few could move by the deadline and Band members planted crops needed later in
21285-405: The province of Alberta to the east; the territories of Yukon and Northwest Territories to the north; the U.S. states of Washington , Idaho and Montana to the south, and Alaska to the northwest. With an estimated population of over 5.6 million as of 2024, it is Canada's third-most populous province . The capital of British Columbia is Victoria , while the province's largest city
21450-401: The province that reflect the different administration and creation of these areas in a modern context. There are 141 ecological reserves, 35 provincial marine parks, 7 provincial heritage sites, 6 National Historic Sites of Canada , 4 national parks and 3 national park reserves. 12.5 percent of the province's area (114,000 km or 44,000 sq mi) is considered protected under one of
21615-458: The province's regional districts . The Ministry of Forests operates forest recreation sites. In addition to these areas, over 47,000 square kilometres (18,000 sq mi) of arable land are protected by the Agricultural Land Reserve . Much of the province is undeveloped, so populations of many mammalian species that have become rare in much of the United States still flourish in British Columbia. Watching animals of various sorts, including
21780-601: The province's total population. Christianity is the largest religion in the region, though the majority of the population is non-religious. English is the common language of the province, although Punjabi , Mandarin Chinese , and Cantonese also have a large presence in the Metro Vancouver region. The Franco-Columbian community is an officially recognized linguistic minority, and around one percent of British Columbians claim French as their mother tongue . British Columbia
21945-552: The province. Coastal southern British Columbia has a mild and rainy climate influenced by the North Pacific Current . Most of the region is classified as oceanic , though pockets of warm-summer Mediterranean climate also exist in the far-southern parts of the coast. Precipitation averages above 1,000 mm (39 in) in almost all of the coastal region, and Hucuktlis Lake on Vancouver Island receives an average of 6,903 mm (271.8 in) of rain annually. Due to
22110-435: The provincial average, and 22% did not complete high school, similar to the 19% provincial average. According to the 2021 census , religious groups in Prince George included: For three consecutive years, from 2010 to 2012, Maclean's named Prince George the most dangerous city in Canada, with its crime rate being 114% above the national average. In 2011, the magazine cited gangs, drug-related crimes, and nine homicides as
22275-404: The provision of drinking water, sewage and garbage collection, fire protection, recreational facilities (including parks, trails and arenas), roadway maintenance, snow removal, library services, street lighting, public transportation, and the airport. The city also partially funds a 22-officer Royal Canadian Mounted Police municipal detachment. For creating its Community Energy Plan, which involved
22440-399: The reason for its high crime rate, although the magazine did state that the city's crime rate is declining each year. In 2016, Prince George was named #4 on the list of the most dangerous cities for violent crime in Canada. In 2023, there were 8 homicides reported in Prince George giving the city a murder rate of 10.4 per 100,000 people. The economy of Prince George in the first decade of
22605-430: The region never change their clocks – Pacific Daylight Time is used during the spring, summer and early fall, and Mountain Standard Time during the late fall and winter. Dawson Creek has a subarctic climate ( Köppen Dfc ), bordering on a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb ) due to its short summers. Summers are generally warm and rainy with cool nights and low humidity. Winters are very cold, some of
22770-588: The settlement. The need to provide services for the rapidly growing community led Dawson Creek to incorporate as a village in May 1936. A small wave of refugees from the Sudetenland settled in the area in 1939 as World War II was beginning. The community exceeded 500 people in 1941. Upon entering the war, the United States decided to build a transportation corridor to connect the US mainland to Alaska. In 1942, thousands of US Army personnel, engineers, and contractors poured into
22935-424: The southeast for an industrial park and a Louisiana-Pacific Canada veneer factory. The city extended sewer and water lines to the location; however, the area was not developed and with the factory only half-built, L-P Canada abandoned its plans. A business making manufactured homes bought the factory and completed its development in 2005. Another expansion incorporated the existing oriented strand board factory in
23100-526: The southern Columbia Basin (within present day Washington and Oregon ). In 1846, the Oregon Treaty divided the territory along the 49th parallel to the Strait of Georgia , with the area south of this boundary (excluding Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands ) transferred to sole American sovereignty. The Colony of Vancouver Island was created in 1849, with Victoria designated as the capital. New Caledonia, as
23265-553: The southern and western borders of the city, incorporating a stretch of Highway 2, is designated as a "dangerous goods route" for heavy trucks so that they can avoid traveling through the city. However, Highway 49 has no direct access to such a ring road, so many trucks bound to or from the east use the city arterials, slowing traffic and damaging roads. Dawson Creek is a regional node for air and rail services. The Dawson Creek Airport , which services commercial flights by Central Mountain Air ,
23430-416: The southern end of the Alaska Highway. It also has a heritage interpretation village , an art gallery, and a museum. Annual events include a fall fair and rodeo. Dawson Creek is named after the watercourse of the same name, itself named after George Mercer Dawson who led a surveying team through the area in August 1879; a member of the team labelled the creek with Dawson's name. The community that formed by
23595-404: The southern interior rivals some of the snowiest cities in Canada, and freezing rain and fog are sometimes present on such roads as well. This can result in hazardous driving conditions, as people are usually travelling between warmer areas such as Vancouver or Kamloops , and may be unaware that the conditions may be slippery and cold. Winters are generally severe in the Northern Interior which
23760-543: The support of the Hudson's Bay Company (Vancouver Island, the mainland) were amalgamated, then entered Confederation as British Columbia in 1871 as part of the Dominion of Canada. During the 1770s, smallpox killed at least 30 percent of the Pacific Northwest First Nations . This devastating epidemic was the first in a series; the 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic killed about half to two-thirds of
23925-467: The surrounding communities and were primarily sent to Vernon, BC for training before being shipped overseas. 17 names of soldiers who died in World War I are inscribed on the cenotaph, although many more enlisted. Population decline continued with the ensuing Spanish flu epidemic of 1918. The epidemic took at least fifty lives in the area, including First Nation's leaders. Prince George persevered through
24090-512: The townsites with railway speculation driving up prices. By 1913, South Fort George and Fort George each had a population of around 1,500 and were booming as thousands of rail construction workers came to town for supplies and entertainment. Both communities believed that the Grand Trunk Pacific station would be built in their town, and both were disappointed when the railway purchased the 553 ha (1,366 acres) of land in between them from
24255-455: The unemployed. In the 1920s air transport began with sea planes and landing on Central Avenue. In the 1930s Prince George saw air transport increase and became a hub for air mail to Takla Landing , Fort St. James , and Mansons Landing , later including stops in Edmonton , Whitehorse , and Fort Nelson and an airport was developed by Carney Hill (The Golf Course today). In 1939, Prince George
24420-608: The war saw 2,027 in 1941 rising to 3,800 in Prince George by 1945. After the war, as the ravaged European cities rebuilt, the demand for lumber skyrocketed and Prince George, with its abundance of sawmills and spruce trees, prospered. Finally, in 1952, after 40 years of construction, the Pacific Great Eastern was completed and joined with the CN line at Prince George, and with the completion of Highways 16 and 97, Prince George finally fulfilled George Hammond's long ago promise of being
24585-548: The western part of Vancouver Island and the rest of the coast is covered by temperate rainforest . The province's most populous city is Vancouver, which is at the confluence of the Fraser River and Georgia Strait , in the mainland's southwest corner (an area often called the Lower Mainland ). By land area, Abbotsford is the largest city. Vanderhoof is near the geographic centre of the province. The Coast Mountains and
24750-528: The whole of the mainland rather than just its north-central Interior came to be called, continued to be an unorganized territory of British North America, "administered" by individual HBC trading post managers. Prince George, British Columbia Prince George is a city in British Columbia , Canada , situated at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako rivers. The city itself has a population of 76,708;
24915-529: The year. The June 1912 payment was withheld as the DIA saw the planting as refusal to leave. Chief Louis argued that the agreement stated that the payment was to be made in June and was not contingent on relocation. Winter was also coming and the crops would be needed if the new village was not built or supplies given to the Band. The new village was completed in 1913 with Band members moving there in September. The old village
25080-468: Was an average household size of 2.3 persons, similar to the provincial average of 2.4 persons. One-person households made up 32% of total households, slightly above the 29% average provincewide, leaving the average family size to be 2.9 persons. The median age decreased from 38.8 years in 2001 to 34.4 in 2016 with 53% of those over 15 years of age being married (or common law ), lower than the 58% provincial average. Only 46% of residents over 15 years old had
25245-479: Was believed to be a factor in the crash and the Coroner's inquest found that Pynn died "through his own neglect and complete disregard for the Aeronautical Regulations of Canada." The wreckage is still there; however, most pieces are less than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in length. In 1964 the first pulp mill , Prince George Pulp and Paper was built, followed by two more in 1966, Northwood Pulp and Intercontinental Pulp. New schools and more housing were needed and
25410-444: Was built and federal government offices were established in town. In 1958, the extension of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway to the Peace from Prince George was completed, and the village was re-incorporated as a city. Between 1951 and 1961, the population of Dawson Creek more than tripled. The RCAF center reemerged on October 1, 1956, and was declared functional in 1958. It was disbanded a final time in March 1964. Growth slowed in
25575-409: Was built in 1963; its 1,524 m (5,000 ft) runway was paved in 1966. There are larger airports in Fort St. John and Grande Prairie that maintain more comprehensive flight schedules. Passenger rail service was available in Dawson Creek between 1931 and 1974. Service began when the Northern Alberta Railways (NAR) built its northwest terminus in the town and was extended in 1958 to Vancouver with
25740-441: Was chosen by Queen Victoria , when the Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866) , i.e., "the Mainland", became a British colony in 1858. It refers to the Columbia District , the British name for the territory drained by the Columbia River , in southeastern British Columbia, which was the namesake of the pre- Oregon Treaty Columbia Department of the Hudson's Bay Company . Queen Victoria chose British Columbia to distinguish what
25905-531: Was constructed southwest of the city in 2009. Dawson Creek's road network was laid out in the mid-20th century as the town rapidly expanded. The city maintains 88 km (55 mi) of paved and 11 km (7 mi) of unpaved roads. The primary roads generally follow a grid pattern around large blocks of land. Because the grid contains many internal intersections with stop signs, traffic is forced onto two arterial roads : 8 Street going north–south and Alaska Avenue going southeast–northwest. These two roads meet at
26070-402: Was destroyed "to force the Indians away" and ensure that it was not reoccupied. The Fort George Herald reported the destruction of the old village as "the torch of the white man will be thrust into the remaining houses and the village will disappear quietly in a cloud of smoke". Indian Agent W. J. MacAllan's accounts of the situation reveal a need on his part and the part of the GTP to strong-arm
26235-420: Was difficult to definitively say certain deaths are caused by pollution because it's not a factor that is easily recognizable." In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Prince George had a population of 76,708 living in 31,793 of its 33,643 total private dwellings, a change of 3.7% from its 2016 population of 74,003. It has a metro census agglomeration population of 89,490. With
26400-403: Was not particularly fertile for agriculture and the Band suffered economically. The site of the old village and the HBC post would become Fort George Park (renamed Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park in 2015). The Cemetery would become Reserve No.1A. There were three rationales given for naming the new city as Prince George : Businessmen in Fort George petitioned the provincial government to block
26565-505: Was organized into the New Caledonia district, administered from Fort St. James. The interior south of the Thompson River watershed and north of the Columbia was organized into the Columbia District, administered from Fort Vancouver on the lower Columbia River. The northeast corner of the province east of the Rockies, known as the Peace River Block, was attached to the much larger Athabasca District , headquartered in Fort Chipewyan , in present-day Alberta. Until 1849, these districts were
26730-409: Was selected as a spot for an aerodrome, and construction began on what is now Prince George Airport . Army Camp Prince George was opened during WWII and once housed 6,000 soldiers. From March 1942 to October 1943, divisional troops and units of the 16th Infantry Brigade ( 8th Canadian Infantry Division ) were housed there. The camp was located in the area of 1st Street, Central Street, 15th Avenue, to
26895-404: Was the British sector of the Columbia District from the United States' ("American Columbia" or "Southern Columbia"), which became the Oregon Territory on August 8, 1848, as a result of the treaty. Ultimately, the Columbia in the name British Columbia is derived from the name of the Columbia Rediviva , an American ship which lent its name to the Columbia River and later the wider region;
27060-451: Was used by the British Columbia Forestry Service from the late 1940s to 1963. It is now owned by the City of Prince George for use by the Community Arts Council. The Nechako Bottle Depot on First Avenue is also another former camp building. Others include the first Overwaitea store, at Victoria and Third, formerly a barracks and the original civic centre, which was the old drill shed, was removed and rebuilt on Seventh Avenue. Population during
27225-409: Was −50.0 °C (−58.0 °F) on 2 January 1950 at Prince George Airport . Prince George's drinking water is taken from the Nechako and Fraser Rivers via ten wells. The raw water is disinfected with sodium hypochlorite . The local government treats sewage in a treatment facility in the Lansdowne area, on the west side of the Fraser River, or one of three other smaller treatment facilities on
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