Western Canada , also referred to as the Western provinces , Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West , is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada–United States border namely (from west to east) British Columbia , Alberta , Saskatchewan and Manitoba . The people of the region are often referred to as "Western Canadians" or "Westerners", and though diverse from province to province are largely seen as being collectively distinct from other Canadians along cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, geographic and political lines. They account for approximately 32% of Canada's total population.
45-550: (Redirected from West Province ) [REDACTED] Look up Western provinces in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Western Province or West Province may refer to: Western Province, Cameroon Western Province, Rwanda Western Province (Kenya) Western Province (Papua New Guinea) Western Province (Solomon Islands) Western Province, Sri Lanka Western Province, Zambia Western Province (Victoria) ,
90-442: A continental climate and experience extremes in weather. Winters in both provinces can be classified as harsh with Arctic winds and −40 °C (−40 °F) temperatures possible. Winter temperatures in both provinces average between −10 and −15 °C (14 and 5 °F). In contrast, summers can be hot with temperatures exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) at least once per year in most locations. In Canadian politics, Western Canada
135-618: A division of the Victorian Legislative Council West Kazakhstan Province Western Cape Province , South Africa Western Province (rugby union) , a provincial rugby team in the Cape Town region Western Province Cricket Association , the governing body for cricket in the Cape Town region, or its representative team Western Province cricket team Western Province Ice Hockey Association ,
180-474: A dry continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The province is open to cold Arctic weather systems from the north, which often produce extremely cold conditions in winter. Winters are generally quite cold, though some areas can experience a phenomenon known as the " Chinook wind ", wherein warm winds raise the winter temperatures temporarily. In contrast, summers can fluctuate from cool to hot and are generally wetter. Saskatchewan and Manitoba have
225-707: A history of support in Manitoba and British Columbia. The western provinces are represented in the Parliament of Canada by 104 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons (British Columbia 42, Alberta 34, Saskatchewan and Manitoba 14 each) and 24 senators (6 from each province). Currently, of the 104 western MPs in the Commons, 64 are Conservatives, Liberals hold 21 seats, the New Democrats hold 18 and
270-484: A moderate oceanic climate because of the influence of the Pacific Ocean. Winters are typically wet and summers relatively dry. These areas enjoy the mildest winter weather in all of Canada, as temperatures rarely fall much below the freezing mark. The mountainous Interior of the province is drier and has colder winters, but experiences hotter summers than the more moderate coastal areas. Lytton, British Columbia ,
315-579: A small town that sits at the confluence of the Thompson River holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada at 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) on 29 June 2021, and is regularly referred as Canada's hot spot in summer with temperatures easily reaching the mid to high 30 °C 's (upper 90s to low 100s °F) in July and August and sometimes top 40 °C (104 °F). Alberta has
360-633: A state in eastern India, the western part of the Bengal region [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_Province&oldid=1162114925 " Categories : Place name disambiguation pages Province name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
405-510: A vast sedimentary plain covering much of Alberta, southern Saskatchewan, and southwestern Manitoba. The prairies form a significant portion of the land area of Western Canada. The plains generally describes the expanses of largely flat, arable agricultural land which sustain extensive grain farming operations in the southern part of the provinces. Despite this, some areas such as the Cypress Hills and Alberta Badlands are quite hilly and
450-480: Is a list of these areas and their populations as of 2016. From 2011 to 2016, the fastest growing CMAs in the country were the five in Alberta and Saskatchewan: Calgary (+14.6%), Edmonton (+13.9%), Saskatoon (+12.5%), Regina (+11.8%) and Lethbridge (+10.8%). These were the only CMAs in the country to register growth over 10%. The three fastest growing CMAs - Calgary, Edmonton, and Saskatoon - were unchanged from
495-805: Is a non-profit organization and member branch of South African Ice Hockey Federation Western Province Hockey Union , is the a provincial body for field hockey West Province (Western Australia) , an electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council Western Oblast , Russia Western Oblast (1917-1918) , Russia Hejaz in Saudi Arabia See also [ edit ] Western Boyacá Province , Boyacá, Colombia Western Savanna Province , Cundinamarca, Colombia Gharbia Governorate in Egypt West Bengal ,
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#1732772920286540-667: Is also composed of members from the federal Conservative Party's right-wing and many former Reform Party supporters. Following the 2017 provincial election in British Columbia, the British Columbia New Democratic Party formed a minority government with the support of the British Columbia Green Party , following the defeat of Christy Clark 's Liberal Party government by a vote of non-confidence. As of October 2020,
585-606: Is currently associated with a general Conservative Party lean, contrasted with a proportionally greater Liberal Party lean in Central and Atlantic Canada . Liberal Party strongholds exist particularly in Greater Vancouver and Winnipeg. The social democratic New Democratic Party had its origins on the Canadian Prairies and in the mining and pulp mill towns and railway camps of British Columbia and has
630-544: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Western provinces The region is further subdivided geographically and culturally between British Columbia, which is mostly on the western side of the Canadian Rockies and often referred to as the " west coast ", and the "Prairie Provinces" (commonly known as "the Prairies "), which include those provinces on
675-683: Is much lower in the Canadian Rockies than in the American Rockies. Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies, four of which are adjacent and make up the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks . These four parks are Banff , Jasper , Kootenay and Yoho . The fifth national park, Waterton Lakes , is not adjacent to the others. Waterton Lakes lies farther south, straddling the Canada–US border as
720-685: Is one of the world's largest net exporters of both energy and agricultural commodities. Approximate breakdown: Energy: Agriculture: Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies ( French : Rocheuses canadiennes ) or Canadian Rocky Mountains , comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains . It
765-717: Is the eastern part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that runs all the way around the Pacific Ocean . The Canadian Rockies are bounded on the east by the Canadian Prairies, on the west by the Rocky Mountain Trench, and on the north by the Liard River. Contrary to popular misconception, the Rockies do not extend north into Yukon or Alaska, or west into central British Columbia. North of the Liard River,
810-860: Is the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera , which is the northern segment of the North American Cordillera , the expansive system of interconnected mountain ranges between the Interior Plains and the Pacific Coast that runs northwest–southeast from central Alaska to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico . Canada officially defines the Rocky Mountains system as the mountain chains east of
855-402: Is the second-highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and is the highest mountain in Alberta. Snow Dome (3,456 m; 11,339 ft) is one of two hydrological apexes of North America. Water flows off Snow Dome into three different watersheds, into the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean , and Atlantic Ocean via Hudson Bay . The Canadian Rockies are not the highest mountain ranges in Canada. Both
900-742: Is thus defined as comprising the central-eastern section of the North American Cordillera, between the Prairies of Alberta and the Liard Plain of northeastern British Columbia to the east and the Interior Mountains / Plateau and Columbia Mountains to the west. It is divided into the Northern Rockies (which is further subdivided into the Muskwa and Hart Ranges ) and Continental Ranges , separated by
945-674: The Mackenzie Mountains , which are a distinct mountain range, form a portion of the border between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories . The mountain ranges to the west of the Rocky Mountain Trench in southern British Columbia are called the Columbia Mountains , and are not considered to be part of the Rockies by Canadian geologists. Mount Robson (3,954 metres; 12,972 feet) is the highest peak in
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#1732772920286990-1077: The McGregor River valley, the McGregor Pass and the Kakwa River valley. The southern end of the Canadian Rockies extends into the U.S. state of Montana at various sites such as the Wilson Range , Upper Waterton Lake , Boundary Creek , Cameron Lake , Forum Peak , Long Knife Peak , North Fork Flathead River and Frozen Lake . In geographic terms, the boundary is at the Canada–United States border on 49th parallel north , but in geological terms it might be considered to be at Marias Pass in northern Montana. The Canadian Rockies have numerous high peaks and ranges, such as Mount Robson (3,954 metres; 12,972 feet) and Mount Columbia (3,747 m; 12,293 ft). The Canadian Rockies are composed of shale and limestone . Much of
1035-619: The North-Western Territory . In 1870, the British government transferred the lands of the company to Canada. The area of Western Canada not within British Columbia was established as the Northwest Territories under Canadian control. The western provinces other than British Columbia were established from areas of the Northwest Territories: As of the 2016 Census , the total population of Western Canada
1080-533: The Northern Rockies which comprise two main groupings, the Hart Ranges and the Muskwa Ranges . The division-point of the two main groupings is at Monkman Pass northwest of Mount Robson and to the southwest of Mount Ovington . The Canadian Rockies are noted for being the source of several major river systems, and also for the many rivers within the range itself. The Rockies form the divide between
1125-850: The Rocky Mountain Trench extending from the Liard River valley in northern British Columbia to the Albuquerque Basin in New Mexico , not including the Mackenzie , Richardson and British Mountains / Brooks Range in Yukon and Alaska (which are all included as the "Arctic Rockies" in the United States ' definition of the Rocky Mountains system). The Canadian Rockies, being the northern segment of this chain,
1170-563: The American Rockies are made mostly of metamorphic and igneous rock such as gneiss and granite . The Canadian Rockies are overall more jagged than the American Rockies, because the Canadian Rockies have been more heavily glaciated , resulting in sharply pointed mountains separated by wide, U-shaped valleys gouged by glaciers, whereas the American Rockies are overall more rounded, with river-carved V-shaped valleys between them. The Canadian Rockies are cooler and wetter, giving them moister soil, bigger rivers, and more glaciers. The tree line
1215-583: The BC NDP hold a majority government in the legislature. The New Democratic Party holds a majority in the Manitoba legislature. The 2023 Alberta general election reduced the United Conservative Party 's seat count, but they held on to a majority. The Saskatchewan Party holds a supermajority government in its legislature. Energy and agriculture are Western Canada's dominant industries – and this region, with only 11 million inhabitants,
1260-614: The Canadian Rockies, but not the highest in British Columbia, since there are some higher mountains in the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains . Mount Robson lies on the continental divide near Yellowhead Pass , one of the lowest passes in the Canadian Rockies, and is close to the Yellowhead Highway . Its base is 985 m (3,232 ft) above sea level, with a total vertical relief of 2,969 m (9,741 ft). Mount Columbia (3,747 m; 12,293 ft)
1305-557: The Canadian part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park . The four adjacent parks, combined with three British Columbia provincial parks, were declared a single UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for the unique mountain landscapes found there. Numerous provincial parks are located in the Canadian Rockies, including Hamber , Mount Assiniboine and Mount Robson parks. Throughout
1350-581: The First Nations to British control and land claims are still ongoing. In 1858, the British government established the Colony of British Columbia , governing that part of Canada still known as British Columbia. The English government established the Hudson's Bay Company, which controlled most of the current area of Western Canada, northern Ontario and northern Quebec, the area known as Rupert's Land and
1395-515: The Greens hold 1. Western alienation refers to the notion that Western Canada has been excluded economically and politically from the rest of Canada. The West has been the most vocal in calls for reform of the Senate , in which Ontario, Quebec , and particularly Atlantic Canada are seen by some westerners as being over-represented. The population of Ontario alone (13.1 million) exceeds that of all
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1440-694: The Pacific Ocean drainage on the west and that of Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean on the east. Of the range's rivers, only the Peace River penetrates the range. Notable rivers originating in the Canadian Rockies include the Fraser , Columbia , North Saskatchewan , Bow and Athabasca Rivers . The Canadian Rockies are quite different in appearance and geology from the American Rockies to the south of them. The Canadian Rockies are composed of layered sedimentary rock such as limestone and shale , whereas
1485-480: The Rockies, and especially in the national parks, the Alpine Club of Canada maintains a series of alpine huts for use by mountaineers and adventurers. The Canadian Pacific Railway was founded to provide a link from the province of British Columbia to the eastern provinces. The main difficulty in providing such a link were the Rockies themselves: treacherous mountain passes, fast rivers and sheer drops made for
1530-769: The Saint Elias Mountains (highest point in Canada Mount Logan at 5,959 m; 19,551 ft) and the Coast Mountains (highest point Mount Waddington at 4,016 m; 13,176 ft) have higher summits. The Canadian Rockies are subdivided into numerous mountain ranges , structured in two main groupings, the Continental Ranges , which has three main subdivisions, the Front Range , Park Ranges and Kootenay Ranges , and
1575-713: The Senate were a body that had more direct political power (for example via an arrangement more similar to the structure of the Australian Senate or the United States Senate rather than the UK model), then their region would have more of its concerns addressed at the federal level. Other westerners find this approach simplistic and either advocate keeping the status quo or may support other models for senate reform. The combination of all of these issues has led to
1620-606: The border between Alberta and British Columbia. The Columbia and the Fraser Rivers have their headwaters in the Canadian Rockies and are the second- and third-largest rivers, respectively, to drain to the west coast of North America. To the west of their headwaters, across the Rocky Mountain Trench , is a second belt of mountains, the Columbia Mountains , comprising the Selkirk , Purcell , Monashee and Cariboo Mountains sub-ranges. The coast of British Columbia enjoys
1665-499: The concept known as Western alienation , as well as calls for Western Canada independence by various fringe groups. Regarding provincial politics, from May 2001 to June 2017, the British Columbia Liberal Party formed the provincial government in British Columbia, though despite the name is not formally allied with the federal Liberal Party and is widely seen as centre-right or conservative in nature. It
1710-492: The eastern side of the Rockies yet west of Ontario - Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Alberta and British Columbia are also sometimes subcategorized together, either as the "Rockie Provinces" or "mountain provinces" owing to both hosting large swathes of the mountain range, or due to shared socioeconomic factors such as their highly urbanized populations (three of Canada's five largest cities are Calgary , Edmonton , and Vancouver ) and significant interprovincial mobility between
1755-519: The prairie provinces contain large areas of forest such as the Mid-Continental Canadian forests . In Alberta and British Columbia, the Canadian Cordillera is bounded by the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The Canadian Rockies are part of a major continental divide that extends north and south through western North America and western South America . The continental divide also defines much of
1800-498: The previous intercensal period. Western Canada consists of the country's four westernmost provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It covers 2.9 million square kilometres – almost 29% of Canada's land area. British Columbia adjoins the Pacific Ocean to the west, while Manitoba has a coastline on Hudson Bay in its northeast of the province. Both Alberta and Saskatchewan are landlocked between British Columbia and Manitoba. The Canadian Prairies are part of
1845-451: The range is protected by national and provincial parks, several of which collectively comprise a World Heritage Site . The Canadian Rockies are the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera , the collective name for the mountains of Western Canada . They form part of the American Cordillera , an essentially continuous sequence of mountain ranges that runs all the way from Alaska to the very tip of South America. The Cordillera, in turn,
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1890-503: The second-largest metropolitan areas of their respective province. The largest cities are Vancouver , Calgary , and Saskatoon respectively. Western Canada is the traditional territory of Indigenous and First Nations predating the arrival of European colonization . As Britain colonized the West, it established treaties with various First Nations, took control of other areas without opposition and fought with other First Nations for control of Western Canada. Not all lands were ceded by
1935-434: The two. Alberta and Saskatchewan, having once been united as a single territory, are also sometimes subcategorized together due to shared political and economic histories, as well as similar historic migratory patterns from Eastern Europe. The capital cities of the four western provinces, from west to east, are: With the exception of Winnipeg, which is the largest city in Manitoba, all other western provincial capitals are in
1980-524: The western provinces combined. The total population of Atlantic Canada, however, is 2.3 million, and this region is represented by 30 senators. Thus, Ontario is under-represented, Quebec has representation proportional to its population and the Atlantic provinces are over-represented. Westerners have advocated the so-called Triple-E Senate , which stands for "equal, elected, effective." They feel if all 10 provinces were allotted an equal number of senators, if those senators were elected instead of appointed, and if
2025-598: Was nearly 11.1 million, including approximately 4.65 million in British Columbia, 4.07 million in Alberta, 1.1 million in Saskatchewan, and 1.28 million in Manitoba. This represents 31.5% of Canada's population. Vancouver is the largest metropolitan area in Western Canada at nearly 2.5 million people, while Calgary is largest city proper at over 1.2 million people. As of the 2016 Census, Statistics Canada recognized ten census metropolitan areas within Western Canada, including four in British Columbia, three in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. The following
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