| Given its varied mountainous terrain and
| |
| | British Columbians. Opportunities for
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| its coasts, lakes, rivers, and forests,
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| | trail riding, often into especially
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| British Columbia has long been enjoyed
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| | scenic areas, have been established for
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| for pursuits like hiking and camping,
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| | tourists in numerous areas of the
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| rock climbing and mountaineering, hunting
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| | province.
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| and fishing.
| |
| | British Columbia also has strong
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| Much of the province is wild or
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| | participation levels in many other
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| semi-wild, so that populations of very
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| | sports, including golf, tennis, soccer,
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| many mammalian species that have become
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| | hockey, Canadian football, rugby,
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| rare in much of the United States still
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| | softball, basketball, curling and figure
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| flourish in B.C. Watching animals of
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| | skating. B.C. has produced many
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| various sorts, including a very wide
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| | outstanding athletes, especially in
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| range of birds, has also long been
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| | aquatic and winter sports. Also, today
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| popular. Bears (grizzly, black, and the
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| | programmes of training and toning systems
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| Kermode bear or spirit bear—only found
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| | like aerobics and hatha yoga are
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| in British Columbia) live here, as do
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| | widespread. Most communities of several
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| deer, elk, moose, caribou, big-horn
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| | thousand people or more have developed
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| sheep, mountain goats, beavers, muskrat,
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| | facilities for these.
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| coyotes, wolves, mustelids (such as
| |
| | Consistent with both increased tourism
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| wolverines and fishers) mountain lions,
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| | and increased participation in diverse
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| eagles, ospreys, herons, Canada geese,
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| | recreations by British Columbians
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| swans, loons, hawks, owls, ravens, and
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| | themselves has been the proliferation of
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| many sorts of ducks. Smaller birds
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| | lodges, chalets, bed and breakfasts,
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| (robins, jays, grosbeaks, chickadees,
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| | motels, hotels, fishing camps, and
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| etc.) also abound.
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| | park-camping facilities in recent
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| Healthy populations of many sorts of fish
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| | decades.
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| are found in the waters (including
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| | In certain areas, there are businesses,
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| salmonids such as several species of
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| | non-profit societies, or municipal
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| salmon, trout, char, etc.). Besides
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| | governments dedicated to promoting
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| salmon and trout, sport-fishers in B.C.
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| | ecotourism in their region.
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| also catch halibut, steelhead, bass, and
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| | Recreational cannabis
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| sturgeon.
| |
| | In recent years, there has also been a
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| Water sports, both motorized and
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| | rise of a 'marijuana culture' in many
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| non-motorized, are enjoyed in many
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| | parts of BC, to the extent that there now
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| places. Sea kayaking opportunities abound
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| | exists a provincial political party known
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| on the B.C. coast with its fjords.
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| | as the British Columbia Marijuana Party.
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| Whitewater rafting and kayaking are
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| | Production and sale of the drug now
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| popular on many inland rivers. Sailing
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| | estimated by the provincial Organized
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| and sailboarding are widely enjoyed.
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| | Crime Agency to be among the province's
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| Excursions and Wilderness Tours are
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| | largest industries.[8] In Vancouver,
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| available where a tourist can drive a
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| | there are several open-to-the-public
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| dune buggy touring parts of the Coast and
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| | almost-"Amsterdam"-style coffee houses
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| Cascade Mountain Ranges near the City of
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| | where it is assumed that people can meet
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| Hope. Views are spectacular and the
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| | and openly smoke (but not purchase)
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| wildlife is abundant. During the tours it
| |
| | marijuana, although the extent to which
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| is commonplace to see black, strawberry
| |
| | this is true is greatly exaggerated.
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| and brown bears (all Ursus americanus) on
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| | These shops number no more than 2, are
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| the roads or in the bush. They will avoid
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| | located on the same City block and have
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| humans and may stop to look out of
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| | been the frequent target of raids by the
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| curiosity more than aggression. Other
| |
| | police. The extent to which police turn a
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| local species include deer and mountain
| |
| | blind eye is strictly one of the extent
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| lions.
| |
| | to which the justice system can bear to
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| In winter, cross-country and telemark
| |
| | enforce it and open use on the streets
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| skiing are much enjoyed, and in recent
| |
| | will still likely result in an arrest and
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| decades high-quality downhill skiing has
| |
| | confiscation. Though police may tend to
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| been developed in the Coast Mountain
| |
| | turn a blind eye to cannabis use in some
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| range and the Rockies, as well as in the
| |
| | urban areas, the drug remains illegal
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| southern areas of the Shuswap Highlands
| |
| | throughout the province, and controlling
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| and the Columbia Mountains. Snowboarding
| |
| | its spread remains an ongoing and
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| has mushroomed in popularity since the
| |
| | much-debated legal issue in the province.
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| early 1990s. The 2010 Winter Olympics
| |
| | The rise of indoor marijuana "grow ops"
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| downhill events will be held in
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| | in suburban communities and their ties to
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| Whistler-Blackcomb area of the province,
| |
| | organized crime continue to be a concern,
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| while the indoor events will be in the
| |
| | although much production occurs through
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| Vancouver area.
| |
| | via highly decentralized
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| In Vancouver and Victoria (as well as
| |
| | "Mom-and-Pop"-type operations. The
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| some other cities), opportunities for
| |
| | quality, assortment and price of this
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| joggers and bicyclists have been
| |
| | marijuana makes British Columbia a
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| developed. Cross-country bike touring has
| |
| | destination for those taking an interest
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| been popular since the ten-speed bike
| |
| | in cannabis.
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| became available many years ago. Since
| |
| | A study released on October 4, 2006 by
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| the advent of more robust mountain bikes,
| |
| | the University of Victoria Centre for
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| trails in more rugged and wild places
| |
| | Addictions Research of BC and Simon
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| have been developed for them. Some of the
| |
| | Fraser University Applied Research on
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| province's retired rail beds have been
| |
| | Mental Health and Addictions indicated
|
| converted and maintained for hiking,
| |
| | Cannabis use is more widespread among
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| biking, and cross-country skiing.
| |
| | British Columbians than the rest of
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| Horseback riding is enjoyed by many
| |
| | Canadians.
|
