Travel QuickTips
Language
English is the main language of communication in British Columbia
(although Canada’s two official languages are English and French).
Currency
The currency of Canada is the Canadian dollar (sign: $ or C$; code:
CAD). As at February 2015 the CAD=0.79US$. ATMs and banks are
plentiful in Vancouver; you’ll find them at the airport and also on
campus. Most bank (or debit) cards are accepted at automated teller
machines (ATMs) and Canadian banks. Canadian banks include TD,
BMO, CIBC, Scotiabank, Royal, and there are many credit unions as
well. Credit cards (especially VISA and Mastercard) are universally
accepted.
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Money
Paper bills: $5 (blue), $10 (purple), $20 (green) and $50 (red)
denominations.
Coins nickel (5¢), dime (10¢), quarter (25¢), 'loonie' ($1) and
'toonie' ($2).
Time Zones / Daylight Savings Time
Vancouver is on Pacific Standard Time, which is one hour behind
Mountain Standard Time, and three hours behind Eastern Standard
Time (Ontario/New York).
Weather
June weather in Vancouver can be variable. Please check
Environment Canada for the forecast:
http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-74_metric_e.html
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Evenings can be cool, so a light jacket or sweater is advisable.
An umbrella is always handy- it’s a rainforest!
Metric Measures
Canada follows the International Metric System. Temperatures (in
celsius), rainfall measures, distance, weights, velocity are expressed
in metric units. Distance is measured in kilometres.
Electricity
Outlets and voltage (120 volts) are the same as in the United States.
The frequency of electrical current in Canada is 60 Hz.
Tipping
Tipping in Vancouver is normal and is around 15% of the bill.