Capitalize on Western Adventure not Politics

Hiking Trails West of Edmonton, Alberta

Canada is a country of provincial provinces managed from provincial capital cities under the watchful and, sometimes, manipulative eye of our Federal Government based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. But this a tourism blog and not a political blog so we will not go there… thank my stars or else I would lull you to sleep. We want to concentrate on what we do best…. which is promoting activities and adventures in Canada with a slight dose of craziness and zeal. Tourism is suppose to be fun and not political.

Each province is vastly different on many fronts including geography, industry, business, transportation, accessibility, income levels, weather, taxes, health care and education just to name a few. Many factors have a direct impact and, mostly, a “push-pull” relationship with the activities and adventures people enjoy in each capital city.

Unfortunately tourism is so caught up in the politics of each region, sometimes hands are tied, blinders are on and decisions are made based on money and not need. Tourism by politics tends to forget about the “bread and butter” of tourism and what attracts people to Canada – our natural landscapes, outdoor adventures and wildlife.

Lets face it… on rare occasions do you ever meet people who travel to our capital cities to visit our parliament buildings, learn our laws or meet a politician. If this was the case we can kiss tourism good bye in Canada because our politicians are extremely boring, rude, self serving and they love to yell, complain and belittle each other… displaying a clear lack of hospitality skills.

Below we have listed the capital cities on the western bookend of Canada. Each contains a link to our EH Canada Tourism website detailing the adventures, activities and services located in the region and the capital city. Politics are a very small part of the ingredients to having fun in our capital cities.

Victoria's Inner Harbour

Capital City of British Columbia (provincial link) – Victoria (city link)

Victoria in British Columbia, Canada is the “Gardens Capital of Canada” situated on the shores of the Pacific Ocean on  Vancouver Island.  The city is one of the most visited tourism destinations in the country with a great selection of land, sea and air adventures.  The “Victorian” era charm and architecture provides a unique experience to many who visit the region.  There are many gardens, parks and trails in the community and surrounding regions including Sooke, Saanich and Sidney to explore.

Cycling near Edmonton, Alberta

Capital City of Alberta (provincial link) – Edmonton (Edmonton Link)

Edmonton in Alberta, Canada is referred to as the “Festival City” as well as the “City of Champions” and “Canada’s Cultural City”. Edmonton is located on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.  The community follows the banks of the river and surrounds the largest urban forest in Canada known as the River Valley. The valley green space  measures over 25 kilometres long connecting to parks, shopping, attractions, recreation facilites and neighborhoods.

Canoeing Yukon River in Whitehorse, Yukon

Capital City of Yukon (territory link) – Whitehorse (city link)

Whitehorse of the Yukon Territory, Canada is the “Klondike Gold Rush City” of the north situated on the shores of the Yukon River. Settled in the late 1800s the city is home to historical stories of trappers, miners, poets and writers. Many escaped to the city seeking riches while some arrived seeking a life as a recluse. Access in the 1800s was limited to wagon roads, stern wheelers and bush planes. Today… Whitehorse is the transportation, commercial, government, cultural and adventure hub for the Yukon Territory.

Sailing on Slave Lake near Yellowknife, NWT

Capital City of Northwest Territory (provincial link) – Yellowknife (city link)

Yellowknife of the Northwest Territory, Canada is the “Land of the Midnight Sun” and the “Resource Capital of the North” fast becoming a very large player in the diamond industry attracting international attention. Yellowknife is located on the north shore of Great Slave Lake. On the tourism front Yellowknife is a popular destination to observe the “Northern Lights” and to explore the Canadian Shield. Yellowknife is a transportation, commercial, government and recreation centre of the “Northern Frontier” servicing the entire Northwest Territory region