Province
Public services in British Columbia
Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked
At a glance
Who handles public services in British Columbia, with a page for each of 52 services. Below: the 12 biggest cities and towns, British Columbia's benefit payment dates and the main provincial government bodies.
- Services
- 52 public services have a page for British Columbia on this site. #
- Places
- 537 cities, towns and communities in British Columbia have public places on the map, 12,203 places in all. #
- Biggest city
- The biggest by population is Vancouver: 662,248 people (2021 Census). #Source: Statistics Canada, Population and dwelling counts: Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), table 98-10-0002-01, 2021 Census of Population (Statistics Canada Open Licence)
- Government
- 44 provincial government bodies in British Columbia are on record. #
Canada Service Map is independent and not a government website. The official page always has the final word.
Services in British Columbia
Each page says who handles the service here, with the official links we have and the date we checked each one.
Identity and documents
- Order a birth certificateVital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia)
- Order a death certificateVital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia)
- Order a marriage certificateVital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia)
- Legally change your nameVital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia)
- Get a photo ID card (if you don't drive)ICBC (BC Identification card)
- Change your address with the provinceAddress Change BC (Government of British Columbia)
Driving and vehicles
- Get, renew or replace a driver's licenceICBC
- Book a road test or knowledge testICBC
- Register a vehicle and renew licence platesICBC (through Autoplan brokers)
- Get an accessible parking permitSPARC BC (non-profit that issues disability parking permits)
- Check road conditions and closures (511)DriveBC (Government of British Columbia)
Health
- Apply for or renew your health cardHealth Insurance BC (Medical Services Plan)
- Find a family doctor or nurse practitionerHealth Connect Registry (HealthLink BC, Ministry of Health)
- Talk to a nurse (811 health line)HealthLink BC (Ministry of Health)
- Get help paying for prescription drugs (pharmacare)BC PharmaCare (Ministry of Health)
- Vaccines and immunization recordsHealthLink BC and regional public health units (Ministry of Health)
- Register as an organ and tissue donorBC Transplant (Provincial Health Services Authority)
- Home care and community careRegional health authorities (Fraser, Interior, Island, Northern, Vancouver Coastal Health)
Family and children
- Register a baby's birthVital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia)
- Get a marriage licenceVital Statistics Agency (Government of British Columbia), through local marriage licence issuers
- Get help paying for child careAffordable Child Care Benefit (Government of British Columbia)
- Find licensed child care or daycareChildCareBC (Government of British Columbia)
- Collect child or spousal supportBC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA)
- Report child abuse or neglectMinistry of Children and Family Development
Benefits and money
- Apply for income assistance (welfare)Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction
- Disability income support from the provinceMinistry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (Persons with Disabilities designation)
Work and business
- Register a business name or incorporateBC Registries and Online Services (Government of British Columbia)
- Report a workplace injury (workers' compensation)WorkSafeBC
- Your rights at work: pay, hours, leave and firingEmployment Standards Branch (Government of British Columbia)
- Get help finding a job or trainingWorkBC (Government of British Columbia)
- Become an apprentice or get certified in a tradeSkilledTradesBC
Housing and property
- Search or register a land titleLand Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA)
- Check or appeal your property assessmentBC Assessment
- Renting: rules, rent increases, evictions and disputesResidential Tenancy Branch (Government of British Columbia)
- Apply for social or affordable housingBC Housing
Education
- Apply for student loans and grantsStudentAid BC (Government of British Columbia)
- Get a high school transcript or diploma copyStudentTranscripts Service (Government of British Columbia)
Justice and safety
- Sue for a small amount (small claims)Civil Resolution Tribunal (up to $5,000); Provincial Court of BC (up to $35,000)
- Get legal aidLegal Aid BC
- Make a human rights complaintBC Human Rights Tribunal
- Complain about a business (consumer protection)Consumer Protection BC
- Emergency alerts and how to prepareEmergencyInfoBC and PreparedBC (Government of British Columbia)
Environment and outdoors
- Buy a fishing licenceGovernment of British Columbia (WILD licensing system)
- Buy a hunting licenceGovernment of British Columbia (WILD licensing system)
- Reserve a campsite in a provincial or territorial parkBC Parks (Government of British Columbia)
- Wildfire status and fire bansBC Wildfire Service
Immigration, citizenship and travel
- Immigrate through a province or territoryBC Provincial Nominee Program (WelcomeBC, Government of British Columbia)
Voting and democracy
- Vote in a municipal electionElection day: 17 October 2026
- Vote in a provincial or territorial electionElections BC
- Find your member of the provincial or territorial legislatureLegislative Assembly of British Columbia
Seniors
- Apply for a long-term care homeRegional health authorities (Fraser, Interior, Island, Northern, Vancouver Coastal Health)
- Provincial income top-ups for low-income seniorsB.C. Seniors' Supplement (Government of British Columbia)
Benefit payment dates
Benefits paid by British Columbia, with the next date on each official list.
- B.C. income assistance
Next payment:
Source: gov.bc.cachecked
- B.C. disability assistance
Next payment:
Source: gov.bc.cachecked
Biggest cities and towns
The 12 biggest by population, of 537 communities with public places on the map. Each page lists its libraries, pools, clinics and more.
- VancouverPopulation 662,248 · 1,305 places
- SurreyPopulation 568,322 · 1,327 places
- BurnabyPopulation 249,125 · 272 places
- Central OkanaganPopulation 222,162 · 2 places
- RichmondPopulation 209,937 · 204 places
- AbbotsfordPopulation 153,524 · 240 places
- CoquitlamPopulation 148,625 · 130 places
- KelownaPopulation 144,576 · 429 places
- SaanichPopulation 117,735 · 321 places
- DeltaPopulation 108,455 · 140 places
- NanaimoPopulation 99,863 · 507 places
- KamloopsPopulation 97,902 · 419 places
Main provincial government bodies
The ones with the most services and places on record, of 44 provincial government bodies.
- The Government of British Columbiagov.bc.ca
- BC Family Maintenance Agency Ltd.bcfma.ca
- British Columbia Assessment Authoritybcassessment.ca
- British Columbia Housing Management Commissionbchousing.org
- Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authorityconsumerprotectionbc.ca
- Legal Services Societylegalaid.bc.ca
- SkilledTradesBCskilledtradesbc.ca
- Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbiaworksafebc.com
- Royal British Columbia Museum Corporationroyalbcmuseum.bc.ca
- B.C. Ferry Authoritybcferryauthority.com
- BC Financial Services Authoritybcfsa.ca
- BC Games Societybcgames.org
Cite this page
Canada Service Map, "Public services in British Columbia: who handles what", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/provinces/british-columbia