Religion in British Columbia

In British Columbia you are free to worship in whatever way you want. Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982 (called The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) guarantees that all Canadians can have freedom of thought, belief, conscience and religion.

Statistics Canada reported in the 2001 census that 38 per cent of British Columbians do not belong to a religion or faith. Most people in Canada are Christian, but Sikhism and Buddhism are also popular. The Christian faith is divided into churches. In Canada, the most popular Christian churches are: Roman Catholic, United Church, Anglican, Baptist and Lutheran.

Statistics Canada reports that there is substantial growth in Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism.

British Columbia's public education system is also secular, meaning that it is not connected with any religion. However, many religious faiths operate their own schools that centre on faith and tradition.

Some official holidays or celebrations are based on religious observance – such as Christmas, Easter, Hannukah, Diwali, Baisakhi and Ramadan.

Back to Top