WesternExploringCanada
Q & A WITH JUSTIN CHATWIN
Mediaplanet sat down with Canadian actor Justin Chatwin to discuss how growing up in Western Canada sparked his desire for outdoor exploration. From salmon fishing to mountain biking — experience Western Canada like a local. Check out some of Justin's favorite spots on your next trip.
What are some of your favourite destinations within Western Canada?
Probably back where I grew up on Vancouver Island, specifically the West Coast. Places like Kyuquot, Winter Harbour, Tahsis, and Bamfield.
How did growing up in British Columbia influence your love for outdoor adventure?
My first memory was watching my dad freediving for Dungeness crab and placing it in a bucket in front of me where I was sitting in a floating yellow raft. My second memory was of our boat blowing up in Desolation Sound off of Lund and being rescued by the Coast Guard.
My dad was a civil engineer for many of the First Nations tribes on Vancouver Island so we spent a lot of time traveling by land or sea to really remote parts of the island. We circumnavigated Vancouver Island once living out of a 20-foot boat in 10 days. I think I
was about 10 years old. So, my dads work trips became fishing trips, and these fishing trips began my life long romance with the wilderness.
Can you name a few of your favourite summer activities to do in Western Canada?
I grew up in the 90s snowboard culture. When it wasn’t winter we were trucking in Zamboni snow from the arenas to the local schools to practice our rail slides that were usually doused with gasoline and lit on fire. When we couldn’t find snow we would take my buddy’s mom’s Toyota Tercel and drive as far as we could down the logging roads and hike with our snowboards till we found the last remaining snow on the summer glaciers. Often a 20-meter patch would satisfy us.
Although I still do a lot of salmon fishing, currently my favourite summer activities include kitesurfing in Nitinat, dirtbiking and mountain biking north shore and central Vancouver Island.
Canadians are itching to experience new travel destinations without the crowds. The Northern Rockies offers the kind of jaw-dropping scenery and storied history that will have you asking why you haven’t visited before.
Tucked up in the northeastern corner of British Columbia, the Northern Rockies is waiting to be explored. Majestic mountains, jade-coloured lakes, amazing wildlife, and welcoming towns — it’s a travel experience guaranteed to be like none other.
Stock up in Fort Nelson, the hub of the region, and hit the Alaska
Highway to Muncho Lake, but leave lots of time, because waterfalls, hiking trails, and coursing rivers will tempt you to stop and explore along the way. Further on, you can relax in the Liard River Hot Springs, the second-largest hot springs in Canada.
The Northern Rockies is nature’s playground for all seasons. The days linger during the summer, allowing lots of time to explore. Come winter, the landscape turns into a winter wonderland perfect for many more outdoor activities and warming by the fire.
The region is home to several Indigenous communities whose people have been guardians of this spectacular landscape since time immemorial. Plan your visit around events throughout the year that showcase the traditional activities and cultures of these communities.
Here comes the BOOM! Explore a range of thrilling, live-action experiences and underground tours at the award-winning Britannia Mine Museum. Leave your visit educated and bejeweled!
The multi-award-winning Britannia Mine Museum offers an immersive experience of an iconic National Historic Site through a range of self-guided exhibits and a fully guided tour. Passionate, friendly, historic interpreters bring history to life at Britannia Mine Museum!
Highlights included a ride through ‘The Underground’, mining demonstrations in the haulage tunnel, panning for gemstones (you can keep what you find!), and the award-winning, multi-sensory experience of BOOM! in the breathtaking historic Mill No.3 building celebrating 100 years in 2023.
Are you ready for amazing nature and wildlife experiences with a small-town feel? The Northern Rockies is waiting for you. Start planning by visiting tourismnorthernrockies.ca
This article was sponsored by Tourism Northern Rockies
BOOM! offers a thrilling, 15-minute, liveaction experience that utilizes special effects, state-of-the-art technology, multiple screens, and over thirty speakers, bringing one of the world’s most striking industrial buildings roaring back to life.
Britannia Mine Museum opens up a little-seen world that fascinates all ages, offering awe-inspiring sights and memorable family experiences. Take a step back in time at this award-winning attraction and National Historic Site.
Located along the scenic Sea to Sky corridor/ Hwy99 between Squamish and Vancouver.
Discover Western Canada the Easy Way
With high gas prices, expensive airfares, and the hassle of flying, intercity bus travel is experiencing a renaissance for Canadians seeking adventure. Ken
Donohue
Bus companies in Western Canada are proving that the bus experience is the best way to travel. Buses are often the least expensive travel option, they’re convenient (forget waiting at an airport, security checks, and the stress of driving yourself), and some bus companies offer premium services so you don’t have to sacrifice comfort. Instead you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery.
You can also feel good about bus travel because it has a low environmental impact compared to other forms of transportation. And new types of fuels, such as ultra-low sulphur and biodiesel, are helping to reduce greenhouse gases and emissions even more.
Connecting the west
Three bus companies operating in Alberta and B.C. are changing public perception of what convenient travel looks like.
Red Arrow has been a fixture in Alberta for over 40 years. It’s known for delivering high-end service, with trips that feel like business class flight experiences. Red
Arrow’s coaches have 36 seats, instead of the typical 52, providing more space for you to relax or work. Single-row seating, reclining leather seats, fold-down tray tables, charging stations at every seat, complimentary Wi-Fi, onboard entertainment, and a rewards pro gram are just some of the ways Red Arrow takes care of you. With an extensive route network between Lethbridge and Fort McMurray, including Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmon ton, Red Arrow has you covered.
Ebus launched in B.C. in 2018 when Greyhound left but has been operating in Alberta for 10 years between the cities of Fort McMurray, Edmonton, and Calgary. The sibling brand to the luxury Red Arrow, Ebus provides scheduled routes
in B.C. Its coaches connect Vancouver with some of B.C.’s major interior cities, including Kamloops and Kelowna. Ebus has also partnered with local operators to connect passengers from Kamloops to Edmonton, where they can join a Red Arrow service. With complimentary Wi-Fi and spacious legroom, Ebus lets you relax so you can enjoy the trip.
BC Bus North, launched four years ago, is ideal for those travelling throughout B.C.’s spectacular, yet expansive, northern region. With 39 communities served, you can pick your adventure. Fancy a trip to the wild west coast? Want to explore the majestic Mount Robson Provincial Park, or experience the famed Alaska Highway? BC Bus North gives you all this and more with convenient connections and access.
5 REASONS YOU’LL WANT TO CONSIDER THE BUS FOR YOUR NEXT VACATION
AFFORDABLE TRAVEL
Even with the luxury amenities, bus travel is affordable. And their fares are the same even if you book last minute. The money you save can be used on another trip, or you can spend it on fun experiences at your destination.
CONVENIENT AND COMFORTABLE
Connecting with major airports in Alberta and British Columbia, Red
LEAVE THE DRIVING
SOMEONE ELSE
Taking
IT’S GREEN
If
vacation, then take the bus. Compared to airplanes, trains, or cars, buses have the lowest carbon footprint by decreasing the number of vehicles on the road every day.
MORE QUALITY TIME
Many Canadians talk about the north, perhaps the northern region of their province, but they haven’t experienced the real north — the jaw-dropping, stunningly beautiful, bucket list kind of north that can be found throughout the Northwest Territories. And it’s more accessible than you think.
he Northwest Territories has always been a place that has called to adventurers — the Dene and Inuvialuit Indigenous peoples who have lived on the land for thousands of years, fur traders, bush pilots, miners, and present-day adventure seekers. And now, it's the time for your own northern adventure.
If you’re in the Northwest Territories and you hear someone say “Lights out,” it doesn’t mean it’s time for bed, but rather time to grab your camera and get excited, because the northern lights are dancing in the sky. And the Northwest Territories is the best place to witness this magical spectacle. You’ll get more than a brief glimpse, because the northern lights put on their show across the territories on average 240 nights a year. It’s a different experience here, because the lights are the strongest in the world, the colours are brighter, and the displays last longer.
Ken Donohue
Breathtaking scenery around every corner
The Northwest Territories is home to six national parks, each offering unique, one-of-a-kind experiences. Whether it’s spotting bison in Wood Buffalo, Canada’s largest national park, or marvelling at the peaks in Nááts'įhch'oh, which is named after the Nááts'įhch'oh Mountain, or paddling the famed South Nahanni River, it’s a place of wide-open and untouched spaces that haven’t been tamed by the commercialization of other destinations.
A road trip in the Northwest Territories is like no other. How many of your friends have driven to the Arctic Ocean? Five years ago, the 140-kilometre Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway opened, making it the first road to reach the polar shore in North America. Now, you can drive this unforgettable route from Inuvik to the vibrant Inuvialuit community of Tuktoyaktuk. Imagine
the stories you’ll be able to share.
Getting there is easy
Going north is easy with several airlines offering non-stop flights to Yellowknife (the territorial capital) from many southern destinations. From Yellowknife, many more airlines offer scheduled or charter flights within the Northwest Territories to communities, wilderness rivers, national parks, and remote fishing lodges. And with three southern highways leading into the territories, driving your own car or RV is easy. Despite the wild landscape that seems to go on forever, there are also lots of campgrounds, picnic sites, and service stations to make your journey easier.
What you get in the Northwest Territories is how nature intended. Beautiful. Spectacular. Dazzling. It’s the making of stories. What are you waiting for?
Get out of your cramped car and stretch out on the bus. Travelling by bus lets you create those precious, unforgettable family memories. You can share stories, talk about the sights out the window, or play games.
5 BEST THINGS ABOUT SUMMER UP NORTH
WATCHING SUMMER
AURORA
There’s no better way to cap off the sheer variety of awe-inspiring and magical experiences you can have in the summer than witnessing the skies come to life with the dance of Northern lights in the cooling nights of late summer.
WELCOMING SUMMER
WILDLIFE
There are opportunities for wildlife viewing almost everywhere — from the epic Northern highways you can see wood bison, moose, fox, black bear, beaver and muskrat, or the more elusive caribou, grizzly, muskox, and whale from bush planes or boats.
AMAZING ROAD TRIPS
Getting out on the road takes you through the vast land of the territory and there’s so much to see, from roaring waterfalls to scenic and serene campsites. You can map out your next adventure with one of these popular routes.
AT ANY TIME
PADDLING
Novice paddlers can wet their feet paddling around any number of the calm Northern lakes, and more experienced and adventurous paddlers are sure to recognize the names of our greatest river routes: Nahanni, Broken Skull, Mountain, Thomsen, Mackenzie, Yellowknife, Coppermine, Thelon, or Hornaday.
GATHERING
AROUND BONFIRES Getting out on the land with friends and family, gathered around a
