Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1105981
74 | tourismvancouver.com TIPPING Tips or service charges are not often added to a restaurant bill in Canada. Tipping your server at a bar, restaurant, nightclub or pub is standard practice. A tip of 15 to 20 per cent of the pre-tax amount is suggested. Porters at airports, railway stations and hotels are generally given $1 to $2 per bag. Essential information for travellers Need to know } P R A C T I C A L I N F O METRIC EQUIVALENTS Canada uses the international metric system 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds 1 kilometre = 0.6 miles 1 centimetre = 0.39 inches 1 litre = 1.06 U.S. quarts 100 kph = 60 mph TAXES A federal goods and services tax (GST) of five per cent applies to most purchased goods and services. In addition, a provincial sales tax (PST) of seven per cent is applicable to most retail purchases except liquor, which is taxed at 10 per cent. MONEY JANUARY 1 FEBRUARY 17 APRIL 10 APRIL 13 MAY 18 JULY 1 AUGUST 3 SEPTEMBER 7 OCTOBER 12 NOVEMBER 11 DECEMBER 25 DECEMBER 26 2020 NEW YEAR'S DAY FAMILY DAY GOOD FRIDAY EASTER MONDAY VICTORIA DAY CANADA DAY B.C. DAY LABOUR DAY THANKSGIVING DAY REMEMBRANCE DAY CHRISTMAS DAY BOXING DAY HOLIDAYS JANUARY 1 FEBRUARY 18 APRIL 19 APRIL 22 MAY 20 JULY 1 AUGUST 5 SEPTEMBER 2 OCTOBER 14 NOVEMBER 11 DECEMBER 25 DECEMBER 26 2019 POPULATION City of Vancouver: 631,000 Metro Vancouver: 2.5 million TIME ZONE Vancouver is in the Pacific Time Zone. Daylight time (clocks move 1 hour ahead) is is in effect from March 10, 2019, until November 3, 2019. It resumes March 8, 2020. CLIMATE Metro Vancouver has a mild climate. In winter, it rarely snows in the city; summers are warm with cooler evenings. LANGUAGES SPOKEN Official languages: English and French. English is the language generally spoken in B.C. ELECTRICAL CURRENT Same in Canada and the U.S.: 110 volts AC at 60 Hz. CURRENCY NOTES: $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5. COINS: $2 ("toonie"), $1 ("loonie"), 25¢ (quarter), 10¢ (dime) and 5¢ (nickel). Visitors are urged to exchange their funds for Canadian dollars at a bank or foreign exchange outlet where they will receive the prevailing rate of exchange. BANK MACHINES/ CREDIT CARDS Most bank machines in Metro Vancouver offer service on the Plus, Cirrus and Interac networks. They also generally accept credit-card withdrawals. If you use your credit card to get cash from an ATM, the currency exchange is automatically done for you at the rate your credit card company offers. Vancouver welcomes all major credit cards. Minors: Anyone under 19 years of age is not admitted into nightclubs serving alcohol. Accompanied minors are permitted in restaurant lounges and some pubs that serve food. Smoking: Smoking and vaping is not permitted in any indoor public space (including public transit, shopping malls, restaurants, pubs, nightclubs and casinos) or outdoors within six metres of a door or window of a public space. Cannabis: As of Oct. 17, 2018, adults 19 or older may legally purchase cannabis products for recreational consumption in Canada. A list of B.C. stores licensed to sell non-medical marijuana can be found at bccannabisstores.com. It is illegal to transport cannabis across the Canada-U.S. border in either direction. B.C. HOLIDAYS ALCOHOL, TOBACCO & CANNABIS