With its naturally deep harbour, year-round ice-free access and links to rail, road and other transportation systems, the Port of Vancouver handles more foreign exports than any other port in Canada, and has the highest cargo volume on the west coast of North America. A total of 76.5 million tonnes of cargo was handled in 2005. China, Japan and South Korea are the main destinations for cargo loaded for export in Vancouver. Prince Rupert, another naturally deep harbour, is handling a growing amount of freight headed for Asia.

Vancouver is also a common stop for cruise ship traffic headed to or from Alaska, with 910,172 cruise ship passengers embarking or disembarking in the city in 2005. Victoria and Prince Rupert, together with other coastal communities, also welcome cruise ships that travel between Alaska and the rest of the US.

Transportation services have been pivotal to the province's economic development over the years. The fact that most large cities are located near a major port or on an important trade route is no accident. Airports, port facilities, rail lines and highways have all contributed to the growth of cities. They have also led to the development of related industries that provide goods and services used by these facilities, or which depend on good access to shipping routes.

BC Ferries operates one of the largest ferry systems in the world. The fleet consists of 40 vessels operating on 26 routes between the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and other coastal points.

The province has approximately 6,800 kilometres of mainland railway track operated by BC Rail, CN Rail, CP Rail and other railways. In addition, CP Rail operates a railcar barge service to Vancouver Island and CN Rail operates aquatrain service from Prince Rupert to Whittier, Alaska.

Local, regional and national air carriers operating throughout British Columbia, provide scheduled and charter services to domestic and foreign destinations. They use a network of more than 150 land-based airports, water-based facilities and heliports.

Major domestic and international service is provided by Air Canada along with its regional partner Air BC. WestJet also provides service between major Canadian centres. International and transborder flights are provided through Vancouver International Airport by 33 foreign and domestic airlines.

Nine out of ten workers in the transportation and warehousing industry are employed full-time. In the economy as a whole, eight out of ten people work full-time (at least 30 hours a week).

The industry is highly unionized. Fifty-three percent of workers have union coverage, well above the 33% average for all industries in the province. Among other industries, only public administration, education, utilities and health care and social assistance have higher rates of union coverage.

Most (79%) of the people who work in this industry are men. Transportation and warehousing is the only industry in the service sector with such a high percentage of male workers. Some of the jobs in this industry can be physically demanding, or require workers to spend long stretches of time on the road, and this might make them less appealing to some women.