# List of people from British Columbia

This is a list of notable people who are from British Columbia, Canada, or have spent a large part or formative part of their career in that province.

## Premiers

See List of premiers of British Columbia.

## Members of Parliament

* Jim Abbott
* David Anderson
* Thomas Speakman Barnett
* Dave Barrett, former Premier of British Columbia
* Ron Basford
* Don Bell
* Thomas Berger
* Hewitt Bostock
* Margaret Bridgman
* Chuck Cadman
* Iona Campagnolo, later Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia
* Justin Trudeau, also Prime Minister of Canada
* Pat Carney
* Raymond Chan
* Mary Collins
* Chuck Cook
* Jean Crowder
* Nathan Cullen
* John Cummins
* Libby Davies
* Stockwell Day
* Amor De Cosmos, second Premier of British Columbia
* Edgar Dewdney, later Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia
* Herb Dhaliwal
* Ujjal Dosanjh, former Premier of British Columbia
* Tommy Douglas
* John Duncan
* David Emerson
* Paul Forseth
* Hedy Fry
* Jim Gouk
* Gurmant Grewal
* Nina Grewal
* Herbert Wilfred Herridge
* Russ Hiebert
* Jay Hill
* Betty Hinton
* Frank Howard
* William Irvine
* Pauline Jewett
* Peter Julian
* Douglas Jung
* Jim Karpoff
* Sophia Leung
* Gary Lunn
* Grace MacInnis
* Ian Alistair Mackenzie
* Roy MacLaren
* Len Marchand
* Keith Martin
* Gerry McGeer
* James Moore
* Henry Nathan Jr.
* Stephen Owen
* George Pearkes, later Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia
* Art Phillips, former mayor of Vancouver
* Elmore Philpott
* John Reynolds
* Nelson Riis
* Svend Robinson
* Paul St. Pierre
* Tom Siddon
* Bill Siksay
* Bob Skelly
* Darrel Stinson
* Chuck Strahl
* John Turner, also Prime Minister of Canada
* Ian Waddell
* Mark Warawa
* Randy White

## Jurists

* Beverley McLachlin, chief justice of Canada
* Alfred Scow, First Status Indian judge BC Provincial Court

## Other politicians

* Emery Barnes
* Wesley Drewett Black, Provincial Secretary 1952-1972
* Richard Blanshard, first Governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island
* Rosemary Brown
* Frank Arthur Calder, First Nations MLA and Nisga'a politician
* Sir James Douglas, colonial governor (all colonies)
* Jennifer Granholm, Canadian/American politician and former Governor of Michigan (2003-2011); naturalized US citizen
* Ginger Goodwin, Labour organizer
* Guujaaw, Haida politician, activist and cultural leader
* Edward John
* Arthur Kennedy, governor of the united colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia
* David Lam, philanthropist and Lieutenant-Governor
* Rafe Mair
* Grace McCarthy
* Joy McPhail
* Frederick Seymour, Governor of Vancouver Island and of British Columbia
* William Fraser Tolmie
* Joseph Trutch, colonial Lieutenant-Governor and first Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia

## Scientists

* Ian Affleck, physicist
* Robert Edward Bell, nuclear physicist
* Margaret Benston, chemist, computer scientist
* Michael Bigg, marine biologist
* Jim Chamberlin, aerodynamicist
* Wade Davis, ethnobotanist
* Ryan C.N. D'Arcy, neuroscientist
* James E. Gill, geologist
* John R. Hendricks, mathematician
* Abram Hoffer, biochemist, physician
* Frances Oldham Kelsey, pharmacologist
* Vit Klemes, hydrologist
* Mel Krajden, medical scientist
* Robert T. Lackey, fisheries scientist, ecologist, zoologist
* Robert Langlands, mathematician
* Jerrold E. Marsden, applied mathematician
* Bill Mathews, geologist, volcanologist, engineer
* Brian McConaghy, forensic scientist
* Ian McTaggart-Cowan, ecologist
* Patrick McTaggart-Cowan, meteorologist
* Faron Moller, computer scientist
* Barth Netterfield, astrophysicist
* Edward Faraday Odlum, geologist
* Santa J. Ono, biologist
* Robert Methven Petrie, astronomer
* Jerilynn Prior, medical scientist, endocrinologist
* Scott D. Sampson, paleontologist
* Martin Schechter, epidemiologist
* Robert Fletcher Shaw, engineer
* John Alexander Sinton, medical scientist, doctor, malariologist
* Frank Smith, psycholinguist
* Michael Smith, biochemist
* Wayne Smith, statistician
* David Suzuki, biologist, ecologist
* Robert Thirsk, engineer, physician, astronaut
* John Lancelot Todd, physician, parasitologist
* Bjarni Tryggvason, engineer, astronaut
* Paul Tseng, applied mathematician
* William Vickrey, Nobel Prize-winning economist
* Andrew Weaver, climate scientist
* Franklin White, public health scientist

## Television/film actors and musicians

* Daniel Adair, drummer
* Bryan Adams, singer
* Evan Adams, First Nations actor (Smoke Signals)
* Pamela Anderson, actress (Baywatch, V.I.P.)
* Aaron Ashmore, actor (Warehouse 13)
* Shawn Ashmore, actor (X-Men)
* Long John Baldry, musician, songwriter
* Gil Bellows, actor
* Michael Bublé, singer
* Raymond Burr, actor (Perry Mason)
* Jim Byrnes, musician, actor (Highlander)
* Nicholas Campbell, actor (Da Vinci's Inquest)
* Chris Carter, screenwriter, producer, director (X-Files)
* Anna Cathcart, actress
* Kim Cattrall, actress (Sex and the City)
* Sarah Chalke, actress (Scrubs)
* Tommy Chong, actor, comedian, cannabis rights activist (Cheech & Chong)
* Hayden Christensen, actor (Star Wars)
* Amanda Crew, actress (Silicon Valley)
* Thomas Middleditch, actor (Silicon Valley)
* Mackenzie Davis, actress (Terminator: Dark Fate)
* William B. Davis, actor (X-Files)
* Yvonne De Carlo, actress (The Munsters)
* Mac Demarco, musician, multi-instrumentalist
* Edward Dmytryk, film director
* James Doohan, actor (Star Trek)
* Atom Egoyan, film director
* Aryana Engineer, actress (Orphan)
* Jodelle Ferland, actress
* Noel Fisher, actor (The Twilight Saga)
* Roy Forbes (Bim), musician
* Judith Forst, opera singer
* David Foster, songwriter, record producer
* Michael J Fox, actor, producer and health activist
* Nelly Furtado, singer-songwriter
* Chief Dan George, actor (Little Big Man, Cariboo Cowboy)
* Evan Goldberg, screenwriter (Superbad, Pineapple Express)
* Matthew Good, musician
* Grimes (musician), musician
* June Havoc, actress
* Carter Hayden, actor and voice actor (Bakugan: New Vestroia, Total Drama)
* Bill Henderson (Canadian singer), musician (Chilliwack)
* Ben Heppner, opera singer
* Matt Hill, Canadian-American voice actor
* Jacob Hoggard, musician (Hedley)
* John Ireland, actor
* Robert Ito, actor
* Joshua Jackson, actor (Dawson’s Creek)
* Carly Rae Jepsen, musician
* Alexz Johnson, singer, actress
* Avan Jogia, actor
* Joe Keithley, musician, songwriter (D.O.A.)
* Allan King, film director
* Taylor Kitsch, actor and model (Friday Night Lights)
* Elias Koteas, actor (The Thin Red Line)
* Diana Krall, musician
* Kristin Kreuk, actress (Smallville)
* Nicholas Lea, actor (X-Files)
* Darryl Lenox, comedian
* Lights (musician), musician
* Evangeline Lilly, actress (Lost, The Hurt Locker)
* Jessica Lowndes, actress (90210)
* Jessica Lucas, actress
* Alexander Ludwig, actor (Vikings, The Hunger Games)
* Leon Mandrake, illusionist (Mandrake the Magician)
* Sarah McLachlan, musician
* Brandon Jay McLaren, actor (Power Rangers: S.P.D., She's The Man)
* Rosa Mendes, model, professional wrestler
* Shay Mitchell, actress (Pretty Little Liars)
* Carrie-Anne Moss, actress (The Matrix)
* Meghan Ory, actress
* Molly Parker, actress (House of Cards)
* Barbara Parkins, actress
* Daniel Powter, musician, singer-songwriter, and pianist
* Jason Priestley, actor
* Kirsten Prout, actress
* John Qualen, actor
* Josh Ramsay, musician (Marianas Trench)
* Sophia Reid-Gantzert, actress and dancer
* Mike Reno, musician, songwriter
* Ryan Reynolds, actor (Green Lantern, Deadpool)
* Donnelly Rhodes, actor (Da Vinci's Inquest)
* Emily Bett Rickards, actress
* Seth Rogen, actor, comedian, writer, producer (Pineapple Express, Superbad, Knocked Up)
* Will Sasso, actor (Mad TV)
* Pablo Schreiber, actor (The Wire, Orange is the New Black)
* Michael Shanks, actor
* Nell Shipman, actress, film director
* Alexis Smith, actress
* Dallas Smith, musician
* Cobie Smulders, actress (How I Met Your Mother)
* Jewel Staite, actress
* Ryan Stiles, comedian, producer (Whose Line Is It Anyway?)
* Dorothy Stratten, actress, model
* Bobby Taylor, Motown singer (Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers)
* Jon Mikl Thor, singer, performer and bodybuilder
* Meg Tilly, actress
* Jacob Tremblay, actor
* Daniel Wesley, musician
* Finn Wolfhard, actor, voice actor, musician (Stranger Things, It)
* Glenn Wool, stand-up comedian

## Athletes

* Glenn Anderson, ice hockey player
* Peter Bakonyi (1933–1997), Hungarian-born Canadian Olympic fencer
* Jason Bay (born 1978), Canadian-American baseball player
* Russell Baze
* Jamie Benn, ice hockey player
* Jordie Benn
* Mitch Berger (born 1972)
* Rod Brind'Amour
* Hy Buller (1926–1968), All Star NHL ice hockey player
* John Davison
* Ryan Dempster, baseball player
* Brenden Dillon
* Ryan Ellis, ice hockey player
* Brandon Clarke, Canadian-American NBA player
* Craig Forrest
* Jeff Francis
* Kaleigh Fratkin (born 1992), professional ice hockey player
* Freddy Fuller
* Danny Gare
* Leah Goldstein (born 1969), Canadian-born Israeli professional road racing cyclist winner of the Race Across America, World Bantamweight Kickboxing Champion, and Israel Duathlon national champion
* Shaul Gordon (born 1994), Canadian-Israeli Olympic fencer
* Nancy Greene
* Dan Hamhuis
* Rick Hansen
* Rich Harden
* Shawn Horcoff
* Jordyn Huitema
* Daniel Igali
* Barret Jackman
* Harry Jerome
* Teyo Johnson
* Harry Jones
* Paul Kariya
* Larry Kwong
* Andrew Ladd
* Silken Laumann
* Brett Lawrie
* Bob Lenarduzzi
* Adam Loewen
* Mark McMorris
* Willie Mitchell
* Greg Moore
* Justin Morneau (born 1981), baseball player
* Brendan Morrison
* Steve Nash (born 1974), basketball player
* Cam Neely
* Rob Niedermayer
* Scott Niedermayer
* Michael Nonni
* Tyler O'Neill
* Pat Onstad
* Simon Pond
* Carey Price
* Mark Recchi
* Gareth Rees
* Morgan Rielly
* Griffin Reinhart
* Max Reinhart
* Sam Reinhart
* Kevin Reynolds, figure skater; 2013 Four Continents champion and 2014 Winter Olympics team silver medalist
* Cliff Ronning
* Joe Sakic
* Eli Schenkel (born 1992), Olympic fencer
* Christine Sinclair
* Paul Spoljaric, baseball player
* Troy Stecher, ice hockey player
* Ari Taub (born 1971), Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler
* John Tenta
* Cliff Thorburn
* Conor Trainor
* John van't Schip
* Larry Walker, baseball player
* Percy Williams, sprinter
* Steve Yzerman (born 1965), ice hockey player

## Artists

* Hank Bull, painter
* Emily Carr, artist
* Kate Craig, artist
* Olea Marion Davis, ceramist, sculptor
* Iris Hauser (born 1956), painter
* Fred Herzog, photographer
* Clive Holden, poet, film director and visual artist
* Karen Jamieson, dancer and choreographer
* Beatrice Lennie, painter, sculptor
* Glenn Lewis
* Attila Richard Lukacs, artist
* Charles Marega, sculptor
* Len Norris, editorial cartoonist
* Sophie Pemberton, painter
* Bill Reid, artist
* David Rimmer, filmmaker
* Jack Shadbolt, artist
* Godfrey Stephens, artist
* Shane Wilson, artist

## Journalists and writers

* Doug Beardsley, poet and educator
* Bill Bissett, poet
* George Bowering, author
* Robert Bringhurst, poet
* Douglas Coupland, author (genX fiction)
* Janice Cowan
* Ranj Dhaliwal, author (crime-fiction)
* Ralph Edwards, naturalist/author (Caruso of Lonesome Lake)
* Timothy Findley, author
* Allan Fotheringham, columnist (politics, often satirical)
* Austin Gary, author
* William Gibson, author (Neuromancer)
* Terry Glavin, columnist/author and naturalist (ecology, fisheries, politics)
* John Stephen Hill, playwright Steve Hill (When I'm 64)
* Bruce Hutchison, editor/columnist and author (The Fraser)
* W.P. Kinsella, author/columnist (Shoeless Joe Goes To Iowa)
* Mark Leiren-Young, author/playwright/screenwriter (Never Shoot a Stampede Queen)
* Malcolm Lowry, novelist (Under the Volcano, October Ferry To Gabriola)
* Eswyn Lyster, genealogist and war bride author (Most Excellent Citizens, Trafford Press 2010)
* Keith Maillard, novelist, poet (Gloria, Motet, Two Strand River)
* Emily St. John Mandel, novelist
* Daphne Marlatt, poet
* Alan Morley, journalist and historian (Vancouver: From Milltown to Metropolis)
* Margaret Lally "Ma" Murray, editor, columnist
* Susan Musgrave, poet
* Kliph Nesteroff, writer, broadcaster
* Rohan O'Grady, novelist (Let's Kill Uncle, Pippin's Journal)
* Stan Persky, author and journalist
* Eden Robinson, novelist (Monkey Beach)
* Spider Robinson, author (science fiction)
* George Ryga, playwright (The Ecstasy Of Rita Joe)
* Omar Sachedina, journalist and news anchor (CTV National News)
* Paul St. Pierre (Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse)
* Linus Sebastian, technology YouTuber (Linus Tech Tips)
* Robin Skelton, poet
* Lauren Southern, right-wing activist and YouTuber
* William Fraser Tolmie, HBC Fur trade employee, medical doctor and later politician
* Margaret Trudeau, author
* Jack Wasserman, columnist (society, show biz, politics)

## Others

* Brother Twelve
* Mary John Sr.
* Masajiro Miyazaki, osteopath, coroner and "bush doctor"
* Jim Pattison, businessman and Fortune 500 member
* Caspar Phair, Lillooet, pioneer and first government agent
* Jack Pickup, physician, the "Flying Doctor of British Columbia"
* Arran Stephens, author; founder of Nature's Path
* Amy Soranno, animal rights activist
* Skip Triplett, former president of Kwantlen Polytechnic University
* Rick Hansen, athlete (Paralympic Games), activist, and philanthropist for people with disabilities