Legally defined __Electoral Area__ polygons were drawn from metes and bounds descriptions as written in Letters Patent for Regional District Electoral Areas in the province of British Columbia. In the event of a discrepancy in the data, the metes and bounds description will prevail. Although the boundaries were drawn based on the legal metes and bounds descriptions, they may differ from how regional districts and their member municipalities and electoral areas currently view and/or manage their boundaries. Where discrepancies are noted, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (the custodian) enters into discussion with the local governments whose boundaries are affected. In order to effect a change to the boundary, Cabinet approval is required. This is done through an Order in Council (OIC). While discrepancies to administrative boundaries are being resolved, boundaries may be adjusted on an ongoing basis until the requested changes are completed. The OIC_YEAR and OIC_NUMBER fields indicate the year that the boundary was passed under OIC and its associated number. The AFFECTED_ADMIN_AREA_ABRVN identifies the administrative areas that are affected by the OIC. A polygon dataset that includes all of the administrative areas currently in the __Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__ is available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A complimentary point dataset that defines the administrative areas is also available available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc-boundary-locations). Other individual datasets are available from the following records: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/regional-districts-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/province-of-british-columbia-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/islands-trust-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/local-trust-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc

The __Sechelt Indian Government District__ contains legally defined areas of land within the Province of British Columbia over which the Sechelt Indian Band exercises self-government, including the administration of resources and services available to its members, as described in the Sechelt Indian Band Self-Government Act of 1986. This spatial layer contains multipart features. The source data for the geometry of the parcels was the federal "GeoBase - Aboriginal Lands" dataset, available under OGL - Canada. Parcels were adjusted to match provincial base mapping features, following the metes and bounds descriptions in the Letters Patent. A polygon dataset that includes all of the administrative areas currently in the __Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__ is available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A complimentary point dataset that defines the administrative areas is also available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc-boundary-locations). The SECHELT INDIAN GOVERNMENT DISTRICT ENABLING ACT, [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 416 is available [here.](http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96416_01) Other individual datasets are available from the following records: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/province-of-british-columbia-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/regional-districts-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/electoral-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/islands-trust-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/local-trust-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc

The __Counties of British Columbia__ contains areas of land within the Province of British Columbia representing legally defined administrative areas described in the County Boundary Act. The purpose of this division is for the administration of justice. The counties were delineated using provincial base mapping features, following the metes and bounds descriptions in the Letters Patent. A polygon dataset that includes all of the administrative areas currently in the __Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__ is available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A complimentary point dataset that defines the administrative areas is also available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc-boundary-locations). The Legal document which divides the province of British Columbia into counties is available [here](http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96075_01). Other individual datasets are available from the following records: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/province-of-british-columbia-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/regional-districts-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/electoral-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/islands-trust-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/local-trust-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/sechelt-indian-government-district-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc

A legally defined __Islands Trust__ polygon was drawn from metes and bounds descriptions as written in Letters Patent for the Islands Trust in the province of British Columbia. A polygon dataset that includes all of the administrative areas currently in the __Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__ is available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A complimentary point dataset that defines the administrative areas is also available available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc-boundary-locations). Other individual datasets are available from the following records: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/local-trust-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/regional-districts-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/electoral-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/province-of-british-columbia-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc

Legally defined __Municipal__ polygons were drawn from metes and bounds descriptions as written in Letters Patent for Municipalities in the province of British Columbia. In the event of a discrepancy in the data, the metes and bounds description will prevail. Although the boundaries were drawn based on the legal metes and bounds descriptions, they may differ from how regional districts and their member municipalities and electoral areas currently view and/or manage their boundaries. Where discrepancies are noted, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (the custodian) enters into discussion with the local governments whose boundaries are affected. In order to effect a change to the boundary, Cabinet approval is required. This is done through an Order in Council (OIC). While discrepancies to administrative boundaries are being resolved, boundaries may be adjusted on an ongoing basis until the requested changes are completed. The OIC_YEAR and OIC_NUMBER fields indicate the year that the boundary was passed under OIC and its associated number. The AFFECTED_ADMIN_AREA_ABRVN identifies the administrative areas that are affected by the OIC. See all of the administrative areas currently in the [__Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/12f0fd64-94d5-422a-832e-6627a2a01702). The complimentary [point dataset](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/e50b6560-0549-41a6-8035-6b828066692e) that defines the administrative areas is also available. Other individual legally defined administrative area datasets are available from the following records: [Regional Districts](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/d1aff64e-dbfe-45a6-af97-582b7f6418b9) [Electoral Areas](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/81940c47-a534-47e0-94d0-947c96a59de4) [Province of British Columbia](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/a7e32e45-63ae-4f5a-9275-9402b6deebdc) [Islands Trust](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/df3f5a9f-2dc0-4b9e-b593-fc205933e32d) [Local Trust Areas](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/cea5f554-f2f7-4cfd-a8f0-63e7c83dc191)

This dataset consists of polyline, single part, and multi part polygons representing the Province of British Columbia. The terrestrial portion of the boundary was derived from the Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS) representation of the province: [Province of British Columbia - Legally Defined Administrative Areas of BC](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/a7e32e45-63ae-4f5a-9275-9402b6deebdc). The coastal portion of the boundary differs from the ABMS boundary and was derived from the Freshwater Atlas (FWA): [Freshwater Atlas Coastlines](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/87b1d6a7-d4d1-4c25-a879-233becdbffed). This boundary may be updated periodically, as more accurate data becomes available. Due to the structure of the data, it does not meet the technical requirements to be published in the BC Geographic Warehouse (BCGW). It is available for download as an OGC GeoPackage and as an ESRI File Geodatabase in the **Data and Resources** box to the the right.

Legally defined __Local Trust Area__ polygons were drawn from metes and bounds descriptions as written in Letters Patent for the Local Trust Areas in the province of British Columbia. A polygon dataset that includes all of the administrative areas currently in the __Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__ is available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A complimentary point dataset that defines the administrative areas is also available available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc-boundary-locations). Other individual datasets are available from the following records: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/islands-trust-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/regional-districts-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/electoral-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/province-of-british-columbia-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc

Legally defined __Regional District__ polygons were drawn from metes and bounds descriptions as written in Letters Patent for Regional Districts in the province of British Columbia. In the event of a discrepancy in the data, the metes and bounds description will prevail. Although the boundaries were drawn based on the legal metes and bounds descriptions, they may differ from how regional districts and their member municipalities and electoral areas currently view and/or manage their boundaries. Where discrepancies are noted, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (the custodian) enters into discussion with the local governments whose boundaries are affected. In order to effect a change to the boundary, Cabinet approval is required. This is done through an Order in Council (OIC). While discrepancies to administrative boundaries are being resolved, boundaries may be adjusted on an ongoing basis until the requested changes are completed. The OIC_YEAR and OIC_NUMBER fields indicate the year that the boundary was passed under OIC and its associated number. The AFFECTED_ADMIN_AREA_ABRVN identifies the administrative areas that are affected by the OIC. Please note that the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality appears to be a gap in the Regional District layer, but it is a municipality and can be found in the [Municipalities Layer](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A polygon dataset that includes all of the administrative areas currently in the __Administrative Boundaries Management System (ABMS)__ is available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc). A complimentary point dataset that defines the administrative areas is also available available [here](https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc-boundary-locations). Other individual datasets are available from the following records: https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/municipalities-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/electoral-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/province-of-british-columbia-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/islands-trust-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc https://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/local-trust-areas-legally-defined-administrative-areas-of-bc