General Reference Page

 Math & Conversion tools
  • Full Universal Currency Converter - Contains every known world currency and allows you to perform foreign exchange rate calculations using up-to-date currency rates.
  • Measure 4 Measure - "A collection of interactive websites that estimate, calculate, and translate". Include conversion sites like Graphing Vector Calculator, Body Fat Estimator, Tuition Savings Calculator, Morse Code Translator, etc.
  • Online Conversion - Convert units of length, temperature, speed, volume, weight, cooking, area, currency, and much more.
 
Countries & Governments
  • BBC Country Profiles - "Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions." Also included are audio or video clips from BBC Archives.
  • CIA World Factbook - U.S. publication of facts and statistics on countries and locations worldwide. Topics of focus include: geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues.
 
Dictionaries & Thesauri
  • Acrynom Finder - Find out what any acronym, abbreviation, or initialism stands for.
  • One Look Dictionary - The dictionary helps you find definitions and translations, while the reverse dictionary lets you describe a concept and get back a list of words and phrases related to that concept.
  • Your Dictionary.com - A one-stop site that includes: multilingual dictionaries (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc), free translation service, thesaurus, glossaries, and grammar guides.

Encyclopedias
  • Artcyclopedia - An index of online museums and image archives where you can search for information on artists, artworks, and art museums.
  • Columbia and Encarta - Free versions of the encyclopedias.
  • Medpedia - A wiki on health and medicine.
  • Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online - Explores the history of Canada's inhabitants and their culture.
  • Encyclopedia of British Columbia - A comprehensive reference work of BC, contains more than 4,000 articles as well as historic and colour photographs, handy statistics, maps, tables, charts and diagrams.
  • Historica - A comprehensive and authoritative source of Canadian information.
 
News Resources
  • All Africa News - Largest online distributor of African news and information worldwide.
  • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) - Focuses on UK and international news. A very popular feature is the “Learn English” page, which includes news stories written for ESL learners (includes definitions), grammar and vocabulary help, a webcast called “Talk about English”, business English advice, and lesson plans for ESL teachers.
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) - Provides news information in the following categories: world, Canada, health, arts and entertainment, technology and science, money, consumer life, and sport.
  • Cable News Network (CNN) - Featuring U.S. and world news. The site can also be viewed in Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Turkish.
  • Kyodo News On The Web -A Japanese news organization with a focus on Asian news, in Japanese and Chinese languages.
  • Xinhua Online - A China news corporation with a special focus on Chinese news and information. News coverage is available in 7 languages.
 
Online Atlases
  • Atlapedia Online - Full colour physical and political maps for regions of the world.
  • Atlas of Canada - Use this site to find places, digital maps, topographic maps, quizzes, facts, geographical information and learning resources about Canada.
  • Canadian Geographic Map Maker - Make your own maps of Canada: measure distances, identify features, add informational layers, and in printable formats.
  • Mapquest - If you are not looking for an American map, select 'Maps' and then select a country. This tool is useful in finding locations within cities.
  • National Atlas (U.S.) - A site for customizing your own map with informational layers, and printing out pre-formatted maps on different topics.
 
Virtual Museums
  • MuseumSpot - Searches can be done by country, city, museum name, and specialty.
  • The Virtual Smithsonian - Virtual exhibits of the Smithsonian Institution are searchable by gallery and by museum.
  • Canadian Museum of Civilization - The CMC website contains over 50 virtual exhibitions and digitized collections for you to explore. Click on the 'Site Index' button to view topics.

Canadian Directories
  • Canada 411 - Use this site to find phone numbers and addresses of people and businesses.
  • Canada Post - Find postal codes and other information about the postal services.
 
Canadian Government websites
  • About Canada - Fact and figures about Canada, its Prime Ministers, national symbols, culture, events, economy, history, and language.
  • Atlas of Canada - Use this site to find places, digital maps, topographic maps, quizzes, facts, geographical information and learning resources about Canada
  • Canadian Economy - A guide to the national economy: statictics, federal governmental information, economic concepts and events.
  • Culture Canada - A gateway to the world of Canadian culture, heritage, national parks, sport, leisures, and much more.
  • Environment Canada - News and information on the environmental issues, including climate change, pollution and waste, water, weather and meteorology, science and technology, economics and sustainability , programs and services, and acts and regulations.
  • Government of Canada - The official Canadian government website: a single point of access to all programs, services, departments, ministries, and organizations of the federal government.
  • Government of British Columbia - Offical portal to provincial public services in BC. News, links directory, budget, and community resources provided.
  • Statistics Canada - StatsCan provides economic, social, and census data, includes data on population, resources, economy, society, and culture.
  • Statistics Canada eBook - An online version of the Canada Year Book with texts, tables, charts, and audio clips that present the country's  economic and social trends.
  • Library and Archives Canada - Online access to Canada's documentary heritage. Includes the Canadian Genealogy Centre, Multicultural Resources & Services, Aboriginal Resources & Services, Portrait Gallery of Canada, and the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.
 
Other useful sites
  • Canadian Geographic Atlas Online - This site combines maps, images, statistics, text to provide an understanding of the geography of Canada. Also included are: glossary of terms, games and quizzes, and a discussion forum.
  • CBC Archives - This site features thousands of radio and television clips from the archives of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  • CBC Canada - The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation website offers audio and video resources on national and international news, business, sports, health, science, and the arts.
  • Country Profiles - Government Canada website providing valuable resources, including maps, facts, statistics and social and cultural insights.
  • Translink - The Greater Vancouver transit authority, covering buses, skytrain, seabus, trains, and ferries. Includes schedules, fares, and services