Western Canada, also referred to as the
Western provinces and more commonly known as
the West, is a
region of
Canada that includes the four
provinces of
Alberta,
British Columbia,
Manitoba and
Saskatchewan. British Columbia is culturally, economically, geographically, and politically distinct from the other parts of Western Canada and is often referred to as "
the west coast" or "Pacific Canada", while Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are grouped together as the
Prairie Provinces and most commonly known as "
the prairies".