Do I need a tax file number?

Yes! You need to get a tax file number BEFORE you start looking for jobs! A lot of employers will ask for that in the early stages of recruiting. You will get the NUMBER on the spot when you apply, but you should set aside some time to sit in the queue at the government office!

So let's start with some terminology! It's not called a tax file number here, it's a "social insurance number" or SIN. And the tax office is called "Revenue Canada" or "Canadian Revenue Agency".

So you'll need to:

1. head down to a "service canada" office (get there a few hours before closing time, you might be waiting)
2. take you passport, visa, and a good book or paper to read and pass the time waiting
3. take a ticket and wait in line (I was there a couple of hours)

You'll get a SIN number on the spot, then they will post you a card with the SIN number on it (which will become a useful bit of Canadian ID) - so have a mailing address ready (whether it's a friend, or pre-arranged with the hostel or whatever!)

Do it on a rainy day if you can, just in case you need to sit in the queue for ages!

locations in bc:
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/cgi-bin/hr-search.cgi?cmd=lst&pv=bc&ln=eng