How essential is Math 1B03 to the concepts covered and the understanding of the fundamentals taught throughout Chemical Biology? (the program)

Linear algebra is a math. It's useful if you want to do computing and whatnot, but it's not required. If you took grade 12 vectors, that should be enough for a non-mathy program like chem bio. You don't need it. If you love math, it's a fun course.

I can Only speak for one course (Chem Bio 2P03 or Chem 2R03)

Physical Chemistry does not require the Math 1B03 course that is recommended. This course was also recommended for the Biochemistry program, i took it, but I'm not sure as to why, it might be useful for Analytical chemistry (Chem Bio 2A03/2AA3).

The one thing that Math 1B03 helps drastically with, is solving systems of equations (which can pop up anywhere in science).

Technically, you could solve systems of equations using substitution and elimination (grade 10), but when you have an system of 5 equations and 5 unknowns (which probably wouldn't happen in an academic environment...perhaps in the real world though) this quickly degenerates and becomes far more tedious than necessary.

The 'vectors' aspect of Math 1B03 is probably useful for modelling natural phenomena...but whether or not that actually shows up in Chemistry (or if it's left for Mathematical Modelling courses) I'm not sure.

avoid taking Math 1B03 if you can. It just a useless course, and i hated it. but could be cuz i had a terrible prof. but i've seen some chem students using that math to solve the schrodinger equation, but not nearly to the depth that we learned it to. so really, the level that you need to know, you'll probabbly be taught. so dont put urself through a useless course.

I'd like to counterbalance that by saying 1B03 was my favourite first year math course...it's a very visual subject.

i'm going to agree with Mowicz, it was definitely my favorite class last semester. maybe even all of first year.
definitely planning to take linear algebra II and III next year

I really did Enjoy Linear Algebra as well, it was a fun math course but in all honesty i never really understood how i did so well in that math course considering i dont remember anything from it and the class just sat there completely bewildered by some of the material.

At the time we took it, apparently the professor went further than the previous prof had and taught a good chunk of Linear Algebra II. Assignments were difficult in my opinion but overall, it was still a fun course.