Invermere | |
---|---|
District of Invermere [1] | |
Coordinates: 50°30′30″N116°01′49″W / 50.50833°N 116.03028°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | British Columbia |
Region | East Kootenay |
Incorporated | 1951 |
Government | |
• Governing body | Invermere Council |
• MP | Rob Morrison |
• MLA | Doug Clovechok |
Area | |
• Land | 10.75 km2 (4.15 sq mi) |
• Urban | 3.44 km2 (1.33 sq mi) |
Elevation | 859 m (2,818 ft) |
Population (2021) [2] | |
• District municipality | 3,917 |
• Density | 364.4/km2 (944/sq mi) |
• Urban | 3,340 |
• Urban density | 971.4/km2 (2,516/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain Standard (MST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (Mountain Daylight (MDT)) |
Postal code span | V0A 1K0, V0A 1K7 |
Area code | 250 / 778 / 236 |
Highways | Hwy 93 Hwy 95 |
Waterways | Columbia River, Windermere Lake |
Website | invermere |
Invermere is a community in eastern British Columbia, Canada, near the border of Alberta. It is the hub of the Columbia Valley between Golden to the north and Cranbrook to the south. Invermere sits on the northwest shore of Windermere Lake and is a popular summer destination for visitors and second home owners from Edmonton and Calgary.
Invermere is located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of Radium, and 104 kilometres (65 mi) south of Golden and 102 kilometres (63 mi) from the Trans-Canada Highway. Invermere is also 37 kilometres (23 mi) north of Fairmont Hot Springs, 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Canal Flats, 128 kilometres (80 mi) north of Fort Steele, 130 kilometres (81 mi) north of Kimberley, and 144 kilometres (89 mi) north of the hub of Cranbrook and the Crowsnest Highway. [3] Invermere is situated within the Columbia River Wetlands, North America's largest intact wetland and a Ramsar-designated site. Located in the Rocky Mountain Trench, Invermere is 17.5 kilometres (10.9 mi) from Kootenay National Park, and is near the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy.
Invermere's climate is characterized by warm summers and cool winters. The Rocky Mountains to the east shield Invermere from the Arctic air in winter, although extreme cold spells do occur on occasion. Spring arrives earlier than on the prairies to the east of the Rocky Mountains. Although warm, summers are variable, with weather alternating between hot, dry spells and cool, showery periods.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Invermere had a population of 3,917 living in 1,660 of its 2,238 total private dwellings, a change of 15.5% from its 2016 population of 3,391. With a land area of 10.75 km2 (4.15 sq mi), it had a population density of 364.4/km2 (943.7/sq mi) in 2021. [4]
Panethnic group | 2021 [5] | 2016 [6] | 2011 [7] | 2006 [8] | 2001 [9] | 1996 [10] | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||
European [lower-alpha 1] | 3,370 | 88.8% | 2,815 | 87.42% | 2,380 | 88.81% | 2,730 | 94.46% | 2,690 | 95.22% | 2,540 | 95.31% | ||
Indigenous | 245 | 6.46% | 210 | 6.52% | 150 | 5.6% | 115 | 3.98% | 120 | 4.25% | 70 | 2.63% | ||
Southeast Asian [lower-alpha 2] | 115 | 3.03% | 90 | 2.8% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.35% | 10 | 0.35% | 0 | 0% | ||
South Asian | 30 | 0.79% | 25 | 0.78% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
East Asian [lower-alpha 3] | 10 | 0.26% | 30 | 0.93% | 80 | 2.99% | 35 | 1.21% | 0 | 0% | 30 | 1.13% | ||
African | 10 | 0.26% | 20 | 0.62% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.35% | 0 | 0% | ||
Middle Eastern [lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.31% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
Latin American | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.38% | ||
Other/Multiracial [lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.31% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.35% | 0 | 0% | 15 | 0.56% | ||
Total responses | 3,795 | 96.89% | 3,220 | 94.96% | 2,680 | 90.69% | 2,890 | 96.27% | 2,825 | 98.85% | 2,665 | 99.18% | ||
Total population | 3,917 | 100% | 3,391 | 100% | 2,955 | 100% | 3,002 | 100% | 2,858 | 100% | 2,687 | 100% | ||
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses |
According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Invermere included: [5]
The annual Invermere MusicFest takes place on the Pynelogs greenspace for one weekend every August. The two-day Festival attracts hundreds of people each day and delivers a high caliber of Canadian and international musical talent, including The Dead South and Lindi Ortega in 2018.
The Columbia Valley Rockies play in Invermere. Former New York Islanders and University of Denver goaltender Wade Dubielewicz was born in Invermere.
Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Columbia Valley Rockies | KIJHL | Ice hockey | Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena | 1978 | 4 |
The longest ice skating trail in the world can be found on the Lake Windermere Whiteway. The naturally frozen trail measures 29.98 kilometres (18.63 mi). [11]
Invermere is a major centre for golf.
The Invermere Airport is home to the non-profit Canadian Rockies Soaring Club. The club is active during the summer months, when it welcomes dozens of student pilots and private owners. The Invermere Soaring Centre is a separate commercial operation which provides aerotowing services and glider rides to the general public.
The local area is also a popular destination for other non-motorized forms of flying including hang-gliding and paragliding. There are designated launch sites at nearby Mount Swansea.
The Valley is host to the biggest[ citation needed ] outdoor bonspiel in Canada every January. The spiel is held on the frozen Windermere Lake. The curling club is also host to many leagues and bonspiels throughout the season.
Hot springs are numerous in the area, with the major developed ones being Fairmont and Radium Hot Springs; the latter is located inside Kootenay National Park.
Less developed 'wilderness' hot springs can be found in the southern Columbia Valley, in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park. [12] Lussier Hot Springs is located 74 kilometres (46 mi) south of Invermere and can be accessed from the Whiteswan Forestry Road. Ram Creek Warm Springs, a less visited and cooler natural spring, can also be accessed along the same route.
Invermere is home to one newspaper, the Columbia Valley Pioneer . On July 1, 2017, the "Pioneer" (founded in 2004) and the Invermere Valley Echo (founded in 1956) merged to one paper retaining the Columbia Valley Pioneer designation. The "Pioneer" serves the Columbia Valley region, from Spillimacheen in the north to Canal Flats in the south and is published once a week, every Thursday.
Fernie is a city in the Elk Valley area of the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located on BC Highway 3 on the western approaches to the Crowsnest Pass through the Rocky Mountains. Founded in 1898 and incorporated as the City of Fernie in July 1904, the municipality has a population of over 5,000 with an additional 2,000 outside city limits in communities under the jurisdiction of the Regional District of East Kootenay. A substantial seasonal population swells the city during the winter months.
Cranbrook is a city in southeast British Columbia, Canada, located approximately 10 km southwest of the confluence of the Kootenay River and the St. Mary's River. It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2016, Cranbrook's population is 20,499 with a census agglomeration population of 27,040. It is the location of the headquarters of the Regional District of East Kootenay and also the location of the regional headquarters of various provincial ministries and agencies, notably the Rocky Mountain Forest District.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) is one of 28 regional districts in the province of British Columbia, Canada. As of the 2016 Canadian census, the population was 31,447. The area is 8,095.62 km2. The RDKB was incorporated in 1966 and consists of eight incorporated municipalities and five unincorporated electoral areas. The regional district's offices are in the City of Trail, with secondary offices in the City of Grand Forks. Other major population centres include the cities of Rossland and Greenwood, and the villages of Fruitvale, Warfield, and Montrose. The region also encompasses electoral areas A, B/Lower Columbia-Old Glory, C/Christina Lake, D/Rural Grand Forks and E/West Boundary including Rock Creek, Bridesville, Beaverdell and Big White Ski Resort.
Sparwood is a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the second-largest community on the Elk River.
Highway 93 is a north–south route through the southeastern part of British Columbia, in the Regional District of East Kootenay and takes its number from U.S. Highway 93 that it connects with at the Canada–United States border. It follows the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) and Highway 95 through Radium Hot Springs and to where it crosses the Continental Divide into Alberta at Vermilion Pass, where it continues as Alberta Highway 93. The section between the Canada-U.S. border and the Crowsnest Highway is known as the Elko–Roosville Highway, the section between the Crowsnest Highway and Radium Hot Springs is known as the Kootenay–Columbia Highway, while the section east of Radium Hot Springs is known as the Banff–Windermere Parkway.
Osoyoos is the southernmost town in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia between Penticton and Omak. The town is 3.6 km (2.2 mi) north of the United States border with Washington state and is adjacent to the Osoyoos Indian reserve. The origin of the name Osoyoos was the word sw̓iw̓s meaning "narrowing of the waters" in the local Okanagan language (Syilx'tsn). The "O-" prefix is not indigenous in origin and was attached by settler-promoters wanting to harmonize the name with other place names beginning with O in the Okanagan region. There is one local newspaper, the Osoyoos Times.
Kootenay—Columbia is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1997.
Golden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, 262 kilometres (163 mi) west of Calgary, Alberta, and 713 kilometres (443 mi) east of Vancouver.
Oliver is a town near the south end of the Okanagan Valley in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, with a population of nearly 5,000 people. It is located along the Okanagan River by Tuc-el-nuit Lake between Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls, and is labelled as the Wine Capital of Canada by Tourism British Columbia. It was once "The Home of the Cantaloupe" as well as the "Home of the International Horseshow."
Duncan is a city on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is the smallest city by area in Canada. It was incorporated in 1912.
Summerland is a district municipality on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south. The largest centre in the region is Kelowna, approximately 50 km (31 mi) to the north, and Vancouver is approximately 425 km (264 mi) away to the west. The district is famous for "Bottleneck drive", a system of roads connecting various wineries.
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada. In the 2016 census, the population was 60,439. Its area is 27,542.69 km2 (10,634.29 sq mi). The regional district offices are in Cranbrook, the largest community in the region. Other important population centres include the cities of Kimberley and Fernie, and the district municipality of Invermere and Sparwood. Despite its name, the regional district does not include all of the region known as the East Kootenay, which includes the Creston Valley and the east shore of Kootenay Lake.
Kimberley is a city in southeast British Columbia, Canada along Highway 95A between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. Kimberley was named in 1896 after the Kimberley mine in South Africa. From 1917 to 2001, it was the home to the world's largest lead-zinc mine, the Sullivan Mine. Now it is mainly a tourist destination and home to the Kimberley Alpine Resort, a ski area and Kimberley's Underground Mining Railway that features a 750-foot-long (230 m) underground mining interpretive centre complete with operational 3 ft narrow-gauge railway equipment. Recreational pursuits include world-class skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, fishing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, biking, hiking and golfing on championship golf courses. The city has the largest urban park in Canada. At 1,977 acres (800 ha), the Kimberley Nature Park is the largest incorporated park in Canada.
Radium Hot Springs, informally and commonly called Radium, is a village of 1,339 residents in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia. The village is named for the hot springs in the nearby Kootenay National Park. From Banff, Alberta, it is accessible via Highway 93.
The Columbia–Shuswap Regional District is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located in the Southern Interior region on the Trans-Canada Highway between Vancouver and Calgary, Alberta. The regional district borders the Province of Alberta across the Rocky Mountains.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia that is on the southern part of Vancouver Island, bordered by the Nanaimo and Alberni-Clayoquot Regional Districts to the north and northwest, and by the Capital Regional District to the south and east. As of the 2021 Census, the Regional District had a population of 89,013. The regional district offices are in Duncan.
The City of Enderby is in the North Okanagan region of the Canadian province of British Columbia, between Armstrong and Salmon Arm. It is approximately 80 km north of Kelowna and 130 km east of Kamloops. Highway 97A passes through Enderby and the Shuswap River marks the eastern and northeastern limits of the City. There are two major schools in Enderby: M.V. Beattie Elementary School and A.L. Fortune Secondary School. M.V. Beattie Elementary School was rebuilt in 2012.
Grand Forks is a city in the Boundary Country of the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Granby and Kettle Rivers, a tributary of the Columbia River. The city is just north of the Canada–United States border, approximately 500 km (310 mi) from Vancouver and 200 km (120 mi) from Kelowna and 23 km (14 mi) west of the resort area of Christina Lake by road.
The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM), formerly the Northern Rockies Regional District (NRRD), and before that the Fort Nelson–Liard Regional District, is a municipality in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Although portrayed as a regional municipality in its official name, and existing on the same administrative level as a regional district, it is actually classified as a district municipality. The NRRM's offices are located in Fort Nelson, formerly an incorporated town that amalgamated with the NRRD on February 6, 2009, to form the NRRM. With the Peace River Regional District as the southern part, it was the northern part of the Peace River-Liard Regional District, which was split into two on October 31, 1987.
The District of Kent is a district municipality located 116 kilometres (72 mi) east of Vancouver, British Columbia. Part of the Fraser Valley Regional District, Kent consists of several communities, the largest and most well-known being Agassiz—the only town in the municipality—Harrison Mills, Kilby, Mount Woodside, Kent Prairie, Sea Bird Island and Ruby Creek. Included within the municipality's boundaries are several separately-governed Indian reserves, including the Seabird Island First Nation's reserves on and around the island of the same name.