Communities

Cranbrook

Situated in the beautiful East Kootenays the community of Cranbrook is flanked by the Purcell and Rocky Mountains, this is a perfect choice for leisure or business travellers.

Cranbrook

Environment Canada research indicates that Cranbrook receives more hours of sunshine than elsewhere in British Columbia, with over 2,200 hours of sunshine annually. Come enjoy the clean Rocky Mountain air under a bright blue sky.

Cranbrook has a population of 20,000 people, and is the seat of the Regional District of East Kootenay. It is home to the Museum of Rail Travel, a museum dedicated to the historical interest of passenger railway travel on the Canada Pacific line, the Spokane International Railway; and the Kootenay Ice, a Western Major Junior Hockey League. Originally inhabited by the Ktunaxa population, Cranbrook was settled by Colonel James Baker in 1898 when he convinced the Canadian Pacific railway to build its Crowsnest Pass line through Cranbrook, opening an important line from Vancouver to Calgary. Cranbrook’s situation on this popular route, along with proximity to the border with the United States, makes it an important transportation hub in modern British Columbia.

The Rockies make Cranbrook and the East Kootenay a first class, four seasons resort destination. Visitors from around the world experience the “Rocky Mountain High” while camping, fishing, boating and hiking. During the winter, Canada’s finest ski resorts come alive at Kimberley, Banff, Panorama, Snow Valley and Lake Louise, short drives from Cranbrook. Cranbrook serves a retail trading area population exceeding 56,000. As a result, the City has two major shopping centre’s, an active central business district, a wide variety of hotels and motels, campgrounds, and more than 60 eating establishments.

Moreover, the City boasts a well rounded menu of community facilities including a community college, 14 public schools, an acute, intermediate and extended care hospital; senior citizens homes, 16 parks, golf courses, a curling rink, performing arts theatre, a Cineplex theatre, library, a daily newspaper, a weekly newspaper, 2 radio stations, cable television, a Rec complex containing a swimming pool, water slide and arena and the internationally renowned Canadian Museum of Rail Travel and the Casino of the Rockies.

Kimberley

Kimberley is a small mountain town of approximately 6,500 people nestled between the Purcell Mountains and the Rocky Mountain Trench in southeastern British Columbia. Our origins go back to the early 1890s when prospectors found chicamon stones, or money rock, on Sullivan Hill.

Kimberley

This prospect resulted in the underground Sullivan Mine being developed and produced lead and zinc ore for almost one hundred years. The hard working life of the miners was good for Kimberley as they also like to play hard too which resulted in a mountain lifestyle that is hard to beat.

Join us in Kimberley and you will experience a friendly mountain town with unbeatable recreational opportunities from fishing to golf to biking, wonderfully talented artisans, unique shops, delightful restaurants, and a relaxed mountain attitude.

Come to Kimberley for the mountains, stay for the lifestyle.

Kimberley is located on Highway 95A, 32 kilometres north of Cranbrook, BC. Airline access is via the Canadian Rockies International Airport. Please follow this link for a Regional Map.

  • Population: 6,485 (2001)
  • Male: 3140 Female: 3345
  • Median Age: 43

Located in southeastern British Columbia on the edge of the Rocky Mountains is Kimberley, a mountain town ready to welcome you. To the east rise the majestic Rocky Mountains and to the west stand the ancient Purcell Mountains and its expanse of wilderness. Kimberley is a small, friendly community with a population of approximately 6,400 people with an abundance of recreational and lifestyle opportunities. Built around the discovery of the world’s largest lead and zinc mine, the now closed ‘Sullivan Mine’, Kimberley is a historic and culturally diverse community.

As a recreational destination Kimberley features the Kimberley Underground Mining Railway and our new Conference and Athlete Training Centre. Add three professional award winning golf courses, a large ski resort, extensive nature trail systems, premier fly fishing, whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing on the St Mary River, and access to the pristine wilderness and backcountry opportunities of the Purcell and Rocky mountains.

Kimberley is very visitor friendly and has converted many vacationers into residents over the years. We look forward to welcoming you to our mountain home.

With perfect seasonal climates and over 300 days of sunshine per year, Kimberley is quickly gaining global recognition for its world-class recreation and relaxed, mountain life-style. The City is home to first-class skiing, award winning golf courses, an expansive array of accommodation, festivals for all ages, hiking, biking, and an abundance of other outdoor recreation activities. When combined with a thriving local community that embraces visitors with unmatched friendliness, this makes Kimberley a perfect holiday destination