East Kootenay Region
Where Mountains Meet Opportunity
about the Region
Located in the southeast corner of BC the East Kootenay Region’s landscape is situated along the Rocky Mountain Trench, flanked by the Purcell and Southern Rocky Mountains it is a leading destination for tourism. Here you can start your Powder Highway adventure in the winter and tee off at Canada’s first Black Knight Designed course int the summer. Home to the headwaters of the Columbia and Elk Rivers rich biodiversity beckons anglers and hunters. Here the glacier-sculpted granite spires of the Bugaboos offer world-class alpine climbing.
Economic Powerhouse
Key economic sectors for this region include mining and exploration, tourism, clean energy, technology, forestry, outdoor recreation technology and life sciences. The Elk Valley is a major global provider of metallurgical coal, which is a significant economic driver for the entire Kootenay region. The region also has operations for critical minerals, gypsum, and aggregates.
Cultural Heartbeat
Thriving Arts and Cultural hubs offer something everyone here. Take in a play, hone your pottery skills, stroll through the hundreds of entries at the Columbia Valley Car show. Visit Fort Steele Heritage Town and see history come to life. Here you can enjoy Wapiti music festival, a family friendly event held on the banks of the Elk River.
Connected hub
Situated along the Highway 3 and Highway 93/95 the region borders Alberta to the east, Montana and Idaho to the south. YXC is Cranbrook’s International Airport and with convenient access to CPKC’s International Railway Port the region is a well positioned regional logistics hub. Regional services offered at Fairmont Hot Springs and Elk Valley in Sparwood.
Areas & Communities in the east Kootenay Region
DISCOVER
Columbia Valley
Find more of yourself and what you love in The Columbia Valley
Cranbrook
Regional Hub
Population: 20,499 | Growth: 2.3% (2016-2021)
As the largest city in the East Kootenays, Cranbrook serves as a regional centre for healthcare, education, and commerce. With excellent amenities, transportation links, and the College of the Rockies campus, it’s an ideal base for childcare professionals.
Cranbrook by Kari Medig / KootenayRockies.com.
Kimberley by Kari Medig / KootenayRockies.com.
Kimberley
BC's Best Small Town
Population: 8,115 | Growth: 9.3% (2016-2021)
Kimberley has earned its reputation as “BC’s Best Small Town” through an unbeatable combination of natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and genuine community spirit.
Get your community involved
Connect with us to learn more about highlighting your community with an Imagine Kootenay community profile page.
Kimberley by Kari Medig / KootenayRockies.com.
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