Community Information

Introduction & History

   Fernie...those who have visited before and many who live here now remain quite secretive about this unique community. But once you’ve experienced the friendly pace of Fernie, you too, may find yourself holding back from telling others. Fernie offers incredible activities and experiences that clearly set Fernie in a class of its own. Whether you’re interested as a visitor, or in sharing in our fabulous lifestyle, you owe it to yourself to check us out.

   Fernie is a community that is rich in heritage and history. With its roots planted in the coal mining industry, Fernie came into being in 1898 when the railroad came through this region. Formal incorporation took place in 1904, but this wasn’t the only significant event to happen that year as a fire raged through the city nearly wiping it out.  Four years later, a second and more devastating fire ripped through Fernie leaving only 32 buildings standing.  Out of the ashes arose a new approach to the City and buildings of brick and stone became the landscape of the downtown core. Many of these buildings still exist today, giving Fernie a unique heritage component.

   Our economy has always been tied closely to the resource extraction industries, particularly mining and forestry. Although there are no mines located right in Fernie, we serve as a bedroom community to the coal mines in the area with about half of our population associated with mining.  About 50% of the population base in Fernie is tied to these industries, however the community’s economic dependency is much higher as there is an industrial tax sharing agreement in place.  We don’t anticipate much employment growth in mining and forestry, as improvements in technology appear to be capable of handling any increased production requirements, however the industries are stable and provide important anchors to our economy.

   The remaining business base is in tourism (accommodators, restaurants, etc.), community services (financial, legal, government, health, repair, entertainment, etc.), retail services and construction trades.  There is also a growing number of ‘non-store-front’ businesses including consultants and other home based enterprises that do not require a specific location to operate.  Over the past few decades, many new amenities have been provided due to a steady growth in tourism.  As a result, the city certainly doesn’t fit the traditional ‘mining community’ perception.

   Our growth on the tourism front is currently very rapid and is the result of ongoing marketing initiatives. In May of 1997, our ski area (Fernie Snow Valley, now Fernie Alpine Resort) was sold to the Lake Louise Group.  Over the past few years, we have seen an acceleration in the development of new subdivisions in town and on the ski hill, and if all developers are able to see their plans fully completed, Fernie will gain around 2000 new housing units. These numbers don’t take into account infill and reconstruction in the existing subdivisions, or development at the ski resort.  To put things in perspective, Fernie currently has about 2500 housing units. In addition to the residential construction, we’re also experiencing a significant amount of commercial activity.  A number of buildings are undergoing extensive renovations to restore the heritage component of the structures and we’re seeing increases in the numbers and types of businesses starting up in Fernie.

Geographic Setting

Fernie is located in the southeast corner of British Columbia, in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, 326 km southwest of Calgary. Situated in the Elk River Valley (also known as the East Kootenays), Fernie is rich in natural environmental beauty, and enjoys favourable weather patterns. We are a 3 hour drive from Calgary on Crowsnest Highway #3, and 1 hour east of Cranbrook. The elevation of the city of Fernie is at 3,310 feet (1,010m) while the top elevation at Fernie Alpine Resort is 6,316 feet (1,925m). A chart highlighting distances to other centers follows:

Regional Tourism and Recreation

   Recreation opportunities in the East Kootenay centre around outdoor activities. The BC Rockies are being discovered by more and more people seeking spectacular scenery, a relatively unspoiled environment, friendly people, and fewer crowds in a more affordable setting.

National Parks

   Kootenay National Park is one of four adjoining Rocky Mountain parks that includes Yoho, Banff and Jasper National Parks. Collectively, these parks are designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kootenay National Park is headquartered at Kootenay Crossing, where Highway 93 crosses the Kootenay River. The park contains numerous trails, several campgrounds, including the 232-site Redstreak Campground, near Radium Hot Springs, and the Radium Hot Pools.

Provincial Parks

   Twelve front country provincial parks provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Nine back country parks receive a lower level of maintenance and offer more of a wilderness experience. Front country parks include: Mount Fernie, Canal Flats, Dry Gulch, James Chabot, Jim Smith Lake, Kikomun Creek, Moyie Lake, Norbury Lake, Premier Lake, Wasa Lake, Wardner and Whiteswan Lake. Back Country Parks include Akamina Kishinena, Elk Lakes, Height of the Rockies, St. Mary’s Alpine, Mt. Assinboine, Bugaboo, Purcell Wilderness Conservatory, Gilnockie and Top of the World.

Golf

   The East Kootenay has a growing international reputation for golf. Not only are there several courses planned by world-famous golf course designers, spectacular settings provide added attractions for visitors and residents. Twenty-two golf courses are located in the region, and are listed below.

Golf Courses

Wildlife and Fisheries

   The East Kootenay has some of the richest diversity of wildlife in North America. Big game species include black & grizzly bear, elk, white-tailed and mule deer, caribou, cougar, moose, mountain goat, and mountain sheep. Abundant wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities exist for both residents and non-residents, consisting of an international clientele.

   The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks estimates that 32.5% of the East Kootenay population engages in watching, feeding, photographing or studying wildlife around their homes. It is estimated that participants in wildlife viewing in the East Kootenays spend 503,380 days in the field watching, feeding, photographing and studying wildlife each year.

   Estimated expenditures by resident hunters in the East Kootenays total about $6.7 million annually and by non-resident hunters $5.1 million. It is estimated that 223 person-years of employment are supported by expenditures on wildlife related activities, including resident and non-resident hunting, direct activities, and trapping. The total economic benefit of wildlife-related activities to the East Kootenay is over $25 million. Other benefits to East Kootenays include estimated person years of employment supported by expenditures on viewing and hunting. A person year of employment is the equivalent of one person employed for a full working year. Expenditures on wildlife viewing support 105 person years of employment, resident hunter expenditures support 71 person years and non-resident hunter spending 54 person years.

   There are 70 angling guides operating in the East Kootenays. There are no figures on the number of anglers they guide. There are 34 hunting guide-outfitters who guided 730 hunters last year.

   Guide outfitting is an important part of the economy. The abundance of streams and lakes in the area support a vibrant sport fishery and serve as important spawning and rearing grounds for a range of species. The most frequently caught fish species are: rainbow trout, kokanee, cutthroat trout, whitefish, bass, dolly varden, brook trout, perch, and walleye. In 1997, in BC, resident anglers spent an average of $108.59/day. Other Canadian anglers spent $115.44/day and non-Canadian anglers spent $222.53/day. In the East Kootenay, 26,861 anglers spent 335,701 days angling.

Climate

   The local topography of mountains and valleys gives Fernie its own micro-climate. We can generally expect substantial snowfall (360 cm in town, 875 cm on the ski hill) during the winter, and enough rainfall from spring through fall to keep the valley green and lush. The mountain range that gives us its beauty, also protects us from extreme temperatures. Temperatures in winter average around –11C, and in summer, our daytime averages hover around 25C. Wind is a rare commodity in Fernie, and there is an average of 162 frost free days per year. Mid-April generally heralds the first frost free day of the year, while the first frost usually arrives sometime in September.

Additional references can be found at skifernie.com, from Fernie Alpine Resort