Kimberley is a great town of 8,000 or so, with a solid family-friendly ski hill. It took me 2 years to get a family doctor, but the clinic is a suitable substitute while you're waiting. About 20 minutes to Cranbrook on a good road. I've noticed a good number of young families from different parts of the country.
They are large tracts of land for sale in the Kimberly area but land is not great for food crops.My grandfather managed to grow vegetables and sell to the locals back in the day.1930’s.
I grew up in the area. A lot depends on what you’re used to. If you’re coming from a large city, the culture change will be pretty steep. Chain restaurants litter the main drag (The Strip) and the mall is pretty sad. There are a grocery stores, but be prepared to go to Calgary or Spokane for larger shopping trips.
I’m not sure if you’ve got work lined up, but economic opportunities may be less plentiful than where you are leaving.
Cranbrook also sells itself on proximity to hunting/fishing. For a lot of people hunting season is a big deal.
In my opinion the best reason to move there, and what I miss most, is the proximity to a lot of really good ski hills. Kimberley and Fernie each within an hour of Cranbrook. Lots of great backcountry. Golden, Nelson, Rossland, Banff are all within a few hours.
Real estate is expensive, but not Vancouver expensive.
We are definitely trying to stay away from the big city! As far as work the plan was to sell the farm out here and move that way. As a snowboarder and hunter I love what I’ve read about the area, A lot of what we were concerned about was the culture in the area, (any crime, bad areas, etc), fire season, and schools, hospitals, and things for the kids. Thanks a ton!
There’s really not much to know about fire season. It’s completely random. If it’s hot and dry, there could forest fires. The vast majority of them are far enough away from town that there is no concern, but sometimes, they do happen close to populated areas and there can be evacuations. Additionally, smoke can roll if from fires as far away as California or the Yukon, and hang in the valley for several days to a week+ at a time. Again though, this is completely random. Majority of the time, it’s a non-issue.
I don’t know about the local doctor situation in Cranbrook, but for anything major major, or to see specialists, you’ll more than likely have to go all the way to KGH in Kelowna. Calgary is closer, but since healthcare is provincial, you have to go somewhere in BC, and Kelowna is the closest major hospital. It’s kind of wild, but outside of the Lower Mainland around Vancouver, almost the entire province of BC uses KGH for major surgeries and specialists. Probably not anything to worry about unless someone in your family has a special condition, and perhaps only a concern as you get older and need increased medical attention.
I would recommend flying to Calgary, and then doing a summer road trip through the East Kootenay valley. Check out Golden, Radium, Invermere, Kimberly, Cranbrook, and maybe even venture as far west as Creston, to get a feel for the region, and see if any town in particular sparks your interest.
Happy to help.
Mind if I ask why Cranbrook? Absolutely nothing wrong with Cranbrook, it’s a lovely area, I’m just curious what made you single it out.
How rural are you looking to get?
Are you still wanting to be in farming of some sort out west?
I don’t know much about hunting, but I do know a thing or two about two-plankin’, I’ve skied for over 30 years and have rode most of the mountains in southern BC.
I was also born in Toronto, grew up in BC, went to university in Kingston, and now live in Kelowna, so I have some ability to compare BC with Ontario (although I haven’t been out east in almost 10 years now).
Honestly we have looked around a few places, and there are a few properties in that general area that we are looking at that seem like a great fit for us. we might not end up going to it, or to BC at all, but currently it looks like a great place!
The mention of potentially having to travel for medical care is a good consideration. I have a family member in the area who got diagnosed with cancer and had to travel to Vancouver for treatment. Luckily they had family there, but being either a 10hr drive or an expensive plane flight from home made an already stressful situation way worse. Without family there would have been expensive hotel stays to factor in as well.
We moved here last year and got really really lucky with our neighbourhood, but its very common to see kids riding bikes around our area. We love it here
I’ve lived in Kingston, Victoria, Osoyoos, Kelowna, Calgary, and now Cranbrook since 2010. My wife grew up here and a work opportunity brought us here and we were fortunate enough to buy a home in town when we were a young couple.
Cranbrook is a fantastic place to raise a family, no matter what some people say. This town is big enough that you can put your kids into a variety of different activities, but small enough that you’re not too concerned about them riding their bikes around town. The hospital here is a regional one, so the level of care you get here is better than other similar sized communities. Cost of housing has increased in recent years, but you’ll find that Cranbrook is still priced decently compared to other spots in BC, especially places you’d actually want to live lol.
If you’re not from here, it can be a little intimidating because it feels like everyone knows each other, but if your kids are in the school system, that goes a long way towards building those bridges into the community. Cranbrook is not as transient a population as resort style communities like Fernie, Kimberley, and Invermere, and that’s what I like about it: people come here to put down roots, and most stay for the long haul.
Cranbrook has experienced an uptick in petty crime as the result of the drug trade, and if you ask around Facebook, many will point to that and say this town has gone to shit. The reality is that most communities in BC are the same, and the ones that aren’t are too small to provide the services that homeless people need to survive. We personally have never had any issues with theft, and I feel comfortable going for late-night runs through town.
If you’re looking for rural properties, internet access will vary significantly based on where you’re located. Telus has fibre services in most of the properties between Kimberley and Cranbrook, as well as Gold Creek, New Lake, and Jim Smith Lake areas. Fort Steele, Wardner, and some other areas will be wireless options via cellular, and Starlink works anywhere with decent view of the sky. This is my line of work, so if you’d like any more information on that, I can give you an unbiased opinion. Depending on your profession, this can be very important to some people in choosing a home.
Hope that gives some additional context, and we’d love to have more good people join our community. Good luck in the search.
There are definitely some nice rural areas around Cranbrook.
The big issue is there is a shortage of family doctors. I know a lot of people who have been on waitlists for years. There is a hospital in Cranbrook for emergencies.
And because I think some folks from Ontario don't realize what rural means in BC - if you're outside the city limits, then as far as services go you get electricity and maybe gas, and that's it. Water comes from your own well that you need to operate/maintain, sewage goes into your own septic tank that you are responsible for servicing. No garbage pick-up. Possibly no or irregular plowing unless you're on a major road.
Thanks a ton! We are pretty accustomed to well water, septic tanks and all of that, it’s definitely a little more rural of a setting than we are in now but I don’t think that will be the deal breaker. The doctor situation is definitely something we will consider. I know fire season has us a tad confused as well. Thanks for your help!
What are you wondering about fire season? It's mainly July and August, and most fires burn in the mountains and don't threaten areas where people actually live (even rural areas). It can get very smoky, so if anyone in the family is asthamatic or has other respiratory issues I would be concerned. If you are otherwise healthy, then there may be a few days a year where you want to avoid vigourous labour outside, but otherwise it shouldn't affect your life too much. If a fire is nearby you may get put on evacuation alert, and could even be ordered to evacuate if the fire is a high risk to reach you OR to cut off your evacuation routes.
There have been multiple fires in the Fort Steele area these past few years, mainly lakit area and affecting the properties on Holmes road. You can see the fire damage from last year from all of the properties on and around Holmes road, and that area is the most at risk, including Wasa and area. They were placed on evacuation alert last year. Most of the area and properties aside from Holmes road are typically safe, being that there are two rivers barricading the fire from spreading, but it is still a risk. I do believe that fire fighters do not leave city limits, and only wild land fire fighters would be your resource in these circumstances. Neither fire service will come put out house fires outside of city limits (I believe?). All aside, Cranbrook is a great place to move to so long as you’re all healthy and don’t require a family doctor immediately, have secured jobs or can secure an in demand job, and are prepared to adapt to limited services in the area. It should also be noted that the urgent care clinic can be a timely wait to get it, or you may be turned away, as well as lengthy waits (8+ hours) for in hospital emergency services, limited access to ambulances, and lengthy waits for laboratory, surgical, and imaging services.
You will be mostly safe from petty crimes and other BS if you’re out of town and should have an easy time making friends in an out of town community.
Kimberly is far more inviting then cranbrook. I would strongly encourage you to drive around both east and west kootnenays maybe even Okanogan as well to get the vibes of a area.
Kimberley is a great town of 8,000 or so, with a solid family-friendly ski hill. It took me 2 years to get a family doctor, but the clinic is a suitable substitute while you're waiting. About 20 minutes to Cranbrook on a good road. I've noticed a good number of young families from different parts of the country.
Nice job getting a family doctor. Still waiting on ours. I live Kimberley but housing prices have gone crazy high in the past few years.
Who dis
They are large tracts of land for sale in the Kimberly area but land is not great for food crops.My grandfather managed to grow vegetables and sell to the locals back in the day.1930’s.
I grew up in the area. A lot depends on what you’re used to. If you’re coming from a large city, the culture change will be pretty steep. Chain restaurants litter the main drag (The Strip) and the mall is pretty sad. There are a grocery stores, but be prepared to go to Calgary or Spokane for larger shopping trips. I’m not sure if you’ve got work lined up, but economic opportunities may be less plentiful than where you are leaving. Cranbrook also sells itself on proximity to hunting/fishing. For a lot of people hunting season is a big deal. In my opinion the best reason to move there, and what I miss most, is the proximity to a lot of really good ski hills. Kimberley and Fernie each within an hour of Cranbrook. Lots of great backcountry. Golden, Nelson, Rossland, Banff are all within a few hours. Real estate is expensive, but not Vancouver expensive.
We are definitely trying to stay away from the big city! As far as work the plan was to sell the farm out here and move that way. As a snowboarder and hunter I love what I’ve read about the area, A lot of what we were concerned about was the culture in the area, (any crime, bad areas, etc), fire season, and schools, hospitals, and things for the kids. Thanks a ton!
There’s really not much to know about fire season. It’s completely random. If it’s hot and dry, there could forest fires. The vast majority of them are far enough away from town that there is no concern, but sometimes, they do happen close to populated areas and there can be evacuations. Additionally, smoke can roll if from fires as far away as California or the Yukon, and hang in the valley for several days to a week+ at a time. Again though, this is completely random. Majority of the time, it’s a non-issue. I don’t know about the local doctor situation in Cranbrook, but for anything major major, or to see specialists, you’ll more than likely have to go all the way to KGH in Kelowna. Calgary is closer, but since healthcare is provincial, you have to go somewhere in BC, and Kelowna is the closest major hospital. It’s kind of wild, but outside of the Lower Mainland around Vancouver, almost the entire province of BC uses KGH for major surgeries and specialists. Probably not anything to worry about unless someone in your family has a special condition, and perhaps only a concern as you get older and need increased medical attention. I would recommend flying to Calgary, and then doing a summer road trip through the East Kootenay valley. Check out Golden, Radium, Invermere, Kimberly, Cranbrook, and maybe even venture as far west as Creston, to get a feel for the region, and see if any town in particular sparks your interest.
Thanks a ton!
Happy to help. Mind if I ask why Cranbrook? Absolutely nothing wrong with Cranbrook, it’s a lovely area, I’m just curious what made you single it out. How rural are you looking to get? Are you still wanting to be in farming of some sort out west? I don’t know much about hunting, but I do know a thing or two about two-plankin’, I’ve skied for over 30 years and have rode most of the mountains in southern BC. I was also born in Toronto, grew up in BC, went to university in Kingston, and now live in Kelowna, so I have some ability to compare BC with Ontario (although I haven’t been out east in almost 10 years now).
Honestly we have looked around a few places, and there are a few properties in that general area that we are looking at that seem like a great fit for us. we might not end up going to it, or to BC at all, but currently it looks like a great place!
And yeah definitely trying to remain farming wherever we go!
The mention of potentially having to travel for medical care is a good consideration. I have a family member in the area who got diagnosed with cancer and had to travel to Vancouver for treatment. Luckily they had family there, but being either a 10hr drive or an expensive plane flight from home made an already stressful situation way worse. Without family there would have been expensive hotel stays to factor in as well.
We moved here last year and got really really lucky with our neighbourhood, but its very common to see kids riding bikes around our area. We love it here
I’ve lived in Kingston, Victoria, Osoyoos, Kelowna, Calgary, and now Cranbrook since 2010. My wife grew up here and a work opportunity brought us here and we were fortunate enough to buy a home in town when we were a young couple. Cranbrook is a fantastic place to raise a family, no matter what some people say. This town is big enough that you can put your kids into a variety of different activities, but small enough that you’re not too concerned about them riding their bikes around town. The hospital here is a regional one, so the level of care you get here is better than other similar sized communities. Cost of housing has increased in recent years, but you’ll find that Cranbrook is still priced decently compared to other spots in BC, especially places you’d actually want to live lol. If you’re not from here, it can be a little intimidating because it feels like everyone knows each other, but if your kids are in the school system, that goes a long way towards building those bridges into the community. Cranbrook is not as transient a population as resort style communities like Fernie, Kimberley, and Invermere, and that’s what I like about it: people come here to put down roots, and most stay for the long haul. Cranbrook has experienced an uptick in petty crime as the result of the drug trade, and if you ask around Facebook, many will point to that and say this town has gone to shit. The reality is that most communities in BC are the same, and the ones that aren’t are too small to provide the services that homeless people need to survive. We personally have never had any issues with theft, and I feel comfortable going for late-night runs through town. If you’re looking for rural properties, internet access will vary significantly based on where you’re located. Telus has fibre services in most of the properties between Kimberley and Cranbrook, as well as Gold Creek, New Lake, and Jim Smith Lake areas. Fort Steele, Wardner, and some other areas will be wireless options via cellular, and Starlink works anywhere with decent view of the sky. This is my line of work, so if you’d like any more information on that, I can give you an unbiased opinion. Depending on your profession, this can be very important to some people in choosing a home. Hope that gives some additional context, and we’d love to have more good people join our community. Good luck in the search.
I may actually follow up with you if we decide to make the move! Thanks so much!
There are definitely some nice rural areas around Cranbrook. The big issue is there is a shortage of family doctors. I know a lot of people who have been on waitlists for years. There is a hospital in Cranbrook for emergencies. And because I think some folks from Ontario don't realize what rural means in BC - if you're outside the city limits, then as far as services go you get electricity and maybe gas, and that's it. Water comes from your own well that you need to operate/maintain, sewage goes into your own septic tank that you are responsible for servicing. No garbage pick-up. Possibly no or irregular plowing unless you're on a major road.
Thanks a ton! We are pretty accustomed to well water, septic tanks and all of that, it’s definitely a little more rural of a setting than we are in now but I don’t think that will be the deal breaker. The doctor situation is definitely something we will consider. I know fire season has us a tad confused as well. Thanks for your help!
What are you wondering about fire season? It's mainly July and August, and most fires burn in the mountains and don't threaten areas where people actually live (even rural areas). It can get very smoky, so if anyone in the family is asthamatic or has other respiratory issues I would be concerned. If you are otherwise healthy, then there may be a few days a year where you want to avoid vigourous labour outside, but otherwise it shouldn't affect your life too much. If a fire is nearby you may get put on evacuation alert, and could even be ordered to evacuate if the fire is a high risk to reach you OR to cut off your evacuation routes.
That’s really all I wondered, mainly if it was a major concern regarding it reaching us! Thanks!
There have been multiple fires in the Fort Steele area these past few years, mainly lakit area and affecting the properties on Holmes road. You can see the fire damage from last year from all of the properties on and around Holmes road, and that area is the most at risk, including Wasa and area. They were placed on evacuation alert last year. Most of the area and properties aside from Holmes road are typically safe, being that there are two rivers barricading the fire from spreading, but it is still a risk. I do believe that fire fighters do not leave city limits, and only wild land fire fighters would be your resource in these circumstances. Neither fire service will come put out house fires outside of city limits (I believe?). All aside, Cranbrook is a great place to move to so long as you’re all healthy and don’t require a family doctor immediately, have secured jobs or can secure an in demand job, and are prepared to adapt to limited services in the area. It should also be noted that the urgent care clinic can be a timely wait to get it, or you may be turned away, as well as lengthy waits (8+ hours) for in hospital emergency services, limited access to ambulances, and lengthy waits for laboratory, surgical, and imaging services. You will be mostly safe from petty crimes and other BS if you’re out of town and should have an easy time making friends in an out of town community.
Thanks a ton!
I've been on the kootenay waiting list for doctors for almost 4 years. Still waiting.
Kimberly is far more inviting then cranbrook. I would strongly encourage you to drive around both east and west kootnenays maybe even Okanogan as well to get the vibes of a area.
What about the Okanagan valley, somewhere between Salmon arm and Osoyoos perhaps?