Electoral Area C, East KootenayBritish Columbia

Population 7,006: a town in British Columbia. Between 2016 and 2021, its population grew by 9%.

1 place within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain

Population

7,006

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

49.6

years · British Columbia’s towns: 48

Postsecondary

55%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

TownGrade

C⁺

#1,540 of 2,556

Is Electoral Area C, East Kootenay a good place to live?

Few people walk, cycle or take the bus to work (D). Overall, Electoral Area C, East Kootenay earns a C+, which places it #114 of 250 in British Columbia. On that grade it does better than 43% of Canadian towns. Work and incomes are strong (A−). The typical owner put their home at $576,000 in 2021: 5.7 years of the median household’s income. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for safety, C+ for schools and B for health.

Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.

Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.

StrongestA⁻Jobs & incomeWeakestDWalkability

What makes Electoral Area C, East Kootenay stand out

The 2 things Electoral Area C, East Kootenay does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Walk, cycle or transit to work

Getting around

2% walk, cycle or take transit

Half of Canadian towns are above 8%, half below

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Walkability

Behind 90%

of Canadian towns on walkability

Its walkability grade: D.

How Electoral Area C, East Kootenay grades

Each subject compares Electoral Area C, East Kootenay with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carDOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the strongest comparedA⁻Open →Cost of livingWeaker than most of the towns comparedCOpen →Hazard riskBased on seismic risk and radon tests, lowered where wildfire runs highC⁺Open →HealthResidents are healthier than in most townsBOpen →SafetyGraded on crime per residentBOpen →SchoolsNear typical for the towns comparedC⁺Open →

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay.

Work & commuteJobs & income A⁻

Commuters in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay have a short way to work, 23 min on average, less than in British Columbia’s towns and across Canadian towns

2%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van95%

Walk1%

Public transit1%

Bicycle0%

Census 2021	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Average trip	23 min	26 min	26 min

$100,000

median household income, 2020

18%

worked from home, May 2021

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment6.7% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work2% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to1,420 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Cranbrook

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.

Climate

Summer runs warm in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay: July highs of 26.9°C, above British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

A normal winter brings 133 cm of snow, above British Columbia’s towns (51 cm) but below Canadian towns (141 cm). Midwinter nights in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay bottom out at −10.1°C on average. Gardeners get 127 frost-free days, from 18 May to 23 September. The most precipitation falls in June: 62 mm in a normal year.

26.9°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−1.0°C

Spring12.8°C

Summer25.0°C

Autumn11.5°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Precipitation a year	386 mm	1,152 mm	883 mm
Days with frost a year	174	60	159
July afternoon high	26.9°C	23.1°C	25.5°C
January night low	−10.1°C	0.5°C	−13.5°C

133 cm

of snow a year

174

days with frost a year

127

frost-free days, 18 May to 23 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 26.9°C, January lows −10.1°C Rain and snow386 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow133 cm of snow a year Weather station16 km to the station · Cranbrook

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Cranbrook)

HousingCost of living C

More households own their home in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay than in British Columbia’s towns or across Canadian towns: 91%

11% of households spent 30% or more of their income on shelter, below both British Columbia’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).

$576,000median home value, 2021CCost of living Grade

What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay$576,000

British Columbia$720,000

Canadian towns$406,000

Census 2021	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Households spending 30%+ on shelter	11%	21%	18%
Households owning their home	91%	76%	74%
Rent as a share of income	18%	24%	20%
Median home value, 2021	$576,000	$720,000	$406,000

$1,472

monthly rent for a two-bedroom

$725

median monthly shelter cost for owners, 2021

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters91% own their home Cost of living5.7 times household income · The median owner’s estimate, $576,000, against the median household income Renting$1,472 a month · A two-bedroom apartment, CMHC’s survey

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates. · Rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom: the Cranbrook metro area

Natural hazardsHazard risk C⁺

High radon around Electoral Area C, East Kootenay: 19% of homes tested in the area exceed 200 Bq/m³

Wildfire is a moderate presence around Electoral Area C, East Kootenay: 6.2% of the land within 25 km has burned since 1986, 0.17% a year, short of the band that counts against Risk. Earthquakes are expected to cost $0.018 a year for every $1,000 of buildings, about level with Canadian towns ($0.030) and below British Columbia’s towns ($0.36). Flood mapping: none on the national inventory of the town.

Moderatewildfire bandC⁺Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay19%

British Columbia’s towns1.8%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	19%	1.8%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.018	$0.36	$0.030

$0.018

expected earthquake loss a year per $1,000 of buildings

Moderate

wildfire band

0.4 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Radon19% of tests above the guideline WildfireModerate wildfire band · 6.2% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.018 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Data for radon tests covers the East Kootenay health region

HealthHealth B

Very good or excellent health for 57% of adults around Electoral Area C, East Kootenay; the typical Canadian town: 52%

Source area for health survey and life expectancy: the East Kootenay Health Service Delivery Area

Smoking is commoner than in the province: 13% of adults, against 8.9% for British Columbia. On average 16% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, higher than British Columbia’s towns (15%) yet lower than Canadian towns (17%). Across the region, life runs to 80.5 years on average: women 82.7, men 78.1, in 2022/2024. Closer to home, a hospital is 10 km from the average resident of Electoral Area C, East Kootenay, further than the usual 3.7 km.

57%very good or excellent healthBHealth Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay57%

British Columbia’s towns50%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Very good or excellent health	57%	50%	52%
Smokers	13%	9%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	16%	15%	17%
Life expectancy at birth	80.5	81.0	81.5

80.5

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

10 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

13%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

10 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey57% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting careA pharmacy 10 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 82.7, men 78.1 Conditions and habits16% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities

SafetySafety B

The police who cover Electoral Area C, East Kootenay record less serious crime than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: a Crime Severity Index of 56

These figures come from the closest detachment: none reports for Electoral Area C, East Kootenay itself

Property crime in its police area ran at 19.2 per 1,000 residents a year, below British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2) alike. Its police area records 14.1 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Electoral Area C, East Kootenay shares its Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 numbers with the rest of the Cranbrook detachment area.

56Crime Severity Index

Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year

202361

202457

202550

2023–2025	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Property crime per 1,000	19.2	31	31.2
Crime Severity Index	56	83	67
Violent Crime Severity Index	70	76	86
Violent crime	14.1	12.5	12

non-violent Crime Severity Index

25%

of incidents cleared, 2023–25

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s safety reportOpen the full Safety report

Safety56 Crime Severity Index · The index weighs each crime Electoral Area C, East Kootenay’s police recorded by how serious it is.Questions“Is Electoral Area C, East Kootenay safe?”

Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average

SchoolsSchools C⁺

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay’s teenagers travel 4.6 km to the nearest high school

On results, 7 of its 11 tested schools sit in the lower two fifths in British Columbia. Young children have 2.7 km to the nearest elementary school, higher than both British Columbia’s towns (0.6 km) and Canadian towns (0.5 km).

12schools within 3 kmC⁺Schools Grade

School	Level	Students	System
Pinewood Elementary Bottom fifth in British ColumbiaNearest elementary school, 0 kmElementary	Elementary	–	English public
St Mary's Catholic Independent CatholicResults in the top fifth in British ColumbiaElementary	Elementary	–	Independent

See all 12 schools →

Schools by system · Schools within 3 km

English public10

Independent2

Schools within 3 km	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Nearest secondary school	4.6 km	1.8 km	1.2 km
Nearest elementary school	2.7 km	0.6 km	0.5 km

4.6 km

to the nearest secondary school

2.7 km

to the nearest elementary school

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Every school12 schools within 3 km · 11 elementary schools and 1 alternative or adult school Results1 of 11 in the top two fifths · of the schools with results, placed against every school in British Columbia Language0 of 12 teach in French · 2% of schools in British Columbia Questions“What schools are there in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay?”

Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26

Who lives here

More of Electoral Area C, East Kootenay’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 8.7%

The 65-and-over age group makes up 23% of residents. 1.2% of residents belong to a visible minority, below both British Columbia’s towns (8.6%) and Canadian towns (15%).

49.6median age

Electoral Area C, East KootenayBritish ColumbiaCanada

British ColumbiaCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

23%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree14%

Postsecondary qualification55%

Women and men · all residents

48.8% of Electoral Area C, East Kootenay’s residents are women

3,190 women and 3,350 men at the 2021 census; across Canada, women are 50.9%.

Who lives in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay
	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Under 15	15%	14%	16%
15 to 64	62%	64%	64%
65+	23%	21%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	14%	13%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	55%	56%	56%

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Immigrants9% are immigrants · 1% belong to a visible minority Ages49.6 median age · 23% are 65 or over Households2,595 households · 2.5 people per household English and French5% speak both · 0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; British Columbia and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Weather

In Electoral Area C, East Kootenay, November normally means 3°C afternoons and −5°C nights

ECCC’s forecast for Cranbrook is on the Weather page, hour by hour. November normally sees 35 mm of precipitation. Expect around 24 cm of snow in November. December follows at −3°C by day and −10°C by night.

3°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November3°C

December−3°C

January−2°C

February2°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−1°C	−10°C	81 mm
Spring	13°C	0°C	92 mm
Summer	25°C	10°C	122 mm
Autumn	12°C	0°C	91 mm

−5°C

a normal November night

35 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Cranbrook); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Rob Morrison (Conservative Party of Canada) represents Electoral Area C, East Kootenay in Ottawa as MP for Columbia—Kootenay—Southern Rockies

Across British Columbia, 20 of the 43 MPs sit with the Liberal Party of Canada.

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itRegional District Electoral Area Provincial legislatureKootenay-Rockies

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A⁻

No public library stands in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay: the closest, Cranbrook Public Library, is 4.8 km away

After it comes Kimberley Public Library (Kimberley), 29 km away.

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong0 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Step out of Electoral Area C, East Kootenay into Jimsmith Lake Park

32 protected areas lie within 10 km. The nearest national park is Banff National Park, 68 km away. Of the land within 10 km, 2.3% has protected status, below British Columbia’s towns (6.7%) and close to Canadian towns (2.3%).

2.3%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay2.3%

British Columbia’s towns6.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	2.3%	6.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	14	14	4

68 km

to Banff National Park

At the edge

to Jimsmith Lake Park

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas32 protected areas within 10 km · Top of the World Park National & provincial parks68 km to a national park · Banff National Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

History

2 historic places in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay, one of them a top designation

Homes from before 1961 make up 7.1% of the stock, below British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%) alike. The earliest construction date, 1864, belongs to Fort Steele. Counted by designation, there are a provincial or municipal listing.

2historic places

Historic places by designation · inside the town

Highest designations1

Other federal designations0

Provincial and local listings1

Among them

Fort Steele (9851 BC-95) 1887

1864

oldest construction date on the record

7.1%

of homes built before 1961 · Canadian towns 18%

Heritage	Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	British Columbia	Canada
Homes built before 1961	7.1%	11%	18%

Full pageElectoral Area C, East Kootenay’s history pageOpen the full History page

On the registers2 historic places inside the town Highest designationsFort Steele (9851 BC-95)Older homes7.1% built before 1961 · Canadian towns: 18%Questions“How many historic places does Electoral Area C, East Kootenay have?”

Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period

Nearby attractions

Fort Steele and 3 more in and around Electoral Area C, East Kootenay

Museums, historic sites, parks, gardens and days out in and near Electoral Area C, East Kootenay, the best known first.

All attractions →

FortFort Steelein town MuseumMuseumWasa Hotel Museumin town MuseumMuseumCanadian Museum of Rail Travel400 m outside town, to the north MuseumMuseumCranbrook History Centre700 m outside town, to the north

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (1)

Fort Steele: Ken Thomas, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Electoral Area C, East Kootenay

15pages on Electoral Area C, East Kootenay

The big questions

SafetyBCrime Severity Index 56 Housing & costCHomes 5.7 × income Property pricesSchoolsC⁺12 schools within 3 km HealthBLife expectancy 80.5 in its region Work & commuteA⁻56% of adults in work Natural hazardsC⁺Wildfire band: moderate

Out and about

Outdoors2.3% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 27°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 49.6 History2 places on the heritage registers Town hallFamous people

Famous people from around Electoral Area C, East Kootenay

2 notable people were born in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.

Their page →

Frank StojackAmerican football player, politician and professional wrest… · 1912–1987

Frank M. McMahonCanadian businessman · 1902–1986

Steve YzermanCanadian ice hockey player · born in Cranbrook · born 1965

Archibald MacKinnonCanadian rower · born in Cranbrook · 1937–2026

Ben RutledgeCanadian rower · born in Cranbrook · born 1980

Bowen ByramCanadian ice hockey player · born in Cranbrook · born 2001

Photo credits

Frank Stojack: Unknown author, Public domain · Steve Yzerman: Don Bigileone, CC BY 2.0 · Bowen Byram: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada

CranbrookElectoral Area C, East Kootenay

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Electoral Area C, East Kootenay	7,006	—	C⁺	C	B	B
Cranbrook	22,703	4.4	C	D	D	B⁺

People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Electoral Area C, East Kootenay

Who are the people of Electoral Area C, East Kootenay?

At the 2021 census, 9% were immigrants and 1% belonged to a visible minority (Canadian towns’ median: 15%). 9% identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.

Has Electoral Area C, East Kootenay grown?

Yes: the census counted 6,021 in 2016 and 6,536 in 2021, a rise of 8.6%, against 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 7,006.

What kind of homes are in Electoral Area C, East Kootenay?

Single-detached houses make up 83% of the homes here, where Canadian towns sit at 64%; 0% are in high-rise apartments. 20% of households are one person, and the average is 2.5.

How old are the people of Electoral Area C, East Kootenay?

The median resident is 49.6 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 15% are under 15 and 23% are 65 or over.

About Electoral Area C, East Kootenay

Town in British Columbia

Electoral Area C, East Kootenay is a municipality in British Columbia, read by TownRatings as Statistics Canada draws it: one census subdivision, so its figures cover the whole municipality.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 7,006 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: British Columbia
Census division: East Kootenay
Metro area: Cranbrook
Census subdivision: 5901035

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).