Fort Nelsonin Northern Rockies, British Columbia

Renting in Fort Nelson costs 13% of household income, less than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns

Owners make up 69% of households, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (76%) and Canadian towns (74%).

Crime runs heavier where Fort Nelson is policed than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns, at an index of 264

Measured across the Northern Rockies detachment area: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000

Where it is policed, thefts, break-ins and damage came to 89 per 1,000 a year, above both British Columbia’s towns (31) and Canadian towns (31.2). Violent crime in the area its police cover: 69.3 per 1,000 people a year.

Fort Nelson has colder winters than British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: January lows of −24.4°C

July is the wettest month, with 81 mm of rain and snow on average. There are 213 days of frost in a typical year, above British Columbia’s towns (60) and Canadian towns (159) alike. The frost-free season runs from 15 May to 14 September, 121 days. Expect July highs of around 23.3°C in Fort Nelson.

Commuters in Fort Nelson have a short way to work, 15 min on average, less than in British Columbia’s towns and Canadian towns

The car took 93% of commuters, above both British Columbia’s towns (87%) and Canadian towns (89%).

Fort Nelson’s region trails the typical Canadian town by 4.6 years: life expectancy 76.9

The region has more smokers than British Columbia, 13% of adults to 8.9%. The survey finds 43% of adults in very good or excellent health, below British Columbia’s towns (50%) and Canadian towns (52%) alike. For Fort Nelson itself the measure is access, and it lags: 8.1 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. For health survey and life expectancy, the only official count covers all of the Northeast Health Service Delivery Area, Fort Nelson included.

Protected land around Fort Nelson beats nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns

The tally of protected areas open to the public within 10 km is 36, above both British Columbia’s towns (14) and Canadian towns (4). A drive of 82 km reaches Nahanni National Park Reserve, the nearest national park. Some protected land is inside the town: 9.8% of its area.

More of Fort Nelson’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in British Columbia’s towns or Canadian towns: 24%

20% are under 15, above British Columbia’s towns (14%) and Canadian towns (16%) alike. People 65 and over make up 13% of the town.

Fort Nelson has 2 of its 4 tested schools in the top fifth in British Columbia

Counting a 3 km margin, Fort Nelson has 5 elementary schools and 1 secondary school.

In Fort Nelson, November normally means −8°C afternoons and −16°C nights

November usually brings some 39 cm of snow. A normal December brings highs of −14°C, lows of −22°C. Rain and snow over a typical November come to 29 mm. July brings the warmest days, 23°C; January the coldest nights, −24°C.

Fort Nelson sends Bob Zimmer (Conservative Party of Canada) to the Commons from Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies

20 of the 43 MPs from British Columbia belong to the Liberal Party of Canada.

Fort Nelson has one public library, Fort Nelson Public Library

Fort Nelson Public Library has one location for the 4,696 people it serves.

Hazards in Fort Nelson: wildfire moderate, radon over the guideline in 10% of tested homes

Some 5.1% of the land within 25 km of Fort Nelson has burned since 1986; at 0.13% a year that is moderate, not high. The expected yearly loss to earthquakes is $0.023 for each $1,000 of buildings, lower than British Columbia’s towns ($0.36) and near Canadian towns ($0.030). The national flood inventory has no study of the town. Nobody publishes radon tests for Fort Nelson alone, so this card uses the figure for the Northeast health region.

Heritage in Fort Nelson

Older housing, built before 1961, accounts for 4.7% of homes, lower than both British Columbia’s towns (11%) and Canadian towns (18%).