BUY BC BUSINESSES Business Buyer's Guide Kootenay Boundary Regions Spring 2015 | Page 12

Lots to Celebrate in The Elk Valley!

The ElkLots istogreat location for business and investment.
Valley a Celebrate in The Elk Valley!

The mountain culture is home to an abundance of outdoor recreation
opportunities and numerous amenities. Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and the
entire Elk Valley are well connected to the business world with a high quality
optic fiber network as well as Highway 3 and rail connections to the coast and
Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook. A well-established
logistics and freight industry provides transportation of goods in and out of
the valley.
Income levels are 29% higher than the Provincial average
providing large levels of disposable income to spend on
goods and services.
The principal highly concentrated business sectors include
coal mining, forestry, Industrial machinery, automotive parts
and accessories and both architectural and structural metal
manufacture. The robust number of traveller
accommodations, gas stations, beer and liquor stores
highlight that tourism is a well-developed sector.
Tax incentives for development are present in the form of no development cost charges in Elkford and
Sparwood as well as a revitalization tax exemption in Sparwood.
A healthy and diverse mix of residents across the communities has led to an equally rich spread of
businesses and success stories. The Elk Valley is home to artisan chocolate makers, coffee roasters,
internationally renowned restaurants, a world class ski resort, fly fish guiding companies, multi-national
engineering firms, a global resource extraction business, film-makers, a micro-brewery, an ice cream
maker; the list goes on and on…
The communities of Elkford, Sparwood, and Fernie, together, make up the Elk Valley. Although these
communities have a number of things in common, it is the cultural life in each that inspires their
individual community identity and pride.
The annual festivals and events, the creative talent, and the stories and customs unique to each community
not only build its personality but also contribute to the quality of life for its residents. The cultural life of the
Elk Valley communities ignites creative thinking and expression, facilitates
lifelong learning opportunities and provides occasions for all age groups to
connect.
An abundance of artists’ work can be found in galleries and shops throughout
Fernie where celebrations of its heritage can also be found when visiting the
museum or strolling along the Miners Walk. Sparwood celebrates its mining
heritage during its annual spring festival and by proudly displaying the Terex
Titan which, for 25 years, was the largest and highest capacity haul truck in the
world. In Elkford, the wealth of wildlife in and around the community
contributes to its wild-at-heart identity as does its annual summer festival that
celebrates one of the first pioneers in the Elkford area, Wildcat Charlie Weigert.