Back

Kootenay

Table of contents

Regional overview Population distribution Employment statistics

This region's industries and sectors B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2021-2031) for this region

View full profile

Latest numbers for this region in April 2022

Total regional population (age 15+): 140,400

Total regional employment: 80,700

Regional unemployment rate: 4.9 %

Total regional employment: 80,700

Source: Monthly Labour Force Survey, 3-month moving average, seasonally unadjusted

Regional overview

The Kootenay economic region is located in the southeast corner of the province, between the Rocky Mountains to the east, the United States to the south and the Thompson-Okanagan region to the north and west. Cranbrook is the largest population centre in the region.

Regional district	Key cities
Regional district Central Kootenay	Key cities Nelson, Castlegar, Creston
Regional district East Kootenay	Key cities Cranbrook, Kimberly, Fernie
Regional district Kootenay Boundary	Key cities Trail, Grand Forks

Key facts

Only a small proportion of B.C.’s population lives in Kootenay
Kootenay has the highest median age of all the economic regions
Unemployment in this region has consistently been higher than in the provincial unemployment rate.
Around a tenth of all Kootenay employment was in the Other Primary sector (forestry, mining, oil and gas, fishing, hunting and trapping) in 2019.
Kootenay has a high number of jobs in Goods-producing sector industries, the second highest proportion of any of the regions.

Population distribution

Regional district	Population
Central Kootenay	63,900
East Kootenay	65,800
Kootenay Boundary	33,400
Regional district total	163,100

Note:Regional district numbers may not add up to regional district total due to rounding.

Source: 2020 BC Stats (population)

Age distribution

Age
% by age for Kootenay
% by age for B.C.

0 - 14
15 - 24
25 - 54
55 - 64
65 - 90+

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment statistics

Full-time employment rate by region

Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland / Southwest
North Coast & Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island / Coast

Full-time employment rate

B.C. average: 79%

Kootenay employment (2020):

57,800

Total B.C. employment (2020):

1,965,700

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

10-year unemployment rate in Kootenay compared to B.C. rate (2010-2020)

British Columbia

Low:

4.7 %

High:

8.9 %

Unemployment rate (2020):

8.9 %

10-year average:

6.4 %

Kootenay

Low:

5.3 %

High:

9.6 %

Unemployment rate (2020):

9.6 %

10-year average:

7.3 %

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

This region's industries and sectors

Industry	Share of this region's employment	Share of B.C. employment	Sector
Accommodation and Food Services	Share of this region's employment 7.3 %	Share of B.C. employment 3.3 %	Sector Services
Agriculture and Fishing	Share of this region's employment 1.8 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.2 %	Sector Goods
Business, Building and Other Support Services	Share of this region's employment 3.0 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.4 %	Sector Services
Construction	Share of this region's employment 6.9 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.4 %	Sector Goods
Educational Services	Share of this region's employment 7.6 %	Share of B.C. employment 3.3 %	Sector Services
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate	Share of this region's employment 3.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 1.5 %	Sector Services
Forestry and Logging with Support Activities	Share of this region's employment 3.5 %	Share of B.C. employment 8.1 %	Sector Goods
Health Care and Social Assistance	Share of this region's employment 14.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 3.4 %	Sector Services
Information, Culture and Recreation	Share of this region's employment 3.5 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.5 %	Sector Services
Manufacturing	Share of this region's employment 9.3 %	Share of B.C. employment 4.3 %	Sector Goods
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction	Share of this region's employment 17.9 %	Share of B.C. employment 29.6 %	Sector Goods
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	Share of this region's employment 5.4 %	Share of B.C. employment 1.8 %	Sector Services
Public Administration	Share of this region's employment 6.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 3.9 %	Sector Services
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services	Share of this region's employment 2.8 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.1 %	Sector Services
Retail Trade	Share of this region's employment 23.6 %	Share of B.C. employment 3.2 %	Sector Services
Transportation and Warehousing	Share of this region's employment 3.5 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.0 %	Sector Services
Utilities	Share of this region's employment N/A	Share of B.C. employment N/A	Sector Goods
Wholesale Trade	Share of this region's employment 4.8 %	Share of B.C. employment 2.2 %	Sector Services

N/A - Data not available

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Goods and Services sectors

Share of employment in Goods and Service sectors (2020)

Goods Services

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Service sector

With the abundance of mountain ranges in Kootenay, including the Rocky Mountains, the region is a popular destination for skiers and nature lovers alike. Tourism activities create employment opportunities in the Accommodation and Food Services industry.

Goods sector

Most of Kootenay’s job in the Goods sector (Agriculture, Forestry, Mining, oil and gas, Fishing, hunting and trapping, Utilities, Construction and Manufacturing) are in Mining, particularly coal mining. Several hydroelectric dams, including the Seven Mile, Kootenay Canal, Waneta, Keenleyside and Brilliant dams, are located in the region, creating employment in the Utilities industry.

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2021-2031) for this region

Composition of job openings

New jobs due to economic growth:
20.0%
5,100 openings

Replacement of retiring workers:
80.0%
20,400 openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Employment outlook

2021
2026
2031

Forecasted 10-year total employment growth:	25,400
Forecasted average annual employment growth rate:	0.6%

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Top Ten occupations	Job openings	Employment growth
Top Ten occupations
Retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621)	Job openings 890	Employment growth 1.2%
Retail salespersons (NOC 6421)	Job openings 840	Employment growth 1.1%
Transport truck drivers (NOC 7511)	Job openings 650	Employment growth 0.5%
Administrative officers (NOC 1221)	Job openings 520	Employment growth 0.9%
Cashiers (NOC 6611)	Job openings 500	Employment growth 1.3%
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 3413)	Job openings 440	Employment growth 0.9%
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents (NOC 6733)	Job openings 430	Employment growth 0.7%
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012)	Job openings 430	Employment growth 0.6%
College and other vocational instructors (NOC 4021)	Job openings 380	Employment growth 2.9%
Accommodation service managers (NOC 0632)	Job openings 380	Employment growth 1.9%

View all high opportunity occupations

Top Ten industries	Job openings	Employment growth
Top Ten industries
Retail Trade	Job openings 3,900	Employment growth 1.3%
Health Care and Social Assistance	Job openings 3,400	Employment growth 1.5%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	Job openings 2,200	Employment growth 2.6%
Manufacturing	Job openings 2,200	Employment growth 0.4%
Accommodation and Food Services	Job openings 2,100	Employment growth 1.6%
Educational Services	Job openings 2,100	Employment growth 0.9%
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services	Job openings 1,300	Employment growth 1.8%
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction	Job openings 1,300	Employment growth 0.8%
Transportation and Warehousing	Job openings 1,200	Employment growth 1.6%
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate	Job openings 1,200	Employment growth 0.8%

Note:The Forestry and Logging with Support Activities industry includes support activities for Agriculture.

Top Industries for this region

Kootenay

Latest numbers for this region in April 2022

Regional overview

Key facts

Population distribution

Age distribution

Employment statistics

Full-time employment rate by region

Region

Unemployment rate

This region's industries and sectors

Goods and Services sectors

Share of employment in Goods and Service sectors (2020)

Service sector

Goods sector

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2021-2031) for this region

Composition of job openings

Employment outlook

Top Ten occupations