Fort Nelson is a town of approximately 5000 residents in
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
's northeastern corner. It is the administrative centre of the newly-formed Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, a first for BC. The majority of Fort Nelson's economic activities have historically been concentrated in the
energyPetroleum production in Canada is a major industry which is important to the economy of North America. Canada is the seventh largest oil producing country in the world. In 2008 it produced an average of of crude oil, crude bitumen and natural gas condensate. Of that amount, 48% was conventional...
and tourism industries, and until very recently, forestry. The forests surrounding Fort Nelson are part of Canada's
boreal forestCanada's boreal forest comprises about one third of the circumpolar boreal forest that rings the northern hemisphere, mostly north of the 50th parallel. Other countries with boreal forest include Russia, which contains the majority, and the Scandinavian and Nordic countries . The boreal region in...
.
Fort Nelson is a town of approximately 5000 residents in
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
's northeastern corner. It is the administrative centre of the newly-formed Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, a first for BC. The majority of Fort Nelson's economic activities have historically been concentrated in the
energyPetroleum production in Canada is a major industry which is important to the economy of North America. Canada is the seventh largest oil producing country in the world. In 2008 it produced an average of of crude oil, crude bitumen and natural gas condensate. Of that amount, 48% was conventional...
and tourism industries, and until very recently, forestry. The forests surrounding Fort Nelson are part of Canada's
boreal forestCanada's boreal forest comprises about one third of the circumpolar boreal forest that rings the northern hemisphere, mostly north of the 50th parallel. Other countries with boreal forest include Russia, which contains the majority, and the Scandinavian and Nordic countries . The boreal region in...
. Fort Nelson is just on the southwest edge of the
Greater Sierra oil & gas fieldGreater Sierra is a large oil and gas field in northeastern British Columbia, Canada.It is located east and north from the town of Fort Nelson, all the way to the Alberta and Northwest Territories borders .Drilling activity takes place largely during the winter months, when the otherwise soft...
.
The town lies east of the Northern
Rocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in Canada, to New Mexico, in the United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert in Colorado at above sea level...
in the Peace River region, directly along the
Alaska HighwayThe Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II and connects the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It runs from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. Completed in 1943, it was long, but is becoming shorter due to rerouting...
at mile 300. Year round, the town is home to over 4500 residents while 1600 additional residents settle in the surrounding area, which includes the Fort Nelson First Nations reserve. There are about 500 members living on the reserve, and across the region as a whole Aboriginal people make up approximately 15% of the total population.
The community experiences significant seasonal population increases. In winter, drilling rig activities bring in another 2000-5000 seasonal residents and during the summer tourist season (April through September) about 140000 visitors travel through the municipality, most on their way to or from Alaska.
History
Fort Nelson was established as a
trading postA trading post is a place where the trading of goods takes place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, is known as a trade route....
in 1805 by the
North West CompanyThe North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
. It was named in honour of Lord Horatio Nelson.
The
Fort Nelson AirportFort Nelson Airport, , is located east northeast of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.-Airlines and destinations:-See also:*Fort Nelson Water Aerodrome*Fort Nelson/Gordon Field Airport*Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport...
was built in 1941 as part of the
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Northwest Air Staging RouteThe Northwest Staging Route was a series of airstrips, airports and radio ranging stations built in British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during World War II....
.
Attractions
- In Fort Nelson
- Fort Nelson Heritage Museum
- Canadian Open Dog Sled Races (January)
- Heritage Days (February)
- Trappers' Rendezvous (March)
- Trade Show (May)
- Fall Fair & Rodeo (August)
- Canoeing
Canoeing is the activity of paddling a canoe for the purpose of recreation , sport, or transportation. It usually refers exclusively to using a paddle to propel a canoe with only human muscle power...
down the Fort Nelson RiverThe Fort Nelson River is located in north-eastern British Columbia, Canada. It flows 517 km generally north-westward to the Liard River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean...
- In the Northern Rockies
- Liard Hot Springs
Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the second largest hot spring in Canada. The park is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. The community of Liard River, British Columbia is located nearby.-History and...
- Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park
Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the north-eastern part of the province, 90 km north-west from Fort Nelson and it is bordered to the north by the Alaska Highway...
- Smith River Falls
- Wokkpash Recreation Area
- Muncho Lake
Muncho Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the Alaska Highway as it transits the northernmost Canadian Rockies west of Fort Nelson. The park is part of the larger Muskwa-Kechika Management Area....
(of blue-green color, due to glacial flourRock flour, or glacial flour, consists of clay-sized particles of rock, generated by glacial erosion or by artificial grinding to a similar size...
)
- Rafting
Rafting or whitewater rafting is a challenging recreational activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers...
on the Liard RiverThe Liard River flows through the Yukon Territory, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Rising in the Saint Cyr Range of the Pelly Mountains in southeastern Yukon, it flows 1,115 km southeast through British Columbia, marking the northern end of the Rocky Mountains and...
On 18 June, 2005, people in Fort Nelson held a water balloon fight with over 40000 water balloons being tossed in less than three minutes. At the time, it was a world record.
Youtube Community Updates
In an effort to keep the community informed of current developments, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Councillor Doug Roper began an independent, no budget weekly video series exhibiting various events and organizations around town. The non-profit segments are featured weekly on Ken Johnson's fortnelsonstuff.com and can be viewed directly on
YouTubeYouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. Three former PayPal employees created YouTube in February 2005. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google...
.
Demographics
Fort Nelson had a population of 4,514 people in 2006, which was an increase of 7.8% from the 2001 census count. The median household income in 2005 for Fort Nelson was $83,188, which is above the British Columbia provincial average of $52,709.
Geography
Fort Nelson lies at the confluence of
Fort Nelson RiverThe Fort Nelson River is located in north-eastern British Columbia, Canada. It flows 517 km generally north-westward to the Liard River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, which empties into the Arctic Ocean...
(which took the name from the town),
Muskwa RiverThe Muskwa River flows 257 km through northern British Columbia, Canada. It is a major tributary of the Fort Nelson River - part of the Mackenzie River system. The river rises at Fern Lake in the Bedaux Pass in the Northern Rocky Mountains. From there, it flows generally east, then north, and...
and Prophet River.
Roads
The town is located along Highway 97 (
Alaska HighwayThe Alaska Highway was constructed during World War II and connects the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada. It runs from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska, via Whitehorse, Yukon. Completed in 1943, it was long, but is becoming shorter due to rerouting...
), south of the intersection with
Highway 77The Liard Highway, numbered Highway 77 in British Columbia and Highway 7 in the Northwest Territories, is a highway in Canada, which forms the sole paved road connection between B.C. and the Northwest Territories....
.
Greyhound CanadaGreyhound Canada is the prominent operator of inter-city coach services in Canada. Greyhound Canada is a subsidiary of Scotland's FirstGroup plc, linked with Dallas-based Greyhound Lines .-History:In 1929, Greyhound Canada was founded as Canadian Greyhound Coaches, Limited, operating in Alberta...
operates a bus depot in the town.
Air
Fort Nelson is primarily served by the
Fort Nelson AirportFort Nelson Airport, , is located east northeast of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.-Airlines and destinations:-See also:*Fort Nelson Water Aerodrome*Fort Nelson/Gordon Field Airport*Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport...
, with several smaller airstrips in close proximity:
- Fort Nelson/Gordon Field Airport
Fort Nelson/Gordon Field Airport, , is located near to Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.-See also:*Fort Nelson Airport*Fort Nelson Water Aerodrome*Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport...
- Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport
Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport,
- Fort Nelson (Parker Lake) Water Aerodrome
Fort Nelson Water Aerodrome, , is located west northwest of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.-See also:*Fort Nelson Airport*Fort Nelson/Gordon Field Airport*Fort Nelson/Mobil Sierra Airport...
External links