Regional Pilot - Community Profiles
This page was last updated on September 2, 2021.
The Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Regional Pilot, formally launched in March 2019 (Phase 1), has been extended in March 2021 to March 31, 2024 (Phase 2).
Communities that participated in Phase 1 are in the process of confirming their ongoing participation for Phase 2. Communities are also confirming priority sectors. Therefore, the information on the Community Profile page including participating communities and economic priorities is subject to change. The final list of communities will be updated in Fall 2021.
Some communities continue to welcome inquiries from prospective applicants. We ask interested parties to respect and follow a community’s specific process when contacting communities directly. Some communities may be focused on other priorities and may not be able to respond immediately.
The
temporary pause for new registrations to the EI Base category does NOT affect individuals who may be interested in, or who have submitted a registration or application to the EI Regional Pilot.
If you have questions about the EI Regional Pilot, please contact
En.Imm@gov.bc.ca.
The federal government has implemented travel restrictions for air and land travel. Given the travel restrictions, you may be unable to travel to B.C. to conduct the exploratory visit. For more information, please see
our COVID-19 Updates page.
Before considering the Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot, you should familiarize yourself with the program criteria and check your eligibility. Please refer to the
Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot Program Guide for more information, including details on ineligible businesses.
Enrolled communities by Development Regions:
Cariboo
Kootenay
Nechako
North Coast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Community Profiles (alphabetically listed):
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Akisqnuk First Nation
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Information:
Population: 140
Google Map |
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Priority Sectors:
541 – Professional, scientific and technical services
721 – Accommodation services
621 – Ambulatory health care services |
Regional Description:
The Columbia Valley stretches from the Headwaters of the Columbia River to Spillimacheen, including Area F & G, the villages of Canal Flats & Radium Hot Springs, the District of Invermere, and includes the shared territory of the Akisqnuk First Nation and Shuswap Indian Band. |
Community Description:
A thriving, modern, First Nation Community of approximately 300 members, the Akisqnuk First Nation covers over 8,000 acres of some of the most picturesque land in the Columbia Valley. In fact, almost the entire distance between Windermere and Fairmont Hot Springs crosses the Akisqnuk First Nation.
Community website: http://www.akisqnuk.org
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/first-nations/akisq-nuk-first-nation/ |
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Invermere
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Information:
Population: 3,391
Google Map |
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Priority Sectors:
541 – Professional, scientific and technical services
721 – Accommodation services
621 – Ambulatory health care services |
Regional Description:
The Columbia Valley stretches from the Headwaters of the Columbia River to Spillimacheen, including Area F & G, the villages of Canal Flats & Radium Hot Springs, the District of Invermere, and includes the shared territory of the Akisqnuk First Nation and Shuswap Indian Band. |
Community Description:
Invermere-on-the-Lake is on the northern shore of Lake Windermere, offering a vibrant downtown and seasonal farmers market, a hospital, high school, community college, many professional services offices, the new Columbia Valley Centre and two public beach areas.
Community website: http://www.invermere.net/
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/east-kootenay/invermere/ |
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Nelson
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Information:
Population: 10,572
Google Map |
Contact:
info@discovernelson.com
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Priority Sectors:
321 – Wood product manufacturing
339 – Miscellaneous manufacturing
541 – Professional, scientific and technical services |
Community Description:
Nelson and area is one of B.C.’s richest resource regions. Nelson’s climate, location, & quality workforce have helped create a robust diverse economy including tourism, retail, food & beverage, education, health services, manufacturing, and technology.
Community website: http://www.nelson.ca | http://www.discovernelson.com
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/central-kootenay/nelson/ |
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Radium Hot Springs
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Information:
Population: 776
Google Map |
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Priority Sectors:
541 – Professional, scientific and technical services
721 – Accommodation services
321 – Wood product manufacturing |
Regional Description:
The Columbia Valley stretches from the Headwaters of the Columbia River to Spillimacheen, including Area F & G, the villages of Canal Flats & Radium Hot Springs, the District of Invermere, and includes the shared territory of the Akisqnuk First Nation and Shuswap Indian Band. |
Community Description:
Radium’s vision is to be an authentic, environmentally-focused mountain resort community with a dynamic mix of full-time population, daytime enterprise, and recreational property owners, expanding atmospheric tourism services, and a long list of community and valley recreational pursuit that drives motivation to visit or move to the area.
Community website: http://radiumhotsprings.ca
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/east-kootenay/radium-hot-springs/ |
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Regional District of Central Kootenay (Area J)
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Information:
Population: 3,500
Regional District Map |
Contact:
edm@castlegar.com |
Priority Sectors:
113 – Forestry and logging
236 – Construction of buildings
623 – Nursing and residential care facilities |
Regional Description:
The Regional District of Central Kootenay – Area J includes the communities of Ootischenia, Robson, Renata, Deer Park, Brooklyn, Shields, Raspberry, Syringa and Fairview. |
Community Description:
Located across the river from Castlegar, Area J is projected to be among the Kootenay's fastest growing communities in the next 20 years. The region's main economic drivers are Forestry, Education and Transport.
Community website: https://www.rdck.ca | https://www.caded.ca
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/central-kootenay/ |
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Regional District of East Kootenay (Area F)
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Information:
Population: 2,726
Google Map |
Contact:
cvced@rdek.bc.ca |
Priority Sectors:
541 – Professional, scientific and technical services
721 – Accommodation services
311 – Food manufacturing |
Regional Description:
The Columbia Valley stretches from the Headwaters of the Columbia River to Spillimacheen, including Area F & G, the villages of Canal Flats & Radium Hot Springs, the District of Invermere, and includes the shared territory of the Akisqnuk First Nation and Shuswap Indian Band. |
Community Description:
The small community of Windermere sits on the eastern shore of Lake Windermere, where the population swells in the summer. The world¹s largest outdoor mineral hot pool drew the first visitors to Fairmont Hot Springs more than 100 years ago, with 3 golf courses, downhill skiing and accommodation surrounding it. Panorama is a world-class four-season resort with skiing, snowboarding, cross-country, biking and hiking trails. Columbia Lake is wrapped by a mix of large ranches, small communities and a Ktunaxa Cultural Landscape.
Community website: http://livecolumbiavalley.ca/
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/east-kootenay/ |
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Regional District of East Kootenay (Area G)
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Information:
Population: 1,462
Google Map |
Contact:
cvced@rdek.bc.ca |
Priority Sectors:
541 – Professional, scientific and technical services
721 – Accommodation services
311 – Food manufacturing |
Regional Description:
The Columbia Valley stretches from the Headwaters of the Columbia River to Spillimacheen, including Area F & G, the villages of Canal Flats & Radium Hot Springs, the District of Invermere, and includes the shared territory of the Akisqnuk First Nation and Shuswap Indian Band. |
Community Description:
The hamlets of Edgewater, Brisco & Spillimacheen lie north of Radium Hot Springs. The villages offers collectively offer general stores, gas stations, post offices, community halls and a Royal Canadian Legion. The Columbia River, Purcell Mountains and surrounding forests inspire a thriving wood product manufacturing, agriculture and arts community.
Community website: http://livecolumbiavalley.ca/
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/east-kootenay/ |
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Regional District of Kootenay Boundary - Electoral Area E (West Boundary)*
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Information:
Population: 2,155
Area Profile |
Contact:
pnp@riversidecentre.coop |
Priority Sectors*:
713 – Amusement, gambling and recreation industries (excluding 7132 – Gambling industries)
*721 – Accommodation services (Intake closed)
722 – Food services and drinking places
* The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary - Electoral Area E (West Boundary) will no longer be accepting applications for sector 721 – Accommodation services, effective June 1, 2020. Applications that are currently in process will not be impacted. |
Community Description:
The West Boundary is cowboy country. We value our accessible wilderness with beautiful mountains, rangelands, rivers & forests close to large markets. Friendly people in eight communities (Rock Creek, Beaverdell, Bridesville, Mount Baldy, Idabel Lake, Big White, Westbridge/Christian Valley and Jewel Lake) welcome visitors’ enjoyment of nature on ski hills and trails.
Trade and Invest website: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/communities/british-columbia/kootenay/kootenay-boundary/ |