Fernie BC Real Estate Info

Moving to Fernie BC

Fernie BC is currently undergoing a lot of change as we are becoming a popular destination for both visitors and those looking to relocate here because of our envious lifestyle.

One of the major items that has affected Fernie's growth was the sale of Fernie Snow Valley to the Lake Louise Group in May of 1997. The additional focus on Fernie BC because of this has definitely impacted our current real estate market and has also accelerated the development of new subdivisions in town and at Fernie Alpine Resort.

All of the plans have been developed in phases with build out being targeted anywhere from five to fifteen years, depending on market strength. More specific to the developments within the city itself, if all developers are able to see their plans fully completed we will gain around 2,000 new housing units. These numbers don't take into account infill and reconstruction in the existing subdivisions. To keep things in perspective, Fernie currently has about 2,500 housing units.

The general indication from the developers is they are targeting recreational home owners - either as a second home (increasing our non resident "shadow" population) or as relocations for people choosing Fernie for its lifestyle. Some are bringing their business interests with them while others are retiring here. In any event, the typical client is looking at Fernie for its lifestyle offerings as they are quite active and are enjoying skiing, golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, arts and culture, etc. This changing trend in our demographics makes it difficult to project our population potential.

The 1991 Canada Census showed a population of 5,012 and the 1996 stats showed a population of 4,877; effectively indicating a shrinking population. However, recent estimates indicate our population has again climbed over the 5,200 mark. What the stats don't show is the influx of seasonal residents, particularly in the winter when our rental unit vacancy rate is at zero, nor does it indicate the number of people owning and using their homes as recreational properties.