Founded in 1913 as a divisional headquarters for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, Smithers is now home to just over 5,400 residents. The town is situated in northwest British Columbia’s fertile Bulkley Valley, midway between Prince Rupert and Prince George on Highway 16. In addition to this highway, CN Railway’s transcontinental route passes through Smithers to Prince Rupert. 

A town of all seasons, Smithers is the ideal home base for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy a wide array of recreational activities such as camping, hiking, fishing, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and much, much more. Smithers lies at the foot of 2,589 metre (8,494 ft) Hudson Bay Mountain, in the traditional territory of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation (People of the Lower Hills). The mountain is big in every dimension and has the potential to develop over 4,000 vertical feet of snow covered trails, placing it among the largest in North America.

Shops, restaurants, hotels and a full host of community support services help to make Smithers an ideal place for mountain living. It is the gateway for tourism in the region with nearly all outfitters, recreation operators and heli-ski operations using it as their base. As well, Smithers’ community services, amenities and expanding airport attract many of the northwest’s resource companies.

Smithers and the immediate region’s world-class fishing and hunting are known to many northern European and American outdoor adventure travelers. And although Smithers prides itself on being a four-season recreational paradise, the winter season in particular offers skiers and snowboarders access to fresh, unmarked powder snow conditions all day long – and to top it off, a line-up for the lift is a truly rare experience.

Economic Highlights

• The year 2007 saw population gains in the region for the first time in 10 years.
• Experiencing an economic resurgence, Smithers is now often referred to as the “Mining Centre of the North” with an influx of mining investment and a new container port down the rail line in Prince Rupert – helping its economy diversify and expand beyond forestry.
• Of the nearly $416 million worth of mineral exploration investment in the province in 2007, BC’s northwest region received $170.2 million, which represents the highest proportion of any region.
• The number of business incorporations grew by 26.9 percent in 2007 and although these are not all new businesses, it does provide a good indication of resident confidence in the economy, as well as higher business profits for established enterprises.
• Home prices increased by nearly 50 percent between 2005 and 2007, while the 2008 residential property assessments rose by an average of 26.6 percent.

Smithers is also home to the regional airport serving much of northwest BC, with Air Canada and Hawk Air offering daily flights to Vancouver. The airport is just five minutes from Main Street and this summer the runway is being lengthened and the latest navigation system installed with commercial jet service from new markets expected to follow.

Finally, Smithers is one of 29 communities that will be a direct recipient of a portion of the $250,000 in funding for an initiative that uses the 2008 and 2010 Winter Olympics as a venue for promoting Northern BC as a great place to live, work, invest and do business.