How Fort St. John Is Good for Business and Good for Quality of Life
Canadians seeking a lifestyle that values business success and quality of life will love Fort St. John, British Columbia’s best-kept secret.
Business owners and investors love Fort St. John. It’s a tightknit community where you can get to know your customers, with affordable rents, a city government that supports innovation and entrepreneurial success, honest business tax rates, and affordable (and quickly approved) development permits.
Fort St. John, the largest city in northeastern B.C., is a city full of energy, literally. It’s called B.C.’s Energy Capital, a resource-rich region that helps the community boast one of the country’s highest standards of living, with a median household income of $106,000 — the second highest in B.C. and seventh highest in Canada. The city’s population of 21,500 (69,000 if the surrounding area is included) is dynamic, young, and full of entrepreneurial spirit. With affordable housing and a dozen public schools, your lifestyle and education needs are covered. And with more than 300 days of sunshine each year, you’ll always have a spring in your step.
An attractive place to set up shop
Fort St. John is built on oil and gas, mining operations, forestry, and agriculture, which contributes to stable employment, including fast-growing opportunities in the service and retail trades. Countless economic development and infrastructure projects are on the go, including commercial and industrial parks, resource development, planned residential communities and a downtown revitalization to support a thriving, livable downtown. Two post-secondary campuses in Fort St. John ensure an educated and skilled workforce. Business owners and investors love Fort St. John. It’s a tight-knit community where you can get to know your customers, with affordable rents, a city government that supports innovation and entrepreneurial success, honest business tax rates, and affordable (and quickly approved) development permits. With daily flights to major cities, including Vancouver and Calgary, highways and rail networks, and connections to major Pacific ports, getting to Fort St. John is easy.
Work-life balance for real
It’s not all work, though. Fort St. John walks the walk on work-life balance. As the city is located in the heart of the beautiful Peace River Regional District, residents can take advantage of four distinct seasons and access to endless outdoor recreational opportunities, from camping and lakeside fun in the summer to sledding, ice fishing, and cross-country skiing in the winter. And over 25 kilometres of trails that weave throughout the city and the many parks and green spaces are waiting to be explored.
If the indoors is more your thing, Fort St. John has that, too, including an indoor speed skating oval, hockey arenas, a curling rink, running tracks, and a swimming pool. And the city’s vibrant arts community is supported by galleries and the 413-seat theatre at the North Peace Cultural Centre.