SafekipediaFort St. John, British Columbia
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Fort St. John is a city in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest city in the Peace River Regional District and covers an area of about 22 km2 (8.5 sq mi). According to the 2021 Census, the city has 21,465 residents.
The city was established in 1794 as a trading post, making it the oldest European-established settlement in present-day British Columbia. It is located at Mile 47 of the Alaska Highway, between Dawson Creek, British Columbia and Delta Junction, Alaska, and is one of the largest cities along this route.
Fort St. John is served by the Fort St. John Airport. The city’s slogan is Fort St. John: The Energetic City, reflecting its lively community spirit.
History
The first trading post in the area was called Rocky Mountain Fort. It was built by traders from the North West Company after explorer Sir Alexander Mackenzie visited in 1793. This fort closed around 1805, and then Fort St. John was built a year later. In 1821, the North West Company joined with the Hudson's Bay Company, which took over the fort. Sadly, in 1823, some Northern Athapaskan people became upset with the company's trading rules and killed several workers. The fort stayed closed for many years until it reopened in 1860. It was later named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1958.
In 1925, the town moved to a new place near Fish Creek. During World War II, Fort St. John helped build the Alaska Highway. The town grew as more people moved there, especially when the oil and gas industry boomed. By 1966, thousands of people lived there. In 1971, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited and were welcomed by around 4,000 people.
Geography
Fort St. John is located on the western edge of the Canadian prairies, between the Peace River and Beatton River, with Charlie Lake nearby. It sits at an elevation of 690 metres in a valley near the eastern foothills of the Muskwa and Hart Ranges of the Northern Rockies. To the east and north are prairies, while the Rocky Mountains lie to the west.
The city has a cold humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. It is one of the sunniest places in British Columbia, especially in winter and spring. Because it lies east of the Rocky Mountains, Fort St. John shares a climate more similar to the prairies than to other parts of British Columbia. This allows for farming of crops like wheat and canola, which cannot grow in most of the province. The city uses Mountain Standard Time all year and experiences short winter days and long summer days due to its northern latitude.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population led by Statistics Canada, Fort St. John had a population of 21,465 people. They lived in 8,777 of the city's 10,004 homes. This was a 5.9% increase from the 20,260 people who lived there in 2016. The city covers an area of 32.67 km2 (12.61 sq mi), making the population density 657.0 people per km2 (1,701.7 people per sq mi) in 2021.
Ethnicity
Religion
According to the 2021 census, the main groups of people by belief in Fort St. John were:
- Irreligion (12,170 people or 57.5%)
- Christianity (7,685 people or 36.3%)
- Sikhism (490 people or 2.3%)
- Hinduism (290 people or 1.4%)
- Islam (250 people or 1.2%)
- Indigenous Spirituality (60 people or 0.3%)
- Buddhism (50 people or 0.2%)
- Judaism (20 people or 0.1%)
| Fort St. John | British Columbia | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.0 years | 38.4 years |
| Under 15 years old | 22.1% | 18% |
| Between 25 and 44 years old | 33.4% | 30% |
| Over 65 years old | 6.7% | 14% |
| Visible minority | 3% | 21% |
| Protestant | 38% | 31% |
| Panethnic group | 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 | 1996 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||
| European | 14,970 | 70.7% | 15,195 | 76.7% | 15,395 | 83.44% | 14,990 | 86.65% | 13,695 | 85.94% | 13,405 | 89.85% | ||
| Indigenous | 2,770 | 13.08% | 2,240 | 11.31% | 2,120 | 11.49% | 1,645 | 9.51% | 1,780 | 11.17% | 1,030 | 6.9% | ||
| Southeast Asian | 1,225 | 5.79% | 725 | 3.66% | 290 | 1.57% | 115 | 0.66% | 130 | 0.82% | 95 | 0.64% | ||
| South Asian | 1,120 | 5.29% | 595 | 3% | 160 | 0.87% | 150 | 0.87% | 45 | 0.28% | 80 | 0.54% | ||
| African | 435 | 2.05% | 375 | 1.89% | 140 | 0.76% | 100 | 0.58% | 90 | 0.56% | 50 | 0.34% | ||
| East Asian | 325 | 1.53% | 370 | 1.87% | 275 | 1.49% | 215 | 1.24% | 130 | 0.82% | 190 | 1.27% | ||
| Latin American | 85 | 0.4% | 90 | 0.45% | 0 | 0% | 50 | 0.29% | 10 | 0.06% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Middle Eastern | 50 | 0.24% | 120 | 0.61% | 35 | 0.19% | 20 | 0.12% | 20 | 0.13% | 10 | 0.07% | ||
| Other/Multiracial | 190 | 0.9% | 90 | 0.45% | 35 | 0.19% | 20 | 0.12% | 30 | 0.19% | 60 | 0.4% | ||
| Total responses | 21,175 | 98.65% | 19,810 | 98.29% | 18,450 | 99.15% | 17,300 | 99.41% | 15,935 | 99.38% | 14,920 | 99.33% | ||
| Total population | 21,465 | 100% | 20,155 | 100% | 18,609 | 100% | 17,402 | 100% | 16,034 | 100% | 15,021 | 100% | ||
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||||||
Economy
Fort St. John is an important place for shopping, services, and industry. Many people live in the surrounding countryside, and the city helps them with their needs. The province's oil and gas industry is based here, along with work related to trees and wood. Since 2005, a special wood plant has made forestry more important to the city.
The city is also a key spot for transportation and industry. It supports big power projects nearby, such as the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, Peace Canyon Dam, and Site C dam. Many young people move to the area for jobs in the oil and gas industry, which helps many families earn good money.
| Economy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rate | Town | Province |
| Unemployment rate | 3% | 8.5% |
| Participation rate | 77.9% | 65.2% |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 17.8% |
| Average male income | $54,252 | $50,191 |
| Average female income | $31,083 | $35,895 |
Health
In 1963, Fort St. John started adding fluoride to its water to help keep people healthy. The city has a hospital with 44 beds for patients, including special care and rooms for babies. The hospital also has machines for detailed imaging like a CT scanner and ultrasound.
Arts and culture
Fort St. John is a busy town with many places for fun and learning. Centennial Park is a big park close to homes and shops. It has many things to do, like a museum called the Fort St. John North Peace Museum, a swimming pool, an ice rink where the Fort St. John Huskies play, another ice rink just for kids, a curling rink, a water park, and a place for speed skating. There are also other parks nearby, such as Fish Creek Community Forest, Beatton Provincial Park, and Charlie Lake Provincial Park. In the middle of town, the North Peace Cultural Centre has a public library, a theatre, and an art gallery called Peace Gallery North.
Attractions
Fort St. John has a big recreation centre called the Pomeroy Sport Centre, which opened in 2010. It has three floors and includes two large ice rinks for hockey, a special area for speed skating, and a walking track. The centre can also be used for big events.
The city has hosted many winter games and competitions over the years. Every February, Winter Fest brings fun winter activities like ice sculptures and ice slides to the town.
Government
Fort St. John has a council-manager style of local government. Every four years, people elect a mayor and six council members to guide the city. In the 2022 election, Lilia Hansen became the new mayor. The mayor and a council member also sit on the board of the Peace River Regional District.
The city is part of the Peace River North area for provincial elections and is represented by Jordan Kealy in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. At the federal level, Fort St. John is in the Prince George—Peace River riding and is represented in the House of Commons by Bob Zimmer.
Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police provide police services for Fort St. John, with officers stationed both in the city and in rural areas.
Infrastructure
Fort St. John is an important place for travel in the area. The main highway, Highway 97 (Alaska Highway), was built in 1942 and goes through the city. It connects north to Fort Nelson, the Yukon, and Alaska. The streets in the city are arranged in a grid, with 100 Street running north to south and 100 Avenue running east to west. A railway line runs along the eastern and northern edges of the city, with the first train arriving in 1958.
The city has an airport, Fort St. John Airport (CYXJ), which is the only commercial airport between Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson. Airlines such as Air Canada Jazz, WestJet, Central Mountain Air, and Swanberg Air offer regular flights, and North Cariboo Air provides charter flights. Bus services were once operated by Greyhound Bus lines until they stopped in 2018, but BC Bus North now offers bus service to nearby towns.
The city gets its water from deep wells near the Peace River, with Charlie Lake as a backup. The water is cleaned and treated before use. The city’s fire department includes both volunteer and professional firefighters who cover the city and nearby rural areas.
Education
Fort St. John has 9 public schools inside the city, including one secondary school, and 10 more public schools just outside the city. All of these schools are part of School District 60 Peace River North. There is also one private Christian school in the city, managed by the same school district. Northern Lights College has a campus in Fort St. John, where students can learn about oil and gas. The college even has a full-sized oil rig for practice.
Media
Fort St. John has a local newspaper called the Alaska Highway News. There is also a website called EnergeticCity.ca that shares news about the area. It is owned by a company run by Adam Reaburn, who also owns a local radio station called CKFU-FM.
Some radio stations in Fort St. John play different kinds of music. You can listen to 98.5 GO FM (CHRX-FM) for adult contemporary songs, 101.5 FM The Goat (CKNL-FM) for rock music, and 92.5 Sunrise FM (CIAM-FM) for religious programs. There is also a country music station called 100.1 Moose FM (CKFU-FM).
Freedom of the City
Some special people and military groups have been given a special honor called the Freedom of the City in Fort St. John.
Individuals
- Charles “Bud” Hamilton: 7 December 1979.
- William James "Jim" Eglinski: 24 June 2019.
- The Honourable Senator Richard Neufeld: 24 June 2019.
- Jean Leahy: 9 September 2019.
- Sue Popesku: 11 June 2022.
- Steve Thorlakson: 15 July 2025
Military Units
- 2276 Royal Canadian Army Cadets: 10 April 2006.
Images
Related articles
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