Population: 8,338
Elevation: 496m / 1627ft
Castlegar is a city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the Selkirk Mountains, at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, and serves as a regional trade and transportation centre. The city’s economy is based on forestry, mining and tourism, and it is home to Selkirk College, a regional airport, a pulp mill, and several sawmills.
Castlegar has a rich and diverse history, influenced by the Indigenous Sinixt (Lakes) Peoples and the Doukhobors, a religious group that migrated here in the early 20th century2. The Sinixt were the original inhabitants of the area, who lived in harmony with the land and the rivers. The Doukhobors were persecuted in Russia for their pacifist beliefs and settled in Castlegar after receiving land from the Canadian government. They brought with them their culture, language and traditions, which are still evident in the city today.
Castlegar at Sunset. (Music by Jonny Dudar)
BUSINESS
City Hall
460 Columbia Avenue - Castlegar, BC - V1N 1G7
Phone: (250) 365-7227
info@castlegar.ca
Castlegar Visitors Centre & Chamber of Commerce
1810 8th Avenue Unit A - Castlegar, BC - V1N 2Y2
Phone: (250) 365-6313
info@castlegar.com
Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK)
Box 590 - 202 Lakeside Drive - Nelson, BC - V1L 5R4
Phone: (250) 352-6665
Toll Free: (800) 268-7325
Email: info@rdck.bc.ca
Office Hours: Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
(Closed from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm daily)
Castlegar Demographics Information
SCHOOLS
Twin Rivers Elementary Primary School
Twin Rivers Campus
649 7th Avenue, Castlegar, BC V1N 1R6
Phone: 250-365-8465 Castlegar Primary Campus
749 7th Avenue, Castlegar, BC V1N 4E1
(250) 365-5744
Kinnaird Elementary
2273 10th Avenue, Castlegar, BC V1N 2Z8
Phone: (250) 365-8478
Toll Free: (888) 316-3338
Stanley Humphries Secondary School
720 7th Avenue, Castlegar, BC V1N 1R5
Phone: (250) 365-7735
Toll Free: (888) 316-3338
HOSPITALS
Castlegar Health Centre
709 10th Street - Castlegar, BC - V1N 2H7
Phone: (250) 365-7711
Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital
1200 Hospital Bench - Trail, BC - V1R 4M1
Phone: (250) 368-3311
Toll Free: (866) 368-3314
Patient Care Quality Office: (877) 442-2001
(31km ~ 27min drive from Castlegar)
Kootenay Lake Hospital
3 View St - Nelson, BC - V1L 2V1
Phone: (250) 352-3111
(45km ~ 38 minute drive from Castlegar)
THINGS TO DO IN CASTLEGAR
Dining out - List of restaurants on Tripadvisor
Kootenay Centre Cinemas (5 Screens)
1940 6 Ave, Castlegar, BC V1N 3H5
(250) 304-2229
**Renovated in 2022 with the addition of reclining chairs and more.
Castlegar & District Community Complex
(Fitness, Pool, Arena, etc.)
2101 6th Ave., Castlegar, BC V1N 3B2
(250) 365-3386
casrec@rdck.bc.ca
TRAVEL
West Kootenay Regional Airport
Hall Road, just off of Highway 3A
Castlegar, BC - V1N 4M5
(250) 365-5151
airport@castlegar.ca
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Trail Regional Airport
Airport Operations
9019 BC-22A - Trail, BC - V1R 4W6
Phone: (250) 367-0029
(40km ~ 35 minute drive from Castlegar)
Flights and Reservations
Pacific Coastal Airlines
4980 Cowley Crescent - Richmond, BC - V7B 1C1
Phone: (800) 663-2872
Approximate distance from Castlegar to...
Nelson, BC - 43km / 27mi
Kelowna, BC - 305km / 190mi
Vancouver, BC - 616km / 383mi
Cranbrook, BC - 229km / 142mi
Calgary, BC - 621km / 386mi
Spokane, WA - 230km / 143mi
Seattle, WA - 624km / 387mi
Sandpoint, ID - 265km / 164mi
Snapshot of the local climate.
(Region on chart is right between Castlegar & Nelson)
