KEREMEOS

& AREA
Opportunities Guide
www.keremeos.ca/business
 TABLE OF CONTENTS WHY KEREMEOS?
2/3 Why Keremeos Over the past decades, our community has slowly
evolved from our modest agricultural roots to
4/5 Our Location become one of the fastest growing villages in our
6/7 The Keremeos Advantage province. The emergence and prevalence of our
world renowned Similkameen wineries has inspired a
8/9 Demographics & Facts renaissance of more diverse and innovative economic
10/11 Amenities & Community activity, allowing us to both showcase the exceptional
quality of our resources while paying homage to our
12/13 Local Stories agricultural traditions and rural heritage.
14/15 360 Degrees of Quality
With a projected growth rate nearly double the
16/17 Development Prospects provincial average, our area continues to grow at a
18/19 Interactive Business Map steady pace, bringing with it an increase in permanent
residents and opportunities to cater to our
community’s growing and diverse business needs.

When looking to establish business in our area,

investors can rely on our lower labour costs,
competitive property tax rates, cost-effective
amenities and our affordable stock of commercial and
residential properties.

We invite you to find your opportunity

in Keremeos.

Our Community Partners Include:

Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 3

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 OUR LOCATION
Not only is Keremeos a beautiful place to live, it’s also a
strategic community to do business within.

Main Highways
Keremeos is located at the intersection of Highways 3 and 3A
and its strategic location as a corridor linking the Okanagan to
the Lower Mainland supports the growth of distribution
arrangements and the shipping of manufactured products.

Our community also benefits from seasonal travelers and high

traffic volumes, offering further opportunities to enhance
tourism industries in our area and to cater to the business
needs of those en route to other centres.

Airport Access
With Regional and International Airports as little as an hour and
a half drive away, your business can find direct access to a
world-wide market while keeping you connected to friends and
family abroad.

Our community is also just over a four hour drive away from
Vancouver International Airport; the second busiest airport in
Canada with daily non-stop flights to virtually every continent
on the planet.

Bus Access
Keremeos is also connected to our Regional Transit System,
linking our community within the region and ensuring our aging
population always has access to specialized health services in
larger centres.

Keremeos has also partnered with other municipalities in our

region to advocate for an increase in the extent and frequency
of bus services in our area due to a growing ridership demand
and increased population.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Keremeos is also home to the Similkameen Valley’s first dual
standard electric vehicle fast charging station.

Keremeos is proud to play host to this infrastructure as it has

the potential to increase electric vehicle tourism in our valley
by connecting the British Columbia southern interior
transportation corridor to an international network of electric
vehicle highways spanning from British Columbia to California. Map Data © 2019 Google
Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 5
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 THE KEREMEOS ADVANTAGE
When looking to establish roots in our area, investors
can rely on a number of factors such as:

• lower labour and living costs

• competitive tax and development fee rates
• cost-effective amenities
• our stock of affordable commercial and
residential properties

Prospective investors also benefit from our beautiful

natural environment and laidback small town lifestyle
as factors conducive to increased productivity,
workplace optimization and prolonged employee
satisfaction.

The Keremeos area’s strong potential for tourism

growth and conventional business development—
coupled with the increased demand for greater and
more diverse business and service offerings—also
creates a unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial
spirit to capitalize on the growth of our community.
Some recently identified areas of potential growth
include:

• medical and social services

• health food stores
• clothing/retail stores
• manufacturing operations
• kitchen/home stores
• restaurants
• electronic stores
• professional services (doctors, lawyers, etc.)
• art and jewelry stores
• craft stores
• marketing/consulting services

With a projected influx of new residents ranging from

young families to the recently retired, the only
limitation for prosperity placed on prospective
investors is their own imagination.

For a comprehensive list of business retention and

expansion resources, please visit:
www.keremeos.ca/relocate-and-invest

Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 7

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 DEMOGRAPHICS & FACTS
According to our calculations, the Keremeos area has a number of statistics
working in our favour. Here are a few of the figures we’re most proud of.

Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 9

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 AMENITIES & COMMUNITY

Concept plan for upgrades at Similkameen Elementary Secondary School Concept Plan for a 41 unit mixed use commercial and affordable housing development in the heart of the Village

The Village of Keremeos strives to offer its As a growing and forward thinking community, The Village of Keremeos strives to foster long Keremeos is proud to be the first municipality in
residents a high quality of life by supporting we’re laying the foundation for our future. term growth and prosperity through the our entire region to receive Age-Friendly
the provision of a broad range of amenities Some recent benchmarks include: support of strategic initiatives including: Community status for our years of effort
and services including: making the Village a more accessible, inclusive
• Water Service upgrades in the downtown • Land use regulations designed to increase and age-friendly community for all residents.
• Residential curbside garbage services with core worth over $1.5 Million including new higher densification development and
bi-weekly recycling and yard waste pickup curb flares to enhance pedestrian safety diversified housing options Keremeos is also proud to be recognized as a
• Sanitary Sewer services within applicable BC Climate Action Community for achieving
• Grant funding of nearly $4 Million for
areas • A Business Façade Improvement program corporate Carbon Neutrality and working to
upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment
providing grant funds to upgrade business reduce greenhouse gas emissions through our
• Community Water services comparable to Plant, reducing costs incurred to property
facades in the downtown commercial core operations.
bottled and commercial offerings developers and Village taxpayers
• A state of the art health facility with a full • Grant funding to examine strategies for • A Temporary Use Permit process designed Our region is also the first in the Americas to be
compliment of medical doctors and nurses wildfire protection, emergency planning and to encourage innovative land use which accredited as a Biosphere Certified Destination,
• Recreation facilities with ice rink, pool, community resiliency may provide an economic benefit to the recognizing our efforts building a responsible
racquetball courts and a fitness centre community and sustainable tourism industry.
• Construction of twenty four new affordable
• Free age-friendly exercise equipment in the housing units for seniors and people with
heart of the Village disabilities to increase housing stock for
• A full K to 12 school system with a smaller aging in place
scale for enrollment • Forthcoming construction of a forty one unit
• A Volunteer Fire Department which is affordable housing development with up to
currently upgrading equipment three bedroom units for families and low to
• A Public Library which hosts regular moderate income residents
programs and informational seminars
• A network of parks and trails and an off-
leash dog park for everyone to enjoy
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 LOCAL STORIES
Don’t just take our word for how great the
Keremeos area is, hear from some of our
newer business owners to discover why they
decided to invest in our community.
These entrepreneurs are happy to share their
experiences setting up business in our area
and you can learn more by following the
links contained on their company logos.
We hope your stay is as fruitful as theirs.

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 Proximity to
Heritage sites
major ski
with rich local
resorts &
history to
golf courses A range of fine
discover
for year dining & Annual
round fun family style community
restaurants events
celebrating
local tradition
& culture

Eclectic
shops with
items you
can only find
in our area

360
Over 13
world class
wineries & A vibrant artist
cideries to community
A beautiful
explore
DEGREES OF with works
spanning all
styles &
natural
environment

QUALITY
conducive to
mediums
healthy living
& relaxation

Encounters A few of the many

with wildlife
and local
reasons to fall in love
animals with our area!
A variety of
outdoor
activities to
enjoy in
every
season

Some of the
friendliest
and genuine
Fresh
characters
produce
you will ever
& farm
meet
Unique products
concert & sold roadside
outdoor
nightlife
experiences

Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 15

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 Map Data © 2019 RDOS GIS

DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS
The Village of Keremeos downtown commercial core features a number of properties which are
prime for revitalization and development. The above graphic highlights a number of bare land
and vacant lots suitable for commercial and multi-family use that are just waiting for the right
owner to capitalize on their potential.

While some of the properties above are for sale through the guidance and expertise of our many
local realtors, others are offered by private sale or are simply being held by owners who may be
looking for the right partners to work with in developing shared interests.

The Village of Keremeos offers a business friendly development process and can also act as a
liaison between property owners and prospective developers who may be interested in vacant
lots which are not currently listed on the market. Please contact the Village Office by phone at
(250) 499-2711 for any property inquiries.

Our local realtors are ready to assist with any development inquiries
for village properties listed on the market.
Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 17
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 INTERACTIVE BUSINESS MAP
Planning your next big trip to our area? The Village’s new
Interactive Business Map can help you plot your itinerary
and give you a better idea about the many activities and
attractions to explore in our community.

The map features a variety of businesses and services in

our area and provides links to their websites and social
media channels to provide users with a more intimate
understanding about their operations and what they have
to offer.

• Research our local area attractions, including wineries,

art galleries and heritage sites
• Search for businesses & services by category to find
the offerings that meet your needs
• Learn about our local public amenities such as the
Health Centre, Library and Post Office
• Locate accommodations including Motels, B&Bs and
Guest Suites to enhance and prolong your stay
• Plan to enjoy some of our many area activities, such
as hiking, golfing, skiing and a lazy float down the
Similkameen River

Check out the Interactive

Business Map today by visiting:
www.keremeos.ca/Interactive-Business-Map

Keremeos & Area Opportunities Guide 19

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 th
Ranked 6
Small Town in
Canada to Visit By

PO Box 160, 702 4th Street

www.facebook.com/VillageofKeremeos
Keremeos, BC V0X 1N0
Phone: 250-499-2711
www.twitter.com/villagekeremeos
Fax: 250-499-5477

www.keremeos.ca/business www.instagram.com/villageofkeremeos
© Village of Keremeos