Invermere is a community in eastern British Columbia, Canada, near the border of Alberta. It is the hub of the Columbia Valley between Golden to the north and Cranbrook to the south. Invermere sits on the northwest shore of Windermere Lake and is a popular summer destination for visitors and second home owners from Edmonton and Calgary.

Geography

Invermere is located south of Radium, and south of Golden and from the Trans-Canada Highway. Invermere is also north of Fairmont Hot Springs, north of Canal Flats, north of Fort Steele, north of Kimberley, and north of the hub of Cranbrook and the Crowsnest Highway. Invermere is situated within the Columbia River Wetlands, North America's largest intact wetland and a Ramsar-designated site. Located in the Rocky Mountain Trench, Invermere is from Kootenay National Park, and is near the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy.

Climate Invermere's climate is characterized by warm summers and cool winters. The Rocky Mountains to the east shield Invermere from the Arctic air in winter, although extreme cold spells do occur on occasion. Spring arrives earlier than on the prairies to the east of the Rocky Mountains. Although warm, summers are variable, with weather alternating between hot, dry spells and cool, showery periods.

Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Invermere had a population of 3,917 living in 1,660 of its 2,238 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 3,391. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Ethnicity Panethnic groups in the District of Invermere (1996−2021)Panethnic group202120162011200620011996 European 3,370 2,815 2,380 2,730 2,690 2,540 Indigenous 245 210 150 115 120 70 Southeast Asian 115 90 0 10 10 0 South Asian 30 25 0 0 0 0 East Asian 10 30 80 35 0 30 African 10 20 0 0 10 0 Middle Eastern 0 10 0 0 0 0 Latin American 0 0 0 0 0 10 Other/multiracial 0 10 0 10 0 15 Total responses 3,795 3,220 2,680 2,890 2,825 2,665 Total population 3,917 3,391 2,955 3,002 2,858 2,687

Religion According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Invermere included: Irreligion (2,380 persons or 62.7%) Christianity (1,340 persons or 35.3%) Buddhism (20 persons or 0.5%) Hinduism (20 persons or 0.5%) Other (35 persons or 0.9%)

Arts and culture The annual Invermere MusicFest takes place on the Pynelogs greenspace for one weekend every August. The two-day Festival attracts hundreds of people each day and delivers a high caliber of Canadian and international musical talent.

Sports and recreation

Hockey The Columbia Valley Rockies play in Invermere. Former New York Islanders and University of Denver goaltender Wade Dubielewicz was born in Invermere.

+ Club League Sport Venue Established Championships Columbia Valley Rockies KIJHL Ice hockey Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena 1978 4

Skiing Panorama Mountain Village lies about 30 minutes west. Fairmont Hot Springs Resort ski area lies 25 minutes south. Kimberley Alpine Resort is about 1 hour south in Kimberley. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is about 1.5 hours north of Invermere in Golden, British Columbia

Skating The longest ice skating trail in the world can be found on the Lake Windermere Whiteway. The naturally frozen trail measures .

Golfing Invermere is a major centre for golf. Copper Point Golf Club is a newer golf course about east of Invermere along Highway 95/93. Eagle Ranch Golf Course is located northeast of Invermere, also along Highway 93/95 and was rated 4.5/5.0 stars by Golf Digest.

Gliding and soaring

The Invermere Airport is home to the non-profit Canadian Rockies Soaring Club. The club is active during the summer months, when it welcomes dozens of student pilots and private owners. The Invermere Soaring Centre is a separate commercial operation which provides aerotowing services and glider rides to the general public. Canadian Rockies Soaring Club Invermere Soaring Centre The local area is also a popular destination for other non-motorized forms of flying including hang-gliding and paragliding. There are designated launch sites at nearby Mount Swansea.

Curling The Valley is host to the biggest outdoor bonspiel in Canada every January. The spiel is held on the frozen Windermere Lake. The curling club is also host to many leagues and bonspiels throughout the season.

Hot springs Hot springs are numerous in the area, with the major developed ones being Fairmont and Radium Hot Springs; the latter is located inside Kootenay National Park.

Less developed 'wilderness' hot springs can be found in the southern Columbia Valley, in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park. Lussier Hot Springs is located south of Invermere and can be accessed from the Whiteswan Forestry Road. Lussier Hot Springs are accessible via a mountain logging road which is open all year round, depending on the weather and road conditions. These hot springs are free to access, however do not have the amenities like the developed hot springs and can sometimes have a sulphur odour smell.

Ram Creek Warm Springs, a less visited and cooler natural spring, can also be accessed along the same route.

Media

Invermere is home to one newspaper, the Columbia Valley Pioneer. On July 1, 2017, the "Pioneer" (founded in 2004) and the Invermere Valley Echo (founded in 1956) merged to one paper retaining the Columbia Valley Pioneer designation. The "Pioneer" serves the Columbia Valley region, from Spillimacheen in the north to Canal Flats in the south and is published once a week, every Thursday.

Notable people Wade Dubielewicz – Ice hockey player and coach Cassidy Gray – Olympic alpine skier Christine Keshen – Curler Patrick Morrow – Photographer Benjamin Thomsen – Professional skier

See also List of francophone communities in British Columbia

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