laddo73

There are other small towns but we need a few elementary schools to keep my wife busy... I loved revelstoke and would move there in a heartbeat but there wouldn't be enough work for my wife.

scilly

Google ............

School District 54 Bulkley Valley


Houston Secondary School[1] Houston 8-12
Lake Kathlyn Elementary School Smithers K-7
Muheim Memorial Elementary School Smithers K-7
Quick Elementary School Telkwa K-7
Silverthorne Elementary School Houston K-7
Smithers Secondary School[1] Smithers 8-12
Telkwa Elementary School Telkwa K-7
Twain Sullivan Elementary School Houston K-7
Walnut Park Elementary School Smithers K-7


Lake Kathlyn was slated to be closed, but the school district received funding last week to keep it open. Will it?? All decisions for closing have been given, layoff notices given, etc.

Who knows.

There are also a couple of private schools, eg St Joseph's K-7

You'll have to look at maps and calculate the distances your wife might have to drive because the school district covers more than Smithers, remembering the winters can be long and the roads icy. But all small towns in BC are in school districts that cover a large surrounding area. Most of the ones I know will only have 1 or 2 elementary in the town.

Kimberley is in School District 6 Rocky Mountain .... and that covers an even greater geographical area, with possibly worse roads to travel, think high mountain roads!

from wikipedia .........

School
Location Grades Continuing Ed SD 06 Kimberley
Edgewater Elementary School Edgewater K-7
Field Elementary School Field K-3
Golden Alternate School Golden 10-12
Alexander Park Elementary School Golden K-3
Windermere Elementary School Windermere K-7
Golden Secondary School Golden 8-12
Selkirk Secondary School Kimberley 8-12
Open Doors Alternate Education School Invermere 9-12
Nicholson Elementary School Golden K-7
McKim Middle School Kimberley 4-7
Marysville Elementary School Kimberley K-5
Martin Morigeau Elementary School Canal Flats K-7
Lindsay Park Elementary School Kimberley K-5
Lady Grey Elementary School Golden 4-7
Kimberley Alternate School Kimberley K-12
Eileen Madson Primary School
Invermere K-3 J
Alfred Laird Elementary School Invermere 4-7
David Thompson Secondary Invermere 8-12


Also remember that your wife will start at the bottom of the supply teachers list on moving to BC. That's still the pain of being a teacher in Canada and moving provinces. That could be a big pain to you if you are depending on her as the main income earner

Stinkypup

Err Why travel to the mainland?- occasional visits but we aren't talking Saltspring here- that issue is not a biggie in my opinion.
I think that it would actually be a great idea to consider.

laddo73

Yeah, she knows that, shes Canadian. At least she started the process well ahead of moving this time. Her degree that she got in Quebec and experience have been accepted by BC already.

scilly

Great!!

scilly

depends on what you need that isn't available on the Island

$80-100 one way fares, and heavy traffic on the ferry are biggies in my mind!

Or having to take a plane to Vancouver, before catching a big plane to elsewhere, such as the UK

I love the Island, we love going over there, it always feels like another world ......... but you do have to come back to the real world for lots of things.

Stinkypup

As I say, yes occasionally people do go to the mainland but maybe an Islander can help me out, I wouldn't think that unless you wanted to go to Vancouver , Ikea, etc that this is commonly needed. Shops etc all available. Sorry, I reiterate, this isn't IMO a big deal. I disagree with your last half a sentence, after the........ What is "The real world??

Almost Canadian

I've no idea about VI but I was raised on the Isle of Wight. I was into competitive sports and events required trips to the mainland. This became a pain in the arse.

Stinkypup

I believe that the Isle of Wight is ever so slightly smaller than Vancouver Island. If I lived there I cant imagine that I would be forever needing to get off- facilities on the Island for most things seem pretty good
Am I completely wrong here Rivington and Co? The OP sounds as if they were wanting an outdoors life without needing to access 3/4 of mainland Canada due to competing in gymnastics, netball, or cheerleading

Oink

You should of taken up sailing then you could've trained while getting to your next event.

scilly

If you have a child in high school, then, yes, regular trips over to the Mainland for sports may well be required. Offhand, I know that Island schools play in the basketball and rugby provincial competitions ..... the earlier parts of the competitions would be on the Island, but the championship rounds are in Vancouver.

Mount Washington is the only ski area on the Island, and a child into competitive skiing would have to travel to the mainland for more competition. Plus of course, anyone who wants to ski on other mountains would have to travel.

Medical problems may require regular trips to the Mainland ......... or at the very least travel from the northern half (more or less) of the Island to Nanaimo, or even further to Victoria if certain scans are required. I do know about that from friends who have faced that kind of travel!

Of course, the same thing applies over large parts of the mainland.

scilly

Just out of interest ...... Mount Washington was open for skiing for 121 days in the 2015-2016 season. It had been planned to be open for 139 days


There IS apparently another ski area on Vancouver Island, that is almost unknown. I'd never heard of it!!

It's run by a non-profit society, community owned and run, only open 3 days a week in season (weekends and some Mondays), and has 21 runs. It is at the north of the Island, near Schoen Lake Provincial Park, main headquarters (ie PO box) seem to be in Port McNeill.

rivingtonpike

I have to say we haven't found the Island to be isolated. We probably travel to the mainland about 2 or 3 times a year. One of those trips is usually to the USA (Washington State) on the Coho ferry. We find Vancouver to be just an amalgum of cities all joined together without real borders that collectively are a bigger uglier version of Victoria.

We have no IKEA, but apart from that, I think most other bases are covered. I think equal or even worse travel challenges to rival the ferry and its costs are faced by those on the mainland. The ferry is expensive, but so is the gas to travel for hours on end to get to the next distinguishable city or town on the mainland. We actually chose the Island over the mainland for this very reason. It's a bit like Lilliput - its own "little country".

Some "Island Time" habits can be frustrating, but at the same time can be very relaxing. People are, on the whole, friendly and calm. I don't think many Islanders have started many wars.

rivingtonpike

Luckily our kids aren't into competitive sports (yet anyway). Friends of ours who's kids are, however, simply find the biggest car and squeeze as many kids in it as they can when a competition on the mainland requires it. That way you might only make one trip in a blue moon when it's your turn. If you're the next Boris Becker or Justin Rose, then the Island probably isn't the best place to be. But then, nor would Kimberly or the like.

Inse

We moved out to Kimberley last December after several years living in Creston where we decided that we weren't old enough for Creston.
Currently renting in Marysville while I build us a house just up the road in Forest Crowne.
Much happier here and have found everyone friendly and often willing to chat. Took up a bit of snowshoeing last winter and take the occasional hike this time of year. To be honest though the house build is taking up most of our time as I'm doing a lot of the work myself.
The series of 'First Saturdays' has begun and there will be various entertainments and programmes on the first Saturday of each month.
Main shopping can be done in Cranbrook as there are several supermarkets there, if that's your thing. Plenty of organic produce in town though and the Farmer's Market starts next week.
Don't have any views on the schools as we are well past that stage of life.
All in all we reckon it's a great place to be.