Williams Lake (British Columbia)

Williams Lake is a city in the province of British Columbia in western Canada. It is valid in British Columbia as the capital of forestry and the Williams Lake Stampede, one of the largest rodeos, which for Canada Day weekend through thousands of visitors every year.

History

The town was founded during the Great Cariboo Gold Rush in the 1860s. The approximately 10,000 inhabitants, is a center in the Cariboo Regional District with many shops and administrations.

Demography

The census in 2011 showed a population of 10,832 inhabitants for the town. The population has thereby increased since the census of 2006 at 0.8 %, while the population grew throughout the Province of British Columbia at the same time by 7.0%. Throughout the region, Williams Lake ( Census agglomeration ) 18,490 inhabitants.

Policy

The granting of local self-government for the municipality on March 13, 1947 ( incorporated as the Village Municipality ). The status of a small town ( Town) was awarded Williams Lake on October 1, 1965, as a city ( City ) confirmed on November 5, 1981.

Mayor of the municipality is Kerry Cook. Together with six other citizens to form the Council of the Town ( council).

Economy

Most jobs continues to provide the forestry industry, but was pulled in the last few years by a bark beetle plague affected. The consequences for the region are not yet clear, the damage to the forests go but into the billions.

The average income (median income ) of an employee of Williams Lake in 2006 was at C $ 25,328, slightly higher than the average income of the entire province of British Columbia from C $ 24 867.

Location and transport

The city is a transportation hub. There intersect here the Cariboo Highway 97, the Chilcotin Highway 20, a railway line and the Greyhound bus. Williams Lake, located on the same lake, is located about halfway between the cities of Kamloops and Prince George in the south to the north. Both cities are around 250 km away. The place is the last major settlement if you want to drive over the Coast Mountains from nearly 500 km from Bella Coola on the Pacific Ocean. From Vancouver, the trip takes in the car about ten hours and is on the normal route to Alaska.

North of town is the Williams Lake airport.

Celebrities

From Williams Lake comes Carey Price, goalie of the Hockey Teams Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.