Over the past decades, our community has slowly evolved from our modest agricultural roots to become the fastest growing Village in British Columbia. The emergence and prevalence of our world renowned Similkameen wineries has inspired a renaissance of more diverse and innovative economic activity, allowing us to both showcase the exceptional quality of our resources while paying homage to our agricultural traditions and rural heritage.
Our community’s growth has worked to incubate the ambitions of our local tourism industry as more often now wineries are constructing guest suites and amenities to accommodate the increasing number of tourists visiting our area. The recent and continued influx of new residents supports further market diversity as the demand for different businesses and services grows in conjunction with the needs of our residents.
The Village of Keremeos relies mostly on agriculture and tourism to fuel the economy. Keremeos is known for the number of fruit stands in the area and the availability of agricultural land, much of which is in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
The Village 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.
With a projected growth rate nearly double that of the entire province; Keremeos continues to grow at a steady pace, bringing with it an increase in permanent residents and opportunities to cater to our communities growing and diverse business needs.
When looking to establish business in our area, investors can rely on our low labour costs, competitive property tax rates, cost-effective amenities and our affordable stock of commercial and residential properties.
Prospective investors also benefit from our beautiful natural environment and our laidback small town lifestyle as factors conducive to increased productivity, workplace optimization and employee satisfaction.
The availability and relatively low cost for commercial space and the need for more and diverse businesses creates a unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial spirit to capitalize on the growth of our community.
Over the next couple of years, economic development in Keremeos will focus primarily on growing and enhancing opportunities for existing businesses in our community while working to develop capacity for different and unique business and service offerings to meet the growing needs of our residents.
In addition to the comprehensive information available here, the following list contains resources which may be of interest to those thinking about expanding their business in the Keremeos area:
Keremeos has a relatively large choice of properties for sale, varying from undeveloped farmland to multi-family developments.
For a list of properties in the Keremeos area listed by Century 21, please click here.
For a list of properties in the Keremeos area listed by Remax, please click here.
For a list of properties in the Keremeos area listed by Royal LePage, please click here.
The Keremeos area offers a variety of short and medium term vacation rental accommodations. From micro-cabins and rustic beachside camping to high end guest suites at some of our renowned Similkameen wineries, our accommodation experiences are designed to meet a broad range of preferences and needs. Come unwind at one of our vacation rental getaways and discover some of the hidden treasures our valley has to offer.
For a list of vacation rental properties in the Keremeos area listed on Airbnb, click here.