Balfour, British Columbia

Balfour
unincorporated community
Balfour
Location of Balfour in British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates: 49°38′N 116°58′W / 49.633°N 116.967°W / 49.633; -116.967Coordinates: 49°38′N 116°58′W / 49.633°N 116.967°W / 49.633; -116.967
Country  Canada
Province British Columbia
Region West Kootenay
Regional District Central Kootenay
Government
 • Governing body Nelson City Council
 • MP Alex Atamanenko (NDP)
 • MLA Corky Evans (NDP)
Area
 • Land 3.72 km2 (1.44 sq mi)
Elevation 571 m (1,873 ft)
Population (2016)
 • Total 459
 • Density 123.4/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zone UTC-8 (PST)
Area code(s) 250 / 778 / 236
Highways Hwy 3A
Hwy 31

Balfour, also known as Balfour Bay, is an unincorporated community in British Columbia, located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of the city of Nelson and located at the juncture of Kootenay Lake with its West Arm.

CPR hotel at Balfour (1918)

It is the location of the Kootenay Lake Ferry, which is the longest toll-free vehicle ferry in North America. This marine link of the British Columbia highway system is made up of two vessels, the MV Osprey 2000, the larger of the two ferries with an 80 car capacity operating year round, and the MV Balfour, a 25 car ferry operating only in the summer.

Balfour was once the location of one of the Canadian Pacific's railway hotels, the Balfour Hotel,[1] which served the needs of passengers travelling the Southern Mainline of the CPR. Passengers and freight were carried across the lake by the CPR's Lake and River Service vessel, the SS Moyie, other vessels serving Kootenay Lake and also south up the Kootenai River to Bonner's Ferry, Idaho and up to Kaslo and other points northward on Kootenay Lake.

References

  1. ↑ Balfour Hotel (linked image is c.1918)


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