Welcome to the Regional District of East Kootenay

Located in the southeast corner of BC, the Regional District of East Kootenay is a local government dedicated to providing quality service to our residents and property owners.  We work together as a partnership of municipalities and electoral (rural) areas to provide and coordinate services.

We take great pride in:

  • Providing over 100 different services
  • Protecting the health and safety of citizens
  • Protecting the environment

Unlike a municipality, which has one boundary and one set of taxpayers, Regional Districts have a different boundary (and a unique set of taxpayers) for every single service we offer. These "boundaries" are called service areas and can be very small (for example, one area within a small rural community), or very large (covering the entire region).

Some of the services we provide include: land use planning, water supply, sewage disposal, fire protection, recreation, mosquito control, street lighting, community parks, emergency management programs, solid waste and recycling, transit, 9-1-1, library grants, regional parks, and invasive plant control.

Our total population is 65,896 based on the 2021 Census.  The breakdown by area is:

  • Rural Areas - 17,283
  • Municipalities - 47,889
  • First Nations - 724

For further information about the RDEK or our Board of Directors, click on the "About" tab at the top of this page.