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The headwaters of the mighty Columbia River spring forth from the earth in Canal Flats, a small logging community at the southern end of Columbia Lake. Plans are in the works for an interpretive trail allowing visitors to see the source of this famous river, which heads north towards Golden before turning south towards the Pacific Ocean.
The Village of Canal Flats, incorporated in 2004, has a population of about 800 and was traditionally supported by the Tembec Inc. sawmill. It has a grocery store, pub, hardware store, restaurants, an elementary school and a community centre. It also boasts a small, friendly nine-hole golf course.
Canal Flats is a gateway to the back country, with several provincial and regional parks in the area. It has long been a stopping point for fishers, hunters and campers.
Recently this community on the shores of the breath-taking turquoise waters of Columbia Lake has seen increased real estate development. A condominium project is under way in the village, and land is being levelled on the east side of the lake for a new housing development.
Text provided courtesy of the Columbia Valley Pioneer. Photo courtesy Gerry George.
Maps provided courtesy of and copyright the Columbia Valley Map Book.
