B.C. municipal election 2018: Lillooet

Candidates

To be announced.

Boundary

Nestled along the Fraser River and the Lytton-Lillooet Highway, north of Whistler and Pemberton, is where you’ll find Lillooet, just under 90 kilometres from Cache Creek.

Population (2016)

2,275

History

Lillooet is one of B.C.’s oldest towns; it was once the biggest settlement north of San Francisco and north of Chicago.

The area was once home to the Sekw’el’was, or Cayoose Creek Band. They were known to live in “Sheesh’kans” or pit houses.

It was the 1850s when prospectors came to Lillooet seeking gold.

They hoped to gather supplies in the area before they headed north to strike it rich in areas such as Bridge River, Barkerville and the Cariboo region.

But gold wasn’t all that brought people to Lillooet. They also came to the region for cattle ranching, not to mention the hotels, bars and stores that sprang up around the industry there.

Jade was long ago discovered in Lillooet’s hillsides, making B.C. a prime world source for the mineral.

Lillooet is also becoming known for its wine production, with vineyards growing in a region whose climate is similar to that of the Okanagan.

Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/B.C. median

$101,760/$111,736

Political representation

Federal

Jati Sidhu (Liberal)

Provincial

Jackie Tegart (BC Liberal)