Interior BC as (partly) off-grid retirement/BOL?

[HopeImReady]

Hi. I'm currently a prepper in the Ottawa suburbia, but originally from Edmonton. Seeking advice on more rural retirement locales that could also serve as a permanent bugout locations that could be at least semi-off-grid (via solar, probably).

I am looking at ~15 yrs from now, but checking out options now so I have to to make trips to visit, buy land/build, etc. I will eventually leave the Ottawa area, as I am sick of the horrible winter weather and freezing rain - and hydro rates, esp rural, are getting really high. I prefer a warmer spot but still want to stay in Canada. I'd be retiring so I'd want a place where the property costs/taxes/cost of living is reasonable and I'm not worried about job prospects. I don't care about being in/close to a big city.

I've been looking at interior BC, specifically Nelson, Castlegar, and Okanagan Valley (Kelowna, Vernon, Osoyoos). I visited quite a bit when I lived out west and liked the general region, but don't know how it might have changed.

Hazard-wise, I know I may be trading one set (ice storms, heat waves) for another (wildfire, flooding, landslides), but I'd still like to stay away from dams, major wildfire & landslide areas to the extent possible..

Can anyone comment on the climate & crime? I know Osoyoos and south Okanagan is warmer, but does that tip into drought? What is the growing season like for gardening?
I've heard crime, esp biker gangs has gotten into Kelowna in the last few years. The self-sufficient vibe I hear about Nelson is good, but I've also heard things on the pothead/grow op/wannabe rasta culture and the weird dog bans (I will always have dogs and despise breed-specific legislation). Plus I think that while it doesn't get that cold around Nelson, they get a lot of snow.

Any feedback is welcome

[kootenay kid]

DH and I live 1/2 hour from Nelson in the Slocan Valley. It is a wonderful place to live. We have almost 10 acres, just across the road from the Slocan River which does flood occasionally. Most folks we know try to live an independant lifestyle. A lot grow as much food as they can. There is no problem raising almost any kind of livestock. There are no laws that prevent having specific breeds of dogs, at least none that I know of. Once you hit the young age of 65, your property taxes are 100.00 if it is your primary residence. Yes, there are grow-ops in the area, lots of them, but you would be hard pressed to find them, or know who operates them.
Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other questions, OK.

KK

[HopeImReady]

Thanks kooteney kid

[kootenay kid]

Forgot to mention that crime rate is quite low here.
Lots and lots of small acreages for sale right now.......can provide MLS#s on some if you would like.

KK

[morningcoffee]

kootenay kid...please post MLS#s in your area. We have been trying to decide between a secondary location in Central Alberta or just calling it "retirement" and moving to slightly more moderate areas of Canada and BC near your area has been on our radar for a number of years.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,
W

[kootenay kid]

OK Here goes: These are from a current real estate flyer we received a few weeks ago.
Castlegar MLS#2412215 3 bedroom, barn, shop, modest guest house. 35 min to Nelson or 20 to Castlegar. $169,900.
Winlaw MLS#2414119 3 beds, 2 baths, 1.17 acres. Small orchard. $299,000
Beasley No MLS nelsonrealty.ca 29.56 acres. Bordered by Smallwood Creek. Level building site. $309,000
Slocan Park, just across the river from us. 200 feet of Slocan riverfront.5.93 level acres. Rancher with basement. Garage and outbuildings. Game fenced. $419,900S
Salmo MLS#2413481 108 Acres The ad says there are challenges with the property?????$99,ooo 250 505 2606
MLS#2414369 5acres near Appledale Golf Course, bordering the rails to trails and Slocan River $169,000
MLS#2413483 Lot A Upper Slocan Park Road 1.34 acres with drilled well. Country living on a no thru road $139,000
MLS#2416107 Nelson 1.34 acres Drilled well and certified Sewage system. $99,500

If I come across any more listings, I will post them. Hope that the above listings help...... They will probably really make you want to get out here quick!!!!!

KK

[morningcoffee]

Thanks kootenay kid, will check these out....

[kootenay kid]

Don't quite know what your budgets are like........there are dozens more listings at a little to a lot more than I showed.
valhallapathrealty@telus.net has a bunch of good looking listings as well.
www.coldwellbanker.ca also looks good.

KK

[HopeImReady]

What is the growing season like? How early/late do you have snow where you are, and is it a lot? Like enough to need snow tires? One thing I wonder is whether the rural areas would all be very hilly, or whether there are flatter areas? Thanks

[kootenay kid]

Our growing season is quite good. My neighbour grows almost everything....in abundance. She always has loads to "put up". Her place is a whole lot flatter than ours, with her home up higher than the garden area. Our place would have had a great garden spot, but with DH's disability, we had to put the house on the flat, thus taking away most of the flat.
Yes, you need snow tires. By law, from October 1 to April 30 they are required. Not a big concern, as the highway maintenance guys do a really good job of plowing. Last year was fairly typical, we only had to have our driveway plowed 4 times all winter. We may get a dump of a foot of snow, then it'll warm and melt off a bit before the next dump. Average temperatures for December and January are around -5 to -10. Sometimes we get a couple of weeks that are colder. Some years we don't. There has been snow on the mountains around us, but where we are, we haven't even had a frost yet. Yay!
In this area one can find almost any kind of land you want..... from mountain, to hilly to river front, and anything in between.
The snow load for building is 100 lb per sq ft.

I will post more later.

KK