The Stuart Nechako is a sub-region of the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako and is home to 21,771 people living in small towns, rural settings and remote communities, including seven First Nations communities.
The District of Vanderhoof, with an estimated 2004 population of 4,649, is located 97 kilometres west of Prince George at the junction of Highways 16 and 27, and is the main service centre for a wider population including the urban and rural populations of the area, as well as for Fort St James and Fraser Lake residents.
Vanderhoof is in the heart of the Nechako Valley and straddles the banks of the Nechako River flowing from Kenney Dam to the Fraser River. The landscape is the foundation of the forestry and agriculture industries that have dominated the economy since Vanderhoof's origins in 1926.
Canfor's Plateau Mill is located within the boundaries of the district, as are a number of medium to small sawmilling operations and forestry related consulting firms. Vanderhoof is the home to regional government offices, School District 91 administration and the regional St. John Hospital.
