BC City Guide 2018: Smithers

Credit: Destination BC/Grant Harder

The quiet mountain town has started making some noise

Some places naturally inherit a vibe that ends up defining them. Smithers, sandwiched between the two largest cities in the province’s Northwest region (Prince George and Prince Rupert), has made the most of its surroundings.

B.C.’s first incorporated village officially became a town in 1967, and its success as a regional centre for the Bulkley Valley hinged on forestry and its proximity to the railway. Those industries are still top employers, but they’ve been joined by a heavy mining presence, plus a focus on outdoor recreation, with help from nearby Hudson Bay Mountain and its ski resort. Accordingly, the town has cultivated an alpine esthetic, even enacting a bylaw that requires businesses on downtown’s Main Street to construct their buildings to reflect that look.

A statue of a man blowing a horn, often called Alpine Al, located at the entrance to Main Street has become a town symbol. The community of just over 5,000 finds someone to dress up as Al at most local gatherings and events. Along with red-brick sidewalks and peaked chalet-style roofs, it all makes for a scene that wouldn’t look out of place in Switzerland or Bavaria.

The emphasis on recreation also applies to the way of life that made Smithers attractive for its original inhabitants, the Wet’suwet’en First Nation: fishing. It draws visitors from afar to some of B.C.’s best angling, especially for steelhead.

The people of Smithers prefer to be called Smithereens, and they aren’t shy about voicing environmental concerns. At least two major resource projects slated for the area, a molybdenum mine and a coalbed methane gas field, were vigorously opposed until the proponents abandoned their plans. Arguing that air quality, drinking water and the local salmon population were at risk, these Smithereens proved that they come together rather than apart.

PEOPLE
Population: 5,044
Household age (0-45, 45-64, 64+): 37.1%, 37.8%, 25.1%  
University grads: 14.9%
Average household income: $86,649
Average household income under 45: $85,306
Five-year income growth, 2012-17: 16.4%
Five-year population growth: –6.8%

HOUSING
Average detached home price: $277,987
Average condominium price: $185,000
Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom: $1,000
Average annual household spending on shelter: $15,683

WORK
Key industries: Education; transportation; government services; forestry; mining
Notable employers: Northern Health; School District 54; West Fraser Mills Ltd.
Regional unemployment: 6.2% (February)

BUSINESS
Total value of building permits issued in 2017: $21,751,857
Change from 2016: 95.5%
Cost of a business licence: $160-$660
Average processing time for a building permit: 10-14 days
Business property tax rate: $17.32 per $1,000 of assessed value
Average office lease rate per sq. ft./year: $12
Average retail lease rate: $20

QUALITY OF LIFE
Major post-secondary institutions: Northwest Community College
Major recreational amenities: 12 parks; two skating rinks; curling rink; pool
Key annual events: Northwest Trade Expo; Midsummer Music Festival; Bulkley Valley Exhibition
Average annual household spending on recreation: $4,164
Residents who walk or bike to work: 11.8%

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