BC City Guide 2018

What you need to know about living, working and investing in British Columbia’s seven economic regions

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Everyone can agree that British Columbia is a big, diverse place with boundless potential, but how well do we know our province? With that question in mind, I’m pleased to introduce the first edition of BC City Guide.

The inspiration for this guide was our Best Cities for Work in B.C. ranking, a popular annual feature that helps us better understand the business environment, income picture and employment situation in all corners of the province. Another motivator: our partnership with the BC Chamber of Commerce, whose vast network of members are now telling their stories in our pages.

BC City Guide takes a closer look at the three dozen communities on the Best Cities for Work list, plus a few others. Besides exploring the job market and local incomes, we put each city to the test as a place to call home or set up shop. What kind of people live there? How much can you expect to pay for a house? How business-friendly is city hall? What do residents do for fun?

Those are some of the questions we sought to answer, with help from the various municipalities. The results left us wiser about the opportunities that B.C. presents—and pleasantly surprised by the wealth of options for anyone looking to make a move.

Cariboo

Kootenay

Lower Mainland/Southwest

Northeast

North Coast/Nechako

Thompson-Okanagan

Vancouver Island/Coast

 

Acknowledgments

Thank you to all of the municipal governments and economic development offices that contributed information to BC City Guide. We’re also grateful to local real estate boards and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. for providing residential property prices and rental costs. For net office and retail lease rates, thanks to the cities, Avison Young, CBRE Group Inc. and Colliers International.

Last but not least, thank you to Environics Analytics. Our research partner for Best Cities for Work in B.C., the Toronto-based firm provided demographic and income data from 2012-17, drawing on sources including Statistics Canada. Outside the Lower Mainland, population numbers cited are for census metropolitan area or census agglomeration. Unemployment rates are from the February 2018 edition of Statscan’s Labour Force Survey, a three-month moving average that covers B.C.’s seven economic regions.

Cariboo

Quesnel

Williams Lake

Quesnel

The onetime gold-panning hotbed has settled into a quieter but equally industrious existence

A city between two rivers (the Quesnel and Fraser), Quesnel first made it onto the map as Gold Pan City, thanks to its status as a gateway to gold-mining centre Barkerville. It quickly became the commercial axis of the Cariboo gold rush, which lasted from 1860 to 1863. Four years after that fever died down, the Hudson’s Bay Co. store opened in Quesnel; the remodelled building still stands. Across the street is a replica of a Cornish waterwheel, once used to keep mines dry as prospectors dug. More than 30 other heritage sites pay homage to Quesnel’s gold-panning past.

Today, industries like forestry, mining and agriculture, the last one mostly ranching, are the city’s main job spinners. The top three wood producers in Quesnel seem to have reached a truce: C&C Wood Products Ltd., Tolko Industries Ltd. and West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. are a five-minute drive apart. Each has also carved out its own niche in the market, and in the province at large. Many local mining jobs involve support services, with residents keeping the Mount Polley mine humming while owner Imperial Metals Corp. scours the hills for gold and copper.

Quesnel has a large Indigenous population—at 15 percent, according to the 2016 census, it almost triples the provincial average. In a city of just over 21,000, First Nations residents play a visible and vocal role in civic decisions. In 2010, one of those moves was to install programmable lighting on the footbridge that citizens use to cross the Fraser. Besides showcasing a landmark, the lights brighten holidays and special events. The city also promotes a bylaw of the week every seven days, encouraging residents to remember the rules around, say, composting or dog licensing.

But residents know how to have fun, too. The Cariboo Hotel’s pub is a popular haunt for the region’s beer drinkers and billiards enthusiasts. Evenings out often call for a visit to the Occidental, the main nightclub, which hosts live music of all kinds. Quesnel’s first espresso shop, Granville’s Coffee, with its old-timey posters of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, is there for shaking off those nights with baked goods and artisan blends. It’s also one of the town’s main gathering spots. There might not be much gold in these parts anymore, but things have panned out for Quesnel.

PEOPLE
Population: 21,817
Household age (0-45, 45-64, 64+): 29%, 41%, 30%
University grads: 11%
Average household income: $95,057
Average household income under 45: $92,138
Five-year income growth, 2012-17: 17.3%
Five-year population growth: –2.1%

HOUSING
Average detached home price: $287,115
Average condominium price: $94,700
Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom: $666
Average annual household spending on shelter: $15,264

WORK
Key industries: Forestry; mining; agriculture; hospitality and tourism
Notable employers: C&C Wood Products Ltd.; City of Quesnel; Imperial Metals Corp.; Northern Health; School District 28; Tolko Industries Ltd.; West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
Regional unemployment: 7.3% (February)

BUSINESS
Total value of building permits issued in 2017: $94,334
Change from 2016: 35.5%
Cost of a business licence: $50-$1,750; typically $75
Average processing time for a building permit: n/a
Business property tax rate: $25 per $1,000 of assessed value
Average office lease rate per sq. ft./year: n/a
Average retail lease rate: n/a

QUALITY OF LIFE
Major post-secondary institutions: College of New Caledonia; University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)
Major recreational amenities: Two skating rinks; arts and recreation centre; indoor sports complex; trail network
Key annual events: Quesnel Farmers’ Market; Billy Barker Days; Skyfest; Winter Carnival
Average annual household spending on recreation: $4,606
Residents who walk or bike to work: 3.5%

Williams Lake

Welcome to cowboy country, where enjoying the outdoors is more than just a lifestyle, it’s a necessity

Halfway between the Kamloops sun and the Prince George snow lies Williams Lake. Incorporated as a city in 1929, it takes its name from a nearby lake that in turn was named in honour of Chief William of the Sugar Cane Indian Reserve. For many years, Williams Lake’s economy leaned heavily on agriculture, thanks to numerous local cattle ranches. But the city’s location has proven strategic in other ways: Highway 20 runs west to Bella Coola near the coast, making it the easiest way to drive to towns along the route.

In recent decades, forestry has overtaken ranching as the top employer. Mining, tourism and government services help give the community of more than 10,000 a diverse economic base. Taseko Mines Ltd. has both office workers and blue-collar types on the payroll, with the company’s Gibraltar copper-molybdenum mine a short drive from its downtown office. Tourism relies on painting Williams Lake a different colour than neighbouring communities: for example, the city calls itself both the “Mural Capital of the Cariboo” and a “Bird Watcher’s Paradise.”

But it also hangs onto its history, and though the ranching influence has dimmed somewhat, horses, cattle and cowboys still roam the open fields. You can see for yourself by visiting its biggest and most popular event, the Williams Lake Stampede. Besides a four-day rodeo, the summer gathering features two days of stock car racing and a day of Crash to Pass, a racing style where drivers bump the car in front of them before passing.

Williams Lake is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, with an extensive trail network ideal for mountain biking, hiking, ATVing, snowmobiling and dirt biking. And besides its namesake, boaters will find more than a dozen other lakes close by.

It’s a sports hub, too, proudly promoting itself as the hometown of Man in Motion Rick Hansen and the training ground of Montreal Canadiens star goaltender Carey Price, who would fly in from nearby Anahim Lake to play minor hockey. There’s a healthy rugby culture (Olympic bronze medalist Kayla Moleschi grew up here), including a tournament during the Stampede.

Is it all cowboys and sports stars and mountain bikes? Not quite. The city used to be notorious for its high crime levels, and that distinction remains relevant: Williams Lake was the top B.C. name on Maclean’s 2018 list of Canada’s most dangerous places. It was also unsafe for a different reason last summer, when wildfires raged through the area. At one point, three blazes surrounded the town, meaning that most of the town was evacuated. This is Canada though, so the Tim Hortons stayed opened to serve the firefighters. 

PEOPLE
Population: 17,958
Household age (0-45, 45-64, 64+): 32.5%, 42.9%, 24.6%
University grads: 13.2%
Average household income: $92,298
Average household income under 45: $84,679
Five-year income growth, 2012-17: 17.3%
Five-year population growth: –3.7%

HOUSING
Average detached home price: $220,000
Average condominium price: $140,000
Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom: $900
Average annual household spending on shelter: $15,692

WORK
Key industries: Forestry; mining; construction; health services; education; hospitality and tourism
Notable employers: Atlantic Power Corp.; Taseko Mines Ltd.; Tolko Industries Ltd.; West Fraser Timber Co.
Regional unemployment: 7.3% (February)

BUSINESS
Total value of building permits issued in 2017: $20,573,845
Change from 2016: 19.8%
Cost of a business licence: $50-$1,000
Average processing time for a building permit: 3 weeks
Business property tax rate: $13.03 per $1,000 of assessed value
Average office lease rate per sq. ft./year: n/a
Average retail lease rate: n/a

QUALITY OF LIFE
Major post-secondary institutions: Thompson Rivers University (TRU)
Major recreational amenities: Five parks; community centre; skating rink; indoor pool; hiking and mountain-biking trails
Key annual events: Williams Lake Stampede; Williams Lake Indoor Rodeo
Average annual household spending on recreation: $4,460
Residents who walk or bike to work: 3.5%

Kootenay

Castlegar
Cranbrook
Nelson

Trail

Castlegar

The Sculpture Capital of Canada builds up

When B.C.’s towns and cities were being named, residents of the Kootenay region were clearly the most creative of the bunch. In the West Kootenays, within the Selkirk Mountains and at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia rivers are a plethora of towns with unique handles. Take Raspberry, for instance, which has just over 400 residents. There’s also the Doukhobor settlement optimistically named Brilliant. Those two border one of the region’s larger cities, Castlegar.

But this home to just over 8,000 people (named after the Irish village) is more than an awesome moniker. Castlegar is a regional hub, with 70 percent of the West Kootenay population closer to it than to other municipalities of similar or larger size. That makes it a local leader in many industries. Transportation is one, given the Castlegar sits at the junction of three highways and houses the West Kootenay regional airport, which sees 77,000 annual passenger movements. Education is another, with Selkirk College’s main campus holding some 1,400 students. Surrounding towns also rely on the city’s community health centre.

All of this means that it has many decisions to make that require buy-in from its neighbours. Take the Castlegar & District Community Complex plan, which would see upward of $32 million spent to improve the city’s main recreational complex, including the addition of another pool. The proposed changes must win majority support from elected officials, not just in Castlegar itself but also in two nearby areas that encompass many smaller communities. That may sound like an example of small-town politics at work, but the city is evolving into a regional centre, moving beyond its earlier role as a service spot for mining, forestry and dam construction workers.

Still, the industries that the city was founded on continue to loom large. One of Castlegar’s biggest employers is the Zellstoff Celgar pulp mill, which is more than 50 years old and has some 400 residents on the payroll. Lumber giant Interfor Corp. employs another 150. But there’s also a commercial services boom in Castlegar. More than 660 businesses call the 19-square-kilometre city home, and many big ones have popped up in the past few years, including a regional operations centre for FortisBC Energy Inc. as well as a casino.

Much of that is thanks to Castlegar’s efforts to attract more people—including the hiring of an economic development officer and the upcoming redevelopment of its biggest road, Columbia Avenue—as the city becomes something of a tourist destination, too. Every year several thousand people attend its main public attractions, Millennium Park (which includes an abundance of ponds that residents and visitors splash about it in during the summer), and Sculpture Walk, an exhibition of outdoor sculpture that will see its ninth edition this September. The latter compelled Castlegar to bill itself as the Sculpture capital of Canada.

PEOPLE
Population: 8,100
Household age (0-45, 45-64, 64+): 30%, 37.5%, 32.5%
University grads: 20%
Average household income: $95,404
Average household income under 45: $98,588
Five-year income growth, 2012-17: 19.1%
Five-year population growth: 1.5%

HOUSING
Average detached home price: $295,000
Average condominium price: n/a
Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom: $755
Average annual household spending on shelter: $19,256

WORK
Key industries: Manufacturing; forestry; health care; education; transportation; tourism; commercial services
Notable employers: Columbia Power Corp.; Fortis BC Energy Inc.; Interfor Corp., Pacific Insight Electronics Corp.; Zellstoff Celgar
Regional unemployment: 7.3% (February)

BUSINESS
Total value of building permits issued in 2017: $9,624,973.72
Change from 2016: –58.6%
Cost of a business licence: $60-$115
Average processing time for a building permit: 2 weeks
Business property tax rate: $11.53 per $1,000 of assessed value
Average office lease rate per sq. ft./year: n/a
Average retail lease rate: n/a

QUALITY OF LIFE
Major post-secondary institutions: Selkirk College
Major recreational amenities: Millennium Ponds; community centre; skating rink; indoor pool; golf course; two ski resorts; hiking and mountain-biking trails
Key annual events: Sunfest; Bluegrass Jamboree; Sculpture Walk; Craft and Farmers Market; Art Walk; Fall Fair; Winterfest
Average annual household spending on recreation: $4,137
Residents who walk or bike to work: 5.8%

Cranbrook

The city of peaks and valleys will keep you entertained—and save you some money, too

Most famous in some circles as the birthplace of hockey legend Steve Yzerman, Cranbrook is a city in the East Kootenay west of the Kootenay River. With just under 27,000 residents, it’s the most populous community in the East Kootenay region and a two-hour drive to Alberta. Its slogan is “Mountains of Opportunity,” and credit to the wit who conjured up that one.

Sure enough, Cranbrook lies on the western edge of the Rocky Mountain Trench, a.k.a. the Valley of a Thousand Peaks because of the huge ranges that surround it. The Rocky Mountains to the east make the drive to our neighbouring province something to behold. And with the Kimberley Alpine Resort and Cranbrook Mountain to the south and west, respectively, this city has the mountains part covered.

As for opportunity, Cranbrook is constantly hunting to bring in new talent. Its sales pitch, like that from other smaller B.C. communities with an abundance of natural charm, focuses on showcasing its affinity for the outdoors. Although it seems unfair, Cranbrook sees more sunshine than any other city in the province while also being one of its top skiing and snowboarding destinations. The place has been described as an island in a sea of golf courses, too, so whatever your sporting fancy, you can probably find it here.

But there’s also a business angle to the pitch. For example, Cranbrook recently changed its development and permitting processes to expedite approvals. It also reformed procedures for capital construction projects, mandating local competitive bidding instead of automatically handing contracts to bigger companies elsewhere. That’s an important development, given that construction is one of Cranbrook’s biggest employers after the public sector and the College of the Rockies’ main campus. Mining, tourism and agriculture are also key economic drivers.

Then there’s the cost of living. More than half of the city’s residents live in detached houses. No wonder: last year, Cranbrook homes were about $380,000 cheaper than the provincial average.

Efforts to attract new people seem to be working: the population has seen a steady uptick in the past five years after little to no growth during the previous 20. And with a local airport that can get you to Vancouver in the time it takes to reach Van­couver from Victoria by ferry, it’s not like you’re leaving the big city behind entirely. Heck, a flight to Calgary takes under an hour. Simply put, there are plenty of peaks to be found in this valley.

PEOPLE
Population: 26,568
Household age (0-45, 45-64, 64+): 30.7%, 39.1%, 30.2%
University grads: 17%
Average household income: $102,582
Average household income under 45: $95,187
Five-year income growth, 2012-17: 21.6%
Five-year population growth: 3.7%

HOUSING
Average detached home price: $315,620 
Average condominium price: $152,157
Average monthly rent for a two-bedroom: $805
Average annual household spending on shelter: $20,987

WORK
Key industries: Government services; education; construction; mining; retail and other services; hospitality and tourism; manufacturing; agriculture
Notable employers: College of the Rockies; Ktunaxa Nation Council; Prestige Hotels & Resorts; Real Canadian Superstore
Regional unemployment: 6.7% (February)

BUSINESS
Total value of building permits issued in 2017: $34,400,000
Change from 2016: 28.3%
Cost of a business licence: $150
Average processing time for a building permit: 10 days–4 weeks
Business property tax rate: $19.40 per $1,000 of assessed value
Average office lease rate per sq. ft./year: $12-$18
Average retail lease rate: $10-$30

QUALITY OF LIFE
Major post-secondary institutions: College of the Rockies
Major recreational amenities: 21 parks; eight golf courses; three skating rinks; curling rink; aquatic centre; downhill and cross-country skiing
Key annual events: Sam Steele Days; Brothers Insurance Agency Charity Car Show; Cranbrook Pro Rodeo; Kootenay Rockies Gran Fondo
Average annu