Quesnel and Wells
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1 2 Welcome to Quesnel Our City is located in the North Cariboo and is the commercial centre for trading for approximately 23,000 within a 50-kilometre radius of our city centre. Located at the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers, our city is a picturesque community with small-town, friendly charm. Our area is rich in natural resources with wonderful outdoor recreational opportunities for all ages regardless of the season. We have great floral displays that are admired and photographed by many visitors. We’re well-served by rail, road and air to other major centres in B.C., Alberta and beyond. Quesnel is on Highway 97, the major north-south corridor in B.C., and only 120 kilometres from Highway 16, the major east-west corridor from central B.C. to central Alberta. Our real estate prices are considerably less than those of any community in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island or Okanagan. Our quality of life is second to none. No line-ups, long commutes or rush-hour traffic, leaving more time for family and friends and opportunities to enjoy the many amenities our city has to offer. Our unspoiled environment is an example of nature at its finest. There are numerous lakes, streams, and trails within a one-hour drive that allow for years of exploring. Local wildlife can be enjoyed in their natural habitat. Portions of the Fraser and Quesnel Rivers, Baker Creek and Dragon Lake are within our city boundaries, along with many parks. The Riverfront Trail network branches out to all corners of our city, allowing for healthy, active living and a great way to exercise and leave the car at home. We have many recreational and cultural facilities for the enjoyment of families and visitors at a very reasonable cost. With our dry climate, our winters are sunny, crisp and enjoyable. We boast some of the best snow conditions in the province of British Columbia for skiing and snowmobiling. We truly are a city of four seasons. Our small business community is thriving, and we boast to being the overnight stop on the Rocky Mountaineer Rainforest to Gold Rush passenger train trip. We are a forest industry hub, and home to the corporate offices of West Fraser Mills. The strongest attribute of our city is our people and their sense of community pride and volunteerism. Our resi- dents believe in Quesnel and show wonderful community spirit and support for each other and for many causes. With our strong sense of community comes new energy and ideas. It is very easy to become involved and be part of the great city of Quesnel. We are a friendly community who welcomes all who visit, those who want to invest or learn more about our com- munity heritage. I hope you will come to visit us soon. Sincerely, Mayor Mary Sjostrom 3 Welcome to Wells Located in the historic goldfields of the Cariboo Mountains 76 km east of Quesnel the colourful town of Wells, British Columbia offers unique business, recreational and lifestyle opportunities amid a beautiful wilderness setting. Wells is a small, safe community; a fabulous place to live. Many people have chosen to get away from the hectic pace of the city and take up a comfortable mountain life-style. Surrounded by wilderness and all of the benefits of rural living, Wells is a close-knit community with the benefits of small town living plus all the conveniences of a larger centre. Wells is an incorporated municipality with an elected mayor and council. The town offers municipal water and sewer services, curb side garbage collection, a library, fitness centre and an excellent elementary school. High- speed Internet and satellite T.V. service are both available at competitive prices. A fire department, RCMP detachment and an ambulance station are all based in the community. There is an active Chamber of Commerce and over a dozen other community service organizations and clubs. Most services not available locally can be readily sourced in Quesnel. It is pedestrian oriented and small enough that you can walk bike or ski everywhere. We have a strong arts community, an excellent arts curriculum in our elementary school, more galleries and artists’ studios per capita than anywhere else we know of, and cultural events ranging from concerts, courses in the arts, live theatre and more. Wells itself is a tourism destination with its preserved historic architecture and strong arts and cultural community. Stay in a restored 1930’s hotel, tour our art galleries and studios, or enjoy a live performance at the newly renovated Sunset Theatre. Of course outdoor recreation opportunities are virtually endless with the abundant wildlife, a newly constructed world class mountain trail network and the area’s waterways right at our doorstep. And don’t forget mining. Although tourism continues to be the primary economic driver in the Wells area, mining is now beginning to make a comeback. Small and large operations can be seen extracting gold and other valuable ores from what historically is one of the richest gold mining areas in the world. I encourage you to consider Wells both as a business choice and as a lifestyle choice. Come up and visit us, you might just find what you need. For more information on the Wells, Barkerville, Bowron Lakes area please visit the www.wellsbc.com website. Sincerely, John P.S. Vermette, Mayor District of Wells 4 CONTENTS 1. Demographics ........................................................................................................................... 7 Population 7 Household Income 7 Workforce Education Attainment 8 Language Knowledge 8 2. Labour Force ............................................................................................................................. 9 Employment by Industry 9 Employment by occupation 9 Top Employers 10 Average Income By Occupation-Northern BC 10 Labour force 12 Unemployment Rate / Employment Rate 12 Labour Participation Rate 12 3. Payroll Costs ............................................................................................................................ 13 Workers Compensation – 2010 13 Employment Insurance – 2010 13 Social Insurance (Canada Pension Plan) – 2010 14 4. Higher Education ..................................................................................................................... 15 Four Year Institutions 15 Training Services 16 5. Transportation ........................................................................................................................ 17 major transporation routes 17 HighWays 19 Railroads 20 Commercial Airports 21 Port of Prince Rupert 23 Port Contact information 23 Port of Kitimat 24 Port of Vancouver 24 Custom Port of Entry 25 Warehouses 25 Port Shipping Distances 26 6. Industrial Land Use .................................................................................................................. 27 Land Zoned and Designated in Official Community Plan 27 7. Utilities ................................................................................................................................... 29 Water System-Quesnel 29 waste Water SYSTEM – QUESNEL 30 5 Water Production- Wells 31 Waste Water System- Wells 31 Landfill and Waste Management 31 Licensed Hazardous Materials Disposal 32 Electric Power 32 Natural Gas 33 Telecommunications 34 8. Business Support Services ........................................................................................................ 35 9. Government ............................................................................................................................ 35 Municipal Government 35 Regional District 36 Provincial 36 Provincial Government Representation 36 Federal Government Representation 37 Senators 37 10. Housing ................................................................................................................................... 38 Housing Characteristics 38 Average Housing Values 38 11. taxation................................................................................................................................... 39 Corporate Income Tax 39 Personal Income Tax 39 Sales / Use Tax 39 Sales Tax Rate by Utility 40 Property Tax 2009 – Quesnel 41 Property Tax 2009– Wells 41 12. International Resources ........................................................................................................... 42 Investment and Business Support Offices 42 Financial Institutions 43 Employment Assistance 43 Air Transportation Service 44 13. Quality of Life .......................................................................................................................... 45 Climate 45 Sports 46 Culture 46 Health 48 Visitor Map 49 6 1. DEMOGRAPHICS POPULATION QUESNEL & AREA NORTHERN BC Population By Population Population By Population % Distribution % Distribution Age Group (2006) Age Group (2006) Under-18 5170 23.0% 0-4 19300 6% 18-34 3980 17.7% 5-17 60400 18.8% 35-54 7290 32.5% 18-24 30900 9.6% 55-74 4795 21.4% 24-44 88500 27.5% 75-Older 1215 5.4% 45-64 90700 28.2% Total: 22450 100% 65+ 32200 10.0% Median Age: 42.0 Total 322,000 100% Data Source: Statistics Canada “Quesnel Agglomeration”- http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92- 591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=952__&Geo2=PR&Code2=59&Data=Count&SearchText=quesnel&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1= All&Custom= HOUSEHOLD INCOME Household Income 2006 Number of Households 9,140 Median Income- All Families $54,111 Median Income- Married Families $72,691 Median Income-Common Law Families $62,826 Median Income After Tax-