Our Most

When COVID-19 reached B.C.'s shores in early 2020—and society as we know it ground Resilient to a halt—the disease triggered the greatest pub- lic health crisis in living memory. Several months into the pandemic, we have a better sense of the risks to human health, but the longer-term impact Cities in on the economic health of our communities looks less certain. "We are arguably in the single greatest socio- BEST economic experiment in history," says urban plan- CITIES ner Andy Yan, director of the City Program at SFU. FOR WORK only reshap- IN B.C. According to Yan, the pandemic is not 2021 ing the economies of our cities but also reorganiz- ing the human geography of our province. To help make sense of a dynamic and evolving situation, Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the seventh annual Best Cities for Work in B.C. survey consults several experts to reveal the pan- EXPLORE I EXPERIENCE I EXCEL we've overhauled our annual ranking of B.C.'s best demic's uneven impact on industries and regions. cities for work. An expanded list of 50 communities, The state of the tourism and real estate sectors and the shift to working from home figure prominently Possibilities are endless in the Township of Langley a revamped methodology and a shift in focus away in their evaluation. from work and toward broader economic health makes To gain further clarity and assess the ability of B.C.'s largest cities to weather the economic storm, the seventh edition very different from those of recent we developed a new and expanded set of 12 indi- years—yet similarities remain. In these uncertain times, cators with help from research partner Environ- ics Analytics. (For details, see page 49.) Covering a slew of new indicators and a panel of experts will demographic, workforce composition, real estate help answer the question: What are the province's and employment trends, this year's indicators explore key risk factors, resiliency factors and most economically resilient cities? early signs of recovery.

by ANDREW MACAU LAY

Township of

Langley Economic Investment and Development [email protected] 604.533.6084 invest.tol.ca BCBUSINESS.CA FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS 45 4t,

FIVE-YEAR SHARE OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLD SHARE OF SHARE OF SHARE OF WORK- SHARE OF WORK- RESIDENTIAL HOUSING STARTS CHANGE IN AVERAGE 2021 2020 POPULATION POPULATION COMPONENT OF FINANCIAL WORKFORCE IN WORKFORCE FORCE IN INFORMA- FORCE IN ACCOM- SALES PER 10,000 PER 10,000 JOBS PER 10,000 ANNUAL 2021 GROWTH RANK RANK AGED 65+ (5°/u) GROWTH (5°/o) VULNERABILITY PUBLIC ADMINIS- IN WHOLESALE TION, CULTURE AND MODATION AND FOOD POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT COMMUNITY (10% WEIGHT) (15%) TRATION (5%) TRADE (5%) RECREATION (511/0 SERVICES (10%) (10%) (10%) (10%) RATE (10%) RANK

1 NR LANGFORD 19.6% 13.2% 2.4% 122 15.0% .3% 3.9% 8.1% 170 212 -128 7.9% 1 2 15 PARKSVILLE 8.0% 43.6% 0.8% 98 5.4% 2.5% 3.6% 11.2% 180 294 186 8.7%

3 14 SIDNEY 6.5% 41.5% 2.1% 95 6.6% 1.8% 3.9% 8.9% 160 169 -128 7.9% 3 4 3 TOWNSHIP OF LANGLEY 12.0% 16.9% 21% 107 5.4% 5.5% 4.2°k 6.5% 105 148 -563 9.2°k 4 5 NR 12.0% 17.7% 121 12.4% 2.9% 3.6% 7.1% 136 109 -128 7.9% 5 6 7 SALMON ARM 7.7% 26.6% 1.2% 88 3.9% 2.4% 3.5% 6.8% 105 60 117 8.6% 6 7 10 COURTENAY 9.9% 26.4% 1.0% 106 8.0% 1.9% 4.0% 9.8% 178 85 186 8.7% 7 8 NR WEST 21.1% 1.0% 102 4.1% 3.0% 4.3% 7.9% 156 108 -82 8 9 NR 10.3% 26.1% 1.0% 94 2,3% 5.4% 6.1% 91 12 -128 7.9% 9 10 5 KELOWNA 11.3% 20.6% 2.1% 99 3.0% 9.6% 150 64 -82 7.8% 10 11 28 COMOX 7.1% 29.3% 1.0% 102 15.0°k 2.2% 3.5% 7.5% 137 9 186 8.7% 11 12 16 CHILLIWACK 11.8% 18.2% 1.4°k 110 2.9% 7.4% 150 56 -480 12 13 2 WHISTLER 21.4% 7.7% 9.9% 83 1.6% 8.5% 27.7% 180 45 -480 9.0% 13 14 32 8.9% 35.7% 94 4.9% 7.5% 176 33 -480 14 15 33 SUMMERLAND 4.3% 32.2% 0.6% 101 2.7% 3.8% 6.5% 121 36 117 8.6% 15 16 25 ABBOTSFORD 10.7% 16.9% 4.1% 113 4.0% 2.5% 99 53 -364 16 17 NELSON 7.3% 19.6% 1.4% 96 1.6°k 5.1% 9.5% 123 50 170 10.0% 17

Category weights shown in brackets; NR=not ranked. Full methodology on page 49

1 BEST- CITIES A DICHOTOMY EMERGES the top three are Parksville OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (No. 2) FOR WORK is not as cyclical as the private sec- an incongruent mix of small resource- JUST SO YOU KNOW: a ranking of municipalities, Force Survey and only pres- and Sidney (No. 3), improving on IN B.C . tor." But that's not all the region has dependent communities and some of as legally defined by the ent figures for B.C.'s eight Thanks to a refreshed methodology, this last year's solid showings of No. 15 going for it. Metro Vancouver's largest urban centres. • Our ranking only includes B.C. Local Government Act. economic regions and four year's top cities look much different from and No. 14, respectively. The success of this year's top cit- Less surprising, perhaps, cities like Wil- cities of 10,000 or more • We work with research census metropolitan areas 2020, yet much the same. Despite our new With six cities in the top 10, Vancouver ies also highlights an emerging trend, liams Lake (No. 40), Port Alberni (No. 47) permanent residents. partner Environics Analytics for the first three quarters indicators, the Township of Langley (No. 4 Island has proven to be the most resilient consistent with the observations of and Quesnel (No. 50) continue to struggle • We excluded bedroom because we believe it has of 2020. Similarly, monthly this year), Salmon Arm (No. 6), Courtenay region in the 2021 ranking. One secret to our experts: mid-pandemic conditions against the long-term decline of the B.C. communities like Lake the best data available-but housing starts figures (No. 7) and Kelowna (No. 10) make a repeat its success: a higher-than-average share of favoured smaller independent communi- forest products industry. There are prom- Country, Oak Bay and West even that has limitations. provided by Mort- showing in the top 10, underscoring their residents working in the public sector. This ties and suburbs over the central cities of ising new signs of life for forestry, partly Vancouver, which may offer To produce municipal- gage and Housing Corp. resiliency across a range of metrics. is especially true in the Capital Region, B.C.'s largest metropolitan areas, such as driven by a hot home renovation and con- a high quality of life but level population growth and quarterly residential With a more generous take on how where the government employs more Metro Vancouver and the Capital Region. struction market. But a sluggish global have small job markets. numbers, for example, the sales figures from BC we define "bedroom community"- than 10 percent of the workforce in cities "This is one thing that's quite fascinating economy probably won't do the industry • Langley and North Vancou- firm used regional-level Assessment only reflect appropriate, perhaps, given that more like Langford, Sooke, Central Saanich and about this downturn-there are definitely any favours this year, Peacock reckons: ver are represented on the estimates from Statistics the year-to-date figures people than ever are working from Victoria. Martin Farnham, associate profes- regional differences," notes Ken Peacock, "Growth at the global level is still expected ranking by both their city Canada to make 2020 collected to the end of home-four new cities join this year's list sor of economics at UVic, thinks this has chief economist at the Business Council to be a drag on B.C.'s export sector." and district municipalities. projections. September. As such, those and, coincidentally, the top 10: Langford helped to stabilize the region's economy of . "There really is this One of the less anticipated outcomes of • Although we use the term • Job numbers and unem- indicators won't account (No. 1), Sooke (No. 5), West Kelowna (No. 8) during the pandemic: "Thanks to the abil- churn and uneven impact." COVID-19 has been its lopsided impact on "city" throughout, our ployment rates come from for economic trends over and Central Saanich (No. 9). Rounding out ity to run deficits, government employment Comprising the bottom of the list is B.C.'s most urban areas. Surrey (No. 38), annual survey is technically StatCan's monthly Labour the final quarter of 2020. Lj

46 BCBUSINESS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS.CA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS 47

Vancouver (No. 45) and Richmond (No. 46) plunged to the bottom in the 2021 How We Crunched the Numbers ranking. "If you think about the industry impacts from coviD-19, it makes sense," Peacock says, citing the Vancouver o determine the most economically resilient cities in B.C., we examined 12 eco- region's outsized reliance on tourism, nomic indicators with weightings ranging from 5 to 15 percent, including two BEST hospitality and entertainment services, carried over from last year's Best Cities for Work ranking and 10 new ones. The CITIES including large sporting events and a T weightings strike a balance between demographic- and workforce-related indicators, FOR WORK R high concentration of bars and restau- rants. Given the pandemic-combating which include pre-pandemic risk and resiliency factors, and those tracking aspects IN B.C. restrictions placed on these activities of 2020 economic recovery, like housing starts and unemployment rates. Each city early on, he isn't surprised by the area's received a score out of 100 points and is ranked accordingly. performance. "The pain and the difficult challenges are going to be more concen- CTIVELY RECRUITING trated in Metro Vancouver." Five-year population on immigrants for growth. Share of workforce in Residential sales per monthly Labour Force ransportation growth (maximum. Again, the city with the wholesale trade 10,000 residents Survey. We scored the VISITORS WANTED score of 10 points) lowest value received five (5 points) (10 points) year-to-date difference onstruction ...... 000000e. O.. [I --a el 000 0 s• This figure represents the points, with the others One of the industries This number, from quar- in jobs out of a maximum B.C.'s tourism industry was Health Care Stewart hit hard population growth for each scoring accordingly. least impacted by the terly BC Assessment data, value of 10. The HazeIto by travel restrictions and the closing city from 2015 to 2020. We pandemic, wholesale reflects the year-to-date Social Services Gitlaxt'aamiks of international • Smithers borders following the gave the highest-growth Household financial trade was the first to see sales totals for single- Average annual Retail and Food Service *Terrace onset of the pandemic. "The impact of city 10 points and scored vulnerability (15 points) employment recover and family and strata residen- unemployment rate Prince10 Rupert being an international destination has the others in proportion This figure—an index exceed pre-COVID levels. tial properties to the end (10 points) Forestry and Logging ° Kitimat been devastating," says Mining Ingrid Jarrett, to that. created by research part- Giving the city with the of September 2020. After For this indicator, we president and CEO of the British Colum- ner Environics Analytics highest share of workers dividing sales totals by averaged unemployment Education bia Hotel Association. "For the year of Share of population —looks at a range of from this sector a 5, total city population, we rates for each city from And more... 2020, the occupancy we're anticipating aged 65 and over household financial we scored the others in multiplied that figure by the first three quarters of is somewhere around 30 to 32 percent. If (5 points) variables, including debt, proportion to that. 10,000 to determine the the year. The averages we look at 2019, the whole province was This value represents liquid assets and discre- number of sales per 10,000 were derived from rates sitting between 70 and 80 percent." the share of a city's total tionary income, to show Share of workforce in residents. We gave the reported in StatCan's According to Jarrett, many of the population aged 65 and how precarious a typical information, culture and highest value 10 points monthly Labour Force Sur- trends seen in tourism mirror the older. Given that the household's finances recreation (5 points) and scored the others vey for January through results of this year's ranking: "The urban pandemic poses a higher are in a given city. The To represent the second- accordingly. September 2020. We gave centres—Victoria, Vancouver, Richmond health risk to older people, higher the index value, the most COVID-afflicted the lowest average 10 • Big city benefits and —those are where we're seeing the most we assumed that cities more vulnerable a city's industry, we gave the city Housing starts per points and evaluated the severe impact and drop in tourism reve- with a larger proportion of households are on aver- with the lowest share of 10,000 residents (10 others in relation to that. Li plenty of space. nue." While the province's international seniors would similarly be age. Therefore, we gave its workforce employed points) destinations have seen a decline in visi- at greater economic risk. the lowest value 15 points in information, culture We derived this value from The District of Saanich blends rural, urban and coastal living tors, other regions have benefited from The city with the lowest and scored the others in and recreation five the year-to-date hous- on Vancouver Island. We live, work and play in a stunning an uptick in domestic travellers with share of seniors received relation to that. points, with the others ing starts from Canada nowhere else to go. natural environment with a growing economy. a score of 5, with the ranking accordingly. Mortgage and Housing "We've had some areas that have others scoring in inverse Share of workforce in Corp.'s monthly Starts had resiliency based on B.C. resident proportion. public administration Share of workforce in and Completions Survey travel...that have done quite well in the (5 points) accommodation and to the end of September summer and into the fall," Jarrett says. Immigrant component This indicator reflects food services (10 points) 2020. The city with the These include the Valley, the of growth (5 points) the proportion of a city's Hit harder by the highest number of housing Kootenays, - and the This number reflects workforce employed pandemic than any other starts per 10,000 residents Parksville-to-Courtenay corridor. Jar- the segment of five- in the industry that Stat- industry, accommoda- received a score of 10, rett attributes their success to comfort- year population growth Can identified as least tion and food services with the other cities scor- able climates, family-friendly amenities, composed of international affected by COVID-19. The employs twice the ing in relation to that. and excellent outdoor and culinary immigrants, as reported by community with the high- workforce of the above experiences. It also helps, of course, for 2016, est share of its residents sectors, on average, so Change in jobs per that they're traditionally less reliant on the most recent census in public administration— we weighted it accord- 10,000 residents international visitors. "These areas that period. Knowing that the as defined by the North ingly. The lowest value (10 points) have done well, historically would have pandemic has curtailed American Industry Classi- received a score of 10, This figure measures the had less than 5 percent international international immigration fication System (NAICS)— with the other cit- change in the employed travel, so their historical demand or travel to Canada, we assumed received 5 points, and we ies scoring in inverse labour force from Janu- pattern has not been disrupted, whereas greater economic risk for evaluated the others in proportion. ary to September 2020, in the rest of the province it has." those cities most reliant relation to it. derived from StatCan's

48 BCBUSINESS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS.CA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS 49

FIVE-YEAR SHARE OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLD SHARE OF SHARE OF SHARE OF WORK- SHARE OF WORK- RESIDENTIAL HOUSING STARTS CHANGE IN AVERAGE 2021 2020 POPULATION POPULATION COMPONENT OF FINANCIAL WORKFORCE IN WORKFORCE FORCE IN INFORMA- FORCE IN ACCOM- SALES PER 10,000 PER 10,000 JOBS PER 10,000 ANNUAL 2021 RANK RANK GROWTH AGED 65+ (5°/o) GROWTH (5%) VULNERABILITY PUBLIC ADMINIS- IN WHOLESALE TION, CULTURE AND MODATION AND FOOD POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT RANK COMMUNITY (100/0 WEIGHT) (15°/o) TRATION (Po) TRADE (Po) RECREATION (5%) SERVICES (10%) (101)/0) (10%) (10%) RATE (10%)

18 24 VERNON 7.3% 25.3% 1.2% 104 3.2% 2.4% 3.9% 9.8% 164 24 117 8.6% 18

19 21 8.2% 16.9% 2.2% 113 7.1% 6.6% 4.4%. 5.6% 103 33 -563 9.2% 19

20 22 CITY OF LANGLEY 8.4% 19.8% 2.5% 126 4.0% 5.2% 4.0% 6.4% 142 139 -563 9.2% 20

21 8 8.8% 22.4% 2.0% 107 5.0% 2.5% 4.6% 8.5% 112 45 186 8.7% 21

22 31 6.3% 28.4% 1.2% 103 5.5% 2.1% 3.8% 10.6% 153 15 117 8.6% 22 23 34 KAMLOOPS 18.7% 1.2% 112 - 2.7% 4.1% 9.4% 120 48 117 8.6% 23

24 36 DUNCAN/ 6.8% 27.0% 1.4% 109 4.6% 2.2% 3.9% 8.2% 121 50 186 8.7% 24

25 18 SAANICH 5.5% 21.1% 2.6% 91 10.9% 2.1% 4.9% 9.2% 78 14 -128 7.9% 25

26 30 MISSION 10.6% 15.1% 1.2% 122 5.1% 4.1% 3.5% 6.2% 87 17 -364 7.1°/o 26

27 12 MAPLE RIDGE 10.6% 15.6% 2.0% 118 5,5% 4.6% 5.2% 113 41 -563 9.2% 27

28 6 FORT ST. JOHN 4.5% 8.1% 4.8% 112 4.4% 3.1% 2.5% 8.3% 100 18 -128 7.3% 28

29 44 PRINCE GEORGE 6.6% 15.1% 116 5.8% 3.4% 3,4% 7.9°/o 108 32 187 9.6% 29

30 38 CAMPBELL RIVER 8.2% 23.3% 0.9% 122 3.9% 2.4% 3.2% 9.6% 123 76 186 8.7% 30 31 19 VICTORIA 7.2% 21.2% 3.2% 98 10.7% 5.6% 11.4% 94 19 -128 7.9% 31

32 17 DELTA 7.7% 19.9% 3.4% 102 4.4% 4.6% 4.7% 6.6% 73 22 -563 9.2% 32 33 29 BURNABY 16.5% 99 3.8% 4.0% 8.4% 65 121 -563 9.2% 33 34 41 POWELL RIVER 2.6% 29.0% 0.9% 114 5.3% 2.2% 3.6% 8.2% 119 38 186 8.7% 34

Category weights shown in brackets NR=not ranked. Full methodology on page 49

CITIES BACK TO WORK-SLOWLY aggregate is up from February," FOR WORK THE IT FACTOR says Malpass, citing Traction on Demand's is another important factor for Malpass. "It trend for several years, Peacock observes. he reveals. Metro Vancouver's IN B.C. plans to hire hundreds of people in the makes a big difference, especially when "It was clear that people were already The province's job market looked bleak slower employment recovery has Many international technology province over the next year alone. B.C.- you think about Victoria and the Island. moving out [of Metro Vancouver] -and over the spring of 2020. Unemployment contributed to the weaker showing of companies have benefited from the based tech companies also help generate UVic, Camosun-those colleges are so I would argue because of high housing rates roughly tripled from historic lows, its municipalities in this year's ranking, as pandemic-Zoom is a prime example-so more high-quality, senior positions than accessible." He's also interested in follow- costs-at a rate of about three times of what reaching as high as 16 percent in the Koo- captured by our change in jobs and unem- it's hardly shocking that the tech industry international satellite offices, Malpass adds. ing talented workers who have relocated to I would describe as normal." But with so tenays in June. The summer months saw ployment rate indicators. has been another bright spot for Metro As tech remains buoyant, Traction on smaller towns in recent years. High housing many people now working from home and numbers rebound as most regions dipped On a cheerier note, even in Metro Vancouver. Most notable is Amazon's Sep- Demand is one example of a homegrown prices in Metro Vancouver have been a fac- no longer anchored to their places of work, back under 10 percent by September. The Vancouver there are some positive tember announcement that it would add firm looking to expand its footprint. After tor, but so have things like the convenience he thinks the pandemic may be accelerat- Northeast communities of Fort St. John (No. employment trends. Wholesale trade, the 3,000 jobs and absorb more office space in opening a Nelson office in 2019, the com- of shorter commute times and a desire for ing this trend. "Going virtual was already 28) and Dawson Creek (No. 48) led the pack first industry to regain and exceed pre- downtown Vancouver. pany has its eye on other smaller B.C. a stronger sense of community. "They've evident, but [coviD] has just supercharged heading into the fall. pandemic employment, is most heavily Greg Malpass, founder and CEO of cities-the Vernon and Duncan areas moved there because they want a better it. Same thing with some of these migra- Peacock highlights a recurring theme: concentrated in the Lower Mainland. Burnaby-based Traction on Demand, a among them. "We're looking at where the sense of identity within a community," Mal- tion patterns." "Most of the job losses are in the Metro Van- That's helped keep communities like large consulting partner and app devel- next towns are," Malpass says. "One thing pass says, "[to] feel safer, more connected." Brendon Ogmundson, chief econo- couver area." Not including the province's Abbotsford (No. 16), Pitt Meadows (No. oper for the popular online sales platform I'm watching is the median age in these mist with the British Columbia Real Estate other major metros-Victoria, Kelowna 19), the City of Langley (No. 20), Mission Salesforce, is quick to point out the bigger towns. Where are the young towns? Where SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Association, agrees, citing a large uptick in and Abbotsford-"the number of people (No. 26) and Maple Ridge (No. 27) com- picture. "The truth is, local industry has is the bulk of capability?" single-family home sales in Victoria and the working in that rest-of-B.C., small-town petitively placed in this year's list. created way more jobs than Amazon has," Proximity to postsecondary institutions This shift to small-town living has been a Okanagan through 2020. He also believes

50 BCBUSINESS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS.CA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS 51

FIVE-YEAR SHARE OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLD SHARE OF SHARE OF SHARE OF WORK- SHARE OF WORK- RESIDENTIAL HOUSING STARTS CHANGE IN AVERAGE 2021 2020 POPULATION POPULATION COMPONENT OF FINANCIAL WORKFORCE IN WORKFORCE FORCE IN INFORMA- FORCE IN ACCOM- SALES PER 10,000 PER 10,000 JOBS PER 10,000 ANNUAL 2021 RANK RANK GROWTH AGED 65+ (5%) GROWTH (5%) VULNERABILITY PUBLIC ADMINIS- IN WHOLESALE TION, CULTURE AND MODATION AND FOOD POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION UNEMPLOYMENT RANK COMMUNITY (100/0 WEIGHT) (15%) TRATION (5°/u) TRADE (5%) RECREATION (5%) SERVICES (10%) (10%) (10%) (10%) RATE (10%)

35 1 SQUAMISH 10.6% 11.3% 2.0% 114 5.4% 1.8% 6.5% 12.8% 125 57 -480 9.0% 35

36 11 CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER 8.8% 17.0% 7.8% 104 4.3% 7.3% 8.2% 111 71 -563 9.29/. 36

37 40 NEW WESTMINSTER 11.4% 16.2% 5.3% 114 4.2% 6.6% 6.8% 97 23 -563 9.2% 37

38 20 SURREY 10.2% 151% 7.8% 111 4.50/. 3.8% 7.5% 88 46 -563 9.2% 38

39 4 DIST. OF NORTH VANCOUVER 3.4% 18.5% 3.8% 97 7.9% 7.0% 73 58 -563 9.2% 39

40 46 WILLIAMS LAKE 2.7% 19.8% 1.8% 114 5.4% 3.0% 2.3% 8.9% 103 3 187 9.6% 40

41 42 CRANBROOK 4.1% 22.0% 1.1% 116 3.2% 3.9% 9.0% 123 16 170 10.00/0 41

42 26 PORT COQUITLAM 7.8% 14.0% 3.5% 121 5.1% 5.3% 5.3% 6.5% 92 27 -563 9.2% 42

43 13 COQUITLAM 10.1% 15.1% 7.5% 110 4.4% 5.8% 8.1% 85 48 -563 9.2% 43

44 23 TERRACE 3.5% 16.3% 1.3% 111 7.0% 2.6% 2.8% 11.6% 105 19 -228 9.5% 44

45 37 VANCOUVER 4.3% 16.0% 6.2% 87 8.7% 9.9% 65 45 -563 9.2% 45

46 35 RICHMOND 5.0% 18.2% 8.0% 100 3.0% 5.00/0 4.9% 9.7% 90 52 -563 9.2% 46

47 45 PORT ALBERNI 3.9% 25.6% 0.5% 136 1.9% 3.2% 9.0% 124 88 186 8.7% 47

48 27 DAWSON CREEK 3.1% 13.5% 113 2.2% 2.6% 80 2 -128 7.3% 48 49 9 PRINCE RUPERT 2.6% 16.0% 1.4% 118 3.1% 8.2% 114 5 -228 9.5% 49

50 43 QUESNEL 4.3% 20.8% 0.7% 131 2.6% 109 4 187 50

Category weights shown in brackets. Full methodology on page 49

BEST CITIES the pandemic is driving demand for larger The housing markets with the FOR W By comparison, cities like Vancou- forecasting how 2021 will unfold is anyone's For local governments, rethinking ple cited by Yan is the transformation of living spaces, which come at a premium in greatest demand include some of IN B ver, Richmond, Burnaby and Sur- guess. Among our experts, there's a sense development fees and permit processes Surrey's Cloverdale Fairgrounds into a Metro Vancouver. "If you are going to be the province's youngest cities, like rey have relied more heavily on new that the worst of the economic fallout may should be a priority, according to Peacock. television production set. He commends largely housebound for several months, Langford, where families are finding international residents to fuel growth in still lie ahead. "I would be looking to streamline and pro- reusing the space, which has seen events or if you can now work remotely, it makes some of the most affordable housing in an recent years. A COVID-induced slowdown Their concerns are wide-ranging, from cess as many of the development permit cancelled during COVID, to bring new types sense that you might want more space for increasingly expensive Capital Region. But in immigration could hinder their growth, the pandemic's impact on employee mental applications that I currently had as pos- of jobs to the area. a home office or a yard to do socially dis- retirees looking to relocate also appear to but may also improve their affordability for health to reduced face-to-face interaction, sible, because the residential construction Taking the long view of what will hap- tanced entertaining." be driving demand in cities such as Parks- local buyers. which limits opportunities for collabora- industry is a major economic engine in Brit- pen in a post-coviD world, Yan believes Data from BC Assessment confirms ville, Sidney and Sechelt, which have the In general, the real estate sector's tive innovation. Then there's the tough ish Columbia." stability will be a key asset for the province Ogmundson's observations. The top highest share of seniors in the province. resilience during the pandemic has been balancing act for senior governments as With people spending more time in and as a whole. "I think underlying recovery markets for residential sales through "An aging populace is going to mean tra- surprising. "Looking at recent data in the they try to keep the economy afloat with around their homes and less time frequent- is the level of stability that we have," he the first three quarters of 2020, relative ditional retirement communities see an housing market, it would be difficult to tell stimulus spending and financial supports ing traditional employment hubs, sFu's says, "the political, economic and social to their population size, were (in order) influx," Ogmundson notes. there was a recession at all," Ogmundson for businesses and workers. "Somehow Yan believes cities need to start retrofitting stability that you can find in British Colum- Parksville, Whistler, Courtenay, Sechelt, Families in search of affordability also says. "The COVID-19 recession, however, has these policy makers are walking this very their residential areas for a greater mix of bia that you may not necessarily find in other Langford, Vernon, Sidney, West Kelowna, appear to be fuelling the market dynamics been anything but typical." difficult line, and I don't want to for a sec- uses. In particular, he suggests introducing places in the world." This foundation will Penticton and Kelowna. The least active of the Lower Mainland. Here, sales have ond pretend that that's easy," the scBc's functions of production, consumption and ultimately be what attracts new residents, markets: Vancouver, Burnaby, the District been highest in demographically young LOOKING AHEAD Peacock says. "We just don't want to end up distribution. "The future is about how you businesses and capital, Yan predicts. "The of North Vancouver, Delta, Saanich, Daw- communities outside the core cities of in a circumstance where you have a bunch can build spaces and cities and neighbour- attraction isn't the return on investment," son Creek, Coquitlam, Mission, Surrey Metro Vancouver, including Chilliwack, As we stand at one of the most pivotal socio- of companies that are depending on these hoods that can adapt to and be flexible to he says, pointedly. "It's the return of and Richmond. Squamish, Maple Ridge and the Langleys. economic junctures of the past century, handouts to survive." those three functions." One recent exam- investment." I

52 BCBUSINESS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS CA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS 53