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All about supply and demand

Editor: One of last week’s letters referred to bringing people to Sechelt in order to create more supply, thus more demand, resulting in more jobs and something about not letting the tail wag the dog.

Editor:

One of last week’s letters referred to bringing people to Sechelt in order to create more supply, thus more demand, resulting in more jobs and something about not letting the tail wag the dog. That’s exactly what would happen if we followed this line of thought.

Simple economics show that demand influences supply, not the other way round. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the environment. If people can’t find suitable work, they won’t come. I speak from experience, nearly having to leave the Coast to seek work. We have hundreds of children leaving school each year. Most of those either move away to study or have to leave to find work unless they’re prepared to do low-paid or seasonal jobs with limited opportunity.

Sechelt’s residential tax burden is, as the writer said, 93 per cent. In a typical community of this size, it should be around 80 per cent. A lower residential tax burden will benefit everyone. What we need to do is determine what sort of businesses could thrive here, in particular, those which offer careers and opportunities for advancement. Seek out those businesses and offer them incentives to come to the Coast. We have a huge potential young workforce who would no longer have to leave the Coast.

The demographic is aging. This may not be a problem to some, but a community where 46 per cent of the properties are second homes and a huge number seek warmer climates during winter months is not good for the community as a whole.

It is a beautiful part of the country and there’s no reason why that should change, but we have to promote more opportunities for those with young children and for the children themselves as they move into adulthood.

Create the jobs (demand), fill the positions (supply).

Stuart Spencer, Sechelt