Sechelt has cracked the top 20 in its first year of eligibility for the BC Business annual survey of Best Cities for Work in B.C.
The magazine has been publishing the survey for the past five years, and in the background article about the 2018 results it said the research firm Environics Analytics was asked to compile data in 10 categories for communities with more than 10,000 residents.
The categories are: average household income; average household income for primary earners under age 35; five-year income growth; average household spending on recreation; average shelter costs; five-year population growth; unemployment rate as of September 2018; average commute time; average value of primary real estate; and housing starts per 10,000 residents.
Each category is given a different weighting. Five-year income growth, for example, is worth 15 per cent of the final score, while average value of primary real estate is worth just five per cent.
Sechelt came in at number 12. Squamish was number one in this year’s survey, after ranking third last year. Other nearby communities in the top 20 include Whistler, the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver.
“This recognition is an exciting opportunity to highlight the Sechelt advantage to potential investors,” Mayor Darnelda Siegers is quoted as saying in a press release from the district. “Sechelt has the benefits of an amazing, unsurpassed lifestyle and desirable location… There is still work to be done in supporting existing businesses and attracting new investment. The new Sechelt Council has their eye on the ball and will continue to work with our community to realize their vision for sustainable growth.”
According to Sechelt’s press release, the survey results “paint a picture of relative economic health and the appeal of a community for those seeking work” and “the economic outlook for dozens of communities, with an eye on the year ahead.”
The data BC Business used for Sechelt were:
• Average household income: $81,085
• Average household income under 35: $81,176
• Five-year average household income growth: 13.6%
• Average household spending on recreation: $3,645
• Average shelter spending: $17,395
• Average value of primary real estate: $828,592
• Average commute in minutes: 20.9
• Five-year population growth: 7.1%
• Housing starts per 10,000 residents: 109.4
• Unemployment rate as of September 2018: 4.5%
