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Introductiondownload report in Adobe Acrobat format
Smithers has historically relied upon resource industries, with its fertile valley soil, abundant mineral riches, and impressive coniferous forests; and it has evolved into a “mining hub” due to its proximity to mining properties. Vanderhoof’s economy has traditionally been dominated by forestry and agriculture. Both industries were instrumental in opening up the surrounding wilderness for outdoor enthusiasts, and the development of lakeside resorts and wilderness retreats. In the rest of the Development Region, the key income-generator has been the forest and mining industries, and as a result, the wealth of the region’s small communities ebbs and flows with the economic cycles of resources. In 2009, the NDR’s economy was affected by the global downturn—the value of building permits declined by 22%,[3] and mine development and mineral exploration virtually came to a standstill. In Northwest BC, estimated expenditures on major and small mine development projects was $47 million in 2009, down from $245 million in 2008. Mineral exploration expenditures dwindled to $65 million from $140 million.[4] Despite fallout from the global economic downturn, there have been positive developments that are helping some Nechako communities weather the storm. The pine beetle epidemic and past US sanctions on Canadian beef have motivated operators to utilize technology, or diversify. In addition, the Northern Bioenergy Partnership was formed in 2009 to support the growth of the forest-based bioenergy sector,[5] an emerging industry in the largest producing and exporting region of forest and bioenergy products in Canada.[6] Footnotes
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The Nechako Development Region (NDR) is the largest of BC’s eight Development Regions, accounting for 22%, or 205,919 km2 of the province.[1] This vast area includes the Bulkley-Nechako and Stikine Regional Districts and stretches from the Yukon border in the north to the Village of Fraser Lake in the south, and from the Alaska border in the west across to the Municipality of Vanderhoof in the east. The NDR is the most sparsely inhabited part of the province, with the majority of the area’s 40,486 residents living in the Bulkley-Nechako Regional District.[2] The largest communities, Smithers and Vanderhoof, account for 14% and 11% of the NDR’s population.  |