NANAIMO – At the end of February, an article appeared in the Vancouver Sun coining a new term “affordability refugees” in reference to those struggling with housing prices in the Lower Mainland. It is becoming an increasing issue for many mainlanders – and not just residents. Business owners are starting to publicly decry the issue stating that they can’t keep staff due to the onerous commute or the toll the price of housing takes on their personal financial position.
An owner of a tech development company in Vancouver was in the media stating that they would not be expanding their operations there even though demand for their products was climbing, there were choosing to go elsewhere where employees could afford a home — and the rest of the cost of living. Let’s hope he came looking over here where our tech sector is growing by leaps and bounds, and housing is very affordable in comparison to other urban centres in BC.
The Sun article described Nanaimo as “a formerly rough-and-tumble logging and fishing town of almost 100,000 people on Vancouver Island” and points out that “Nanaimo offers the same stunning views of snow-capped mountains and rugged bays as its larger neighbour.
With float planes taking off for downtown Vancouver several times an hour, a vehicle ferry, helicopter flights and a planned high-speed passenger service, the commute across the Salish Sea makes sense and can be shorter in some cases than commuting by car from Greater Vancouver’s eastern municipalities.”
They point out that the cost of owning a bungalow in Vancouver now accounts for 87 cents of every dollar earned by the average family. That leaves them with 13 cents out of every dollar earned for the rest of their living expenses. With Nanaimo housing prices a quarter or less of that, there’s plenty left over for living.
While the article points to many of Nanaimo’s advantages as a bedroom community to “the big smoke”, one of the interviewees commented, “Vancouver might be more fun, but will you have the money to enjoy it? As long as you can easily get to Vancouver when you need to, it’s not a problem living here.”
Not a problem? Our region has so much to offer in recreation and the arts. One doesn’t have to wait in an hour long lineup for fine dining, we get to golf on some of the best courses – 10 within a one hour radius, be on the ski slopes in one hour, scuba dive in the Salish Sea on artificial reefs to experience some of the world’s finest marine life, hike and bike on amazing trails and beautiful parks, be entertained at our award winning Port Theatre, Harbour City or Bailey Theatres, enjoy live music on stage at the Queens and other pubs, swim, kayak, canoe or water ski on one or our five lakes within city limits and raise your family in one of BC’s safest, cleanest, quietest urban environments. Not a problem!
Signed… a very happy 1992 affordability refugee!
– Kim Smythe is CEO of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at ceo@nanaimochamber.bc.ca.
