Economy

 

Despite a worrisome jobs outlook, Powell River’s economy has been relatively stable.  And, while incomes were dropping across BC, ours were on the rise, but not quite fast enough to catch up—our individual and family incomes are still less than national and provincial averages.

 

Gap Between Rich And Poor

 

Our elder population has a lower rate of poverty than the BC average. But, with close to one-third of Powell River’s children living below the poverty line, and nearly one-quarter of our families in relative poverty, we need to narrow this gap to maintain community vitality.

 

Learning

 

Powell Riverites are late bloomers when it comes to basic education. Our high school graduation rate is below the provincial average, but as the seasons stretch on, we come into our own. One concern is the low rate of university degrees, which can hold us back from getting the better jobs.

 

Environment

 

Residents are positive about their individual efforts to protect the environment. Still, our area emits large amounts of CO2 and greenhouse gases from vehicle use, and we are not making enough headway to increase recycling and reduce waste production. Active help is needed from all levels of government. 

 

Health And Wellness

 

There’s always room to improve, but on the whole Powell Riverites have good longevity, we’re pretty upbeat, and our youth are playing safe about sex.

 

Housing

 

Affordable rental housing is in short supply, and much of our housing stock is aging, but Powell River remains one of the most affordable areas for home ownership, especially compared to our nearest neighbours.

 

 

Work

 

Powell River has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. With 16% of our labour force self-employed, we exceed BC’s average self-employment rate. But, we may be facing challenges ahead as employers look for more highly educated employees.

 

Getting Started

 

Our population is growing increasingly diverse, and we are attracting immigrants internationally. We have work to do to make sure that young families are well-integrated into our economy and our neighbourhoods. 

 

Safety

 

Powell River’s reputation for being a safe community is well-deserved. Violent, nonviolent/property and overall crime severity are in decline. Powell River is significantly below both provincial and national averages in those categories.

 

Belonging And Leadership

 

Our voter turnout for the last provincial and federal elections was better than province-wide and nation-wide averages, and charitable donations are on the rise. But, we still have room to improve in civic matters. Most residents were not satisfied with their opportunities to participate in important community decisions. 

 

Arts, Culture And Recreation

 

Residents were very pleased with the amount and variety of artistic and cultural activities, but jobs in that area were hard to come by and made up only a small percentage of our employment in 2006.

 

Getting Around

 

Transportation is a pressing problem that we need to address. Not only are we contending with skyrocketing ferry rates, which create a barrier to personal travel and commerce, but Powell Riverites are heavily dependent on private vehicles.