A few years ago, Squamish businesses were so hard pressed for labour workers some advertised overseas. Since then, the Olympics have come and gone and the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement project has wrapped up, leaving jobs to dwindle.
Now Statistics Canada results comparing July 2009 to July 2010 have shown Squamish to have the highest increase in Employment Insurance (EI) in the province.
Mayor Greg Gardner said this downward trend was expected.
"It's disturbing but not particularly surprising," he said. "We had a large amount of employment increase and economic activity in the pre-Olympic period, mostly in construction employment, whether it's infrastructure like the highway or residential or commercial buildings."
Squamish is also one of only two B.C. communities out of 25 studied to see an increase in EI claims at all - the other being Kitimat. Squamish is slightly higher than Kitimat, with an increase of 10.5 per cent with 420 receiving unemployment insurance in 2010 compared to 380 in 2009.
"We are in a period of transition and the DOS has been anticipating that and preparing that for some years," said Gardner.
The District of Squamish is making decisions based on job creation, he said.
"For example, we've had a reduction in our commercial tax rates over the past two years. We've also been changing our land use policies with respect to encouraging more commercial and industrial activity in the community and the employment that goes along with that. In our Official Community Plan you see increased employment lands designated."
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre echoed Gardner's take, saying the high unemployment rate is normal after so many people took part in the highway improvement project. But she said there is a silver lining.
"It just seems natural that after a project this large there would be some people without work, but it also has given people skills to go on to more advanced jobs," she said.
"Maybe they don't have a job immediately but hopefully they have new skills that will be marketable in the future so that's an important part of this as well."
Gardner said another important aspect to consider was that several people who moved to Squamish for Olympic or highway-related jobs stayed.
"Many of them are hoping to stay here - so that impacts the employment numbers."
