The residential portion of 100 Mile House’s total tax burden is small compared to other northern communities. That’s just one of several things to come forward from the Northern Development Initiative Trust’s 2019 State of the North report.
Just 23 per cent of 100 Mile’s tax burden came from residential, compared to an average of 32 per cent in the larger Cariboo-Chilcotin/Lillooet region, which was already low compared to other regions such as North Central, where 51 per cent was residential.
In the Cariboo-Chilcotin-Lillooet, Quesnel and Logan Lake marked the lowest residential tax burned at 22 per cent, while Clinton marked the high point at 60 per cent.
The rest of the 100 Mile tax burden was made up of 32 per cent industrial, 29 per cent commercial and 15 per other (which includes utilities, supportive housing, recreation, managed forest and farm).
Economy, population and fires
In the Cariboo-Chilcotin/Lillooet area population remained relatively stable, though the report notes there was some indication that population declined following the 2017 fires. Also likely a result of the forest fires was an increase in construction employment in the first half of 2018, according to report. It adds that there were further employment gains in healthcare and social assistance.
However, employment declined in forestry and there have been no new mining developments.
“The forest fires in the region in the summer of 2017 and 2018 likely reduced the midterm timber supply which could affect forestry in the region and lead to further employment losses in the region.”
The living wage was still at $17.45 for 100 Mile House.
“Compared with other regions of Northern B.C. wage rates for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses as well as administrative assistants are higher, while wage rates for transport truck drivers, construction trades helpers and labourers and social and community service workers and are lower,” for the Cariboo-Chilcotin-Lillooet region.
Bussiness make up
Most businesses in the Cariboo-Chilcotin-Lillooet area are fairly small with 88 per cent employing fewer than 20 employees, according to the report, though they make up only 40 per cent of employment.
“Businesses with between 20 and 49 employees account for approximately 21 per cent of employment in the region and the remainder is accounted for by businesses with more than 50 employees.”
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting formed the larges group of businesses within the economic base of the region with 338 businesses, followed by construction at 323 and transportation and warehousing at 199.
“Wood product manufacturing accounts for approximately a quarter of businesses that employ more than 50 people, while agriculture and forestry account for an additional 12 per cent of businesses that employ more than 50 people.”
Outside of the economic base, retail trade was the largest group of businesses at 333.