With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1441359
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 BCBUSINESS 39 ANDRES MARKWART RENTAL VACANCY RATE PER 10,000 POPULATION (10%) RESIDENTIAL SALES PER 10,000 POPULATION (10%) HOUSING STARTS PER 10,000 POPULATION (10%) CHANGE IN JOBS PER 10,000 POPULATION (10%) AVERAGE ANNUAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (10%) ECONOMIC DIVERSITY (15%) 2021 RANK 1.5% 198 55 336 7.6% 751 35 0.6% 173 36 128 6.4% 737 36 0.9% 144 43 128 6.4% 771 37 0.7% 155 80 339 6.3% 790 38 0.7% 154 45 336 7.6% 725 39 2.9% 198 63 266 6.5% 796 40 1.7% 173 86 339 6.3% 840 41 0.5% 113 64 266 6.5% 857 42 3.1% 152 63 71 6.7% 778 43 5.8% 194 57 0 7.8% 863 44 1.9% 195 7 71 6.7% 771 45 2.7% 186 53 339 6.3% 875 46 3.0% 168 10 0 7.8% 879 47 11.1% 177 20 -708 4.5% 748 48 0.9% 141 63 71 6.7% 1,020 49 12.3% 158 3 -708 4.5% 806 50 Category weights shown in brackets. Full methodology on page 41 reports. "Some of them have gone into film and television, and it's hard to get them back from those industries." Despite those difficulties, the Massey Theatre managed to avoid shutting down operations during the pandemic. "We've been able to continue to generate enough revenue through events without audiences— so a lot of performances being filmed and put on digital platforms," Schneider notes. Having a favourable lease arrangement for the property and resources like the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) helped to further bridge the gap. Key to New Westminster's ability to ride out the pandemic has been its strong sense of community. "There's not a lot of players here, but the ones that are here, we look out for each other, we try to support each other," Patterson says. "And of course, something like COVID just brought that out in spades," he recalls. "People really [went] the extra mile to shop local and be support- ive, so that's all been great." "New West is such a support-local, shop-local community," Morris confirms. "It doesn't surprise me that has become key to surviving and thriving through this pandemic." Despite recent setbacks, the community is hopeful about the future. "I think it's one of the best places to be," Schneider says of New Westminster and its arts scene. "We've just signed a 25-year agreement for this facility for an expanded complex around our theatre." The new 47,000-square-foot arts centre has been branded Eighth and Eight Creative Spaces—a play on the two streets that the complex fronts. "We have a digital platform now, with cameras and recording equipment that we didn't have before the pandemic, so we're positioned "We have a digital platform now, with cameras and recording equipment that we didn't have before the pandemic, so we're positioned to really support a much wider creative sector than we were before" – Jessica Schneider, executive director, Massey Theatre