JUNE 2014 BCBusiness 49 bcbUsiNEss.cA
That analogy assumes that LNG
delivers on its promise and creates
sustainable jobs in Kitimat for years
to come. Local residents worry about
managing rapid growth, and—scarred
by past booms gone bust—they wonder
whether the good times will last after
the cranes and construction workers
have left town.
Monaghan acknowledges that
things can change, and change rather
dramatically, in a town like Kitimat.
"I don't know how long this boom
will last. Yes, in the future, I can see
perhaps having another bust—but that
may be 20, 25 years from now. You
have to build your community so that
it can take the boom and bust. The citi-
zens of Kitimat are resilient."
The mayor vividly remembers call-
ing on her faith when she took offi ce
in 2008—"I don't know if the prayers
helped or not, but something sure
happened"—and she continues to
believe that faith, along with smart
planning and a business-friendly
environment, will help keep Kitimat
strong for years to come. Her prayer
group still meets every Saturday, she
says, now asking God "for the contin-
uation of this—that people can con-
tinue to get good jobs, that they can
have a good family life, that their kids
can stay here and work. That it contin-
ues to be a successful and prosperous
community."
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