BCBusiness

BCBuSInESS.CA MAy 2018 BCBusiness 59 S ome places naturally inherit a vibe that ends up dening them. Smithers, sandwiched between the two largest cities in the province's Northwest region (Prince George and Prince Rupert), has made the most of its surroundings. B.C.'s rst incorporated village o•cially became a town in 1967, and its success as a regional centre for the Bulkley Valley hinged on forestry and its proximity to the railway. Those industries are still top employers, but they've been joined by a heavy mining pres- ence, plus a focus on outdoor recreation, with help from nearby Hudson Bay Mountain and its ski resort. Accordingly, the town has cultivated an alpine esthetic, even enacting a bylaw that requires businesses on downtown's Main Street to construct their buildings to reŒect that look. A statue of a man blowing a horn, often called Alpine Al, located at the entrance to Main Street has become a town symbol. The community of just over 5,000 nds some- one to dress up as Al at most local gatherings and events. Along with red-brick sidewalks and peaked chalet-style roofs, it all makes for a scene that wouldn't look out of place in Switzerland or Bavaria. The emphasis on recreation also applies to the way of life that made Smithers attractive for its original inhabitants, the Wet'suwet'en First Nation: sh- ing. It draws visitors from afar to some of B.C.'s best angling, especially for steelhead. The people of Smithers prefer to be called Smith- ereens, and they aren't shy about voicing environmental concerns. At least two major resource projects slated for the area, a molybdenum mine and a coalbed methane gas eld, were vigorously opposed until the proponents abandoned their plans. Arguing that air quality, drinking water and the local salmon population were at risk, these Smithereens proved that they come together rather than apart. —N.C. Smithers the quiet mountain town has started making some noise F O R M O R E C I T I E S , S E E BcBUsInEss.cA/BccITYgUIdE S TA R T I N G M AY 1 0 PeoPle populAtion: 5,044 HouseHolD Age (<45, 45-64, >64): 37.1%, 37.8%, 25.1% univeRsity gRADs: 14.9% AveRAge HouseHolD inCoMe: $86,649 AveRAge HouseHolD inCoMe unDeR 45: $85,306 HouSing AveRAge DetACHeD HoMe pRiCe: $277,987 AveRAge ConDoMiniuM pRiCe: $185,000 AveRAge MontHly Rent foR A two-beDRooM: $1,000 Work Key inDustRies: education; transporta- tion; government services; forestry; mining RegionAl uneMployMent: 6.2% (february) t radition runs deep in Prince Rupert. More than a third of the 12,000-plus people who call the city home identify as Indigenous, and with that sense of history comes a respect for nature and the land. One of the best ways get to Prince Rupert is via the longest route o¢ered by BC Ferries. From Vancouver Island, you sail through the forested chan- nels of the Inside Passage for 15 scenic hours. Locals insist that their city needs to be seen from the water, and they're right. Approaching Kaien Island, you half expect Robinson Crusoe to be waiting by the port. Instead, you'll nd a friendly place Œush with antique storefronts, indus- trial buildings and a packed marina. No matter how you arrive, make sure you get down to the ocean, because that's where all the action is here. That includes the town's lifeblood, the Prince Rupert Port Authority, which over- sees North America's fastest- growing port. Last year, cargo moving through the harbour reached a record volume of 24.1 million tonnes. Container operations employ some 500 residents, while many more work in related industries, making the port the most signicant local business. High-school sports teams in Prince Rupert are called the Rainmakers, to pay homage to the town's history (Kaien Island was once the meeting place of the Tsimshian and Haida tribes, and the city has preserved numerous relics of its Indigenous past) and its heavy rainfalls. This is Canada's wettest city, accord- ing to the Weather Network. With about 2,600 millimetres and an average of 240 days of precipitation a year, it's the perfect place to brood and pen the next great Canadian novel. But if you're taking a serious tour, you'll want to get a profes- sional involved. The area's most breathtaking attraction is 45 kilometres northeast of the city. Khutzeymateen Provincial Park, the only such sanctuary in Canada, contains about 50 grizzly bears in their natu- ral habitat. The animals are protected from human activity, but you can observe them from a boat o¢shore. —N.C. Prince rupert in the seaside home of north america's fastest- growing port, everything revolves around the water PeoPle populAtion: 12,335 HouseHolD Age (<45, 45-64, >64): 33.7%, 41.3%, 25% univeRsity gRADs: 17.3% AveRAge HouseHolD inCoMe: $96,365 AveRAge HouseHolD inCoMe unDeR 45: $83,062 HouSing AveRAge DetACHeD HoMe pRiCe: $268,000 AveRAge ConDoMiniuM pRiCe: $271,500 AveRAge MontHly Rent foR A two-beDRooM: $913 Work Key inDustRies: shipping; government services; retail; hospitality and tourism RegionAl uneMployMent: 6.2% (february)

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