BCBusiness

ISTOCK MAy 2018 BCBusiness 63 a city between two rivers (the Quesnel and Fraser), Quesnel rst made it onto the map as Gold Pan City, thanks to its status as a gateway to gold-mining centre Barkerville. It quickly became the com- mercial axis of the Cariboo gold rush, which lasted from 1860 to 1863. Four years after that fever died down, the Hudson's Bay Co. store opened in Quesnel; the remodelled building still stands. Across the street is a replica of a Cornish waterwheel, once used to keep mines dry as prospectors dug. More than 30 other heritage sites pay homage to Quesnel's gold-panning past. Today, industries like forestry, mining and agri- culture, the last one mostly ranching, are the city's main job spinners. The top three wood producers in Quesnel seem to have reached a truce: C&C Wood Products Ltd., Tolko Industries Ltd. and West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. are a ve-minute drive apart. Each has also carved out its own niche in the market, and in the province at large. Many local mining jobs involve support services, with residents keep- ing the Mount Polley mine humming while owner Impe- rial Metals Corp. scours the hills for gold and copper. Quesnel has a large Indige- nous population—at 15 percent, according to the 2016 census, it almost triples the provincial average. In a city of just over 21,000, First Nations residents play a visible and vocal role in civic decisions. In 2010, one of those moves was to install programmable lighting on the footbridge that citizens use to cross the Fraser. Besides showcasing a landmark, the lights brighten holidays and special events. The city also promotes a bylaw of the week every seven days, encourag- ing residents to remember the rules around, say, composting or dog licensing. But residents know how to have fun, too. The Cariboo Hotel's pub is a popular haunt for the region's beer drinkers and billiards enthusiasts. Eve- nings out often call for a visit to the Occidental, the main nightclub, which hosts live music of all kinds. Quesnel's rst espresso shop, Granville's Cošee, with its old-timey post- ers of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, is there for shaking oš those nights with baked goods and artisan blends. It's also one of the town's main gather- ing spots. There might not be much gold in these parts any- more, but things have panned out for Quesnel. —N.C. Quesnel the onetime gold-panning hotbed has settled into a quieter but equally industrious existence 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: 21,817 HouseHolD Age (<45, 45-64, >64): 29%, 41%, 30% AveRAge HouseHolD inCoMe: $95,057 AveRAge HouseHolD inCoMe unDeR 45: $92,138 HouSing AveRAge DetACHeD HoMe pRiCe: $287,115 AveRAge ConDoMiniuM pRiCe: $94,700 AveRAge MontHly Rent foR A two-beDRooM: $666 Work Key inDustRies: forestry; mining; agriculture; hospitality and tourism RegionAl uneMployMent: 7.3% (february) BuSineSS totAl vAlue of builDing peRMits issueD in 2017: $94,334 CHAnge fRoM 2016: 35.5% Cost of A business liCenCe: $50-$1,750; typically $75 business pRopeRty tAx RAte: $25 per $1,000 of assessed value AveRAge offiCe leAse RAte, peR sQ. ft./yeAR: n/a AveRAge RetAil leAse RAte: n/a Quality of life MAjoR ReCReAtionAl AMenities: two skating rinks; arts and recreation centre; indoor sports complex; trail network ResiDents wHo wAlK oR biKe to woRK: 3.5%

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