PRINCE GEORGE – The latest report from the Chartered Accountants of BC is showing a greater demand for housing in 2020 over 2016, despite a decrease in population. But the population decrease can be attributed to the COVID pandemic, as no one was moving anywhere.
But Stan Mitchell with KPMG says there’s another phenomenon.
“What the numbers show right across BC is that we’re negative in what is called “natural growth.” More people are dying than people who are being born.”
In fact, those aged 65 and up have increased in the Cariboo by 18% while those between the ages of 0 and 14 has dropped by 15%. He says that’s why immigration is so important.
But the numbers are relevant to the Cariboo region, of which Prince George is part for the sake of this report. That is one of the challenges for the City, as different reports have Prince George in the Cariboo and others put Prince George in the Northern Interior. That’s why the City of Prince George goes it alone.
“We do a lot of measuring of economic indicators ourselves and use housing as a key one,” says Melissa Barcellos, Manager of Development Services for the City. “That helps us to assess whether or not the community’s growth.”
She says all indicators show a growing city. But another challenge is the resource work in the North brings a very transient population.
