Vital Signs 2018

Canada’s official poverty line is measured by the ability of a family to meet its basic needs based on the cost of a basket of goods and services. On the west coast, we know the cost of living is rising while incomes are generally in decline, making it more and more challenging for families to make ends meet. For the last 20 years, the tourism and hospitality sectors of our region’s economy have grown steadily. Consequently, our population fluctuates dramatically throughout the year, peaking in summer with the high volume of visitors and seasonal employees. While the value of TofinoUcluelet tourism comprises 2% of the dollars spent in BC’s tourism economy and generates 7.5% of provincial tourism taxes , the benefits arising from this sector are not evenly distributed throughout the region. Moreover, the small population of tax-paying residents and businesses cannot easily support the increasing infrastructure costs (e.g., water and sewage) required to sustain such high volumes of visitors.