ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES

 

The Economic Development Strategic Plan has been finalized.  View it here or you can pick up a hard copy at the Village Office. The purpose of the Strategy is to identify realistic and practical steps that can be taken to improve the future economic prospects for the residents, businesses and stakeholders in the community.  Thank you to the Province of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training for all the funding towards the Strategy and EDCD Consulting who developed the plan for the Village. 


FRASER LAKE AND SURROUNDING AREA

Fraser Lake and surrounding area is located in the heart of some of British Columbia’s most beautiful scenery. There are 170 lakes within a 50 mile radius of the village, which are the temporary home of more than 1,000 trumpeter swans, making Fraser Lake the Swan Capital of the World. An abundance of big game, migratory birds and world class fly-fishing, spin casting, and canoeing make Fraser Lake and surrounding area a community with great outdoor recreational opportunities.

To read more about Fraser Lake and Surrounding Area please click here.


CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Who can join the Fraser Lake & District Chamber of Commerce?  Membership is open to any business, industry, organization, civic group as well as interested individuals by applying for a Business Licence at the Fraser Lake Village Office at 210 Carrier Crescent.


TRAVEL "NORTHERN BC" APP

Get your business listed for free!  Download the app for free on your Smartphone, or contact Tasha Peterson, or call 250-561-0432 ext. 6


At present, the economic prosperity of Fraser Lake rests on the forest industry. Approximately 36% of Fraser Lake’s population is employed at either West Fraser Sawmill, or in supplying the sawmill with logs.

After the recession of the 1980s, Fraser Lake experienced economic benefit from significant growth in secondary industries. Tourism is increasingly becoming a competitor in the economy. Fraser Lake’s relative geographical position, splendid beauty and wealth of wilderness attractions offer the area a natural advantage.

To capitalize on the natural beauty of the are the municipality has initiated projects such as the Fraser Lake Wharf Reconstruction. This project restored lake access for area residents and tourists, creating opportunities for recreational fishing and boating. Restoration of this key public infrastructure created five direct jobs and is asset for attracting tourists.

The $605,350 project was initiated in June 2004. The Village of Fraser Lake received $245,850 towards the costs of reconstructing the historic public wharf through the Softwood Industry Community Economic Adjustment Initiative (SICEAI) administered by Community Futures.

What is Economic Development?

Economic Development involves activities and actions on the part of government, community-based organizations, businesses, industry groups and citizen volunteers to improve the sustainability and economic outlook of their community or region. The process of developing and maintaining suitable economic, social and political environments, in which balanced growth may be realized, increasing the wealth of the community.

Some say that healthy, economically sustainable communities are ones that:

  • Practice ongoing dialogue
  • Generate leadership
  • Shape its own future
  • Embrace diversity
  • Know itself
  • Connect people & resources
  • Create a sense of community

Economic development is a process with a series of steps that build on each other to create a desired product or outcome. Process also implies there is evaluation at every stage. In this way the organization is able to make adjustments at each stage that will allow it to make better use of its resources and assist it in achieving its goals.

The community or region must determine what it feels is suitable. The population characteristics, resources and the desires of the residents will affect the types of economic activity that will be accepted within the community. Reference to the economic, political and social environments highlights the fact that economic development does not happen in a vacuum. The economic, political and social aspects of life interact in complex ways.

Balanced growth is an important consideration for a community or region. If the economy of a community or region depends heavily on one industry, it will feel the effects of the peaks and valleys of the business cycle of that industry. Diversification can lessen the impact of a single event in one market or industry on the local economy can be made less dramatic.

Each community or region defines wealth differently. In many instances wealth is determined solely in financial terms. The estimate of wealth may or may not include job creation, direct project costs, additional assessment base and/or lifestyle considerations.

Economic Development Officers

Economic Development Officers work with their organizations and a variety of partners, as both a facilitator and catalyst, to help create an environment in which communities can thrive, businesses can grow and people can prosper.

Contact
250-699-6257 Office
edo@fraserlake.ca

 

    Village of Fraser Lake

    Municipal Office Hours & Location
    Weekdays 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (Closed Statutory Holidays)

    PO Box 430, 210 Carrier Cres.
    Fraser Lake, British Columbia V0J 1S0

    Phone 250-699-6257
    Fax 250-699-6469
    Email Village Office

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