Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute Provides Vital Insight Into Region
By Bob Hall
The Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute (RDI) at Selkirk College has just released the 2019 Snapshot Report, a region wide check-up that investigates economic, social, environmental and cultural indicators for the Columbia-Basin Boundary.
“RDI is continuing to provide research on well-being to support evidence-based decision making across the Columbia Basin-Boundary,” says Dr. Adela Tesarek Kincaid, Rural Development Institute lead researcher at Selkirk College. “The suite of State of the Basin research initiatives will continue to assist local communities by providing relevant and reliable data.”
The check-up is important to residents, organizations, businesses and local governments to understand present conditions and trends. The data in the report informs decision making that shapes the future of the communities in the region.
Some examples of the data in the 2019 Snapshot Report includes:
· Population projections to 2041 show a decrease in population for those under the age of 64, while the population over 65 is projected to grow by 40 per cent.
· There were 729 business starts in the region in 2018 and a 3.4 per cent job vacancy rate.
· The 2018 forest fire season resulted in 151 fires that burned 72,856 hectares within our region.
· There are more than 180 annual festivals or special events within the Columbia-Basin Boundary.
The 2019 Snapshot Report is part of the State of the Basin Initiative that monitors and reports on indicators of social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being in the Columbia-Basin Boundary. The initiative helps inform citizens and organizations through access to accurate, credible and timely information; encourage understanding of complex issues;signalareas to celebrate achievements or identify challenges; and motivate discussion, information sharing and collaborative actions.
To find out more on the State of the Basin check out the website at: cbrdi.ca/Research/State-of-the-Basin.
