Around 40 people came together in Williams Lake to brainstorm ideas on what helps to attract and retain new professionals to the area on Sept. 4 in the Signal Point Pioneer Room.
The session was a collaborative effort hosted by Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce, Cariboo Regional District (CRD) and the city of Williams Lake and was the first step to the creation of a standing committee looking to work on a number of key initiatives set by those in attendance.
It drew in community members from across business, governments and volunteer organizations. People went around the room and spoke of what they love about living in the area, with answers centring around aspects like the small town feel, the lack of traffic, direct access to outdoor opportunities and the proximity of things within the community.
While there is a lot of focus and resources directed at recruiting health care workers to the area, it can also be challenging to recruit for other positions in the community, from local government roles to school district positions and businesses.
Facilitator Gail Wallin, executive director of the Invasive Species Council of BC, led a fast-paced event to get the community engagement underway.
Beth Holden, regional economic and community development officer with the CRD, first provided some of the extensive work the CRD and city have been doing to help support recruitment efforts in the region. She shared a hiring guide developed by the city which provides key information on how to hire the right people and how to attract and keep quality candidates.
Holden was the driving force behind a campaign called Make the Move, which serves as an information portal for those considering the advantages of moving to the region.
The site includes videos highlighting some of the people and places of the Cariboo Chilcotin.
Beth Veenkamp, manager of economic development for the city of Williams Lake, then shared the results of a brief survey the organizers put out via social media and traditional media for 10 days prior to the session. They asked for feedback from people who had lived in the lakecity for five years or less on factors which influenced their decision to move to Williams Lake and area and what may or may not make them want to stay.
She presented the results of the survey, noting it was not scientific but simply meant to be a stepping off point for the conversation and brainstorming the group would then do. They had over 50 people respond to their survey in the 10 days.
Similar to the people attending the session in person, attributes like a sense of community, small town atmosphere, outdoor recreation opportunities, affordable housing and the local airport were some of the things which helped attract people to the community.
After intense brainstorming and feedback, the group focused in on some action groups. These groups then talked about how to move forward on things like creating a central community calendar for local events, having a welcoming committee for newcomers, shifting the public narrative to a more positive reflection of the community, addressing daycare shortages, developing local professional development and education opportunities, creating an affordable housing plan and the creation of a multi-purpose recreation facility.
For more information, or if you'd like to get involved, contact the Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce.
