Question 6

Al Anderson

All municipalities in the southern half of the BC are facing affordability challenges and rising prices. I know of no tourist town where housing isn't an issue. Some have a land base that allows for growth but construction costs and infrastructure costs don't vary much and rural and remote communities pay even more to locate work crews and materials. The creation of safe, affordable housing is difficult in all markets.

Andrea McQuade

coming soon

Britt Chalmers

This questions is beyond my current scope of knowledge, however if elected I think looking at how other towns make decisions and their successes and failures would be a very good tool.

Chris Heisterman

Nelson has taken some creative approaches to dealing with their housing situation. They’ve limited their amount of short term rental licenses, and granted licenses to only those who live on site as their primary residence. It’s too late to change our current STR market, but going forward we need to consider an approach like Nelson’s.

Craig Heber

I don't think there is another Tourist Town that share Tofinos unique situation. NONE have the unique finite land to develop as Tofino is situated within the Pacific Rim park coupled with explosion of Tourism as we are an Internationally known destination.

We need to look to other Nations like Holland that does have finite land and has implemented new solutions in order to maintain thriving communities so residents can put down roots and cradle to grave living is possible for all.

Dorothy Baert

There is a Resort Municipality Collaborative where some of these benefits and impacts are discussed. We need to remember always that we are first, a community with resorts not, like Whistler, a Resort that developed a community. We need made-in-Tofino solutions but it is always good to look to the experience of others. From Whistler I learned that when they set out to create workforce housing they had a specific goal which I think we need to adopt and that is - 75% of our workforce is able to live in Tofino or nearby as in Clayoquot Sound. 
Also we need an advisory body to inform decision makers about Tourism impact issues and possible solutions. This committee or commission should comprise of health officials, police, fire department, First Nation neighbours, residents at large, youth and small business operators.

Duncan McMaster

As we know Tofino is unique and the only tourist town I am familiar with that is analogous is Key West, Florida – end of the road, far from a major centre, limited land base, housing issues, vacation rental issues, parking issues

That is not to say that Key West has resolved all the problems but they have taken steps that I believe are worthy of consideration. For example:

• All development and redevelopment must incorporate 30% affordable housing. Contrast Tofino, which aims for 10% on development.

• Transient Vacation Rental Licenses (i.e. nightly rental) are only available to full time residents.

• Operating without a valid vacation rental License results in a $1000 fine and prohibited from owning a License for the next 5 years

• Only one vacation License per resident.

• 30% of on-street parking is reserved for residents only. Residents pay a nominal fee ($5) to cover the cost of producing a parking pass.

• Height restriction on buildings increased for affordable and work force housing

• Large delivery trucks are only allowed into the downtown core in the early morning and late evening

• A robust artist-in-residence program whereby the artists teach classes/workshops in the Community in return for accommodation and a bicycle.

Eric Kingsley

I think many tourist towns suffer from the problem of seasonal work. There is always a boom season and a bust season. One major solution that has helped other communities is the diversification of industry. The tourism industry makes up over 1/3 of the economy here. That’s restaurants, tour companies, hotels and BnB’s making over 30% of all the money in this town. Anyone who has worked in any of these jobs will tell you that the income received is not reliable throughout the year.
If we want families to flourish here we need to have some ground for them to grow roots into. Encouraging the growth of other sectors such as medicine, trades and even energy would help offer new opportunities to families and young people of all kinds.

Jarmo Venalainen

I am not immediately aware of successful tourist towns here in BC or elsewhere in the world, but I am confident there are some.  I am keen to find them.  In this regard, all Tofitians can help by bring to our collective attention ones which they know, or failing that looking for them in person or on the internet.

Jason Brown

I wish I could refer to a tourist town in BC that has figured this out but I don't think there really is one yet.  Every small community is struggling with an influx of tourism and the challenges associated with it, resources, water, housing etc.   Moving forward I think the best thing we can do is to start to putting the revenues and benefits we've received from tourism back into the community, building a sewage plant, building a community centre and addressing affordable housing.

Josie Osborne

Some of the BC communities that I have visited and often look to and learn from are Rossland, Nelson, Fernie, and Revelstoke. Like Tofino, their economies have shifted from predominantly resource-based to including or even being dominated by recreation and tourism. They’re attractive communities, with strong community roots and vibrant arts and culture organizations. They face similar issues with rising property prices, lack of child care spaces, short-term rentals, seasonally vacant homes, labour shortages, and supporting the demands of high visitation on a small property tax base. Each community has lessons to offer and ideas to consider here in Tofino – they’ve also looked to us for leadership on issues like STR enforcement.  BC’s resort communities are “young” and affordability issues loom large especially for young families, but we have to remember that our communities are richer and more diverse by supporting and including all ages. Groms will become Grand Kahunas, let’s make sure that Tofino supports us all!

Stephanie Hugues

I have not done extensive planning research on other tourist towns, and do not have the information to accurately answer this question.