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North Coast & Nechako

Table of contents
Regional overview Population distribution Employment statistics
This region's industries and sectors B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029) for this region
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Latest numbers for this region in September 2021

69,200
42,100
7.9 %
42,100

Source: Monthly Labour Force Survey, 3-month moving average, seasonally unadjusted

Regional overview

North Coast and Nechako are actually two separate economic regions. However, because these regions are adjacent to each other and have small population sizes, the data for each region are combined to report more reliable statistics. The two regions are located in the northwest part of the province. North Coast covers the northern coastal areas of the province as well as Haida Gwaii. Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat are the major centres in the region. Nechako stretches from the B.C.–Yukon border in the north down to the central Lakes District of the province and is separated from the northeastern section of the province by the Rocky Mountain Trench.

Regional district Key cities
Regional district Bulkley-Nechako Key cities Burns Lake, Houston, Vanderhoof, Smithers
Regional district Kitimat-Stikine Key cities Kitimat, Terrace
Regional district North Coast Key cities Masset, Prince Rupert, Queen Charlotte

Key facts

  • North Coast and Nechako is one of the less populated regions in the province.
  • The share of the region’s population of working age (15-64) is similar to the provincial share.
  • North Coast and Nechako has consistently had more unemployment than most other regions of the province.
  • Most of the employment in this region is in the Services-producing sector.

Population distribution

Regional district Population
Bulkley-Nechako 39,200
Kitimat-Stikine 37,400
North Coast 18,800
Stikine 600
Regional district total 96,000

Note:Regional district numbers may not add up to regional district total due to rounding.

Source: 2015 BC Stats (population)

Age distribution

  • Age
  •    % by age for North Coast & Nechako
  •    % by age for B.C.
  • 0 - 14
  • 15 - 24
  • 25 - 54
  • 55 - 64
  • 65 - 90+

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment statistics

Full-time employment rate by region

Region
  • Cariboo
  • Kootenay
  • Mainland / Southwest
  • North Coast & Nechako
  • Northeast
  • Thompson-Okanagan
  • Vancouver Island / Coast

  Full-time employment rate

B.C. average: 79%
North Coast & Nechako employment (2020):
32,200
Total B.C. employment (2020):
1,965,700

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

10-year unemployment rate in North Coast & Nechako compared to B.C. rate (2010-2020)

  British Columbia
  Low:
4.7 %
  High:
8.9 %
Unemployment rate (2020):
8.9 %
10-year average:
6.4 %
  North Coast & Nechako
  Low:
4.3 %
  High:
10.9 %
Unemployment rate (2020):
8.8 %
10-year average:
7.6 %

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

This region's industries and sectors

Industry Sector
Accommodation and Food Services Services
Agriculture and Fishing Goods
Business, Building and Other Support Services Services
Construction Goods
Educational Services Services
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate Services
Forestry and Logging with Support Activities Goods
Health Care and Social Assistance Services
Information, Culture and Recreation Services
Manufacturing Goods
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction Goods
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Services
Public Administration Services
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services Services
Retail Trade Services
Transportation and Warehousing Services
Utilities Goods
Wholesale Trade Services

N/A - Data not available

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Goods and Services sectors

Share of employment in Goods and Service sectors (2020)

  Goods         Services

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Service sector

The Service sector in this region accounts for a very low share of provincial employment in the region.

The Port of Prince Rupert has expanded in recent years and now has the capacity to handle container traffic. The growth of the port has created more opportunities for employment in Transportation and Warehousing, which may explain the higher than average share of employment in that industry in North Coast and Nechako.

Goods sector

This region is home to a small percentage of jobs in the Goods-producing industry (agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas, fishing, hunting and trapping, utilities, construction and manufacturing). Forestry and logging operations account for a large portion of employment in this sector, but there are also some large mines in the region, and fishing is an important activity on the coast.

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029) for this region

Composition of job openings

 
New jobs due to economic growth:
11.1%
1,100 openings
 
Replacement of retiring workers:
88.9%
8,800 openings
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Employment outlook

  • 2019
  • 2024
  • 2029
Forecasted 10-year total employment growth:   9,900
Forecasted average annual employment growth rate:   0.3%

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Top Ten occupations

 Job openings Employment
growth
Top Ten occupations
Transport truck drivers (NOC 7511)
Job openings
490
Employment growth
1.0%
Longshore workers (NOC 7451)
Job openings
220
Employment growth
2.8%
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents (NOC 6733)
Job openings
220
Employment growth
0.2%
Retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621)
Job openings
200
Employment growth
0.0%
General office support workers (NOC 1411)
Job openings
180
Employment growth
0.6%
Managers in agriculture (NOC 0821)
Job openings
180
Employment growth
0.6%
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 3413)
Job openings
170
Employment growth
1.9%
Cooks (NOC 6322)
Job openings
170
Employment growth
0.7%
Social and community service workers (NOC 4212)
Job openings
160
Employment growth
0.8%
Retail salespersons (NOC 6421)
Job openings
160
Employment growth
-0.1%

View all high opportunity occupations
Top Ten industries Job openings Employment
growth
Top Ten industries
Transportation and Warehousing 2,800 1.0%
Health Care and Social Assistance 1,800 1.7%
Construction 1,600 0.2%
Retail Trade 1,500 0.8%
Forestry and Logging with Support Activities 900 -1.0%
Educational Services 700 0.9%
Information, Culture and Recreation 500 1.6%
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate 500 0.5%
Agriculture and Fishing 500 0.4%
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction 300 1.0%
Top Industries for this region
Transportation and Warehousing
Health Care and Social Assistance
Construction
Retail Trade
Forestry and Logging with Support Activities
Related Topics
Learn about B.C. industries Explore jobs in demand Read the B.C. Labour Market Outlook View labour market snapshots