Economic health is when a person has a stable job where they work a sufficient number of hours, are respected, valued, engaged, paid a living wage, and are safe physically and mentally.
When a person has a job that affords them the necessities of life or more, they are able to participate in the local economy. They patronize the businesses and are able to spend money on entertainment and eating out occasionally. Their success helps others in their community achieve success as well.
Barriers
- Challenging for employers to find staff, seasonally and year-round
- (Hornby only) High reliance on seasonal visitor-based income
- Lack of
- affordable housing means workers leave island
- (Hornby only) access to off-island jobs
- (Hornby only) businesses available year-round
- full-time/full-year employment
- living wage
- qualified staff
- reliable transportation to/from work
- affordable housing means workers leave island
- Living below the poverty line
- Mental Health Challenges
- Part-time minimum wage jobs don’t pay the rent
- Off-island workers are costly
- Tradespeople unavailable locally
Hornby Island Community Vision
The economy reflects and helps sustain the unique nature of Hornby’s people and natural environment. There are plenty of skill-building and educational opportunities and cooperative and support mechanisms to assist the creation and success of small businesses.1
- Community Vision. (2002). HIRRA. Retrieved from https://hirra.ca/hornby/hornby-island-community-vision-statements/ ↩︎