A recent study from BC Business and Environics Analytics has found that despite the ongoing pandemic, Vancouver Island has proven to be the most resilient region in the 2021 ranking.
The list sees Langford at number one, Parksville in second, Sidney at number three, and Sooke in fifth place, rounding out the study based on demographic, workforce composition, real estate, and employment trends.
In fourth place was the City of Langley, the only region not on Vancouver Island in the top 5.
Indicators include key risk factors, resiliency, and early signs of recovery.
This past year, the Capital Region has seen a higher than average share of residents working in the public sector.
The government employs around 10% of the workforce in the area, according to Associate Professor of Economics at UVic, Martin Farnham.
“Thanks to the ability to run deficits, government employment is not as cyclical as the private sector,” he says.
With people spending more time in and around their homes, residents are favouring larger living spaces more affordable that provide more space for remote work and social distancing.
The study also sees smaller independent communities favoured over bigger metropolitan areas.
