If you find facts, figures and statistics interesting, you may want to have a look at the City of Castlegar’s annual report for 2018.
The report was released to the public recently and provides a snapshot of what is happening in the city, as well as its detailed year-end financial statement.
Here’s a look at a few highlights from the report.
Business licences were up slightly to 686.
As for the city’s work force, 66 per cent of workers have jobs in the city while the rest — about 945 people — leave the city to work each day. However, another 2,270 people come to Castlegar from elsewhere each day to work.
The city is doing better than the provincial average as far as housing affordability goes. In Castlegar 18 per cent of households are spending more that 30 per cent of their income on shelter. The B.C. average is 28 per cent.
There were 22 new housing starts in 2018. The last time there were that many was 2012.
Reliability rates at the West Kootenay Regional Airport were up slightly, to 82.8 percent. A total of 74,717 passengers traveled through the airport in 2018.
Castlegar residents are recycling more, with recycling up by 19 per cent based on weight. Residents recycled 318 tonnes of materials.
Selkirk College enrollment is also increasing with 1,653 enrolled in 2018.
The city is living up to its trademark as Canada’s Sculpture Capital with 63 sculptures now on display throughout the city. That includes 13 city-owned works, leased pieces and the current Sculpturewalk features.
The city is also boasting about several awards it received during the year.
The BC Water and Waste Association awarded the city their Best Tasting Tap Water Award. The water was judged based on aroma, taste, mouth-feel, aftertaste and overall impression.
RELATED: Castlegar water wins prestigious taste-test award
FortisBC gave Castlegar an Efficiency in Action Award. The recognition came for the completion of two major projects — converting streetlights to energy-efficient LEDs and completing upgrades at the South Sewage Treatment Plant.
RELATED: City of Castlegar and Interfor receive FortisBC energy awards
Kootenaybiz.com recognized the city for its new website design with a Best of Business Award.
Copies of the report can be found on the city’s website or at City Hall.