Northern Plan Area Economic Opportunities and Barriers Study

Summary
Central Coast: Land & Coastal Land and Resource Management Plan
Northern Plan Area
Economic Development Opportunities and Barriers Study
Summary:
The Central Coast Land & Coastal Land and Resource Management Plan is perhaps the
largest and most diverse area in the province and the most controversial.
The Northern Plan Area covers more than 30,000 square kilometers and has a population
of roughly 5000 residents, which equates to 6 people per hectare.
The area is one that has been and will continue to be rich in natural resources, a diverse
and wondrous landscape, and residents who rise to the call of the entrepreneurial spirit
while working in harsh conditions. Economic development history over the past hundred
years is a complicated and sad story of exploitation of resources while at the same time
reducing local communities’ ability to sustain themselves. During the 1950’s and 1960’s
the centralization of product development occurred in the two key industries that had
sustained the communities, forestry and fishing. Job loss was extreme and unemployment
rose to high levels very quickly. In the 1970’s statements were made by the BC
Government that if regional development did not occur that the communities of the
Central Coast would eventually fail with residents becoming unskilled and not having
entry into the job market. Unemployment levels are now at the highest they have ever
been in all communities with the exception of Oweekeno and Klemtu. 90% of forest
related employment comes accrues to non-residents, the majority of commercial fishing
boats that fish the area come from outside of the region and government related
employment is now the highest employer in the region. This puts the residents of the
Central Coast in a precarious position. The isolation of the area has prevented
communities from developing good partnerships and tackling regional issues from a
solidarity position. Better transportation and communication systems have allowed for
more dialogue and information sharing to occur. All communities within the Central
Coast have very similar economic development concerns, plans and a desire to be
actively involved in resource management, employment and the direction of their own
future.
The following document has been divided into three separate units which reflect the three
distinct biogeoclimatic zones of the region. Hypermaritime of the Outer Coast, Maritime
of the Middle Coast and Sub-maritime of the Inner Coast. Each zone tends to have its
own distinct forest cover type, plant communities, fish and wildlife, tourism attributes,
water potential and mineral occurrence. Some zones have been exploited for their
resources more than others have. It is evident that the highest value forests are in young
regeneration and that some fish resources have either disappeared or are in serious
decline. There are new untapped opportunities available that may have value to explore.
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