Digging into a sizable variety of data indicators from across the Columbia Basin-Boundary region, the latest report by Selkirk Innovates pulls together a collection of vital information that helps inform rural residents about where we have been and can help inform where we are going.
The State of the Basin Snapshot Report 2023 is an illustrative short document that provides an engaging summary of environmental, economic, cultural and social well-being across communities in the southeastern region of the province. A dynamic annual report compiled by the team at Selkirk College’s hub for research and innovation, the document helps inform decision-making and satisfy curiosity.
“Conditions in the region are constantly evolving, making it essential to monitor changes to guide our decisions and support our desired direction,” says Jayme Jones, a faculty researcher at Selkirk Innovates and project lead.
“These data help inform the decisions of residents and organizations across the Columbia Basin-Boundary region. By consolidating diverse, region-specific data, it provides easier access to relevant and credible information, enhances understanding of conditions and trends, and fosters discussions, information sharing and collective action.”
Data used to compile the report come from many different sources including federal, provincial and local governments, crown corporations, and non-profit initiatives. Some examples are Statistics Canada, BC Stats, BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs, BC Assessment and Living Wage BC. Some sources are open to the public, while other are custom data requests. The report also weaves in qualitative data from the State of the Basin Subjective Well-Being poll to residents conducted in 2023.
The Selkirk Innovates team of four that put the report together includes a research intern, research assistant, faculty researcher and graphic designer. Data release times vary widely and some have a long delay before being released. The 2023 snapshot comes out in late-2024 in an effort to capture as much 2023 data as possible.
The report is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, making it simple to grasp various regional conditions. This snapshot covers a variety of topics, such as demographics, college enrolment, visitor count, air quality, bear deaths, average income, business starts and closures, waste disposal rate per person, and average rent.
“The 2023 snapshot offers a valuable perspective on the state of our region,” says Jones.
“For instance, the data reveal an aging population, with the average age rising from 40 years in 2003 to 45 years in 2023. Additionally, the commuting data highlight that three per cent of our workforce travels to a different province or territory for work, reflecting the unique challenges of our rural area.”
The Columbia Basin-Boundary region encompasses the southeast corner of the province from Valemount in the north to the US border in the south, and as far west as Rock Creek and east to the Alberta border. The ongoing State of the Basin work being undertaken by the team at Selkirk Innovates receives funding support from Columbia Basin Trust to make it a reality.
The 2023 snapshot report is just one of many State of the Basin resources available to understand well-being in the Columbia Basin-Boundary region. The State of the Basin website (stateofthebasin.ca) features more than 70 well-being indicators for in-depth exploration. Additionally, the site offers community profiles with localized indicator data and qualitative subjective well-being reports. Visitors can also subscribe to the State of the Basin Focus newsletter for updates on new and timely regional data.
You can find the State of the Basin Snapshot Report 2023 and those from the previous ten years online: http://stateofthebasin.ca/sotb-snapshots.
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