tained commodity price crash of 2014 and the steady decline of coal mining in the region. “Prior to the Trans Mountain expansion project, the atmo- sphere in the community was very bleak,” said Zahara. “It was slow. It was quiet. And people were unsure what the future had in store.” Hotels are now at near full occupancy; the housing market is hot with limited inventory and businesses have a steady flow of customers. ACTIVITY FUELING OPPORTUNITY Doug Brown, general manager of Edson’s Bannister GM, said the dealership saw a 600 per cent increase in traffic in his service shop in January of this year – something he credits to the temporary workers in the region – and he has had several truck fleet orders come in from the energy companies oper - ating nearby.
“Prior to the Trans Mountain expansion project, the atmo- sphere in the community was very bleak,”
“We have hired 20 per cent more staff than we had initially since August,” said Brown. “It has also given us opportunity to promote internally up the food chain and fill the voids in the entry level jobs. So, it’s been beneficial all around.” The optimism helped cement Brown’s decision to acquire another dealership in town. “You don’t spend that kind of money as a private business without having significant confidence everything is headed in the right direction.” ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CRUCIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY A problem Edson rarely encounters is environmental degrada- tion from development, said Mayor Zahara. That’s good because residents of this community – a gateway to the pristine Rocky Mountains – demand companies go above and beyond when it comes to protection of natural areas.
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JULY/AUGUST 2022 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JULY/AUGUST 2022
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