So far this year we have witnessed a dozen or so store closings in the downtown, which is very unsettling and needs a lot of attention to reverse this trend.
There are much deeper reasons for why this has happened than the explanation that was recently suggested. Some people stated that during a strong building year, like the one we are having this year, retailers don’t do very well. This may be true for a portion of the retail trade but this has not spread out to all retailers. Consumers who have recently built or purchased a home will focus their spending on home related products. In conversations with some local businesses that sell furniture, appliances,home decor, building supply and hardware retailers, are all having a strong year.
People are not buying less food at the grocery stores and they still are getting their prescriptions filled at the drug stores. However businesses that offer clothing or novelty merchandise, may very well see a slowdown to some degree during periods of increased construction activity.
Plan4Prosperity believes that the main reason for these recent closings is that Salmon Arm does not have enough younger people or young families moving here, remaining here and shopping here.
Over the past eight years there has been little if any headway in bringing more higher-paying employers to the area that would attract this diverse and much needed age group to the community.
All of this raises a few questions;
Is there an active plan for growing the population base of the city?
What process is in place for attracting employers to the area that offer higher paying employment opportunities?
Who is accountable in both of these questions and are they held accountable?
Jim Kimmerly,
chairperson,
Plan4Prosperity