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Building Momentum: Economic Development Taking Shape in Dawson Creek
Economic development doesn’t happen overnight.
It takes planning, persistence, partnerships and, often, several terms of work before a community begins to see the results.
Over the past term, Dawson Creek Council and City staff have continued working on initiatives designed to strengthen our community, support investment and make Dawson Creek an even better place to live, work and do business. We are now starting to see some of that work come to life.
More Child Care Options for Families
One of the most exciting developments is the growth of childcare in our community, with four new daycare facilities currently being built in Dawson Creek.
This work builds on an initiative that began several terms ago, with former Mayor Dale Bumstead playing an important role in identifying childcare as a key economic development priority for our community, and the current Mayor Darcy Dober and Councillors continuing to prioritize this initiative through their Strategic Priorities.
Access to childcare is about much more than supporting families. It is also an important part of our local economy.
When families have access to reliable childcare, parents can participate more fully in the workforce, businesses have a stronger pool of available workers, and Dawson Creek becomes a more attractive place for people to move, raise a family and build a career.
Seeing new childcare spaces come forward is a tangible example of how long-term advocacy and planning can eventually translate into real results for our community.
| Daycare | Infant / Toddler | Preschool / 3–5 | School Age / 5+ | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tremblay Child Care | 12 | 25 | 24 | 61 |
| Curious Caterpillars Academy | 12 | 50 | — | 62 |
| Kepler Academy | 45 | 35 | — | 80 |
| Nawican Childcare | 12 | 32 | — | 44 |
Turning Brownfields Into Opportunities
Another area of focus has been Dawson Creek’s brownfield properties.
A brownfield is a property where past industrial or commercial activity may have left contamination, environmental concerns or other challenges that make redevelopment more difficult. These properties can sometimes sit vacant or underused for years because the cost and complexity of redevelopment can discourage investment.
For a community like Dawson Creek, finding ways to bring these properties back into productive use is an important part of economic development.
City Council and staff have been working to connect with brownfield property owners, encourage remediation and explore creative solutions that can help move these properties forward.
The goal isn’t simply to make a property look better. It is about unlocking land that could eventually support new businesses, development, housing or other community opportunities.
And sometimes, progress starts with smaller steps.
Beautification, Wayfinding and a More Vibrant Downtown
One brownfield site in Dawson Creek has recently been given a new look through the installation of mesh fence banners.
The banners serve several purposes at once. They help improve the appearance of an otherwise underused property, provide wayfinding into the downtown, and promote the City’s Start Something campaign to residents and visitors.
It is a relatively simple initiative, but it demonstrates an important principle: economic development is also about creating a community where people want to spend time, explore and invest.
The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with residents and visitors appreciating the effort to make the area more welcoming while using the space to promote our downtown.
Economic Development Is About Building Momentum
These projects may look different on the surface — new child care spaces, brownfield remediation and downtown beautification — but they are all connected to the same larger goal.
We want Dawson Creek to be a community where people can raise a family, find opportunity, start a business, invest and build a future.
That requires looking beyond individual projects and thinking about the conditions that support long-term growth.
It means working with property owners, businesses, community organizations, developers and residents. It means continuing initiatives that were started by previous Councils and finding new opportunities to move them forward.
And importantly, it means recognizing that economic development is a long game.
The work being done today builds on decisions made years ago. The decisions being made today will shape the opportunities available to Dawson Creek several years from now.
We are proud to see some of that work beginning to take shape.
