The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
June 17, 2008
I'm Shocked
I'm actually a little more than shocked.
Possibly I'm stunned.
I would never have guessed I was one of 'them' and now I know I'm not sure what to do about it.
The Similkameen Valley Planning Society (SVPS) just released some of the results gathered from a recent survey they conducted. The point of the survey was to
'determine the role in-migrants play in the economy, social life and environmental stewardship of the valley.'
Mine happened to be one of the 2,600 randomly selected addresses in the South Okanagan and Similkameen to receive a survey, which I promptly filled out and sent back.
Who knew I was one of 'them' before I filled out the survey? I know I didn't.
Interesting data from the survey reveals only 9% of Similkameen residents were born here and have lived their whole lives here. Another 5% were born in the Valley, moved away and then moved back.
Here's the interesting part for me: the remaining 86% moved here from somewhere else.
Since I moved here in 1986 for work, that makes me an economic migrant.
I'm not alone in my being one of 'them' as out of the 86% of us who moved to the Similkameen from elsewhere, 20% of us are economic migrants.
In my case, I worked for someone else for the first 18 years then I bought a business and have contributed to the local economy by employing others for the past 4.5 years.
I hope that makes me a good economic migrant.
The survey results also show that the Similkameen Valley is 'attracting people motivated by lifestyle issues at an increasing rate.'
That fact does not surprise me as I think I sort of already knew that from discussions I've had with realtors' about what it is about the Similkameen that has created such an interest in the real estate market.
I'm not very sure at this point what the SVPS survey data will be used for, but it does confirm for me that there's something very special about our Valley. But I already knew that.
What I didn't know was 86% of us came here from somewhere else. I was aware of the fact that a lot of us came here from elsewhere, but would never have imagined it was such a high percentage.
The reason why it probably isn't all that noticeable is that the pace of 'in-migration' has been slow allowing for myself and the rest of
'them' to slowly blend in with the rest of you.
A lot of us have even taken leadership roles within the community as if it was our own all along. This is not a bad thing as I think it enhances the Valley overall.
So I have to ask, are you one of 'them' or are you one of us?
