Located in the heart of British Columbia about 222 kilometres west of Prince George on Highway 16, Burns Lake offers a friendly community with abundant recreation, business and tourism opportunities. Recently, Northwest B.C.’s economy has begun to thrive again but how is Burns Lake continuing to develop? To get the exclusive story, we talked with Economic Development Officer Krystin St. Jean.
Q:As the Economic Development Officer (EDO) at the Village of Burns Lake you have an important role in your community. Why did you choose to pursue a career in economic development?
A: My intended career goal is to be a community planner. However, it didn’t take long for me to see after I had started work that EDOs and planners are very similar as both critical for facilitating healthy and vibrant communities. When I was invited to interview for the EDO position, I felt that this was a perfect opportunity to use my educational background in relation to economic development. In my opinion, having an understanding of planning principles and practices as an EDO is critical to the success of my job. I still plan on obtaining my professional planning designation and I hope I can continue to work within the two professions as I move forward in my career.
Q:You completed Northern Development’s Local Government Management Internship program. What would you say was your biggest take-away from the internship that has helped you in your professional life?
A: My biggest take-away was how important it is to remain flexible while working in local government, especially in a small community. The great part about the internship is that is gave me a chance to work in multiple departments and have an understanding of who does what. This was very beneficial as I shifted into my position as EDO. I have a better understanding of the organization I work in, which is critical to help better serve the current business community and attract new investment to Burns Lake.
Q: You were born and raised in Burns Lake. How does that help you in your role as the Village’s EDO?
A: It’s great because I have the ability to connect with my community on a different level. I already possess a lot of the local knowledge, which is a big advantage compared to if I was working in a different community. Most importantly though, working in local government here really pushes me to do my best, not just for me but because this is my home and I want to see Burns Lake thrive.
Q: What do you think is the secret ingredient that a small town needs to generate economic development success?
A: Relationships, relationships, relationships. Whether it is with other local governments, the regional district, First Nations, supporting bodies like Northern Development, the provincial government, local organizations or industry, we need to work as one strong unit rather than splinter off into multiple small entities with different objectives and priorities.
Q: What are the Village’s strategic economic development priorities this year?
A: Our priorities continue to focus on the community recovery strategy, and leveraging local and provincial assets to promote social and economic recovery. We are still working tirelessly after the 2012 Babine Mill Fire to ensure that Burns Lake will be able to remain strong and healthy in the face of economic uncertainty should another unforeseen event ever happens again.
