Immigrant Songs: Davidzon Javier & Albert Servando

Increase between 2016 and 2021 of folks who moved here from the United Kingdom and Europe: 52.5%

Percentage of those immigrants who came from the UK: 43.8

Increase of foreign immigrants who moved here from the Americas (North and South) who hail from Jamaica: 12.3%

Percentage who hail from the United States: 71.8

Percentage of new foreign immigrants from Asia: 16.6

Percentage from India: 9

Percentage of African immigrants from South Africa: 57.9

Percentage of African immigrants from Nigeria: 19.3

Albert Servando, 54, and Davidzon Javier, 59, both past presidents of the Filipino Canadian Association of the East Kootenay, sit in Cranbrook’s Fire Hall restaurant discussing their organization and the recent increase in Filipino immigration to Cranbrook. With over 200 members, the organization’s role is mainly social, providing a forum for individuals and families to meet other Filipinos living in Cranbrook. “I had 95 people at my first birthday in Cranbrook,” Servando says, smiling. “Filipinos are incredibly community oriented.”

From the 2016 to 2021 Cranbrook census, there was a 48 percent increase in immigrant status. The Filipino community mirrors this trend. “Lots of businesses need employees,” Servando says, noting the strong work ethic and friendly nature of Filipinos.

“When I arrived in 2007, there were not a lot of Filipinos,” Javier says, “and most came from the countryside. Albert and I were city boys.” He explains that most immigrants to Canada are looking ahead at the next generation, thinking about their kids having more opportunities than they might have back home. “Parents make sacrifices,” he says. “For example, some engineers work in the service industry because their degrees aren’t recognized in Canada.”

Servando, who had a background in retail sales, immigrated to Canada in 2009 and arrived in Cranbrook in 2010. Javier’s parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1998 and in 2006 he relocated to Cranbrook. Both are married and successfully self-employed (Servando in freelance truck sales and graphic design/website development, while Javier owns a renovation, maintenance, and janitorial business). Both are heavily involved in the church and community.

“After I bought my house, I was backing out of my driveway,” Javier says. “I got emotional thinking I don’t have to deal with any traffic. There’s this beautiful scenery and such a stress-free lifestyle. I’m grateful to have landed in Cranbrook,” he says. “I feel this is where God placed us.”

–JP

The Millennial Migration: Natalie Skokan & Oliver McQuaid

As the majority of East Kootenay saw a higher population growth compared to the rest of British Columbia (BC grew by 7.7% between 2016-2021), one of the most significant growth groups was the millennials (born between 1981-1996), reflected by the 30-34 and 35-39-year-old census groupings. Between the four municipalities used in this study (Fernie, Cranbrook, Kimberley, and Invermere), this demographic grew by 20.25%. Among the years most typically associated with raising a family, the East Kootenay offers several incentives to relocate here: affordable housing compared to larger centres, more living space, work-life balance, and a higher quality of life.

Natalie Skokan and her husband, Oliver McQuaid, are perfect examples of the millennial generation migrating to East Kootenay. After being raised on the west coast and travelling extensively, they met and settled in Whistler, BC. “We were paying $1,400 per month in rent to live in a Whistler apartment,” McQuaid says, “so we considered buying a place somewhere more affordable and the East Kootenay was a viable option.”

“We visited Kimberley during Thanksgiving long weekend in 2014,” Skokan recalls. “You know in the movies when they roll into a blustery town, open the bar door, and all three people sitting at the bar look at you. That was us.” After meeting some infamous locals who invited them for a backyard fire, they were smitten with Kimberley’s charm but still weren’t ready to commit. Following an eightmonth stint in Mexico, they returned to Kimberley, had a bird bath in the A&W bathroom and were off viewing homes with a realtor. They fell in love with a modest starter home, then sat on a Platzl patio deck with pizza and beer, nervously pondering whether they should commit. “I said to Oliver, ‘If only there could be a sign,’ when suddenly someone popped a loonie into Happy Hans and he began to yodel. It seemed like a pretty good omen for us to move here.”

The couple returned to Whistler, unpacked their storage lockers and attached their jeep to the back of a U-Haul. “We jumped in with both feet,” McQuaid says. “No jobs. No real connections — just a hunch and an open mind.”

“We found our people,” Skokan says about Kimberley. “We haven’t looked back since. We couldn’t be more grateful to have planted our roots here.”

“So many things that brought us here,” McQuaid says, “the landscape, our hill, the surrounding communities and wilderness, but what makes it the best home are the people.”

Seven years after Happy Hans’ prophetic yodel, McQuaid and Skokan have settled in. They’ve found successful careers (Natalie works for Sysco and Oliver is a mortgage broker), as well as having passionate side gigs: Skokan co-owns Original Goat Productions event planning and McQuaid plays music in pubs. With two young kids (two- and four-years old), and a border collie/great pyrenees named after Leonard Cohen, they’re the iconic millennials who’ve made the move to East Kootenay. “It’s a dream come true,” McQuaid says laughing while herding his kids into the back of their truck on their way to the pool.

–JP

Grow Show

Population increases, from 2016 to 2021

East Kootenay population increase: 7.6%

BC population increase: 7.6%

Canadian population increase: 5.4%

Largest provincial population increase in Canada: BC

Cranbrook population now: 20,499

Cranbrook population five years ago: 20,047

Kimberley population now: 8,115

Kimberley population five years ago: 7,425

Population of Happy Hans Clock: 1

Invermere population now: 3,917

Percentage population increase in Invermere: 15.5%

Rank of Columbia

Wetlands in size amongst all Canadian wetlands: 1

Little Big Deals Moyie. Wasa. Canal Flats… Who knew?!

Top three community population increases in East Kootenay, by percentage: Radium, Moyie and Canal Flats

Radium population growth increase in percentage: 72.6

Radium population growth by residents: 776 to 1,339

East Kootenay community population that has grown the second most: Moyie

Percentage change in Moyie population: 51.1

Movie population growth by residents: 176 people to 266

Boomers and Beyond: Amanda and Gary Edmondson

Number of new residents in Wasa in the last four years: 25

Maximum occupancy for the Wasa Pub and Grill: Depends on the night and who’s asking

Total Wasa population: 365

Canal Flats population increase: 668 to 802 (20.1%)

According to the Canal Flats New Visitors Guide, number of hockey tournament visitors per year: 5,000

Percentage lower in cost a Canal Flats home is compared to the average BC home: 235

Veteran denizens of greater London, England and its population of nine million-plus, Amanda and Gary Edmondson have had the East Kootenays on their radar since 2007, when they travelled here for a family ski vacation from the UK.

But for the fifty-something parents of two, both of whom can see a sublime life of Kootenay retirement on the horizon, getting here hasn’t been easy. Staying here to enjoy their hard-earned success through their senior years might be just as tough.

That’s the Edmondson’s plan, along with many of the region’s 10,335 people aged slightly north of the UK couple, those between the ages of 60-69 — the East Kootenay’s most populous demographic.

Like the nation’s population in general, the East Kootenay’s combined boomer generation (those aged 56-75) and their Golden Year predecessors is growing fast — by 23.4 percent in the last five years.

The number of locals over 65 has grown from 11,840 to 14,605.

In Cranbrook, the population of people 65 and up has jumped from 4,175 people in 2016 to 4,880.

Kimberley saw a rise in those 65 and over from 1,700 to 1,930.

While full retirement and senior years are a ways away for the Edmondsons, the thirteenyear-long effort to immigrate has likely been the source of a few grey hairs.

Amanda, a veteran nurse of 25 years, and Gary, currently a Chief Operating Officer for a prospective polar bear refuge, originally tried immigrating to Canada in 2010, when Amanda accepted a position at the Cranbrook Hospital.

Back then, the two were put on the express provincial nominee list and essentially guaranteed permanent residency.

But, before they could embark overseas, a surprise pregnancy nixed the feasibility of a new job in a new country.

Opting to stay in the UK, Gary — who had already handed in his resignation at his insurance firm — decided to open up a firm of his own.

In an effort to rekindle the East Kootenay dream, in 2019, and in the nick of time, he sold his 50 percent share in the company.

“I sold it just before COVID. And 50 per cent of our business was travel insurance,” said Gary, “I was quite lucky to get out when I did.”

With their two daughters Heidi and Eve, the Edmondsons were able to make the transatlantic move and settle down in a more secure position, financially, than they’d ever been in.

“We came to retire from the hectic lifestyle in London which we lived for ten years,” said

Gary, who used to commute two hours, both ways, from his home north of the sprawling metropolis, to his London office.

(An interesting note — 23 percent of the East Kootenay immigrant population were born in the UK.)

“I can’t speak for the rest of Canada,” said Gary, “but compared to what we’re used to in Europe, everything is so much more relaxed and less pressured here.”

They’ve fallen in love with the warmth and neighbourliness of Kimberley and the activities it has to offer, but they’re still not certain on whether or not they’ll be able to stick around.

“I don’t want to be completely disengaged from business at my age, but I am very fortunate and privileged to be in the position where I could retire if I wanted,” said Gary.

This of course hinges on a gruelling immigration process they are only partway through — a process which is much more difficult now that they are older.

“As long as we get permanent residency, we’re staying,” said Gary. “It’s in the hands of an immigration officer who either says yay or nay, so we can’t take anything for granted.”

Their immigration application was first processed back in 2021. It could be 2024 by the time they have any indication if they can stay or not.

They are older now than they were when they first applied for permanent residency, but still significantly younger than the average retirees.

Amanda and Gary both want to continue working and contributing in some capacity, which is why Amanda has been attending the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. She is working through some recertification so that she may continue nursing, and so she can help in a time when the whole region is desperate for medical staff.

Gary is also keen on continuing business to some capacity in Canada; he just doesn’t want to go back to working twelve to fourteen-hour days.

“It’s a long time to be building a life and settling your kids in school, by the time we would have to leave it would be four years gone by,” said Gary.

Although there’s uncertainty around the whole process, the two of them remain optimistic and believe that if they can stay, the healthy lifestyle and clean air could do wonders for their health.

“I’m sure our lives will be extended ten years from what it would have been in the UK, and I don’t say that in jest,” said Gary, “I mean that seriously, because being active and doing things makes such a big difference.”

–JH