Fort St. John

Fort St. John

Fort St. John calls itself “The Energetic City,” and it’s no joke. This is the economic engine of northeastern BC, a work town built on the Alaska Highway and fueled by oil and gas. People don’t move here for the scenery or the weather; they come for high-paying jobs and a chance to get ahead. The population has grown nearly 6% in the last few years, driven by young families chasing opportunity. With a median age of just 32, this isn’t a retirement town—it’s a place where people come to work, build a life, and raise kids.

For lenders, Fort St. John has a specific risk profile. The economic foundation is strong but dangerously narrow. Over 10% of the workforce is directly in oil and gas extraction, and the biggest supporting industries—construction and retail—are completely dependent on the energy sector’s health. It means the city’s fortunes are tied to volatile commodity prices. We’ve seen these boom-and-bust cycles before. The median household income is high at over $100,000, which shows the potential. But the 8.9% unemployment rate is a constant reminder of the risk. This is a market that demands caution; when a downturn hits, it hits fast, and recovery can be slow.

The housing market reflects this reality perfectly. It’s dominated by single-family homes because the workforce is looking for stability, not a quick flip. Nearly half the dwellings here are detached houses, with very few of the apartment buildings you see in bigger centres. There’s no real vacation or second-home market to speak of. Demand comes from one place: local jobs. This makes the market predictable, but also highly cyclical. The long, cold winters and remote location are also practical factors that increase property maintenance costs and can affect resale value. It’s a totally different world from the Okanagan or the Island.

This heavy economic concentration means our position here is cautious and equity-focused. We see good opportunities, but we manage our risk very carefully. For any deal in Fort St. John, our maximum loan-to-value is 55.0%. That’s not an arbitrary number. It’s a direct response to the market’s dependence on a single, volatile industry. This buffer protects our investors’ capital and accounts for the longer timelines it might take to sell a property if the market turns south. We’re here to fund sensible deals for brokers who understand the local dynamics and have clients with serious skin in the game.