Tofino

Tofino sits at the edge of the world where the Pacific crashes into ancient rainforest, and somehow real estate prices that would make Vancouver blush. This isn’t your typical BC coastal town—it’s where Silicon Valley executives park $2 million for a weekend cabin they’ll use twice a year.

The numbers tell a story that would make any mortgage broker raise an eyebrow. With 28% population growth since 2016, Tofino has become the poster child for pandemic-era lifestyle migration. People discovered they could work remotely from paradise, and paradise responded by pricing out anyone making less than six figures. The median household income sits at $85,000, but that’s misleading when half the economy runs on seasonal tourism jobs that disappear faster than summer fog.

Tourism drives everything here—nearly 28% of jobs are in accommodation and food services. When the world travels, Tofino thrives. When it doesn’t, things get interesting quickly. The 12% unemployment rate reflects this boom-bust reality, though it hasn’t dampened demand for oceanfront properties one bit.

What makes Tofino different isn’t just the world-class surfing or the fact that you can whale-watch from your morning coffee spot. It’s the gravitational pull this place has on people with serious money who want a piece of the wild Pacific coast. Storm watching has become a legitimate tourism season, because apparently watching 30-foot waves pummel the shore from a luxury resort is peak Canadian winter entertainment.

For mortgage brokers, Tofino represents both opportunity and caution. Properties here have lifestyle appeal that transcends local economics—people buy with their hearts, not spreadsheets. Our 55% maximum LTV reflects the reality that while demand stays strong, this market can shift as quickly as coastal weather. When someone needs to exit a Tofino property, the buyer pool is specific but passionate, and that makes all the difference in recovery scenarios.