A year-long West Kootenay Recruitment Agency pilot found local hiring strategies are the most effective way to fill jobs in the Kootenays.
Launched in November 2024 by Community Futures Central Kootenay, the pilot set out to test whether a locally based recruitment agency could help employers overcome the unique workforce challenges facing the region.
The pilot expanded on a 2024 feasibility study that identified about 1,200 roles a year needing recruitment, with barriers including housing availability, childcare access and relocation hurdles.
Mia Gardiner, the consultant who led the pilot, explained that rural recruitment requires more than posting job ads online.
“In a rural area, it’s not just about a salary. You need to show candidates what it means to live here, to work at that company, and why this role matters,” Gardiner said.
“It’s about proactively finding the right match and making sure placements are sustainable.”
Over the year, Gardiner engaged with more than 600 potential applicants and completed three recruitment projects, resulting in successful placements across trades, finance and warehouse roles.
“Every single one of those clients was very happy with what the process looked like. They really felt supported. There were different things for each of them that they felt were really helpful to them as a business owner. And it took the pressure off of them doing that recruitment themselves,” she said.
Housing, childcare and medical access frequently came up as barriers for candidates. Gardiner said she worked with companies to ensure realistic expectations and sustainable placements.
“I’ll ask candidates questions like, ‘Are you bringing a family? What’s it going to take to move here?’ Sometimes that even affects start dates or interview processes,” she explained.
“You’re really letting applicants know what it means to move here, to live here and what it means to work in that company. We’ll build a job profile that includes a little bit about the town that it’s in and what it’s like to live there and a little bit about the company.”
The pilot’s success has now led to the launch of Kootenay Talent + Recruitment, a locally owned recruitment and HR advisory firm serving the Kootenay and Boundary regions.
Gardiner said success will be measured by client satisfaction, candidate placements and the firm’s ability to operate independently.
She added that it also led to development of a strong database of candidates, making local recruitment easier and more effective.
“We now have about 500 candidates in our database across different sectors, ready to match with local employers,” Gardiner said.
“If people were to come to me right now and say, oh, do you have, you know, do you know anybody that has administrative skill, I could actually pull people right out of my database and ask them if they’re interested in applying.”
For more information on recruitment supports in the Kootenays, click here.
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