One of the reasons why small town BC and rural communities have not been able to participate in the economic boom,  is that the number 1 contributor to BC's GDP - the commodification of housing, does not apply out of the major population centres.

Here on the southwest coast it is all about  property values, selling. flipping, tearing down and rebuilding huge luxury homes,  And condos. And marketing them overseas.   It is all about having the highest sales per capita in North America of luxury cars.  It is all about having the most expensive housing vis a vis income in North America.

It is about all the (low paid) service sector jobs  to staff  the "Sushi Capital of North America", a myriad of new restaurants,  new  luxury mall McArthurGlen in Richmond, and the upscale retail hotspot on Alberni street, where sales are driven by..."wealthy  from abroad, usually China, some tourists and other new immigrants".

Without this  there is no economic boom in BC.