Tumbler Ridge remains resilient after economic shifts and recent tragedy

The article reports that Tumbler Ridge, a community of about 2,400 in northeastern B.C., has a history of boom-and-bust tied to coal and today combines resource development, scientific research and tourism.

Tumbler Ridge is a small community of about 2,400 people in the northern foothills of the Rocky Mountains near the Alberta border. Residents and local leaders have described the town as tight-knit and resilient, language that has recurred after a recent deadly shooting and during discussions of the town's long history. The community was planned and built quickly in the early 1980s to support a coal industry, then faced major decline in the 1990s before adapting to new economic roles. Today it blends resource development, scientific research and tourism while still coping with challenges such as emergency health service gaps and recent wildfire evacuations. Key details: - The town officially came into existence in 1981 as a planned community built to serve the coal industry. - By 2000 many homes had been sold at low prices after mine closures, and metallurgical coal mines returned in 2017. - The region was recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015 and developed tourism roles including a dinosaur discovery gallery. - This week a deadly shooting prompted the Northeast B.C. Community Foundation to set up a fund to support Tumbler Ridge. - The community was fully evacuated during wildfires in 2023 and has faced evacuation alerts and highway closures in subsequent years. - Local leaders and residents have raised concerns about limited emergency health care availability on evenings and weekends. Summary: Tumbler Ridge’s long pattern of rapid growth, decline and local adaptation informs residents’ description of the town as resilient. The community now hosts a mix of mining activity, scientific work and tourism, and local groups have established a fund in response to this week’s tragedy. Other developments noted include a planned scientific interpretive centre and ongoing concerns about emergency health services. Undetermined at this time.