Rossland economic data visualization and communications

We created eye-catching graphics to help the City of Rossland communicate key messages surrounding affordability, taxes, and quality of life in the city.

Downtown Rossland, BC. Photo: Kyle Pearce / Flickr

Rossland, a small town in the interior of BC, has a lot going for it: world-class skiing, great people, beautiful surroundings, and a human-scale town centre. More and more people are choosing to call Rossland home, establishing roots in the local community.

But as the city grows, so do home values. This trend extends beyond Rossland—across British Columbia, the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of remote work, and the desire for a greater quality of life have contributed to a growing exodus to smaller towns that offer better access to the outdoors and a small-town community feel. Like a lot of municipalities in British Columbia, house valuations in the town have increased significantly since the pandemic.

The City of Rossland wanted to understand exactly how affordability and tax rates in Rossland compared to other municipalities in BC, and how they had changed over time. So, it undertook an extensive study, analyzing data all the way back from 2005 to 2021.

Following the completion of the study, the City was ready to communicate its findings to residents. Specifically, the City wanted to increase awareness of how affordability in Rossland has changed relative to other municipalities in BC, and communicate how taxpayer dollars contribute to funding public services and amenities in the city. The City also wanted to communicate the high quality of living that Rossland offers—at an irresistible level of affordability when compared to other resort municipalities in BC.

The challenge was to communicate these findings to residents in a transparent and easily understandable way.

Happy Cities came on board to help sift through the mountains of data to identify key messages and evidence that would resonate with local residents. After distilling the key messages, we came up with a fun slogan and creative ways communicate these data in accessible and visual formats. With our deep knowledge of economic development, municipal policy, and communications, our team created eye-catching yet informative graphics that the City will use in online and print materials.

Stay tuned for the final product!