Port Alberni

Port Alberni is located within the Alberni Valley at the head of the Alberni Inlet within BC. The Alberni Inlet is the largest inlet on Vancouver Island. Unfortunately, the salmon population has decreased considerably during the past few years. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District runs it's head offices from the city of Port Alberni. The total population of the city of Port Alberni is estimated to be about 17,700.

At present, the forest business is the most important source of employment in the city of Port Alberni. In the rich forests which surround the city of Port Alberni produce Douglas Firs, Hemlocks, Western Red Cedars and Yellow Cedars. Most of the existing logging comes from second growth forests because most of the old growth forests have already been logged. On the edge of the Alberni Inlet is Catalyst Paper, a prospering paper mill, and the Alberni Pacific Division, a lumber mill. Several other small sawmills are scattered all over the valley. Alberni Valley likewise has red clay soils that are ideal for farming.

More recently, the forest industry has refused to sell the trees to local mills causing a significant downturn of the forestry sector. A major recession within the city of Port Alberni has occurred, causing city officials to attempt to shift the economy more towards future tourism. Because of the recession the population has started to lessen.

Travelers on their way to the West Coast of Vancouver Island, they would usually stop in Port Alberni. They would stop within Port Alberni in order to shop prior to continuing on to their final destination locations like Pacific Rim National Park, Ucluelet and Tofino, where the average price of commodities skyrockets. Several huge retailers, grocery stores, and strip malls have developed along the Johnston Road corridor to be able to take advantage of the increased traffic. Because of its ideal location on the fringe of wilderness but within proximity to Vancouver and Victoria, several eco-tourism businesses have chosen to establish their shops within the Alberni Valley.

The sockeye salmon returns of Port Alberni over the last couple of years have topped 1.4 million. The two largest spawning pools, the Great Central and Sproat, saw over 800,000 Sockeye return. Anglers can enjoy fantastic salmon fishing, such as Coho and Chinook, from early June through the month of September in the saltchuck. The lake and river systems offers year round fishing. It is thought that the improved high seas conditions are the cause of the record returns. This could likewise be partially because of the removal of the last pulp mill 20 years ago. Two new hatchery's, the Coho hatchery at the McLean Hill National Historic Site and the Robertson Creek Hatchery, have recently been established by a team of salmon enhancement volunteers and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. During the year 2010, Port Alberni was selected as the "Ultimate Fishing Town" by the World Fishing Network.