Out-migration from rural parts of the East Coast has been happening for years; lack of jobs, living costs and access to services are commonly cited reasons to move away.
However, the East Coast is luring some people in with its cheaper real estate and rural lifestyle — both new and returning.
While COVID-19 remains a threat everywhere, the Atlantic Bubble and low-population tout the region as being one of the safest places in the country.
According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, residential sales in Nova Scotia are up 4.2 per cent, four per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador and 4.6 per cent in Prince Edward Island, compared to last year’s January to September period.
And shortfalls in telecommunications infrastructure to support work-from-home, which would allow some people to work from far distances, are improving. For example, Bell just announced plans to bring high-speed internet to about 200,000 Atlantic Canadian residences in the next two years.
“In a post-COVID world and going forward, I think everybody realizes how vital telecommunications services is … so we must do all we can to provide better internet and cellular services,” said Christopher Mitchelmore, MHA for St. Barbe-L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Making work-from-home happen
Modern technology has allowed many office and independent business jobs to work from home. The September Canadian Labour Force Survey revealed that 25.6 per cent of people working their usual hours are doing so from home, double the amount than those who normally did before COVID-19 restrictions.
Christine Lony and her family are already making that happen. Lony grew up in Calgary, but her father is from Port Union, N.L. Her parents and siblings ended up finding their way back to Port Union, and after marrying her husband, a cabinetmaker and carpenter from Edmonton, they were attracted to the idea of raising a family rurally and joined them in 2007.
This meant leaving behind an accounting job she enjoyed at Calgary-based firm Seguro LLP and looking for work in Clarenville, N.L., one hour away. But then, her former boss offered part-time work, which led to a full-time remote set-up.
Lony demonstrates that work-from-home is possible across the country — and that her boss was technologically inclined enough to make that happen back in 2007.
“If employers are open to the opportunity — and it would be really nice if COVID opened their eyes to see it — you don't have to have the office space,” she said. “And there's all these other costs that you don't have.”
Working three-and-a-half hours earlier in her time zone, she often has work ready for her colleagues when they first arrive in the morning.
“I enjoy not having the commute,” she said. “The road, being stuck in traffic all the time. Being close to family … everybody in the community knows everybody.”
It does take diligence to work at home, especially when you have kids ages nine, six and fourteen months old.
“It can be hard to juggle your day and stay on track,” she said. “And focused, because when you're in your own house, (it’s) like, ‘Oh, I just need to go and do this.’”
Although she misses social events like holiday parties, she still feels like part of the team, and the increased use of video conferencing due to the pandemic has put everyone in a similar situation.
“I know what their kids are up to, what their families are up to … you still have a personal relationship outside of that,” she said. “It's still possible to build a team. Even when you're not all physically in the same place.”
"...There are creative solutions that can work. And what I'm finding is that communities that are innovative are finding ways for stability and for growth.”
Strange times to move
Buying a house online and moving during a pandemic might seem like a daunting task, but Tracie Lewis and Rick Scott, along with their teenage son Logan Scott and their two basset hounds did just that, with the help of one of their other three sons.
A job transfer opportunity for Lewis that prompted them to consider the East Coast for a slower pace of life.
“Our main focus was a change,” said Rick Scott. “When this opportunity came up for Tracie, it was like, ‘Well, we'll just take that then. We'll just throw caution to the wind … let’s go!’”
They got a brief taste of Nova Scotia last November during a marathon house hunt but ultimately bought a West Saint Andrews, N.S. home they viewed through a video call, putting their faith in their realtor.
They planned to move on April 1, but with the sudden potential for lockdowns in mid-March, they made the quick decision to move within a week on March 18. They left Jarvis, Ont., leaving behind larger items like their ATV and lawn mover, and had a lackluster farewell.
“I kind of did a drive-by through some of our friends’ homes on the way out, and off we went. And wow, that was kind of it, racing to get here,” said Lewis.
The journey was plagued with food establishments closing everywhere, but they arrived without complication on March 20.
Scott works as a truck driver, but before he can resume, he needs an MSI health card and a Nova Scotia trucker’s licence. Appointments for new licences are delayed. And though they have a family doctor starting this month, being without one was a concern for a while, particularly since Scott has multiple sclerosis. Luckily, during the gap, their doctor in Ontario provided referrals in the meantime.
Though the intent before COVID-19 for Lewis was to commute to Bedford, N.S., working from home has made it possible to still do her job with the Canada Revenue Agency.
However, the internet was not installed for eight weeks because of shutdowns. Lewis would drive to Stewiacke, N.S. and teleconference from the parking lot of the Coldstream Clear Distillery, where she bought their products as a thank-you in exchange for their WiFi password.
“I kind of laugh and say that I was going to use chalk and write ‘reserved’ with my name on the spot,” she said.
There was cable, but to satiate lockdown fever, they bought a DVD player and DVDs - items they had tossed before the move - and added “more gigs on (their) phones than small countries do.”
Developing internet, mobile coverage
Scott and Lewis have internet now, but the speed is much slower than they were used to. These days, reliable internet is necessary for many jobs and quality of life, and there are shortcomings in many rural communities.
In Mitchelmore’s community of Green Island Cove, N.L. (population 185), his internet does not exceed five megabytes per second. Despite that, work-from-home closes nearly a thousand kilometres of travel to St. John’s for him.
Partnering with the CRTC, federal and local governments, and with telecom companies has been key to developing broadband internet infrastructure in a province with complicated geography, said Mitchelmore. During his time as Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, he was part of a pilot project that committed $1 million from the provincial government into rural cellular services with community partnerships. Recently, the Newfoundland government has partnered with Tower Telecom Ltd. to bring broadband internet services to 22 rural communities with services as high as 35 megabytes per second.
“So, there are creative solutions that can work,” said Mitchelmore. “And what I'm finding is that communities that are innovative are finding ways for stability and for growth.”
E-learning has become a huge proponent of bringing post-secondary and institutional learning to people throughout the province, allowing people to learn without travelling to urban centres.
“If we invest in telecommunications and good transportation infrastructure, we can continue to revitalize and grow rural Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Mitchelmore.
Developing telecommunications enhances the experience for younger generations as well. In a normal year, about 35,000 people visit the L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic and UNESCO World Heritage Site, but unreliable coverage makes it difficult for tourists to instantly upload their photos to social media.
“That’s going to make all the difference when it comes to marketing and promotion and selling an experience,” said Mitchelmore.
‘There's beauty all around’
Rural communities see the potential in attracting people. Mitchelmore points to the example of Port Saunders, N.L., which created a community hub for several resourceful organizations out of its former school building. The shipping port town of St. Anthony, N.L. is currently redeveloping its website and highlighting economic opportunities through a rebrand.
“We've seen other Canadians and people from other parts of the world just come and really like what we have to offer because there's so much availability of nature, there's a lot of inspiring ability to be creative,” he said.
What if expat Newfoundland and Labradorians who have the option to work from home actually #workfromHome?
— jill keiley (@jillkeiley) June 30, 2020
Social media posts have shown some ex-pats retiring or moving back home in recent months. Lony agrees that people often feel connected to the East Coast.
“I think a lot of East Coasters want to be at home,” said Lony. “They want to be in their community.”
And for those from away, the Atlantic Ocean and nature and offers a reprieve from busy urban centres. Despite the restrictions, not being able to meet too many new people and some personal items still sitting in Ontario, Lewis, Scott and their son have loved exploring Nova Scotia this year.
“I can't believe that I get paid to live here,” said Lewis. “Like, I have a job. We're really fortunate and blessed to be able to be in Nova Scotia. It’s a quieter life, a happier time. Even with COVID, it has been fantastic.”
