Demographics and housing shortage worry Arvidsjaur
What resources, needs and wishes does Arvidsjaur have for the future? The second stop on the RUS tour was at Hotel Laponia on leap day itself, February 29th.
“It is important to work proactively with skills supply,” said the municipality's HR manager, Mats Lundberg.
The first workshop exercise of the day was about identity. What images are there of us, and which images are accurate and which are desired and unwanted?
- "Something that is sad but true is that Norrbotten is an emigration county but we also have a housing shortage – it's a paradox. Fly-in-fly-out is not good for Norrbotten," said municipal manager Lena Ruth.
Robert Granström represents the car testing industry and struck a blow for local entrepreneurs.
- If you can run a business here, you are good, much better than in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö where there is a different growth and a larger market. Here you have to be creative and enterprising to be an entrepreneur.
Lena Ruth (center) raised the problem of fly-in-fly-out personnel, which is also a threat to the future. Robert Granström (right) praised the entrepreneurs who succeed despite the difficult conditions.
Making European added value visible
Janus Brandin, Regional Development Director, put the regional development strategy into context and the role it plays for local companies and local projects.
- There is a connection between the RUS and the money we can collect from the EU. We need to make it visible that what we want to create here has European added value, otherwise I will have a hard time motivating them to send money into the regional funds in the future. We have to think smartly and long-term.
He sees a risk that the flow of funds from the EU could decrease sharply if the EU instead wants to reallocate resources to, for example, security, support for Ukraine and energy.
- These funds are incredibly important for our companies. The ERDF funds are here to overcome competitive disadvantages such as long distances. Here we must not forget the small companies, the large ones often have their own development funds but the small companies rarely do. Without the corporate support it is difficult to get the bank to come forward. The funds are incredibly important!, said Anne Enoksson, business strategist at Arvidsjaur Municipality.
The workshop participants were able to delve into issues such as attractive living environments, digitalization, skills supply and innovation. Photo: Gustav Edman
“Too expensive to leave the villa”
Municipal councilor Lars Forsgren gave his picture of the municipality, with some threats and more opportunities.
- The demographics are quite tough. We have 27,5% of the population over the age of 65. The birth rate is decreasing. Another threat is housing. Investment support has been withdrawn so you can't build new ones. It will be too expensive to leave your safe villa for an apartment, even if you are old and can't bear it. The government's investigator Peter Larsson has submitted proposals for housing construction, but it only applies to growth municipalities, I hope they are thinking about our municipalities.
Forsgren sees great opportunities in ski tourism, the strong companies, the municipality's good grades for schools and care, the growth of the car testing industry and NATO entry.
Monica Lejon, head of Business and Society at Region Norrbotten, gave a current picture of the county and zoomed in on Arvidsjaur. There is a red light for housing shortage in most areas, but so far there is a decent balance in the municipality. Unemployment in Arvidsjaur is only 2,4 percent and access to shops for groceries is quite good. The big problem, here and throughout the county, is the supply of skills.
– By working proactively with skills supply, the opportunities to attract, recruit and retain personnel increase. Arvidsjaur Municipality is actively working on these areas, said Mats Lundberg, HR Manager.
Summary of the recordings from Arvidsjaur
Text: Sara Stylbäck Vesa
