Actually, the rural areas on Vancouver Island are some of the worst hit areas for teacher unemployment. There are two reasons for this:

1. Decline in student enrolment - Some school districts, like Vancouver Island North, have seen a 40% drop in student enrolment - which I believe is the steepest drop in BC. This sudden drop is due to the many mill closures and other forest industry-related job losses on the island. These smaller communities used to be sustained by the forestry industry. Before, the trees that were cut down in a community, by law, had to be processed in that community. However, that law has been changed. Now the trees are cut down and shipped off to mills in China and the US. As a result, many families have moved away from the smaller Vancouver Island communities.

2. Retirement destination - Vancouver Island has become a destination for the retired and the soon-to-be-retired. Young families are disappearing. Student enrolment is declining. Also, retired teachers in these school districts pick up TOC work in an effort to supplement their pensions. It's difficult to get one's foot in the door.