Resiliency & Recovery
Whatcom County, WA

Goal 6: Support countywide economic resiliency and recovery efforts

Resiliency

Regional economic prosperity requires resiliency. Resiliency is the ability to adapt, avoid, withstand, and/or quickly recover from major disruptions and changes. Examples of disruptions include:

• Downturns in economy or specific industries and sectors

• Changes in demand for locally produced goods or consumer spending

• External shocks such as the exit of a major employer or a disaster of any sort, including a pandemic

Whatcom County, the Port of Bellingham, the City of Bellingham, the Small Cities, the Lummi Nation, and the Nooksack Indian Tribe are all undertaking various planning efforts, which is currently in various stages, related to generating resiliency.

Recovery from COVID-19 Impacts

Whatcom County has recently experienced several major disruptions and changes. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing and the state of Washington and Whatcom County have reopened as of June 30, 2021. The closures and capacity limits also caused major losses of revenue and profits for businesses in multiple industries throughout the county. The pandemic caused major disruptions in supply chains and logistics globally. As of January 2022, Whatcom County is getting closer to its pre-March 2020 baseline.

Risk & Resilience Indicators

Beyond the recent pandemic, other disasters, such as windstorms, flooding, and smoke from wildfires, have also had recent impacts on tourism, events, agriculture, and incurred millions in damages to private and public property throughout the county.