Myths and Realities: A Comparative Examination of the Impact of “Boom” and “Bust” Conditions on the Quality of Community Life

Abstract

Popular perceptions of “boom” and “bust” communities, supported by some of the earlier literature and anecdotal descriptions of life in such circumstances, have suggested that the quality of life in these conditions is seriously jeopardized. On the basis of an examination of one “boom” and two “bust” communities in Northern Ontario along with several comparison communities, and an examination of the available literature, some of the earlier claims of large scale social casualty rates are questioned. Both “boom” and “bust” communities appear to experience predictable phases of development. It is suggested that the principal human service needs vary from stage to stage in both. A number of implications for program planners are identified. It is suggested that future research would most profitably be devoted to longitudinal studies of communities entering either a “boom” or “bust” phase.