Most sectors of the Kootenai County economy are expected to continue to grow in 2017, although certain industries will be challenged to fill their workforces, some sources there say.

Sam Wolkenhauer, Post Falls-based regional labor economist with the Idaho Department of Labor, says the state of Idaho is forecasting a 3.1 percent annual growth rate in the total number of employed and self-employed workers. 

One of the department’s priorities is to expedite training programs for skilled labor in the construction trades, Wolkenhauer says, adding that the construction industry is poised for strong growth after lagging behind other sectors in the improving economy over the last several years.

“Construction looks right now to be undersized,” he says. “Considering the ratio of construction jobs and housing starts to the size of the population, construction hasn’t recovered to the same extent as other industries.”

The health care sector continues to grow steadily, Wolkenhauer says.

“It’s a reliable year-over-year growth industry and should grow about 2.5 percent,” he says. “Kootenai County has a large retired population, which tends to spend more on health care.”

The projected 2017 growth rate for Kootenai County’s manufacturing industry is 1.5 percent.

“A lot of our advanced manu-facturing is growing in terms of output, but becoming less labor intensive,” Wolkenhauer says. “There’s a lot of investment in production technology and doing more with less in terms of human input.”

Kootenai County’s unemployment rate—already quite low—will continue to decrease incrementally, he predicts. The Kootenai County unemployment rate recently was reported at 4.5 percent, down from 4.9 percent a year earlier.

The economy has been expanding in Kootenai County for 74 straight months, which is longer than the average U.S. business-growth cycle of 58 months, Wolkenhauer says.

“We think the economy is healthy, but it’s been expanding so long, we think there will be some deceleration in the growth rate over the next couple of years,” he says.

The hospitality and retail industries in Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding area are enjoying a healthy year, says Steve Wilson, president and CEO of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce.

“Tourism is robust,” Wilson says. “When that industry is up, retailers who cater to it are up.”

Looking ahead, Wilson says bookings for conventions and holidays are encouraging.

“My understanding is it compares with this year’s strong early bookings,” he says.

The hospitality industry also is facing staffing challenges.

“Many employers in the area have reported a labor shortage over the last year,” Wilson says. “The opportunity to be selective in hiring isn’t available.”

Construction is expected to begin in early 2017 for the envisioned $20 million Coeurllaborate economic development complex planned at 1808 Northwest Blvd., east of the Riverstone urban village, says Tony Berns, executive director of Ignite CDA, the city’s urban renewal agency.

Construction of a Fairfield Inn & Suites hotel is planned as the initial phase of the development, Berns says.

In an underdeveloped area of west Coeur d’Alene, a $4.5 million project is being planned to revitalize a 1.5-mile section of Seltice Way during the next two years, he says.

“I think it will be an economic driver making Seltice that much more user-friendly,” Berns says. “The hope is that it would stimulate development of adjacent properties.”