Effects of social change on well-being: Boom and bust in a Western Canadian city

Drawing from surveys done over a eight year period, we find some important effects on well-being coming from economic boom and bust in a Western Canadian city. This effect is buffered, however, by the important role that family and friends play for young people and health and non-working activities play for the adjustment of older people. Because of these factors, difficulties in the objective condition of economic downturn has had less impact on the general social well-being of the public than previously reported.