Plans to convert the former Kandersteg Institute in the Bernese Oberland into a collective centre for up to 120 asylum seekers have been shelved after the private owner withdrew his offer, citing growing hostility from local residents. The decision, announced on Monday by the Cantonal Department of Health, Social Affairs and Integration (GSI), comes after months of community opposition and a petition campaign that framed the project as a threat to tourism. Switzerland’s asylum system relies on cantons to provide reception places once federal centres reach capacity. Bern had earmarked Kandersteg as a strategic site because of its rail connectivity and existing dormitory infrastructure, hoping to avoid emergency use of sports halls this winter. The sudden cancellation leaves the canton short of 300 beds just as arrivals from Afghanistan and Eritrea are ticking upward again. Cantonal officials say they will accelerate talks with neighbouring municipalities and are prepared to purchase property outright if leasing proves politically unviable. Business groups in the region warn that last-minute site searches could hurt investor confidence and complicate seasonal staffing for ski resorts that depend on non-EU workers needing temporary housing. For global-mobility managers relocating staff to Bern, the episode is a reminder that community sentiment can derail accommodation projects even when zoning is compliant. Companies should budget extra time to secure housing and consider spreading staff across several smaller sites to avoid triggering local backlash. The Federal Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has urged cantons to maintain “a balanced territorial distribution” of asylum facilities, but Monday’s setback underscores how political headwinds can hamper Switzerland’s capacity planning at a critical moment ahead of winter peak arrivals.
Source: SWI swissinfo.ch
