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28 INVEST in BC 2 0 2 0 Official Publication of the BC Economic Development Association. In special partnership with BCBusiness. Untitled-1 1 2020-03-24 12:06 PM NANAIMO LOOKING FOR A CITY THAT SUITS YOUR LIFESTYLE AND YOUR BUSINESS GOALS? FIND YOUR BALANCE IN NANAIMO I n Canada and around the world, business is changing. Remote work is more accessible than ever, and work-life balance is no longer wishful thinking. Business leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals and their families want to achieve this balance without compromising work, education or business opportunities. IN NANAIMO, WE ARE SEEING THIS HAPPEN IN REAL-TIME: • Nanaimo's population growth rate has outpaced the regional district, Vancouver Island, BC and Canada. • There are almost 100,000 current residents, an increase of 35% from 2001. • There has been an average growth of 3,000 new residents each year for the past five years. IT'S NOT JUST PEOPLE CHOOSING NANAIMO—IT'S BUSINESSES, TOO: • There were 6,233 business licences issued in 2019. • Over the past decade, the number of business licences issued has grown by 9%. TO ACCOMMODATE THIS GROWTH, NANAIMO IS EXPERIENCING A BUILDING BOOM: • 34 projects in the last two years had a minimum value of $2 million • Building permits valued PHOT0 SUPPLED BY CIT Y OF NANAIMO $445.3 million in 2019, breaking Nanaimo's previous all-time record of $253 million in 2007. • The number of non- residential building permits nearly quadrupled from 2018 to 2019. These reasons and many more are why Nanaimo was recently ranked the #1 Best Place to Work on Vancouver Island and #8 in all of British Columbia by BC Business magazine. We invite you to join us. Grow your business—and your ideal life—in one of the most beautiful cities Canada has to offer. Come to Nanaimo and find your balance. To learn more and to explore your opportunities, get in touch: Amrit Manhas Economic Development Officer 411 Dunsmuir Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5J6 OFFICE: 250-755-4465 EMAIL: amrit.manhas@ nanaimo.ca WEBSITE: www.investnanaimo.ca Nanaimo_Profile_0520.indd 32 2020-03-25 9:45 AM