With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1498118
VANCOUVER ISLAND/COAST ▷ Campbell River ▷ Comox ▷ Courtenay ▷ Cowichan ▷ Duncan ▷ Esquimalt ▷ Ladysmith ▷ Lake Cowichan ▷ Langford ▷ Nanaimo ▷ North Cowichan ▷ Parksville ▷ Port Alberni ▷ Port Alice ▷ Port Hardy ▷ Port McNeill ▷ Powell River ▷ Qualicum Beach ▷ Saanich ▷ Sidney ▷ Sooke ▷ Tofino ▷ Ucluelet ▷ Victoria SHARE OF B.C. POPULATION 17% Fairer Shores The Island economy is growing more sophisticated, diversified and attractive for workers and companies alike THOUGHTFUL GROWTH: Fast-growing Nanaimo (above) is nurturing technology businesses and the circular economy while trying to protect its natural assets A long with the Thompson Okanagan, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast was a favoured destination for remote workers newly enabled by technology and the COVID -19 pandemic to take their jobs out of higher-cost cities like Vancouver. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the Island's mild climate, access to the ocean and genteel cities and towns, the region's population grew by 8.2% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses. Nanaimo was one of the five fastest-growing census metropolitan areas in Canada, expanding a 10.3% during that span. The Victoria suburb of Langford, not included in the list of CMAs, grew an astonishing 31.8%. But Vancouver Island had a diversified and prosperous economy to begin with, one focused on public administration (Victoria is British Columbia's capital city), tourism, higher education and research, the forest industry, fishing, farming, manufacturing and advanced technology. Construction is under way on almost $15 billion in large capital projects, including the $167-million Nanaimo Correctional Centre. Victoria's Core Area Wastewater Management Project was completed in 2021. Following the completion of the John Hart Generating Station Replacement Project near Campbell River, BC Hydro has begun work on the John Hart Dam Seismic Upgrade Project. Central 1 INVEST in BC 2 0 2 3 27 Official Publication of the BC Economic Development Association. In special partnership with BCBusiness.