Most tech investors can't pronounce Nanaimo,
let alone pinpoint it on a map, Truax says. For now,
he advises, it's best to dispense with labels like "tech
hub," and "get down to business."
Playing the long game
At a time when the city's star appears to be rising,
Nanaimo's o•cial economic development e•orts
have shown little progress lately. In November 2017,
the city announced that it was folding that ‚le into
the real estate and business development section
of community development and that sta• would
develop a "work plan."
Bill Corsan, deputy director of community devel-
opment, had few details about the work plan to
share with BCBusiness. Tourism promotion for the
city has been outsourced to the regional destination
marketing organization, and longtime city sta•er
Amrit Manhas is now economic development o•cer
in a lonely one-person outpost at city hall that faces
an uphill battle to regain public con‚dence.
Sheryl Armstrong is a‰tough-talking ex-
RCMP ser-
geant who won election to city council with nearly
50 percent of the vote in a byelection last July.
Armstrong said she ran for o•ce because she's
interested in politics and was disgusted by the
drama and negativity at city hall. Last December,
Nanaimo launched a lawsuit—since dropped—
against Mayor McKay over accusations of leaking
con‚dential information. This March, the Crown
laid criminal charges against chief administrative
o•cer Tracy Samra for allegedly threatening sta•
and council, and the investigation is ongoing.
‰ "The sad thing is that council is so divided
that they have forgotten to put the city ‚rst," says
Armstrong, who at press time hadn't decided if she
would run in this fall's election. "I know that some
businesses have opted not to locate in Nanaimo
because of the turmoil and that others are holding
o• on expanding until there's a new council."
‰Armstrong believes Manhas is doing her best,
"The sad thing is that council is so divided that
they have forgotten to put the city first. I know
that some businesses have opted not to locate in
Nanaimo because of the turmoil and others that
are holding off on expanding until there's a new
council"
—Sheryl Armstrong, Nanaimo city councillor
jULY/AUGUST 2018 BCBusiness 51
