Special Features - Gateway Magazine 2016

GATEWAY BETTER COMMUNITY THROUGH BETTER BUSINESS

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2016 ISSUE

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Welcome from the CEO This annual magazine changes its theme and direction every year. That’s what makes it all the more interesting for us to produce. While the Nanaimo News Bulletin and Black Press deserve the credit for publishing, the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce is responsible for content.

Contents 3

Table of contents/ CEO's message

5

Snuneymuxw council member leads economic development for First Nation

8

Nanaimo Airport New acquisitions and additions

12

Education Partnership Training opportunities for students

16

Tourism - Snorkelling adds depth to tourist attractions

18

Arts - Nanaimo arts community comes together

22

Technology - Tech startup loving Island life

26

Food for thought Foodshare helps improve access to local edibles

29

Immigration Nanaimo's attractive and affordable lifestyle lures skilled immigrants

In this 2016 edition, we profile people in unique jobs in Nanaimo’s diverse economic sectors. From helicopter pilots to nurses, professional arts managers to farmers, dive boat operators to fire truck drivers – we all make up the economy that is the mid Island’s.

Gateway Magazine helps express the many ways the Chamber of Commerce connects with every sector in the community – not just business. Our branding states our goal is ‘Better Community Through Better Business’, so everything we do at the Chamber of Commerce is viewed through the lens of ‘community’.

Today, the Chamber of Commerce serves a community of about 6,000 licensed businesses and a regional population close to 100,000. We present monthly luncheons that regularly attract up to 150 guests to hear speakers of social and economic significance. We shine the spotlight on individual member businesses by helping them host networking events called “Business After and Business Before Business”.

We create special occasions like Nanaimo’s annual Business Achievement Awards, the Business Expo, our Christmas Luncheon and Auction that welcomes close to 500 guests among other fun and entertaining events.

Throughout the year, we offer unique and valuable low-cost and no-cost professional development opportunities to members.

We also focus energy on ‘government advocacy’ as we continually explore ways to break down barriers to business success by helping all levels of government understand that making it easier to do business helps the entire community.

Today’s Chamber is an excellent venue to initiate business contacts, procure business development resources, engage in Nanaimo’s corporate social scene and expose your unique value proposition in a variety of environments.

Your input is essential to improving the Chamber’s performance. Contact me at ceo@nanaimochamber.bc.ca with your comments and feedback.

Kim Smythe CEO Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce

GATEWAY BETTER COMMUNITY THROUGH BETTER BUSINESS | 2016 Publisher: Maurice Donn Production Manager: Darrell Summerfelt

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Creative: Nanaimo News Bulletin Production Department Advertising Sales Manager: Sean McCue Advertising and Editorial Inquiries: 250-753-3707 Gateway: Better Community through Better Business is published by Black Press for Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce.

ON THE COVER: Jenny Janecek, WestCoastHelicopters.com. Jenny flies over downtown Nanaimo as part of her career as a professional helicopter pilot.

ALEXANDRIA STUART writes and edits feature articles, journalism, fiction, and promotional materials. She’s been published in newspapers, magazines, and a variety of online media. After five years as co-producer and host of Arts Now on Shaw Television, her interest in broadcast media shifted to radio. In 2013 Alexandria was awarded Vancouver Island University’s Barry Broadfoot Award for Journalism in Creative Non-Fiction, as well as the B.C. and Yukon Community Newspapers Association Award in 2014, given to post-secondary journalism students who plan to work in the industry.

DIRK HEYDEMANN of Heydemann Art of Photography and HA Photography has his photo studio located in the beautiful Harbour City. He has been shooting professionally as a commercial and wedding photographer for more than 20 years. The best and most rewarding part of his job is seeing and hearing that his images have made an impact and difference in people’s lives. Dirk is thrilled to be a part of the Gateway magazine team.

Contributors also include CHRIS BUSH, NICHOLAS PESCOD and KARL YU from the Nanaimo News Bulletin.

Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce 2133 Bowen Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H8 Phone: 250-756-1191 – Fax: 250-756-1584 info@nanaimochamber.bc.ca; www.nanaimochamber.bc.ca © Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. For editorial matters, please contact the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, its Board of Directors, nor that of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. The publisher is not responsible for the content of any advertisement, or any representations made therein. No part of Gateway: Better Community through Better Business may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

Economic

Development Snuneymuxw Council Member leads economic development for First Nation Erralyn Thomas, president of the Snuneymuxw Economic Development Group of Companies.

T

HE MOOD AROUND the table in the Chief and Council Chambers is one of hope and excitement, says Erralyn Thomas, band councillor and president of Snuneymuxw Economic Development Group of Companies. “I'm excited to go to work every day, to put that vision together and say ‘Here we are,’ this is what we are going to do. Th at really lights a fire in myself. I feel very fortunate that the people have put their trust in me.” In the past, economic development was tied to a specific set of behaviours and steps, something Thomas characterizes as, “the Indian Act box." Under the new corporate model, chief and council are the shareholders, and the corporation is no longer tied to the direction of the federal government in terms of accessing funding. There are many things that they are able to do now, she says.

Thomas is not an imposing figure, but she holds a quiet strength, commanding the attention of the room, even when she is the only other one in it. Her voice is soft, her words firm and carefully chosen, delivered after thoughtful pauses.

Thomas embodies many of the qualities that are embedded within the First Nation corporation itself right now: youthful energy tempered with respect for the past and the willingness to listen carefully to the wisdom of the elders. Reconciling that wisdom with the realities of the economic and legal systems within which they are now working, is a key to realizing this hope for future generations. She carries herself with great calm, but there is an unmistakable twinkle in her eye when she speaks of the opportunities that are opening up for First Nations citizens here and across the country.

“There's a lot of hope from my perspective as president,” she says, such as the new prime minister’s commitments to increased funding for First Nations, as well as First Nations’ presence in senior levels of the federal government. Locally, Tracy Samra’s position as Manager for the City of Nanaimo will help facilitate improved relations between the Snuneymuxw and the municipal government. “Fundamental to that is communication, all the decision makers have to be continued on page 6

have an appetite for First Nations to be full partners.”

continued from page 5

communicating. The appetite is there and the time is now. As a young person I have a lot of energy,” Thomas says. “I also follow the footsteps of our elder council who have gone before. The future looks bright, we're on the road to increasing our land base, which will help us strengthen our culture. You can't put a dollar to that.”

Thomas characterizes May 2015 as the point when the Snuneymuxw First Nation went, “… from pennies to millions… Now we have this revenue that we generated ourselves. We can increase our standing with the capitalistic world, increase profitability, increase our land base. Where we weren't in the position for before.

We've never been in that wealth mentality as a Nation.”

“Now we can create an economy for our people,” she says. “Our land base is quadrupling. Now it’s managing that land.” As Fee Simple Land, this makes it more competitive in the real estate market. “It allows us to be participants in commerce, whatever sector that is. That's the beauty, we get to grow it through sound business decisions and having relevant and applicable gradual vision. The business climate, in the past, didn't

The territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation includes some of the Salish Sea’s most productive and resource-rich areas. It is one of the largest Nations in the province with a population of over 1,700 people.

Industries such as forestry, fishing, aquaculture, hunting, and construction are key to their economy.

Careful thought is going into the development of this vision with the stewardship of their traditional lands, striking a balance between contemplation and the need to move forward at the rate of their counterparts.

Moving forward also allows them to address some of the deeper, systemic issues that have plagued First Nations in Canada. Improvements to education and graduation rates are one of the keys. “It points to the intergenerational effect of the residential schools.

Whole families are missing because there was this trauma held inside. From a sociological perspective, we’re still healing. The generation is so close. We’re in recovery as a people. We're in this healing state.”

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doctor who will be graduating soon, she recognizes that the change may be slow, but the more citizens have access to school, in full-time jobs, feeding their people, will build the feelings of success to promote that healing. Balancing traditional lifestyle with the world of capitalism is something she feels they’re adapting well to. She sees a lot of hope in her citizens.

Communication is essential, she says, and here will be more opportunities to interact with, and receive input from its beneficiaries, their citizens.

“I’m honoured, very honoured. I feel a sense of emotion. It took six decades of chief and council to get to this point—that’s six generations... I feel very honoured to continue that work, and who knows who will be in that position 60 years from now?” she says.

Thomas has noticed a shift in the way that the Snuneymuxw First Nation is regarded in the business world. She appreciates the interest from, and willingness to explore collaboration with, the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation. “We raise our hands to them—this means thank you—for taking that leap of faith,” she says.

It’s an opportunity to share their vision and tell their stories, moving forward together.

As president of the Snuneymuxw Economic Development Group of Companies, Thomas looks forward to creating a strong presence for the company, building a brand and a website to facilitate meaningful connectivity between the board and its citizens, the people who have entrusted them with the work ahead. “The community members and I have a lot of exchanges about what's going on. When I was a community member, not hearing anything, not knowing what’s going on, that concerned me,” she says.

Nanaimo's landscape is changing and Thomas, in conjunction with the Snuneymuxw Chief and Council, will play an important role in realizing the region’s full potential. It’s a job they take on joyfully, with the opportunity to honour their traditional lands while maximizing their value for the citizens of their First Nation. “Who knows where we’re going to be in 2026?" she asks. As they set their vision, corporate direction, and priorities, “We're really in a good position,” she says.

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GATEWAY

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Nanaimo Airport

David Sylvester and Reg Brady maintain a high standard of safety at Nanaimo Airport.

Fire truck adds new level of security

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As the manager of equipment, facilities and maintenance for the Nanaimo Airport, Brady knows the capabilities for the Oshkosh Striker inside and out and what it means for passenger safety.

“It’s a cool truck,” Brady said.

The Oshkosh Striker comes with 697-horsepower engine, a 5678 litre water tank and a 795-litre foam tank and multiple turrets. The vehicle is equipped with the latest technology including electronic joystick-controlled turrets, a foam proportioning system, a rear-view camera and gives firefighters the ability to battle a blaze from long distances.

“Th is is an extremely high level of safety for us,” Brady said.

The Nanaimo Airport acquired the Oshkosh Striker last year for a cost of around $850,000. continued on page 10

David Sylvester at the wheel of the Oshkosh Striker fire truck.

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“What it does is it enhances the fire protection that we had on site," said Mike Hooper, president of the Nanaimo Airport.

The airport will also be acquiring another fire truck and a brand new two-bay fire hall worth more than $600,000 within the coming year as a result of the increased air traffic movement at the airport.

“A big part of safety is our ability to deal with fires on the airport’s land and this really enhances our safety management system,” Hooper said.

The addition of the new fire trucks and fire hall are just one of the many improvements that have taken place at the Nanaimo airport, which has seen massive growth in recent years.

A few years ago the Nanaimo Airport underwent a series of major improvements including an extended runway and renovated terminal. They also installed an instrument landing system, otherwise known as ILS, that provides incoming pilots with lateral and vertical guidance.

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"Before we had the ILS in we were not very reliable," Hooper said. "Now we are over 98 per cent reliable."

As a result, Air Canada added more non-stop fl ights to Calgary and in 2014 the overnight shipping company, FedEx, began flying out the airport, joining fellow cargo operators Dynamex Courier and Purolator Courier.

Overall passenger numbers have also been on the rise at the airport ever since the improvements. In 2015 the airport saw more than 300,000 people move through its terminal, which far exceeded expectations.

“We projected that we would be at 300,000 passengers by 2021,” Hooper said.

The airport is about to enter the construction phase of an $11-million expansion of its main terminal building, making it well-positioned for future growth.

"We are going to look to double the size of our terminal building because we are eight years ahead of our passenger forecast," Hooper said.

The Nanaimo Airport generates about $100 million and 1,400 jobs to the regional economy annually and is expected to generate $150 million and 2,000 jobs by 2020.

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Education

Partnerships Nanaimo School District and Vancouver Island University offer training opportunities for students

M

aeva Legault has studied in Nanaimo and wants to continue to reside and work in the Harbour City.

The Grade 12 student from Nanaimo school district's careers technical centre is about to graduate, having completed the heavy equipment operators' program. She said she's always had an affi nity for things with big wheels, turbo diesel and working hard.

Through the program, Legault has earned her first aid and fl agging tickets, as well as Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System training and while she's currently prepping for graduation, she's also looking to ply her trade next year.

“I've looked online to see who's hiring,” said Legault.

“There's been a couple of places ... that are actually looking specifically for women operators, which actually is pretty good.”

A shortage of people to fi ll skilled labour and trades positions is projected by the B.C. government. In its B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint report, it says there will be nearly one million job openings expected by 2024.

The school district has a dual-credit partnership with Vancouver Island University, which gives students the opportunity to complete high school and get a leg up on first year in the trades.

As part of the Skills

“We have a number Exploration Program, of students who are Rob Gowan-Smith teaches woodworking completing their Grade to Brechin Elementary 12 requirements while students. they are taking on either a trade or also technology as well, so they could be doing applied business technology or our ...

Information Technology and Applied Systems program,” said Glynis Steen, dean of trades and applied technology at Vancouver Island University.

Trades training jobs are in demand across Nanaimo and Vancouver Island, she said.

“I just think regionally, in terms of our students working, getting work, I'll think about the forest industry for example, there's an amazing opportunity for heavy mechanical trades, heavy equipment operators.

“If you look at the demographics, in terms of forestry, the number of people retiring and the number of jobs required, there's a perfect opportunity within our region,” said Steen.

Steen said the trades students graduating from the university will have the skills for life.

Derek Beeston, careers technical centre vice-principal, continued on page 14

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said the school district has a program for students that haven't reached high school age yet, the Skills Exploration Program.

“We take a trades trailer that we designed and built – it's the only one we know of in Western Canada – and we go to the schools themselves and we run Grades 4 to 6 students, depending on what we're doing at the school, through different programs building projects,” said Beeston.

Beeston said senior students act as mentors. He said the trades trailer and technical centre students were out at Brechin Elementary School earlier this year helping Grade 6 and 7 students build birdhouses.

As for Legault, ultimately she would like to work as an operator in Nanaimo.

Rob Gowan-Smith builds a birdhouse with student Kaita Heydemann

“I'd like to stay in Nanaimo and I also race cars, so I don't want to move anywhere too far from the racetrack and from the garage and the shop,” Legault said.

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Tourism

Snorkelling adds depth to list of tourist attractions

Snapping on a diving mask, fl ippers and a tube to suck air through to paddle around and look for cool stuff on the bottom of the ocean might sound like kid's stuff, but add seals at Snake Island and it can be a bucket list experience for the whole family.

The creation of artificial reefs to showcase the marine biodiversity of local waters made Nanaimo a scuba diving mecca, but snorkelling is what's adding depth to tourism these days.

time and training and, where maybe just one or two family members were trained divers, whole families can snorkel together and can enjoy the experience longer.

Ed Singer, who owns Sundown Diving, says snorkelling with the seals at Snake Island now accounts for nearly half of his dive excursion business from mid May to October.

Singer's company bought a new boat last year to accommodate the extra business and now runs a partner excursion program with Harbour Air that fl ies people from Vancouver to spend the day snorkelling and then catch a return fl ight to the Lower Mainland.

"Years ago we did it with dive charters and we had so many Europeans who just loved it so much that they'd spend more time snorkelling than they did on their dives and eventually it would be, like, no, we just want to go snorkelling," Singer said.

Snorkelling charters involve less equipment, weight,

"Th at's been going over really good," Singer said.

"Harbour Air did a survey of their customers and they had overwhelmingly excellent results from it, so they've really ramped up what they're doing over there now."

There are a lot of outdoor activities available in Nanaimo and where people were formerly dedicated to one or two sports, they might now cycle, run trails, kayak, paddle board, ski and hike.

"Th ings like the natural wonders are among the top 10 things that we're promoting this year," Barr said. "Th ings like the Malaspina Galleries (Gabriola Island)."

"People are too active here for an individual sport," Singer said. "Now people do a lot more 'tastes' of activities."

Barr references the Abyss rock formation created by a fault on the Trans Canada Trail, Ammonite Falls and vistas from Mount Benson hikers see as they climb to its summit and easy to access beaches and nature walks in urban parks.

Tourism Nanaimo statistics bear that out.

Chelsea Barr, destination marketing oďŹƒcer with Tourism Nanaimo, says visitor profi les show Nanaimo's boutiques and specialty shops still rank highly with visitors, but there's a shift toward outdoor activities, driven by visitor social media posts and tourism marketing.

"We haven't seen the pictures like we've seen of Tofino, of the beach, of the trails and whatnot. There hasn't really been that focus in past marketing and it's changing, shifting," Barr said. "Now we're getting those images out there and it's working."

GATEWAY

17

Suzanne Samborski, Christine Meutzner, Julie Bevan, Eliza Gardiner, Debbie Trueman, Bruce Halliday and Margot Holmes collaborate in Nanaimo's arts and culture sector.

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Artistic

Collaboration Movers and shakers in Nanaimo arts community want to work together A group of Nanaimo’s passionate players in arts and culture are redefining the meaning of collaboration in their sector. “We're a group that are committed to working together, not against each other. We want to be part of a solution,” says Bruce Halliday, General Manager of The Port Theatre.

“I've been here at the symphony and working in Nanaimo for 18 years and I do believe that we're at a lovely point in our history right now,” says Margot Holmes, Executive Director of the Vancouver Island Symphony. “We’re actually collaborating and continued on page 20

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seeing arts groups working together. So much of it is about people, personality, and how they look at their work.”

Halliday and Holmes are two of eight members of the closely knit City of Nanaimo’s Cultural Managers Working Group (CMWG). “We’re peers, we meet a lot, formally, which is great, but we meet a lot outside of that as well. We recognize that our sector is a critical sector in Nanaimo, and part of a holistic, fully diverse community.”

In a 2013 study, the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation found that arts and culture have a significant economic impact in Nanaimo. Subsequently, Cultural Vitality was designated as the fourth pillar of sustainability by the city. “The intrinsic value of arts and culture is that it adds quality of life services in the community,” Halliday says.

Established in 2012, CMWG is a working platform for collaboration between arts professionals, a provincially recognized

leading practice model, says Suzanne Samborski, former Senior Manager of Culture and Heritage, City of Nanaimo.

The formation of the Culture and Heritage Department within the City of Nanaimo itself was a result of the group’s work on the city’s Cultural Plan.

“Going back seven years,” Halliday says, “the art gallery manager, museum manager, and myself were meeting with the (former) department of Parks, Recreation, and Culture. We realized that we all managed city-owned buildings.” Recognizing that they shared this, and much more, the seeds of the CMWG were sown.

The current group includes eight professional managers representing cultural heritage, and visual and performing arts in Nanaimo, including a representative for the City, until recently Suzanne Samborski, former Senior Manager of Culture and Heritage. “The key to collaboration is trust,” Samborski says. The group and the city continue to build that culture of trust,” she says, which must be demonstrated by, “consistent and fulsome support for the

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sector.” The creation of the Culture and Heritage Department and implementation of the Cultural Plan demonstrate the kind of commitment the sector is looking for.

“We work as a body within the Culture and Heritage Department to try to share our resources, and work in a unified way,” Halliday says. “There's a wealth of knowledge, and wealth of energy, we all believe wholeheartedly in the value of the arts.”

At the CMWG table, the members focus on promoting the performing and visual arts in general, not just their organizations, Holmes says.

“One of our initiatives is a joint branding and marketing campaign around the arts and culture in Nanaimo. Not specific to our organizations, but branding arts

and culture and branding Nanaimo as a destination,” Halliday says. “It’s one of the most challenging things any sector will do together.”

The magic ingredient, the glue that holds the group and their work together comes down to one thing: passion. “Around the table what you’ll find is dynamic energy,” Holmes says. “You're dealing with people that are passionate about the work they do, truly they love that art form. It’s not just about their love of it—they want other people to experience it. Having that kind of energy inspires you to keep going. It's a support team of your colleagues that do the same work you do but in different disciplines, different organizations we work within. You don't have that anywhere else.”

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Attractive Lifestyle

Tech startup companies lured to Island life

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y placing the focus on work/life balance, tech companies are looking for unique communities to make their headquarters, and central Vancouver Island checks a lot of the boxes. “They’re fighting their way to survive in this thing we call the tech start-up world,” says Paris Gaudet, Executive Director of Innovation Island.

As the regional voice for technology entrepreneurship, they provide support for entrepreneurs to start and grow technology companies. By providing assistance on that side, owners are able to explore the things that help achieve the elusive work/life balance that can easily fall away in major cities. continued on page 24

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continued from page 22

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Input Logic Inc.’s founders Shawn Adrian and Gavin Vickery had worked together in many different places. Given the opportunity to settle in Vancouver or San Francisco, they chose Nanaimo for the “balance” it brought to the work/life balance equation. On Vancouver Island, striking a happy medium between Victoria and Parksville, “Nanaimo has the parks, movie theatres, shopping, and stuff for the family. It also has a certain small town feeling without being a small town,” Vickery says.

Their goals include building a lifestyle that allows for success in business without the personal sacrifice that’s typical of the corporate culture in many tech companies. “We want to be able to go mountain biking, we take the whole team down to the river in the summertime, or snowboarding in the winter. We all play Frisbee golf at Bowen Park. The central Island has such diverse offerings that you don’t have to specialize in just one thing,” Vickery says.

In the balance, family life can also flourish. “We really like the community here. It feels like a safe, tightly knit community for raising families.” Vickery says that also fuelled their decision to remain in Nanaimo. He admits

that it can be more challenging to “We want to be able t find investor funds here than it winter. We all play Fri would be in San Francisco—where one thing.” he and Adrian were showered with offers—but they chose to prioritize lifestyle and that work/life/family piece.

“They're passionate about their product,” Gaudet says.

The larger pieces of Nanaimo’s attraction, affordability and lifestyle, play a part but there’s another element that’s almost as important. “It’s about having a vibe,” she says. There’s an elusive quality, a feeling that an area needs, and amenities to provide growth in the tech sector. That includes restaurants, investors, talent, mentors, plus strong collaboration between all levels.

Resonance Software relocated from Vancouver to Nanaimo in 1999. Vice President of Operations, Ivan Eggers, says, “The company was a BCIT research project that brought the owners together in 1993, and that turned into a commercial project. When the project was done, and school was done, the students were looking for work.” Resonance Software was born.

While affordability was their initial motivation for the move, quality of life emerged as a strong attractor to remain here. “We’re fortunate to be an IT company so we can live where we want to, our customers are

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to go mountain biking, we take the whole team down to the river in the summertime, or snowboarding in the isbee golf at Bowen Park. The central Island has such diverse offerings that you don’t have to specialize in just –Gavin Vickery, Input Logic Inc's co-founder across North America,” Eggers says. He left North Vancouver in 2001 to accept a job with the company.

“I had grown up in big cities my whole life. Then I moved to Nanaimo. It was big enough for me to still be comfortable, but it still has the advantages of a small town. I wouldn’t go any smaller than Nanaimo, so it has worked out very well for me… The day trips you can make from here–you can kayak, you’re close enough to a ski hill, you can go wine tasting. In Nanaimo, it's special and it’s beautiful."

“Nanaimo has many of the right things to become a tech hub,” Gaudet says. There’s the competitive advantages of affordability and natural beauty, but there are other elements that build out the ecosystem.

Part of that is positive word of mouth from successful companies that are based here. “We’re young yet, but we’re working hard, together, to get Nanaimo on the map.”

“Employment has been a challenge for us,” Vickery says. “Hiring programs would help us. Finding the talent here is hard—they'll go to Vancouver or San

Francisco. We’re punching the idea of work/life balance as an enticement to keep/bring people here. The mentality tends to be focused on working for as much money as you can.” Vickery hopes that will change.

Talent is also an ongoing challenge for Eggers, who has started to become involved with VIU over the last year.

Through direct contact with department heads and participation in events like Mark It Up, they meet a lot of students in hopes of finding potential hires. “All our young staff are born and bred here, they went to VIU,” he says. Apart from their abilities, they bring other benefits to local tech entrepreneurs: connections in the local community. It’s a hidden benefit of operating in a big/small community.

“In the tech industry in Nanaimo, everybody knows everybody,” Vickery says. “I've talked to guys who are directly competing with us, but we’re open to each other.” Nanaimo appears free of some of the mistrust and suspicion you’ll find in larger centres. Maybe it’s all the fresh air.

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Chris Brown of Farmship Growers Co-op promotes local food.

Food for Thought Organization helps improve access to local edibles

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hether it’s better food in schools or supporting the local economy, improving access to local food is an idea everyone can get behind. For Jen Cody, Executive Director at Nanaimo Foodshare Society, it all starts with local farms, farmers, and food producers. “There are lots of programs that talk about farm to table, or farm to plate, and that’s great, because it gives people access to fresh produce. But beyond the fresh fruits and vegetables, we think it’s also valuable for people to connect with farms and farmers.”

A registered dietitian with a masters in community health and nutrition, Cody, before coming to Vancouver Island, worked in prenatal nutrition where she noticed many families struggling to gain access to fresh, healthy produce. “I’d see families, often

First Nations, supplementing their diets with locally harvested indigenous foods.”

Cody was already well established in the local food scene when she started working with Nanaimo Foodshare Society in 2014. In addition to her work with the society, she’s a director of Farmship Growers Co-operative, a group dedicated to food security and sustainable farming practices.

One of Cody’s goals is to improve access to local food by increasing farm viability. Th is vision drives a number of Foodshare’s initiatives. The Farmers’ Market Voucher Program is one that Cody is particularly excited about. “It’s funded by the B.C. Association of Farmers Markets. Each month, 65 families in the community receive a $15 voucher that they can spend at the farmers’ market. What’s great

Mike Pizzitelli of Arbutus Distilleries offers a drink.

Tammy Deline and Daniel Caron serve local produce at 2 Chefs Affair and Modern Café.

about that, is that for every $15 voucher, it’s actually $30 coming into the community, because the farmer receives their voucher, and the family gets $15 fresh produce.”

The Urban Farm Project, a joint venture between Growing Opportunities and Nanaimo Foodshare Society, is another exciting initiative for Cody.

The farm project, located on one of Nanaimo’s socalled Five Acre Farms—parcels of land, that are unfortunately disappearing, originally given to miners by the Vancouver Island Coal Company—is designed to increase community food security, and engage community members and organizations in growing food collectively.

As an educational working farm, anyone interested in learning about farming or food security can participate. It will also include a demonstration site for seed production, another one of Cody’s passions.

Carrot seed, specifically, is an intriguing challenge for Cody. “Carrots are tricky,” she says. “Here on the Island, they cross with Queen Anne’s Lace—wild carrots—so it’s a challenge to save seed from carrot.

It’s something I’ve been working on for a while.”

Foodshare is also about to launch the Foodshare Farm Box, a program designed to increase farm viability in the region and create new collective marketing

opportunities for local farmers. Sean Enns, the program co-ordinator, is excited about the positive reception he’s seeing in the farming community, and the community at large. “We know that people want access to local food, so it’s great that we can create these new opportunities to connect people with local farms, and local food,” he says. They hope to see the program expand in coming years, eventually working with large institutions and organizations as well as families and individuals. “There’s capacity,” Enns says. “Farms are willing to grow more and increase production. It’s just a matter of making the right connections. Hopefully, that’s where Foodshare can help.”

In the midst of these exciting new opportunities, Cody remains passionate about the continued success of Foodshare’s existing programs. The Good Food Box program provides affordable access to fruits and vegetables for more than 75 families in the community. The Lunch Munch program, which provides thousands of nutritious lunches each year for children in need, also shows no signs of slowing down.

For Cody and everyone associated with Nanaimo Foodshare Society, supporting and promoting local farmers, and the importance of what they provide to the community, isn’t just work—it’s a lifestyle. “Local Food Matters,” Foodshare’s slogan, are words they live by.

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International Appeal

Nanaimo's attractive and affordable lifestyle lures skilled immigrants to city

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anaimo’s attractive and affordable lifestyle, coupled with its high demand for healthcare workers, makes it an appealing destination for internationally trained nurses. “Th is is one of the trends we are seeing, a large percentage of nurses coming to our region.

We have a fairly large percentage from Scotland, the Philippines, Eastern European countries, Australia, England, and the U.S.,” says Angelika Valchar, Employment Manager with the Certified Career Development Practitioner program at the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society.

Unfortunately, the licensing process is not as easy as they were led to believe, Valchar says. The assessment process is costly, around $2,500, and can take anywhere from one to three years. For non-English speakers, language proficiency can be the most significant barrier to receiving a designation that matches their education and experience in their home countries, she says.

Roxanne Santos studied for four years to obtain her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in the Philippines.

She obtained her licence and practised as a RN for two years before joining family here on Vancouver Island. “If I really want to pursue my nursing career I need to have my papers assessed by the National Nursing Services Association to decide whether I can just take the exam or study for another year or just six months. Right now the assessing process will take a lot of money,” she says.

“I have decided to apply for any healthcare field, for healthcare assistant. Registration is free. I'm hoping for about six months as healthcare aide because I need to save money for nursing papers and English assessment, which is around $800.”

Santos’s story is not uncommon. “Non-English speaking countries’ nurses typically enter the field, and remain ‘stuck,’ at a lower level than Registered Nurse (RN) such as Licensed Practical Nurse, Health Care Aide, or dietary aides,” Valchar says. She works hard to combat

Catherine Robinson and Roxy Santos see opportunity in the healthcare sector. that trend. “Through a variety of employment programs through our agency, depending on needs and funding available, most of the RNs that we have worked with have been very successful in finding employment.”

Canada needs healthcare professionals, but it isn’t easy to be licensed to practice as an RN, something that saddens Santos. “When I found out what was happening I was disappointed, but when I got in touch with CVIMS I felt hopeful again. I think it will be worth it because if I compare the salary in the Philippines and in Canada it’s a big difference,” she says, “and the need for nurses will just grow more and more with the elderly, especially on Vancouver Island.”

Mentorship can be extremely valuable for new Canadians who are just beginning the process of being licensed to practise here. “Finding mentors in the community who actually went through the experience is a fairly crucial step to help them through the process,” Valchar says. One RN she recently asked to serve as a mentor was “thrilled” to help provide help and pay it forward, sharing her experience of success in her career.

Santos is looking forward to the experience. One day, Santos says she would be happy to serve as a mentor for another nurse facing the same challenges.

Hilde Schlosar, Executive Director of CVIMS, believes that the process of welcoming foreign-trained healthcare providers needs improvement. “I think that the medical regulating bodies have to become more open to people from other countries, make it easier for them to access the training they need. Many people don’t have doctors, but we’ve been waiting for them to make it easier for doctors from other countries to come here and practise medicine.”

For Santos, it will be worth the effort. “Living conditions here are very nice. And of course the safety. When I moved here, I felt more safe with the environment and the community. The community is very supportive.”

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TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2016

magazine

VOL. 27, NO. 104

Fire danger rating high in Cedar area

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Offer aseBodhi Woodbank Primary School students DoesFredrich, value. left, and Cole Smith pull on a rope during a game of tug of war at Merle um purch n only. No cash Logan Field. The students against other students from across the Nanaimo school district at Healthamongus, Minim were Dine-i competing per table. ® ate healthy an event designed to offer. promote living. NICHOLAS PESCOD / THE NEwS BuLLETIN certific

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Vancouver Island, not much past Nanaimo, so that area is drying,” said MacPherson.

“We’re going into a period of sunny, warm days ... it may continue to dry as we have the nice weather.”

MacPherson said people should check local government bylaws if they’re considering burning.

Remove anything FOR INFORMATION about that could serve B.C. wildfire Service’s as fuel for a fire, fire danger ratings, she said. please visit www.

“This is a great bcwildfire.ca time to ‘FireSmart’ their property ... cleaning up their yard is a smart thing to do at this time of year [and] burn very safely, VOL. especially to watch out for winds. It’s often pretty windy on the coast in the spring,” said MacPherson.

Brad Wood, Nanaimo Fire Rescue’s assistant fire chief of operations, said people should use common sense.

“Watch your smoking materials and such and I always recommend for homeowners and such to look at [www.firesmartcanada. ca] and that shows a bunch of fairly simple ideas how someone can ‘FireSmart’ around their home to help prevent the spread of wildfire, in case we have an incident,” Wood said.

MacPherson said the fire danger rating for Nanaimo is moderate and there are no wildfires reported in the area.

101

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With the recent warm and sunny weather, the B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire danger rating in the Cedar area is high.

Donna MacPherson, Coastal Fire Centre fire information officer, said while there

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aren’t currently any bans in place, the forest l boxin and fields are dry and people are asked to Professiona Arena. be cautious.

“The 37precipitation that we’ve had Page to Frank Crane [recently] didn’t reach very far south on

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Life in the Harbour City in 2016 GATEWAY

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