BUSINESS In Nanaimo
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Abundant land, a skilled and diversified workforce, excellent infrastructure, key transportation connections and commercial lease rates up to 60% lower than Vancouver or Victoria‌ just a few of the competitive advantages which make Nanaimo the place of Infinite Possibilities.
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BUSINESS
Contents
In Nanaimo
The big city's backyard Nanaimo becomes closer to the mainland JOHN HANKINS Chief Executive Officer Phone: 250-824-0152 John.Hankins@investnanaimo.com
Sector: Technology SquareOne hosting tech-based startups
Land-based aquafarm leading Setting example for other companies
Sector: Education AMRIT MANHAS Economic Development Officer Phone: 250-824-0156 Amrit.Manhas@investnanaimo.com
VIU grads supplying skilled labour
Crane expands capabilities Part of multimillion-dollar port project
Tilray a top employer in region Medical marijuana producer expanding
Publisher: Maurice Donn Editor: Melissa Fryer Contributors: Nicholas Pescod, Tamara Cunningham, Chris Bush Production Manager: Darrell Summerfelt Creative: Nanaimo News Bulletin Production Department Advertising Sales: Sean McCue Advertising and Editorial Inquiries: 250-753-3707 Business in Nanaimo is published by Black Press for Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation.
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A made-in-B.C. solution Sector: Investment Sector: Real Estate Manufacturing growing Sector: Construction Sector: Retail Sector: Marine First Nation building strategies Sector: Arts and Culture Sector: Amenities
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104 Front Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 Phone: 250-591-1551 Email: info@investnanaimo.com www.investnanaimo.com Š Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation. All rights reserved. For editorial matters, please contact the editor. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, 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 Business in Nanaimo may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.
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Nanaimo attracts homeowners, businesses priced out of mainland Jeremy Van Loon, Bloomberg News
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hree times a week Neil Valsangkar escapes Canada’s most expensive real estate market by paying $100 for a 20-minute float plane ride to his Vancouver office from his home across the Salish Sea. The 50 kilometre aerial commute allows the father of three to live in Nanaimo, B.C., where homes cost about a quarter of those in Vancouver, one of the world’s frothiest markets with average homes selling for $1.3 million. He’s encouraging some of his employees to do the same. “Raising a family in Vancouver is really challenging logistically,” said the 50-year-old chief executive of Sun Coast Consulting Ltd. “I made a lifestyle choice because of housing and the ease of raising a family here.” Nanaimo, a formerly rough-andtumble logging and fishing town of almost 100,000 people on Vancouver Island, offers the same stunning views of snow-capped mountains and rugged bays as its larger neighbour. With float planes taking off for downtown Vancouver several times an hour, a vehicle ferry, helicopter flights and a planned high-speed passenger service, the commute across the Salish Sea makes sense and can be shorter in some cases than commuting by car from Greater Vancouver’s eastern municipalities. The cost of owning a bungalow in Vancouver now accounts for 87 cents of every dollar earned by the average family. That has triggered protests by young professionals who complain of
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having to bunk with roommates into their 30s and forcing them to delay starting families. The provincial government will begin collecting data on foreign buyers who have been accused of driving up prices in the city of 2.5 million residents. John Winter fled Canada’s most expensive city six years ago, settling in Nanaimo with his wife after struggling with Vancouver’s sky-high cost of living. “I knew I’d never be able to afford a home there,” said Winter, 41, who runs Harbour Air Ltd.’s Nanaimo operations. “The average house price in Vancouver is out of everyone’s price range.” Despite its proximity to Vancouver’s real estate frenzy, Nanaimo seems a world away. “This was very much a fisherman’s town, a forestry town and had been a coal town,” said Ralph Nilson, president of Vancouver Island University, a “hinterland school” that’s helping to attract interest in Nanaimo with students from 88 countries, many of whom end up buying property, as part of the 2,000-student campus. The city, which sells itself as a “solution to Vancouver’s affordability and transit challenges,” is aiming to attract new businesses and their employees, in addition to people nearing retirement age who want to realize property price gains in Vancouver and downsize to Nanaimo, said John Hankins, chief executive of Nanaimo Economic Development Corp. A single family home averages
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$358,200, an increase of about seven per cent over the past five years compared with Vancouver’s 57 per cent gain. In addition to becoming a transportation hub for Vancouver Island, with a new cruise ship dock in one of British Columbia’s deepest ports and an airport that has had five years of record passenger growth, the town has a growing technology sector. “We’re really an annex to Vancouver,” said Bernie Dumas, president of the Nanaimo Port Authority. “We’re seeing Nanaimo becoming the backyard of Vancouver.” Unlike other waterfront cities such as Seattle and its nearby islands such as Vachon and Bainbridge, Vancouver’s real estate boom has left prices in Nanaimo and other nearby towns on Vancouver Island largely untouched. For now, that has its benefits. Nanaimo’s laid-back vibe and quiet streets mean many of its workers walk to the office in 15 minutes, including stopping to buy a coffee. Michael Reid, a 41-year former Vancouver resident who runs a technology company employing five people, strolls along the harbour walkway after arriving from Vancouver on a float plane and walks back to his office a few blocks away. His Vancouver meeting was finished before noon and he was back in Nanaimo for lunch. “Vancouver might be more fun, but will you have the money to enjoy it?” he said. “As long as you can easily get to Vancouver when you need to, it’s not a problem living here.” ‹‹‹
A MADE-IN-B.C.
in each office class. Housing is more affordable in Nanaimo compared to both Vancouver and Victoria, allowing employees to either enter home ownership, or if an existing home owner, potentially realize substantial savings by selling a property in Vancouver and Victoria and buying and living in Nanaimo. As far as transportation, Nanaimo is well-serviced with daily direct links to and from Vancouver and Calgary on Air Canada and WestJet. Commute times in Nanaimo are significantly lower than the mainland, parking costs are negligible compared to downtown Vancouver and Calgary; there are seaplane and helicopter services to Vancouver; and there are two B.C. Ferries routes, one from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay and one from Duke Point to Tsawwassen. Vancouver Island University, located in Nanaimo, provides graduate and undergraduate degree programs, and international students
SOLUTION
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s recently highlighted in several national media outlets including Bloomberg and the National Post, Nanaimo is a made-in-B.C. solution to Vancouver's sky-high real-estate costs. Nanaimo is the second-largest city on Vancouver Island, and being centrally located, it offers significant cost savings and employee advantages for a business to establish a presence. A recent survey of companies' reports recruiting outside of the area is easy due to Nanaimo's coastal location, affordable housing, broad range of recreational options and lower cost of living. Prime commercial real estate in Nanaimo is among the lowest lease rates in B.C. for communities of similar size and significantly lower when compared to Victoria and Vancouver
from more than 80 countries attend the institution's international MBA program. VIU graduates from various disciplines provide a constant pool of talent from which companies can draw. The popluation base for the Regional District of Nanaimo is 154,000 and the growth rate was 6.5 per cent between 2006 and 2011. Business growth was 21.2 per cent between 2001-2014. The Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation is an arm's-length organization of the City of Nanaimo, providing economic development for Nanaimo and the region. NEDC actively supports the key industry sectors including the operation of a tech incubator called SquareOne. For anyone considering Nanaimo and region as a business location, NEDC provides services to support the decision-making process, by supplying economic data and facilitating introductions to key individuals and organizations. NEDC is there from initial setup to settling and thriving in the community. ‹‹‹
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SECTOR:
TECHNOLOGY
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Nanaimo-based startup company called Kube is aiming to create a social network that keeps users information completely private. Created a few years ago brothers Michael and Ian Reid, Kube promises to keep users personal information private from everyone including the company itself, unlike Facebook, which sells user data to corporations and marketing firms. Users have the ability to decide exactly what content they want to remain public and private. “All the information inside of Kube is completely private and encrypted, even from us. So we have no access to the information,” said Michael Reid. “We can’t actually see what you have inside your account at all.” Kube is just one of a handful of technology-based startups to call Nanaimo home in the past year. It was one of the very first tenants of SquareOne, a tech startup incubator located in downtown Nanaimo. In a short period of time, SquareOne has helped build a startup community in Nanaimo according to Reid, who said Kube will be creating a video for a Kickstarter campaign using a film crew they met while at the co-working space. “You’re not suppose to be sitting at your house all by yourself doing the idea and thinking that you are going to take on the world,” he said. “You gotta get out and talk to people and having things like SquareOne really make things like that go that much further.” Kelsey Wolff, community manager of SquareOne, said the time to create a tech-based start-up in Nanaimo couldn’t be better. “The barrier for entry is low. So many of these start-ups require such little capital input to get them going,” she said. Lifestyle, relatively low cost of liv-
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Michael Reid, co-founder of Kube, foreground, helped create software for a new online social network, which promises to keep user information private. He and development team Lee Babin, left, Peter Morrison, Ian Reid and Dustin Dawes employed facilities and other tenants at Square One to engineer and promote the product. ing and having Vancouver Island University in town are among some of the reasons that start-up companies have chosen Nanaimo for their base of operations. Nanaimo’s geographical location to larger urban centers such as Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Seattle and California only adds to the appeal. “You go down to Silicon Valley and you want to hire an engineer it is probably going to be around $120,000 to a $150,000 US,” Reid said. “That is pretty expensive when you are doing a tech start up ... especially when the dollar is low and you can burn through money pretty quick.” For Hyas, one of Nanaimo’s newest startups, protecting small businesses online is the name of the game. Founded early last year by Christopher Davis, who has the unique dis-
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tinction of becoming the first Canadian to receive the Director’s Award of Excellence by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013, Hyas specializes in online security for small and medium-sized businesses. The company offers a highly secure firewall, intrusion section and prevention system as well as a computer crime investigation for security professionals. With more tech start-ups calling the Harbour City home, Wolff said Nanaimo has potential to become a significant player in the start-up landscape in the coming years. “We have some interesting startups that have the potential to be that champion, to really spearhead and put Nanaimo on the map,” she said. “We are really beginning to pull in all the pieces.” ‹‹‹
SECTOR:
but generate economic benefits to the local community and province. In Nanaimo, business owners have embraced the provincial nominee program as a means to keep jobs in the community. Since 2003, there have been more than 130 applications for businesses in Nanaimo with 34 nominated for residency and there are more than 50 applications awaiting nomination. Infinite Granite, Let’s Boutique, Dog’s Ear T-shirt and Embroidery Company, and New China Restaurant are just a few of the businesses in Nanaimo sold to foreign owners nominated through the program. Nanaimo has become an attractive community in which to invest due to its spectacular ocean views, endless amenities, low cost of living and geographical proximity to Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle. The population of Nanaimo has increased 1.12 per cent annually since 2010 and is only expected to increase.
INVESTMENT
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s more Canadian business owners begin to think about retirement, many are selling their businesses to individuals from overseas rather than close and impact the local economy. Thanks to British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program, an expedited immigration program that allows prospective immigrants to acquire permanent residence status in Canada in exchange for investing in a new or existing business, numerous businesses throughout the province continue to operate. Those nominated through the program must meet numerous requirements set out by the province and be able to prove that they will be able to invest in a new business or successfully take over an existing business that not only can employ Canadians,
Between 2004-14, the value of building permits in Nanaimo has increased at a higher rate than anywhere else in the province. The value of building permits in 2014 was $229 million, an increase of 91 per cent from the previous year. Housing starts increased by 60 per cent over the previous year. The number of business licences issued by the City of Nanaimo has grown by 4.7 per cent in the last five years and 21.2 per cent in the last decade. Leading the way were the professional, scientific, technical sector; health care; and arts, entertainment and recreation. Last year, businesses in Nanaimo paid an average of 2.15 times more municipal tax than residential property tax based on the same assessed value, which is below the provincial residential tax ratio and is lower than that of similar sized cities such as Kamloops and Kelowna. Nanaimo’s gross domestic product in 2014 was $4 billion, accounting for two per cent of B.C.’s total GDP. All these factors point to a community that can not only support investment but also welcomes it. ‹‹‹
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Land-based aquafarm leads technology Farm-raised steelhead salmon model for other companies
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hat began as something to do during retirement has spawned into a world-leading business for Nanaimo’s Steve and Janet Atkinson. Since 2013, the couple have owned and operated Taste of B.C. Aquafarms Inc., an independently run fresh water land-based aquafarm that produces steelhead salmon, sold under the brand name Little Cedar Falls at Overwaitea Food Group and Quality Foods stores. The East Wellington area aquafarm is the first of its kind to have its product reach the market place on a continual basis. The aquafarm was constructed in 2012 and completed in 2013 at a cost of $1.5 million, which included a $450,000 investment from the federal government through its Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program. Designed by Nanaimo firm PR Aqua, the farm receives 15,000, 10-centimtre salmon every eight weeks and grows and harvests 1,814 kilograms of salmon per week. The farm features 15 tanks and has the ability to produce 100 metric tonnes of salmon a year. It is also equipped with a highly advanced and energy-efficient water filtration system. The recirculating-aquaculture system reuses 99.6 per cent of the water on site. “About 50 per cent of what we do here is science and 50 per cent is growing fish,” Steve Atkinson said. “I really wanted to do something that makes a difference and this will launch a fresh water aquaculture industry in Canada, it really will.” Taste of B.C.’s unique approach to fresh water aquafarming and meticulous attention to detail has attracted scientists, engineers and various other professionals from around the world to the farm. “We are the world leader right now. We have had visitors from over 20
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countries,” Atkinson said. As the population of the world increases, so does the demand for protein, which is why aquafarming is so important, according to Atkinson. “The only way you can produce protein efficiently enough is through aquaculture. Fish produce protein about … seven times more efficient than pork and 16 times more efficient than beef,” Atkinson said. “Farmed salmon produces protein and converts protein 15 times more efficiently than wild salmon. It takes me one pound of feed to grow one pound of fish where as it takes a wild salmon 15 pounds of feed to grow one pound. Its a big difference.” A large part of the Little Cedar Falls and the aquafarm’s success can be attributed to ensuring the fish taste exceptional, accomplished through the use of ozone and modern technology. “That’s the thing that we have contributed to the industry that nobody else has figured out,” Aktinson said. “Our fish taste fabulous and that has been one of the biggest hurdles – to get them to taste good. Our water quality is just absolutely crystal clear and the fish taste absolutely spectacular.” In order to make an exceptional product, fish receive no interaction with marine life and are hormone and antibiotic free. The farm regulates the swim speed in each of its tanks, which allows for proper exercise and generally healthier fish. “As the fish grow we want to increase the swim speed so that they get optimal exercise, that they are working hard enough that they stay firm and happy in a swimming pattern where they don’t fight with each other and
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don’t have to work too hard to waste energy,” Atkinson said. Taste of B.C. has worked closely with Vancouver Island University, providing on-site learning for students in VIU’s fisheries department and working closely with professors and educators. All of the farm’s employees are graduates of the university. “We have all their students go through a practicum at this farm and that was a big part of our original vision. They get a chance to be exposed with the technology that we have got,” Atkinson said. “We are hoping to work with them to develop a full training component on the technology.” Last year, Taste of B.C. Aquafarms was named The Ocean Products Company of The Year by Vancouver Island Business Examiner and nominated for a Natural Environment Science Award by the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce. Atkinson said the company is close to making profit and that the real success will be when other farms in B.C. begin to use his farm as a model. “Success for me isn’t when we are successful – success for me is when we see the farm duplicated,” Atkinson said. ‹‹‹
SECTOR:
REAL ESTATE
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anaimo’s real estate sector continues to remain healthy, thanks to a diversified local economy, scenic views and ever-increasing amenities. Average real estate prices increased the past two years and according to Janice Stromar, incoming president of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, Nanaimo isn’t a buyer’s market anymore. “Prices have started to inch up mostly because there has been a downward pressure on inventory,” Stromar said. “There are less listings than there are new sales.” Each year the real estate board releases its buyer’s profile, a comprehensive analysis that looks at the Nanaimo real estate market with regards to demographics, types of properties purchased and other valuable information. Stromar said that 2014 (the most recent profile) was another solid year for Nanaimo. For 2014, single-family homes represented 61 per cent of the market share while apartment condominiums represented 11 per cent. Three bedrooms (35 per cent) and two bedrooms (26 per cent) were most popular with buyers. Stromar said single-family homes continue to remain more popular than condos in Nanaimo due to their affordability compared to other markets such as Vancouver, where there is a significant price difference between a single-family home and a condo. “I don’t think there are a big enough differences in the prices here,” she said. “When you’re in Vancouver, you can either buy a home for $2 million or a condo for $500,000 and that is a big difference. Whereas here in Nanaimo you buy a house for $350,000 or a condo for $250,000.” Listings in the $200,000 to $400,000 range were most popular among buyers, accounting for 56 per cent of sales in 2014. Stromar said decently
priced properties that are in selling condition don’t last long in Nanaimo. “If they are well priced and in reasonably good condition, they gone within days,” Stromar said. Fifty-one per cent of real estate purchases in 2014 came from buyers who already called Nanaimo home with 37 per cent of those buyers indicating that they had lived in the Harbour City for more than 20 years. Buyers from outJanice Stromar, incoming president of the side of Nanaimo Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, represented 49 per cent of the market, is seeing well-priced properties selling fast in Nanaimo. with 13 per cent States and China. of buyers coming “There is not a big influx of Chifrom elsewhere on Vancouver Island nese buyers,” Stromar said. “I’ve while six per cent of buyers came been doing this for 11 years and had from Vancouver. More people moved a fairly successful career and I have to Nanaimo from Alberta than from had one Chinese buyer in 11 years.” any other province in Canada, with In real estate, location is everyAlbertans representing 10 per cent thing and Nanaimo’s amenities, such of the market. as health care facilities and its proxStomar said in her experience imity to the ocean and urban centres some of those buyers coming from such as Vancouver, Victoria and Alberta were ones who had moved Seattle, make it a popular choice on away from Nanaimo or British Vancouver Island. Columbia years earlier. Although the 2015 buyer’s profile “When I ask people why you are has yet to be released, the last year coming here, a lot of it is because proved to be a positive for the real they want to be closer to the ocean estate market in Nanaimo. Listings and they don’t want to be shoveling increased three per cent and sales snow anymore,” she said. “It is like increased 16 per cent from 2014-15. the Hawaii of Canada – where else The average sale price in 2015 was would you want to live?” $391,000 – an increase of six percent Foreign buyers represented two over the previous year while Nanaiper cent of the total market share for mo’s benchmark price rose five per 2014. The majority of real estate purcent to $356,300. chases made in Nanaimo are by resi“It has been a really good year,” Strodents within Canada and that there mar said. ‹‹‹ were few buyers from the United investnanaimo.com ❚ BUSINESS IN NANAIMO
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A.J. Hustins, president of Nanaimo Precast Ltd., left, oversees work as a pipe saddle for the new Hammond Bay sewage treatment plant wastewater outflow pipe is hoisted to a new location to cure in the company's production facility in south Nanaimo.
Manufacturing a growing sector
Manufacturing grew by 33 per cent in Nanaimo region since 2009
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anufacturing companies in Nanaimo are making an impact beyond city limits. For more than two decades, Nanaimo-based Vehicle Mounted Air Compressors, more commonly known as VMAC, has quietly grown itself into a globally respected brand that employes nearly 100 full- and part-time employees. VMAC specializes in the development of small truck mounted mobile air compressors used by public works vehicles and utility vehicles in industries such as mining and oil and gas. Air compressors, along with other VMAC products, are manufactured at its 3,065-squaremetre facility on Kipp Road. VMAC was founded in 1988 in Kitchener, Ont., by Tony Menard, who moved the company to Nanaimo in 1996 as a way to return to his hometown. For the past 26 years, VMAC established a global customer base and client list that includes Kal-Tire, Cummins, Finning, Lincoln Electric and Brandt Tractor. Jim Raymond, sales manager for VMAC, said approximately 20 per cent of its Canadian clients are in Alberta, while it also has a significant number of customers in Ontario and the United States. VMAC has also been able to make a name for itself overseas, where orders come from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and beyond.
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“We are just starting to sell some stuff into the Middle East,” Raymond said. “We are the little success story that nobody knows about.” Manufacturing in Nanaimo represents roughly 1. 8 per cent of the city’s total business, but the sector is growing. Between 2009-14, Nanaimo’s manufacturing sector grew by 33 per cent. Tod Gilbert, vice-president of engineering and product development for VMAC, said the manufacturing sector has a real impact in the community. “Unlike the service industry, manufacturing supports a lot of other businesses that support us,” he said. “We have got suppliers and equipment suppliers and then the companies that service us, like electricians and shipping companies. There is a lot of money that flows through the community because of the manufacturing industry.” A.J. Hustins, president of Nanaimo Precast, a CSA-certified company that produces large pieces of concrete for structural applications such as tanks, barriers, wall panels and bridge components, said the manufacturing industry in the city is better than most people assume. “Nanaimo has a fairly healthy and strong manufacturing sector and a lot of business people and politicians seem to think that because we are on an island that is a deterrent because you have B.C. Ferries or barges that have to ship product, but that is not the case at all,”
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Hustins said. Nanaimo Precast has been in operation for two years and employs around 15 people with roughly nine projects on the go at any given time. The company ships its products across British Columbia and Alberta and has supplied products for companies such as SNC- Lavalin, Pacific Industrial Marine, West Bridge Corporation and others. Its concrete work can be found on a number of bridges throughout the province, including Harrison Lake, Naver Creek and Ryan River. Nanaimo Precast, like any manufacturing company, has a lengthy supply chain that often includes local and regional companies. Nanaimo Precast gets its concrete from Nanaimo’s Mayco Mix and its cement is produced by Lehigh Hanson in Delta, B.C. The company also has suppliers in Qualicum Beach and Victoria. The low cost of living and the lifestyle of Nanaimo can sometimes give manufacturing companies an advantage over their Lower Mainland counterparts. “The cost to manufacture here sometimes gives you a better competitive edge because the labour costs are a little bit lower than they might be in Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary,” Hustins said. “Nanaimo and Vancouver Island have lured lots of entrepreneurs here because of the lifestyle. There are some very unusual manufacturers that are doing a bang up job.” ‹‹‹
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some big ideas being considered. The development was A new multimillion-dollar waterapproved last year by front hotel in downtown Nanaimo the City of Nanaimo and has been pitched for property right has an estimated worth next to Maffeo Sutton Park. Develof $1.5 million. oped by InSight Holdings Ltd., the Nanaimo’s Harewood 36-storey hotel would be operated neighbourhood has been under the Hilton brand and would going through a numfeature 300 rooms, restaurants, comber of changes over the mercial and retail spaces, and public years, with improvements to local access to the park and the city’s parks and other amenities, and develwaterfront. The proposed project at opers have clearly taken notice as a 10 and 28 Front St. would transform number of them purposed new comthe otherwise quiet corner of the mercial developments in the area. downtown into a destination. The Bosa Properties has proposed overall project is valued at more than a new commercial development, $200 million. dubbed Village Centre, on the corner Nanaimo could also soon find of Fifth Street and Bruce Avenue. itself with a brand new multi-purLocated directly south of the Univerpose sports facility and hotel. Last sity Village shopping plaza, Village summer, Howard Johnson Hotels Centre is a key part of Harewood unveiled an ambitious redevelopNeighbourhood Plan, the long-term ment plan for its current location, vision for the south end community. 1 Terminal Ave. The hotel chain is Harewood Village would be loaded proposing a 160-room hotel along with amenities with potential as a with a 5,000-seat multipurpose arena location for community events and that could potentially be the home of festivals. Once Harewood's plan is a future Western Hockey League franrealized, the Village Centre would chise. The project has been dubbed form the heart of it. the Millstone Gateway and is valued Change could also be coming to / Size:estimated 3.625” x 4.75”/ CMYK Nanaimo Bulletin‹‹‹ - Business at an $80/ million. Nanaimo’s downtown as there are Client: HELIJET
CONSTRUCTION As Nanaimo’s population continues to increase, so does the demand for new residential, commercial and industrial development. That also means change and it’s something that Nanaimo has experienced plenty of during the last decade. Notable developments include a $27.5 re-development of the B.C. Hydro operations facility that includes a brand new 8,600 square metre building. Tilray, a producer of medical marijuana in the city’s Duke Point industrial park, is planning a $75-million expansion of its facility. Meanwhile, the British Columbia Automobile Association is preparing to construct a new service centre in the city’s north end. The service centre, a 700-square metre, two-garage building, will be constructed at 6581 Aulds Rd., directly behind Staples.
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SECTOR:
EDUCATION Vancouver Island University graduates supply skilled labour to Nanaimo industries
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recent Vancouver Island University graduate is having a major impact at one of Nanaimo’s biggest manufacturing companies. For the a little more than a year, Margarita Shabanova and her insightful ideas have taken Vehicle Mounted Air Compressor (VMAC) by storm. Originally hired as an intern, Shabanova is now the company’s supply chain analyst and is responsible for inventory analysis, reviewing inventory procedures and finding creative solutions for improving them. “Margarita does an amazing job,” said Chris Larson, human resources and special projects manager for VMAC. Hailing from Khabarovsk, Russia, Shabanova studied her Master of Business Administration at Vancouver Island University and graduated last year, where she made the Dean’s Honour List. Shabanova said she was attracted to Vancouver Island University largely because of the type of MBA offered as well as the school’s location. “It was one year of theory and half a year of internship, which is great because other programs had two years of theory for example,” Shabanova said. “It is a more compressed course, it was very hard but it was worth it.” Shabanova and her fellow classmates learned a variety of relevant skills for today’s working world such as strategic planning, corporate development, lean manufacturing
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Margarita Shabanova is a Vancouver Island University Graduate applying new ideas to industry as Vehicle Mounted Air Compressor's supply chain analyst at the company's manufacturing plant in Nanaimo.
and finance. During the program, students spent two months creating a strategic plan for VMAC’s entry into the U.S. market. Students were assembled into teams of four, where they competed against each other to develop the best strategic plan for the company. “VIU worked so well with the students and gave us so many ideas,” Larson said. “Each group did such different things. They designed logos for us, told us how we were to penetrate the market and what the numbers were. The research that had gone into it was quite huge.” “It was the best course because of VMAC and that we could apply the knowledge that we learned,” Shabanova said. Shabanova was named leader for her team, who created a QR code that once scanned with a mobile device would allow clients and dealers to view a 3-D model of VMAC’s various compressor products. Her team ended up developing the winning strategic plan for VMAC and Shabanova’s leadership and knowledge helped land her an internship and eventual full-time employment at the Nanaimo-based company. “How would I know about those things given my age?” Larson said. “This is why we need the technology minds coming out of the university.” Today, Shabanova implements the knowl-
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edge and skills that she learned at Vancouver Island University at VMAC as a supply chain analyst. “I apply all these courses to my work right now, so when I work on strategic improvements, doing cost-benefit analysis and those sort of things. It is really helpful,” Shabanova said. “We also had global trade courses and with VMAC being an international company and with our supply chain being in Canada and the United States and all over the globe, it is really helpful to have that background in global trade.” Shabanova hasn’t just made an impact at VMAC, she is also a volunteer board member for the local chapter of the Supply Chain Management Association. Larson said Shabanova is a prime example of why VMAC hires local university graduates. “They bring knowledge to us,” Larson said. “As an employer all these young bright minds come to us and things that we don’t see or know they bring to our company.” ‹‹‹
Simulators provide connection to forestry industry Students train in safe and controlled environment
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new mobile forestry program will give students at Vancouver Island University all the necessary tools of the trade. Last summer, Vancouver Island University received $1 million from the federal government’s Western Economic Diversification program and purchased two semi-trucks and trailers outfitted with state-of-the-art simulators. The trucks and simulators are part of the university’s recently established mobile forestry skills training program, which will provide students with training in a range of high-demand careers relating to the forestry industry, including hand fallers, heavy-duty mechanics, heavy equipment operators, logging truck drivers, forestry technicians and loggers. The state-of-the-art simulators work in a similar fashion to flight simulators, teaching students the fundamentals as well as the ability to deal with a number of scenarios that they would encounter while operating heavy machinery in a work setting. The simulators also have the ability to evaluate student performance to identify strengths and weaknesses. Glynis Steen, dean of trades and applied technology at VIU, said the simulators are a great resource that give students real experience on equipment that is worth millions of dollars all while in a safe and controlled environment. “This is a real nice connection to industry because we are giving them [the students] that foundation piece before they step into, potentially, a million-dollar piece of equipment in the forestry industry,” Steen said. “When you are learning, lots of things happen ... You may do something like tip into a pit that you have been digging with your excavator and you will actually feel like you’ve tipped. The simulation is absolutely amazing.” Vancouver Island University’s new mobile forestry skills training program now gives the school the ability to reach rural and First Nations communities throughout the central Island, improving access to education and employment opportunities. “The beautiful thing about the mobile training unit is we can just pull up and simulate on site,” Steen said. “We don’t have people having to pack up from their communities to come to us.” Vancouver Island University purchased six simulators and is looking to add more in the near future. The mobile forestry skills training program gives students the tools and skills needed to fill the anticipated job openings. ‹‹‹ investnanaimo.com ❚ BUSINESS IN NANAIMO
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Online platform helps local business thrive Mentor program introduces shops to online marketing
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hen Craig Hanson discovered that a tea he was drinking was from Nanaimo, he was sur-
prised. “I didn’t know we made such awesome things right here in Nanaimo,” he said. That’s when Hanson got an idea. “I just thought it would be cool if there was something out there where you could rave about these local businesses,” he said. Hanson eventually came up with the idea create an online market platform that would allow customers to purchase products or services from businesses within their own community without ever having to leave the comforts of home. In 2013, Hanson along with William Zouzouras, Andrea Huhn and Cleary Donnelly co-founded Thriving Locally, an online market place for Nanaimo and Gabriola-based businesses hoping to reach customers in their local area. “It is all focused around the community,” Hanson said. Thriving Locally works in a similar fashion to other online platforms like Amazon or Etsy. In a matter of minutes, businesses can create an online shop and begin generating listings of their products or services. Creating a shop on Thriving Locally is no more challenging than creating a profile on Facebook. “They [business owners] don’t need any special kind of web programing available,” Hanson said. “They just need to be able to fill in the blanks.” With a few clicks of a button, customers are able to purchase hundreds of items from more than 40 local businesses including Arbutus Distillery, Art With Heart, Blue Poppy, Lobelia’s
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Andrea Huhn and Craig Hanson co-founded Thriving Locally, an online marketplace for local businesses hoping to reach customers in their market region. Lair, Longwood Brewery and Wrapped Indulgences. Purchases are typically delivered within 48 hours. One of the numerous challenges that many small businesses face is being able to reach and sell to potential customers. Hanson said in his experience fewer than 50 per cent of small businesses actually have a website and for those companies that do, most don’t sell their products online. Thriving Locally solves that problem since customers can pay using any
“Wherever there is the desire for small businesses to sell online and communities to buy online is where you see Thriving Locally pop up.” major credit card or PayPal, an online payment service. Thriving Locally recognizes the online retail world can be a challenging place, so the company created Thrive Online, a mentorship program that walks local businesses through the basic online retail practices. It helps business owners setup their online shop and teaches best social media practices, how to take photos of products as well as customer engagement and retention. “It is a one-on-one program where we sit down for roughly an hour each
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week for about eight weeks,” Hanson said. “That eight-week period we will go through modules to increase their online habit, which I find is a big thing that they are missing. It is really like a hand-holding process.” Thriving Locally also established a system that helps keep shipping costs down by having its own truck deliver all of the orders in one trip for a small fee. “Since we got the shops and the customers all in the same framework, we now know when and where a shipment needs to go,” Hanson said. “We can send out one truck to deliver for all the businesses on Thriving Locally, rather than the businesses having to deal with one or two or three shipping companies. That’s become a really big draw and it also helps us bring the cost down.” Thriving Locally currently serves Nanaimo and Gabriola with plans to expand to Campbell River, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Salts Spring Island, Quadra Island, Victoria and London, Ont. Hanson hopes to eventually have Thriving Locally serve communities right across the country, as long as there is interest. “Wherever there is the desire for small businesses to sell online and communities to buy online is where you see Thriving Locally pop up,” he said. ‹‹‹
SECTOR:
RETAIL
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anaimo has become one of the premier destinations for shopping on Vancouver Island. With major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Costco, Best Buy, The Hudson’s Bay Company, Canadian Tire and Cabela’s, it is easy to understand why. The retail sector in Nanaimo has grown during the past five years. Between 2009-14, the number of retail businesses in the Nanaimo area increased by 0.9 per cent, exceeding the provincial rate of 0.6 per cent over the same period. Meanwhile, the City of Nanaimo reported a 0.5-per cent increase in business licences for the retail sector during the same fiveyear period. A major addition to the retail scene is Lowes, which is expected to open a location at the Nanaimo North Town Centre later this year. Lowes
will fill the void left by Target, which departed last year as part of a company-wide exit plan from Canada. The American-based home improvement retailer is expected to generate anywhere between 120 and 140 full and part-time jobs as well as 40 seasonal positions. Dan Fraser, general manager of Nanaimo North Town Centre, said Lowes will make a great addition to the mall, which already has Canadian Tire and Sears as two major anchor stores. Lowes will be open at 6 a.m. between Monday to Friday in order to provide service to contractors and trade workers. “There will be some great cross traffic between the mall. There is an internal exit that will remain and so we will see that cross shopping going to London Drugs and Sears and other stores.” Lowes is under construction and is expected to open by summer of this year. At 69,821 square metres and 140 retailers, Woodgrove Centre is the largest mall on Vancouver Island,
drawing millions of visitors annually. Late last year, upscale cosmetic retailer Sephora, opened a 349-square-metre store inside the mall. Julia Dow, Woodgrove’s general manager, said adding a high-end, wellrespected retailer such as Sephora not only provides choice to the consumer but also enhances the shopping experience for patrons. “Sephora is a great retailer, so it improves the allure to the mall,” Dow said. “Every time we can enhance our retail mix through adding a great retailer we are improving the shopping centre.” In an effort to attract more business and improve the shopping experience, Woodgrove’s owners, Ivanhoé Cambrige, announced last year that the mall would undergo a $17-million renovation, which includes upgrades to the mall’s interior and exterior as well as the relocation of the customer service desk, which will be expanded to 148 square metres. Renovations are currently underway and are expected to be completed in November. ‹‹‹
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Crane expands cargo capabilities Part of multimillion-dollar expansion at Nanaimo Port Authority
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anaimo Port Authority’s Duke Point terminal has seen all kinds of cargo come and go from its dock over the decades and now it has a new crane to handle it. Last year, the Nanaimo Port Authority purchased a slightly used Liebherr mobile crane for $4 million as part of a $9.3-million series of upgrades that included the creation of a new barge berth as well as land enhancements to the terminal. The new mobile crane, which came from Brazil, improves the range of cargo that the port can handle and will eventually replace the port’s existing crane. “This is going to give us more capacity and flexibility. We can handle all kinds of cargo with this” said Bernie Dumas, president and chief executive officer for the Nanaimo Port Authority. The idea to create Duke Point stems from the 1970s when the government of the day envisioned a time when industrial space in the Lower Mainland would eventually reach capacity. The Duke Point terminal opened in the 1980s and for years was a major
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mover of forestry products. The Nanaimo Port Authority handled more than four million tonnes of cargo in 2014, an increase of 22 per cent over the previous year. A reason for the increase can be attributed to the authority’s ability to diversify. “We are now getting involved in some cargo that maybe 10, 12, 15 years ago we wouldn’t have touched, but because we are so close to Vancouver we see an opportunity to do business that we weren’t traditionally doing,” Dumas said. In 2012, the terminal began handling containers for the very first time. The port authority estimates that it handled roughly 25,000 containers in 2014 and more than 35,000 containers in 2015 – a 39-per cent increase. “We started from nothing and we found a new cargo base for the future,” Dumas said. As industrial space continues to shrink and ports approach capacity in Metro Vancouver combined with the new crane and barge berth, Dumas believes that Duke Point is in the perfect position to begin taking on additional cargo. “We think that our terminal at Duke
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Point is going to be an ideal location to handle all these components,” Dumas said. “We need to be ready when all this cargo starts to move. If it shows up and we don’t have the infrastructure or equipment in place it is not going to be handled here.” The Nanaimo Port Authority is looking at the addition of a second berth, which would allow the port to handle multiple ships at once as well as bigger cargo vessels. “The second berth will give us capacity to do two ships at one time or handle a bigger ship and that is really important,” Dumas said. The estimated cost of a second birth is around $60-$70 million and the authority is looking at finding investors and turning to the provincial and federal government for funding. “If we don’t have a cargo facility for central Vancouver Island what is the central Island going to do? You can’t live off the ferry system,” Dumas said. Dumas said the authority is playing with new ideas all the time to ensure that the future of the port is secure. “It is survival. If we don’t come outside the box and find new things we won’t exist,” Dumas said. ‹‹‹
SECTOR:
MARINE
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hen it comes to marine technology, Nanaimobased companies Inuktun Services and Seamor Marine have become worldwide leaders, attracting the attention international corporations from around the globe. It’s not everyday a Nanaimo company gets to work with world leader in space exploration and research, but that is exactly the case for Seamor Marine, a robotic engineering firm specializing in the research and development of remote-operated vehicles (ROV) for aquatic environments. Seamor Marine was founded in 2006 after Inuktun sold the intellectual property rights of its highly successful underwater vehicle known as the ROV Seamor to a private ownership group. The result was the creation of Seamor Marine, which today sells a variety of remote-operated vehicles, including the ROV Seamor, that are used for industrial and research purposes to numerous clients around the globe. In 2014, Seamor Marine began working alongside researchers and scientists at NASA as part of the Pavillion Lake Project, a exploration project that examines microbial development. Seamor Marine’s remote-operated vehicles were outfitted with NASA’s highly advanced communications and tracking equipment. Meanwhile, for the past 26 years Inuktun Services established itself as an industry leader in small-scale robotic vehicles and crawlers. Founded in 1989, the company originally produced the ROV Seamor and has since become a leader in the community for its continuing innovation. Today, Inuktun specializes in designing and manufacturing remote controlled robotics and visual inspection equipment. Inuktun’s past clients include Ontario Hydro, Hitachi Nuclear, GE Nuclear Energy and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. ‹‹‹
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Snuneymuxw builds economic strategies First Nation looks forward to working with NEDC
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he forestry industry is anticipated to kindle economic activity and wealth in the “multiple millions of dollars a year” for Snuneymuxw First Nation. The first cut was made into 877 hectares of Snuneymuxw-owned forest on Mount Benson last year, representing an important economic driver, new revenue and future employment for more than 1,700 members of the Nanaimo First Nation. The forest lands are part of a reconciliation agreement with the B.C. government, meant to spur economic activity for a nation that’s struggled with economic development, largely because of a lack of land, according to Douglas White III, band councillor and chief negotiator for the Snuneymuxw. He now sees a community on the cusp of change, of being able to create employment opportunities and generate wealth for benefits and services and quality-of-life improvements for the Snuneymuxw people. With forestry lands and hoped-for achievements with land negotiations in the coming years, the nation has been brought from a place of poverty to one where it has “real financial and economic assets and economic activity for the first time.” The provincial transfer alone more than quadrupled the nation’s land base and managing it all is a revamped and arms-length Snuneymuxw Economic Development Group of Companies, which is spurring economy activity by managing land holdings and forestry on behalf of the nation and outside the governance of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.
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“It’s an incredible moment that we’re in,” said White. “We’ve largely been impoverished by the loss of access to our resources and to our village sites over the last 100 years or longer, so we’ve grappled with poverty and being in a state of dependency for far too long. “We’re looking for opportunities to build our own wealth so we Erralyn Thomas, president of the Snuneymuxw can set priorities and that Economic Development Group of Companies. we can start to look after ourselves, and to create that kind of independence is what any box and you only get this amount of community and any political commufunding and you can only do this with nity would wish for itself.” it,” Thomas said. A key limitation has been the lack of She sees herself carrying on a vision land, he said. As of February this year, built up by previous councils and the population is 1,769, with 586 peochiefs, with an economic group that ple living on reserve lands that span will allow for wealth generation, com266 hectares, according to Indigenous munity development and an increased and Northern Affairs Canada. land base – all without compromising But claims and negotiations have cultural values and way of life. been expanding the Snuneymuxw land Forestry has been a big deal for base, with one of the main goals being the community, and there has been a economic development. transition from dealing with pennies Already the Snuneymuxw Economic to millions overnight, she said, addDevelopment Group of Companies, ing it allows for things to be done that tasked with managing land holdings, is couldn’t before. attracting the attention of developers, Thomas is excited about engaging realtors and investors with the land the community and optimistic others it has, including the south industrial like the City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo waterfront and Duke Point. The work Economic Development Corporation of the company is just beginning, says are receptive to working with the Erralyn Thomas, a band councillor Snuneymuxw. She is also clear, that and new president of the economic gone are the days Snuneymuxw is left group. in the dust and development won’t There are so many things the comhappen without them at the table. pany can do whereas previously “we “Boom, Snuneymuxw is here, were within this box, this Indian act guys.” ‹‹‹
BUSINESS IN NANAIMO ❚ investnanaimo.com
Tilray poised for rapid expansion
Medical marijuana producer contributes millions to local and provincial economy
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ocated in Nanaimo’s industrial district sits a large state-of-theart production and research facility. The 5,574-square-metre building is the home of Tilray, a producer of medical marijuana and one of Nanaimo’s largest employers. Tilray was established in 2014 by Privateer Holdings, which invested $23.2 million into the establishment and construction of the Nanaimo facility. “We were in discussions with several cities across Canada to locate our facility, we choose to locate in Nanaimo as the cost base, access to a skilled labour and support from NEDC and the city made the decision easy,” said Greg Engel, Tilray chief executive officer. It didn’t take long for the Nanaimobased company to make significant impact on the local economy. Within nine months of operations, Tilray generated $48.1 million in economic output and $27.4 million in provincial gross domestic product, fostering 215 direct jobs and supporting an additional 180 jobs. Today, the company employs approximately 125 full-time and parttime employees in a variety of posi-
tions, including research scientists, botanists, horticulturalists, manufacturing executives, management and security, resulting in $3.2 million in local wages and salaries. Since production began in April of 2014, Tilray managed to become a nationwide leader in the production of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
"The cost base, access to skilled labour and support from NEDC and the city made the decision easy." Now the company is working on approval to expand its facility with the construction of a five-storey building that would be roughly 7,896 square metres in size. The facility would increase Tilray’s laboratory and research capabilities. Once approved, the expansion will result in capital expenditures in the province worth $64.7 million and would have a projected annual operating cost of $48.8 million. “We are one of the top 10 private
employers in the region, so certainly expansion of our existing facility and expansion of our workforce would have a significant impact," said Engel The construction of the expanded facility will result in $112.8 million in total economic output in British Columbia and $55.8 million in provincial gross domestic product. Once completed and at full production, the facility will be able to generate on an annual basis $88.7 million in total economic output within the province, $66.8 million in provincial gross domestic product and $17.8 million in tax revenue for all levels of government and support 459 full-time jobs. Tilray also has global ambitions, as it recently applied for a medical cannabis licence in the South American country of Uruguay. The goal is to establish Tilray’s brand beyond the borders of Canada and put Nanaimo on the map. “We are working with different groups globally and also with the federal government to explore those opportunities and I think we are in a greater position to expand the expertise and knowledge and potentially product that we are producing in Nanaimo to global markets.” ‹‹‹
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SECTOR:
ARTS & CULTURE
N
anaimo is home to a vast number of performance venues and culture centers. The city’s most recognized and popular venue is the Port Theatre, which first opened in 1998. The 800-seat theatre hosts more than 250 events a year and attracts more than 100,000 people. But as beautiful as the Port Theatre is, plans are in the works to see it expanded. The Port Theatre Society, which oversee operations of the downtown venue, is working toward finalizing and securing funding for $12.6-million expansion of the theatre. The ambitious plan calls for a 50-220 seat performance venue along with three additional rehearsal spaces that could be turned into small performance spaces if needed. The society is hoping for the expansion to be complete by next year. Just steps away from the Port Theatre lies one of the city’s prized possessions, the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, a 3,500-square-metre convention centre. The conference centre opened in 2008 and can host small and mediumsized events, such as trade shows, arts and culture events, and weddings for up to 1,300 people. Attached to the conference centre is the Nanaimo Museum, where visitors can learn about Nanaimo’s history. It is also the site of the Nanaimo Sports Hall of Fame. The museum’s upcoming exhibit, Characters, Con Men and Celebrities, will examine the lives of colourful people from Nanaimo’s past. Two years ago, Nanaimo Centre Stage was a building in need of new blood. Located just minutes away from the Port Theatre and the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, the building landed a new management group, received a paint job, a new
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lease on life and a new name. Now known as the Harbour City Theatre, the Victoria Road venue plays host to numerous productions throughout the year as well as live music and comedy. Once operated by the City of Nanaimo, the building was taken over by the Harbour City Theatre Alliance, who have made it their mission to revitalize the performance space. The intimate space has a seating capacity of around 100 people – depending on the event – and was the host of the Nanaimo Fringe Festival, an annual event that draws artists and visitors from across North America. Nanaimo’s main academic institution, Vancouver Island University, is the among the city’s breeding ground for artistic and cultural creativity. The school’s Malaspina Theatre, a 294-seat venue, is home to student-led productions, colloquium series, movie screenings, concerts and more. The university also boasts Shq’apthut – A Gathering Place, a cultural centre for First Nations students and members of the community. The 139-square metre building, which meets the gold standard in energy and environmental design, was created to foster understanding and education of aboriginal culture, history and heritage. When it comes to live performance venues in the Harbour City, Bailey Studio is among the oldest. And while it may be more than 30 years old, it certainly doesn’t feel that way. Converted from an old miner’s shack in 1971 by the Nanaimo Theatre Group, Bailey Studio recently underwent a renovation, which included upgrades
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to its roof. The 172-seat theatre boasts a computerized lighting system and modernized sound equipment. The sheer number of arts and culture organizations in Nanaimo is staggering. From the Cedar-Yellowpoint Drama Group to the Nanaimo Arts Council, the list of organizations in the city is endless. Among two of the cities oldest and best known organizations are TheatreOne and the Vancouver Island Symphony, which have both been existence for more than 20 years. For more than three decades TheatreOne has been staging professional theatre production in the Harbour City. The not-for-profit organization stages four professional productions each year as well as its Just Kidding series of four productions tailored for families. TheatreOne also offers Nanaimo the opportunity to indulge in independent films through its Fringe Flick series, which screens at Avalon Cinema in Woodgrove Centre. Over the years the Vancouver Island Symphony has built a reputation to become one of the province’s most respected symphony orchestras. Based out of Nanaimo, the Vancouver Island Symphony not only hosts numerous concerts each year, but also offers a number of programs including the Grade 5 Fabulous Five Choir, which is led by Patricia Plumley. Active within the community, the symphony hosts countless events throughout the year including the annual Symphony Community Days, the popular Symphony By the Sea and Play On Nanaimo. ‹‹‹
Events Nanaimo
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or any movie buff, the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival is a great chance to check out a variety of locally, national and international produced short films. VISFF takes place in February at Vancouver Island University's Malaspina Theatre. The Maple Sugar Festival is a great opportunity for families to keep warm for one weekend in February. Hosted by the L'Association des francophones de Nanaimo, the festival is unique bilingual event. Visitors are treated to a wide range of activities and a diverse lineup of musicians and dancers, as well as samples of traditional authentic French Canadian foods. A relatively new festival to take over the Harbour City is Festival Nanaimo. The month long festival features live music, arts and crafts, theatre, culinary events and sporting events. Among the major highlights is the Vancouver Island Symphony's Nanaimo Bar None, a one-day event
that features a live performance by the symphony, and PirateFest FunDay, a family themed event that encourages kids to explore their pirate side. Held each year in June, the Multicultural Festival celebrates Nanaimo and Canada's diversity by featuring a wide array of international food, music and dance. The objective of the festival is to not only bring the city's cultural diversity together, but to celebrate it. One day in July numerous organizations gather together at Maffeo Sutton Park and race to build the craziest and silliest boat possible. The Nanaimo Silly Boat Regatta takes place every year and is a fundraiser for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, drawing thousands of people out to the shores of Nanaimo's inner harbour. One of the biggest festivals of the year is the Nanaimo Marine Festival and World Championship Bathtub Race. The festival celebrates other marine sports and draws racers and spectators from across British Columbia in July.
Held at Beban Park, the four-day Vancouver Island Exhibition, more commonly known as VIEX, takes place in late August and is an agricultural showcase for local farmers. VIEX features a wide range of family fun events such as amusement rides, carnival games, culinary contests, pie-eating contest, celebrity goat milking and livestock provided by the 4-H club. VIEX also hosts a number of musical acts during the four days. From October 8-10, hundreds of artists from around Nanaimo will open their homes, hearts and studio's for the annual Thanksgiving studio tours, which are held in Nanoose Bay and Gabriola Island. The tours, which draw thousands of visitors from across the province, are held on thanksgiving weekend and are a great opportunity for people to interact with local artisans. Organized by the Gabriola Arts Council, the tour has become one of Gabriola Island's most important annual events. Whether it's music, theatre, or embracing the sillier things in life, Nanaimo has something for everyone. ‹‹‹
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SECTOR:
A
AMENITIES
brand new state-of-the-art water treatment plant and filtration system plant that has been under construction for years is open and fully functional. The $71-million South Forks Water Treatment Plant began operating late last year and is one of the city’s largest and most expensive capital projects in decades. The multimilliondollar facility replaces an aging treatment plant that no longer meets standards set out by the Vancouver Island Heath Authority and the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines. The new plant, which serves Nanaimo and region, is able to screen minute particles and kill viruses, bacteria and disease-causing organisms and will reduce levels of turbidity, which lowers the potential for boil water advisories. “Weather-related boil water advisories will be a thing of the past,” said Bill Sims, the City of Nanaimo’s manager of water resources. Just as important as clean drinking water, parks in the region play an important role in individual health and well-being. Nanaimo’s destination waterfront park, Maffeo Sutton Park, has transformed from an industrial site into an important asset to the city during the past 60 years. The downtown park has become host to many of the city’s major events and festivals, such as Canada Day celebrations, Marine Festival and Great International World Championship Bathtub Race, and Summertime Blues Festival. An ambitious plan to redevelop the park in 2008 led to significant changes, including the creation of Spirit Square and the demolition of Civic Arena. Bigger plans are in the works for the city’s downtown green space. After holding public input sessions last year, city planners released three sketches of what Maffeo Sutton Park could look like within the next 15 years. Proposed improvements include an expanded playground,
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enhanced shoreline, possible amenity buildings, widened sidewalks, new parking structure and an urban wildlife refuge. The city is taking feedback from residents on the three proposals in an effort to better understand the wants and needs of the community and to ensure that Maffeo Sutton Park remains a key part of the city for years to come. A popular destination for those living in the city’s south end is Harewood Centennial Park. The 6.4-hectare park is in the beginning phase of a roughly $2-million transformation. Last summer, the City of Nanaimo upgraded the park’s play structure and electrical system as well as improved parking and added a mountain bike course at a cost of around $285,000. Future upgrades to Harewood Centennial Park will include the creation of a perimeter trail system, covered multiplex, public art, a skate park, rock climbing wall, improved washrooms and youth facilities. Indoor recreation is equally as important as outdoor recreation to the City of Nanaimo. Each year the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre and Beban Park Pool undergo upgrades to ensure the amenities meet the standards of residents. This year, the aquatic centre got a fresh coat of paint and the leisure pool lighting was converted to high-efficiency LED. Perhaps the most noticeable change for frequent users will be the kids’ pool, where the play structure received a new slide and side netting. Meanwhile, Beban Park underwent energy conservation measures. The pool will now receive heat from the nearby ammonia plant in the arena. Other upgrades include new spray features to the leisure pool and three new workout machines for the weight room. There are plenty of other plans for the park, as the city has adopted a master plan that includes a central boulevard, multi-purpose buildings, greehouses, permament food vendors and more.
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Bill Sims, city manager of water resources, looks into one of the filtration tanks at the South Forks Water Treatment Plant. Keeping the mind educated and engaged is equally as important as keeping the body moving. After undergoing nearly $900,000 in renovations and spending the majority of 2015 closed, the Harbourfront Library opened up in late fall. The renovations transformed the downtown library into a bigger and brighter space that will make for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for users. The library now features Creativity Commons, a space that allows individuals and small groups to create digital content, publish hardcopy books and learn new skills in the area of technology. The commons come complete with state-of-the-art computers and a brand-new $85,000 self-publishing machine. By next year, medication distribution at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital will be controlled by machines. That’s because NRGH is getting $4.64-million upgrade to its pharmacy this year. The upgrade includes renovation and expansion to the pharmacy and a $2.14-million automated medication dispensary system, which will have the ability to package, label and dispense 520 different types of medications at a single time. Barcodes include dosage and patient information as well as how to administer the drugs. In addition to the pharmacy upgrades, the hospital will receive new CT scanners later this year. The two new scanners are valued at $3.2 million and will reduce radiation exposure to patients. Whether it is ensuring that residents have clean drinking water, excellent health care or a wide range of outdoor and indoor facilities to use, the City of Nanaimo continues to invest in the areas that play a big role in everyday ‹‹‹ life.
Business in Nanaimo Leonard Krog M.L.A. (Nanaimo)
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