What’s Happening at VIEA?

The VIEA board and staff gathered for their annual retreat in January. With the Strategic Plan finalized last spring, discussions focused on refining objectives, assessing key projects, and ensuring alignment with evolving priorities.

2025 will include celebrating milestones like the 10th anniversary of the State of the Island Report (now Economic Dashboard) and planning the 19th annual Summit.

VIEA’s Commitment:

• Build on the momentum from the Vision 2050 workshop held at the 2024 Summit.
• Continue working together to create a thriving, resilient future for Vancouver Island and the rural islands.

Regional Supply Chain Study Completed!

The Vancouver Island Regional Supply Chain Study is out! It highlights the challenges businesses face—from infrastructure gaps to high costs—and lays out a clear path forward.

Key Takeaways:

• Upgrade Infrastructure – Better roads, short-sea shipping, and improved connectivity.
• Boost Visibility – Digital tools for smarter, real-time logistics.
• Support Local – Stronger e-commerce platforms to help small businesses grow.
• Encourage Collaboration – Industry clusters to share resources and strengthen supply chains.
• Diversify – Invest in the blue economy, aviation, and manufacturing.
• Increase Resilience – Develop distribution centres and risk management plans.

Read the Executive Summary here: https://ow.ly/atnW50UY9Bb

Full Report: https://ow.ly/IOnV50UY9Bg

This study was in In partnership with the Nanaimo Port Authority (NPA). Big thanks to the Ministry of Transportation & Transit and Island Coastal Economic Trust for supporting this important study!

The Circular Economy Accelerator Program Intake is Now Open!

The Circular Economy Accelerator Program provides 1:1 support to businesses seeking to find operational efficiencies, reduce waste and emissions, increase revenue, and develop innovative practices. This program – the first of its kind in Canada – will position your business as an industry leader, attracting talent and investment, increasing revenue, and paving the way to a prosperous, sustainable, and resilient future for your community.

The BMEx Marketplace is Vancouver Island’s new business-to-business online platform for buying and selling excess and underutilized construction materials. It connects businesses to exchange and repurpose building materials—saving money and minimizing landfill contributions.

On Vancouver Island, construction waste accounts for a significant portion of landfill use. Over-ordering and inadequate material management often contribute to this issue, leaving valuable materials underutilized.

To address this, BMEx has partnered with Rheaply, an award-winning resale platform, to create a marketplace exclusively for the construction industry. Through this platform, users gain free access to a network where materials can be listed and acquired from reliable local sources.

Getting started is fast and free—create your account today!

For assistance setting up your account or listing materials, please contact the BMEx team at bmex@light-house.org.

Navigating U.S. Tariffs With U.S. tariffs beginning Canadian exporters need to stay informed and prepared. Here are some key resources to help: 🔹Check out this recent article, ‘The Strategic Priority for Canada: A Clear and Unified Vision for North American trade‘ where VIEA member Juan Navarro of CMX Partnerships indicated Canada must protect trade ties with the US and Mexico, counter Trump’s tariffs, and maintain regional cooperation to ensure economic stability. 🔹Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC): Now open to all Canadian manufacturers—Member Needs Help, an exclusive service, is offering expert insights on Canada-U.S. Trade Relations. 🔹 Export Development Canada (EDC): Learn about the impact of potential tariffs and how EDC can assist with insurance, working capital solutions, and export support. They also offer many on demand webinars on how to grown your business. Find out more here. 🔹 Export Navigator: BC businesses can access expert guidance through regional export advisors: Capital Regional District: Jason Seed – jason@exportnavigator.ca Vancouver Island/Rural Islands: Brady Calancie – brady@exportnavigator.ca   🔹 Greater Vancouver Board of Trade: Included on this site of resources are links to a free webinar series that can help businesses navigate these challenges: Mar. 13: Market Diversification – Expanding Beyond the U.S by Utilizing Canada’s FTAs Mar 27: Domestic Trade & Interprovincial Expansion