By Spencer Sterritt

Cowichan Valley dipping toes into developing tech sector

Feb 6, 2017 | 8:08 AM

COWICHAN VALLEY — Exploring tech and IT options isn’t just for major markets such as Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo.

The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is also trying to make headway into the economy and working towards becoming a major tech player.

Amy Melmock, manager of economic development for the CVRD, said they’ve received funding from the Island Coastal Economic Trust to develop a strategy for their region, which will help them plan and accelerate growth for them.

“In every sector you touch now, there’s a big tech component to it,” she said. “One of the first tasks is getting a clear handle of what’s on the ground now that we can build upon.”

The first part of the plan is to put out requests for proposals from people who want to carry out the strategy and provide recommendations of how to develop.

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“People are already gravitating towards this area, so we have to find out what it is that’s distinct in this area that we can build upon and we can grow and make it our own,” Melmock said.

The requests for proposals will be finalized and sent out in coming weeks and the region hopes to have recommendations by the summer of how to expand and what new industries will be capitalizing on technological innovation.

Melmock said the Cowichan Valley lifestyle is their biggest draw for investors. “A lot of people in the tech demographic want to have an enjoyable place to raise their young family.” She also highlighted several digital animation companies and software developers already call the area home.

However, being a nice place to live may not be enough of a draw.

Paris Gaudet, executive director of Innovation Island in Nanaimo, as well as Nanaimo’s BC Liberal candidate, said amazing lifestyle is just one part of a much larger conversation.

“Talent and access to capital need to be considered and a really sophisticated and developing eco-systems services and network,” she said. “There’s a lot of communities which want to explore tech opportunities and we know it’s about having the right people at the right table.”

Gaudet stressed Nanaimo’s burgeoning tech sector is still very young and it took Victoria 25 years to develop into the IT and tech hub it is today.

spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit