Nanaimo summit points to positive trends for Van Isle economy
NANAIMO — Stats and trends often don’t tell an entire story, but they do offer more proof of a strengthening Vancouver Island economy.
Good news was announced at the 11th annual State of the Island Economic Summit help at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre this week. The event for 600 business and community leaders was capped by a third annual economic report outlining regional trends.
“Right now for the first time in memory Vancouver Island is one of the only districts in British Columbia that is actually growing the labour participation rate,” Vancouver Island Economic Alliance president George Hansen told NanaimoNewsNOW.
The island’s labour force rate rose slightly to nearly 59 per cent in 2016, according to the report compiled by Nanaimo-based accounting firm MNP.