Movers & Shakers – October 13, 2026

PORT HARDY/PORT MCNEILL

To give tourism businesses a competitive edge while also doing good in the community, Vancouver Island North Tourism is hosting the Regenerative Tourism Workshop Series. The series starts with virtual sessions on Oct. 15 and 20, followed by a strategy day in person on Oct. 29 at a location to be announced. 

Macandale‘s, located at 8640 Wollason Street in Port Hardy, is now a Mercury Marine Authorized Dealer.

Klahoose Resort in Desolation Sound is named number 14 on the prestigious Top 15 in Canada: Readers’ Choice Awards for 2026 list by Condé Nast Traveller.

CAMPBELL RIVER

The Campbell River Golf Club is one of several Vancouver Island businesses nominated for the PGA of British Columbia Golf Facility of the Year award for 2026. 

Prior to its scheduled public inauguration on October 29, the Strathcona Regional District held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Strathcona Gardens Aquatic Centre on September 29 to mark the completion of the facility.

A evening of community support and information regarding breast reconstruction alternatives will be conducted by CR Plastic Surgery & Medical Aesthetics on Thursday, October 15. 

Dodd’s Furniture and Mattress is celebrating its 49th anniversary. 

COMOX VALLEY

The Comox Valley’s 40 Knots Winery and Events Centre will be acquired by the K’étatoks Economic Development Corporation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cumberland is set to establish a new operations centre for the Engineering and Public Works Department.

Applications from eligible nonprofit and charitable organizations for programs, events, services, and infrastructure that help people in the Comox Valley are being accepted by the Comox Valley Regional District until October 15, 2027. 

Comox Valley’s Kingfisher Pacific Resort and Spa has been listed on the prestigious Top 15 in Canada: Readers’ Choice Awards for 2026 list by Condé Nast Traveller.

PARKSVILLE-QUALICUM

Local groups that sent volunteers to help with this summer’s Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition will each receive a record $89,270 from the Parksville Beach Festival Society. These groups include the Arrowsmith Care Home Society, the CatSpan Ferals Registered Society, the Deep Bay Fire/Rescue Society, the Forward House Community Society, the Oceanside Hospice Society, and others. 

The Qualicum Beach Walk-in Medical Clinic will be relocating to the Parksville Pharmacy at 383 Alberni Hwy., Parksville. 

Forest For Dinner opens at 692 Beach Rd #1, Qualicum Beach.

Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce welcomes Jaw Drop Marketing as its new member. 

PORT ALBERNI

Tsu-tsii-in (Alton Watts), tyee ha’wilth of Hupačasath First Nation in the Alberni Valley, has called for the closure of Cermaq’s Boot Lagoon hatchery operation near Port Alberni by the end of the year.

Alport Insurance Agencies Inc. has moved to its new location at  3727 10th Avenue Plaza Shopping Centre. 

The Book Wyrm Bookshop‘s new location is now open at 4282  10th Ave, Port Alberni. 

Twin City Brewery’s Tickety Boo beer won the “Best Beer in Canada” award at the Canadian Craft Brewers Top Awards in Calgary. 

TOFINO- UCLUELET

Rachel Leghissa joins Tourism Tofino as their new Destination Storytelling Manager. 

The Tofino Chamber of Commerce welcomes its newest chamber member, Dre Turner Creative.

Wickaninnish Inn celebrates its 30th anniversary with numerous honours, including the 2026 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, which ranked it as the top resort in Canada among U.S. readers and the third-best resort in Canada among Condé Nast Traveller UK readers. The Wickaninnish Inn was recognized as the second-best resort in Canada in the 2026 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.

 

 

 

 

 

NANAIMO

Ben Whyte celebrates his eleven-year anniversary with Barkley Project Group.

Natasha Wilch, a physical therapist and owner of Symphony Rehab in Nanaimo, has joined Headquarters Health as a medical advisor. 

Sip Smart Challenge, a Regional District of Nanaimo initiative, is a 60-day contest that begins on October 8 and ends on December 6. It offers three rewards to residents who switch from disposable to reusable cups. 

Atlas Engineered Products, based in Nanaimo, has successfully installed and commissioned Canada’s first robotic roof truss manufacturing line at its new automation facility in Ontario.

Following $13.7M in improvements, the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre reopened on October 5 with a new accessible water feature, better heating and cooling, a remodelled Guest Services area, and new public art. 

Almost 200 energy-efficient rental apartments will be added at 564 Fifth Street by BC Housing in two five-story buildings. The plan calls for 167 near-market rental properties for low- to moderate-income households in addition to 34 income-based affordable houses that will replace the previous Sanala Apartments. 

LADYSMITH-CHEMAINUS

Shinohara Nexus Group, a Japanese company, is planned to establish a production facility on a portion of the Chemainus sawmill site that is currently leased from Western Forest Products. The facility is anticipated to generate 30 jobs by early 2027.

After years of rising costs that weren’t covered by its funding deal with BC Housing, the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association will no longer run the town’s emergency shelter starting in December.

COWICHAN VALLEY-DUNCAN

Doug Knott, the chief of Lake Cowichan Fire Departmentis retiring after 48 years in service.

The Wickertree has opened at Old Pioneer House in Whippletree Junction at 4705 Trans Canada Hwy., Duncan. 

The Town of Cowichan has entered an agreement with Mosaic to acquire nearly 100 acres of land adjacent to its wastewater lagoons, Grant Lake, and the Cowichan Valley Trail for $1.4 million.

Roger’s Furniture & Mattress, located at #503-5301 Chaster Road, Duncan, is holding a storewide anniversary deal. 

Cowichan Valley Meat Market owners David and Cheryl Quist officially closed the doors of the market on Sept. 12, after 25 years of exceeding community expectations and transitioning into semi-retirement to concentrate on their farm full-time.

North Cowichan has surpassed the provincial housing goals for the second year in a row, accumulating nearly 400 net new housing units in the past year. In recent years, North Cowichan has implemented a variety of measures to promote housing development, such as the revision of planning policies, the advancement of initiatives identified through housing needs assessments, and the simplification of development approval processes. 

The North Cowichan Fall Home Show will take place from October 23 – 25 at Cowichan Exhibition Grounds, 7380 Trans Canada Hwy.