The Vancouver Island Economic Alliance continues to engage in projects that build capacity, provide research data and coordinate efforts to promote Vancouver Island to investors both on the Island and further a field.

Welcoming Communities
Through multi-agency connections, VIEA heads a broad based regional partnership to address the development of an immigrant integration strategy for Vancouver Island.  This project aims to increase capacity building efforts to create greater awareness and understanding of contributions and needs of newcomers. It also strengthens collaboration within the region around issues of immigration, settlement, multiculturalism, racism, workplace diversity and building and sustaining welcoming and inclusive communities.




Collaborative Workforce Strategy
VIEA is spearheading, through the support of The Ministry of Housing and Social Development and Labour Market  Agreement Program, the development of a comprehensive Vancouver Island labour market strategy, analyzing and facilitating solutions to the human resource needs of key industry sectors on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The strategy covers workforce/labour and skilled labour shortages as well as workforce transitions.


The Link Project- Linking Island Leadership

The Link Team is contacting Leaders on Vancouver Island to determine the role they currently play and their plans for sustainable community economic health.

By reviewing what is currently being done in Vancouver Island communities, First Nations and within industry alliances we will see if there are puzzle pieces missing to paint the overall picture of Vancouver Island leadership and to create a benchmark of activity.

The Link Team will visit First Nations and Vancouver Island communities to confirm current initiatives, future plans and perceived challenges.  In preparation, project staff are reviewing the most recent annual municipal reports and other relevant documents that are available online as well as calling for information.
In the process they are building and strengthening linkages on Vancouver Island.

The Link Project combines data collection, networking and strategy development to strengthen the work that Vancouver Island Leaders are doing.  It is funded in whole through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Development Agreement.