Members of the VIEA board of directors. Left to right: Po Wan (past board member), Katie Bishop (Past Chair), Janet Bonaguro (Incoming Chair) & Nicole Vaugeois (Chair)
NANAIMO – Nearly two decades ago, the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) launched what is now the impactful and centric State of the Island Summit to resounding success. The conference has become a cornerstone in the island’s economic mandate, and its influence on local businesses, island residents and future projects alike unquestionable.
After all this time, VIEA has come a long way, and behind this prolific Summit the organization and its people are doing so much more than what meets the eye. Since taking the organizational reins two years ago, Julie Sperber, President and CEO of VIEA, has made it her focus to expand and enhance the organizations reach.
“VIEA is much more than the Summit, we do a number of great projects with partners in the region that can have lasting impact for different business, demographics and sectors,” says Sperber. “VIEA is the only non-profit, non-governmental entity in the region that is looking to support, develop and cocreate a thriving, sustainable regional economy for positive impact.”
Since joining the organization, Sperber has been busy growing her knowledge, first with studying the history of VIEA and where it has been, and then reaching into the future, looking at where the organization can go.
“One integral piece of VIEA is that it has really gained respect in the region through its grass roots development of programs including the conference,” says Sperber. “We are an entity that does not take sides, we aren’t for or against, we try to hold the space to have challenging conversations, share accurate information and facilitate discussions in priority areas.”
A celebration for the Island Good initiative
“This has enabled the organization to gain both traction with interest holders but also trust that when they come to VIEA for the conference, the website or the economic dashboard looking for information, it is unbiased, factual and a straight shot.”
With this history in mind, Sperber and the team at VIEA have set their sights high, infusing new ventures and directions, which has already churned out some great local initiatives and successes.
“We transitioned the printed State of the Island Report last year,” says Sperber. “And, moved it to an online dashboard, which will enable us to share economic data in real-time, and the quarterly updates with editorials that help frame the numbers with what is actually happening in the region.”
“We have had a couple of great partnership projects, both in the transportation area. In 2023, the Island Costal Economic Trust was engaged by the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure to do an intercommunity passenger study. The Trust is a very collaborative partner and invited VIEA to be part of that project, which was a great first partnered approach to projects in the region under my leadership.”
“This year, we mirrored that success and did a supply chain project with a supply chain and goods movement focus. It will be available at the end of the month, in time to share at the Summit. We are also working with the Indigenomics Institute on an Indigenous data project that is halfway through and recently completed a 3-year strategic plan for VIEA.”
Another initiative Sperber is passionate about is Island Good, a region-wide love local brand that focusses on showcasing regional businesses that grow, make, produce or manufacture goods. Island Good highlights their purpose-driven, social impact, and sustainable business practices. Whether that is paying living wages or committing to using only compostable packaging for their carry-out or whatever that looks like, VIEA is excited to amplify and support local producers, growers, makers and manufacturers.
“We see that as a pathway for growth for good jobs and economic resilience for Vancouver Island, so we want to promote the small, medium and large size businesses that are doing the producing and manufacturing,” says Sperber.
This all comes without even mentioning the conference, which is now in its 18th year and has grown exponentially. The Summit is the organization’s primary funding source for operations, and each year that the conference is supported and expands, greater resources are generated that enhances VIEA’s ability to strengthen the economic landscape in the region.
This year’s event invites participants to convene, connect and collaborate with all things Vancouver Island, and take part in shaping what the future of the Island economy will look like 50 years into the future. A workshop on the closing day called Vision 2050 will kick-off a project that will create the economic vision and strategy for the Island and rural islands for decades to come.
The event takes places on October 23 to 24 in Nanaimo and space is still available for registration, though it is running out fast. To register, visit: https://viea.ca/vi-economic-summit/register-summit/.
“We really have to look at the economy holistically with all the other pillars of what make up a thriving region,” says Sperber. “Preserving and protecting our environment, as well as having community health and wellness – that happiness factor, these are all core parts of the plan.”
