Campbell River embraces economic diversification and developing industries, including STEM and related industries, including engineering, technology, innovative sciences, advanced manufacturing, and avionics.
Our growing tech sector fosters innovation and the development of new products, services and technologies. A network of community leaders, venture capitalists, and innovators support the growth of this sector to develop new ideas and a more dynamic economy attracting investment and progress.
Companies at the airport are working on cutting-edge adaptations to flight, including the use of electric planes for pilot training. Aviation is a sector where Campbell River has a competitive advantage with land available, innovative and collaborative companies, and the political will to take flight and soar.
Future-Forward Industries Overview [PDF/1.3MB]
Local Business Environment
The City works with the business community to offer support to all local businesses. We routinely hold networking and professional development opportunities, like the Modern Entrepreneur workshops. Additionally, our new co-working space supports free-lancers in moving into the community.
Competitive Environment
We see potential for the growing tech sector to focus on local issues and develop solutions for existing industries. This will require bringing more freelancers, solopreneurs, startups and creatives to the region. Campbell River is helping to encourage this move by fitting into existing global marketplaces, accommodating satellite offices and offering required support services.
“Campbell River is really one of the best places on Earth—there’s no traffic, no commute. All the amenities of a bigger city, plus the beautiful natural surroundings.”
- Mark Sylvester, ASAP Geomatix
Municipal Support
The City of Campbell River has worked hard to create a business environment that is conducive to tech companies and startups, through the following programs:
Land and Real Estate
Campbell River has several types of industrial and commercial spaces. These spaces are affordable and suitable for a wide variety of creative and technology-based services. If your needs exceed that offered by existing spaces, we have sites for commercial development.
We also have over 1000 acres of vacant airport land for light industrial development and 500 acres with air side access for aerospace support services (Source: Campbell River Employment Land Strategy).
Quick Facts
Campbell River saw an estimated 51% increase in employment in future-forward industries between 2016 and 2019. This increase was particularly seen in professional services, such as engineering. There has also been growth in the number of businesses offering services such as advanced manufacturing and research and development (Source: Consultant estimates based on Statistics Canada Business Counts, June 2016 and June 2019).
Future-Forward Employment in Campbell River
| Employment Numbers | Employment Area |
|---|---|
| 160 | Architectural, engineering and related services |
| 145 | Management, scientific and technical consulting services |
| 75 | Telecommunications |
| 70 | Fabricated metal product manufacturing |
| 55 | Specialized design services |
| 50 | Computer systems design and related services |
| 30 | Plastics and rubber products manufacturing |
| 30 | Other information services |
| 25 | Motion picture and video industries |
| 40 | Other |
| 670 | Total |
Transportation
Campbell River's infrastructure can support aviation service operations, commuting entrepreneurs, scientific consulting firms and more. Our community is connected by air, land and sea.
| Location | Distance | Time (Car) | Time (Air) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comox Valley, Vancouver Island BC | 48 KM | 30 min | N/A |
| Nanaimo, Vancouver Island BC | 155 KM | 1.5 hrs | N/A |
| Vancouver, Mainland BC | 230 KM | 3-4 hrs | 35 min |
| Victoria, Vancouver Island BC | 265 KM | 3 hrs | N/A |
| Seattle, Washington USA | 437 KM | 7 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Calgary, Alberta | 1200 KM | 13.5 hrs | 3.5 hrs |
| Edmonton, Alberta | 1389 KM | 16 hrs | 3.5 hrs |
Communications
Our community understands that tech-based companies require access to fast internet and reliable communications systems. We developed and launched CRadvantage to support companies. CRadvantage:
- provides identical upload and download bandwidth, scalable to 1 GB per second
- puts Campbell River on equal footing with competitors in downtown Vancouver, Palo Alto, San Francisco, or New York City, at a fraction of the cost of living and doing business
- has room for expansion to other areas of Campbell River
Education and Training Opportunities
Campbell River is home to several highly qualified and experienced business owners, entrepreneurs and innovators who continually work with education providers to develop programs and enhance training opportunities in our area. Local programs include:
- Interactive Media Certificate or Diploma
- TV and Film Crew Training
- Science Technology Engineering courses
- Industrial Automation Technician Diploma
- Metal Fabrication
- Engineering Foundations Certificate
“There are so many people in Campbell River with talent, knowledge and experience that are working from home. One of our motivations for opening a coworking space was to pull all of that talent together and get them out and talking to each other.”
- Matthew Fox, Campbell River Coworking