Nanaimo grew from a coal-mining town into the “Harbour City”, the main hub for central Vancouver Island. Two BC Ferries terminals — Departure Bay and Duke Point — connect it to the mainland, and the Port of Nanaimo handles cargo and cruise traffic.
Vancouver Island University’s main campus is in Nanaimo, and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital serves the wider region. Together with retail, construction and professional services, health care and education are among the area’s largest sources of work.
Many Nanaimo businesses serve customers from Ladysmith to Parksville and beyond, so they rely heavily on their websites, phones and email to take requests. When those channels are slow or disorganized, customers in a smaller market notice quickly.