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Parksville tops the list of Island towns on B.C.’s most economically resilient list

B.C. Business also ranked Sidney, Langford and Central Saanich in the top 10
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The Town of Sidney has been ranked the fourth most economically resilient city in B.C., and the most resilient in Greater Victoria by BC Business.ca. (Black Press Media file photo)

Four Vancouver Island municipalities have been named among the top 10 most economically resilient in the province by BCBusiness.ca in its latest rankings of the best communities for work.

Looking at the province’s 50 largest communities, the list put Parksville in the number three spot overall as the highest-ranking community on the Island, behind only North Vancouver and Squamish in the top spot.

Sidney — which climbed significantly in the rankings compared to 2021, where it sat at number 19 — finished at number 4.

While still in the top 10 on the list, Langford actually fell several spots in the ranking compared to 2021, where it claimed the list’s number one position, coming in at number eight for 2022. Central Saanich came in just below at number 9, down one from its eighth-place finish last year.

Victoria fell to 20th in 2022 from its spot at number 16 last year, while Sooke climbed up from 29th to 25th in 2022, and Saanich rounded up the capital region’s appearances on the list sitting at number 31, down from its previous appearance at number 18.

Meanwhile, Comox finished 14th, down from number 3 one year ago, Nanaimo inched up from 24 to 22, Duncan/North Cowichan from 27 to 23, Courtenay dropped from 10 to 24, Campbell River rose from 38 to 27 and Port Alberni crept from 48 to 46.

The rankings, which factored in everything from population growth to green house gas emissions, sense of belonging, economic diversity, and rental vacancy rates, said Vancouver Island communities continued their trend of strong showings on the ranking, buoyed by healthy population growth, secure household finances, and tight unemployment rates, but noted the region’s performance was more tumultuous than other regions of the province.

READ MORE: New Real Canadian Superstore, highrises pitched for Saanich property


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