Shaw Communication has flinched in the face of competition and the quest for profit margin.
The Calgary-based company is laying off 500 employees across Canada. More than 50 of those are on Vancouver Island.
Peter Bissonnette, president, said a total of 53 Shaw employees in Nanaimo, Duncan and Port Alberni will lose their jobs.
"It's actually in two phases," Bisonnette said. "The first phase happened this week and the second phase happens April 26."