Parksville-Qualicum Beach Community

The Parksville - Qualicum Beach region of central Vancouver Island in British Columbia offers a vibrant business community in a spectacular natural setting. This is a place where there are opportunities and support for entrepreneurs. It’s a place where it’s safe and affordable to raise a family, with excellent schools and ample arts and recreation resources. It’s a good place to call home.

Talk to people who live and work in the Parksville-Qualicum Beach region and you’ll often hear how much they appreciate the strong sense of community in the area. From a business perspective, it means supporting and promoting each other and modeling ethical business practices. Many business people have been here for decades, bringing stability, competence and a commitment to the well-being of the community. On a personal level, newcomers often cite the strong sense of community as one of the reasons for choosing to settle in the Parksville - Qualicum Beach region.

For more information on support available to entrepreneurs in our region, see Business Support.

Find out how these local entrepreneurs are making it work here

The Parksville-Qualicum Beach region, also known as Oceanside, stretches from Nanoose Bay in the south, to Bowser in the north. It includes the residential areas of Coombs, Deep Bay, Errington, Hilliers and Qualicum Bay. With more than 46,600 residents, the region is one of the fastest growing areas on Vancouver Island.

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  • david-michelsThis Community is the reason we're here and have been able to grow

    One of the ways Geeks on the Beach Web Agency has built solid connections in the community is through what they call their “good karma” projects which include the Society of Organized Services (SOS District 69), the Victoria Film Festival, and the Mid Vancouver Island Habitat and Ecological Society (MVIHES).
    Relationships here are vital,” says David. “I've been lucky to be able to get to go out and shake hands with folks in our community, and get to know small business owners. Our own business just wouldn't have been able to grow without them.”

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  • Shirrathere are lots of opportunities for business as long as it’s something that works harmoniously with what’s here already

    Now in their 12th year in business, Wilde and Sparrow () attracts a loyal following of local residents and tourists: “Everyone from teenage girls to older, stylish women who want something unique and on trend and not from the mall,” says Shirra Wall, who co-owns the boutique with Trish Smith.

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  • cliveThere's nothing I want in my life that I can't get right here

    Pixton Comics is “one of 20 companies driving innovation, and changing the way we use the Internet.” says Backbone Magazine and KPMG. The award-winning company is doing so from Qualicum Beach, B.C.

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  • jenny-hughesThere’s tons of opportunity in the Parksville-Qualicum Beach region

    Jenny Hughes, the founder of Me & You Manufacturing Co., a company that designs and sells reusable, fashionable shopping bags, believes in the power of good timing. She started in 2004 after noticing a lack of stylish, reusable shopping bags in the Canadian market. Six months later, municipalities starting talking about banning plastic bags. Customers and the media came calling in droves.

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  • carolineSpending time in nature is sacred. Here it’s literally right outside your door

    Caroline Hoste’s company Hello Stranger Creative arranged for DJ Flux Pavilion to remix the theme tune for the new Star Wars Rebels TV Series, which debuted October, 2014 on Disney XD.

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  • jaredI like to jump on my paddleboard and go fishing

    Jared Shaw is a self described tech entrepreneur, growth hacker and analytics junkie. Essentially he looks for ways to help companies grow into new and emerging markets. Shaw works remotely from my home/office in Qualicum Beach and was involved in launching the new Digital Media Studio in Qualicum Beach.

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  • megan-richardsonIt’s easier to start a business here than people think

    Hip clothing with an L.A. vibe. That’s how Megan Richardson of MOD Apparel describes her Qualicum Beach store. She opened it in 2011 after identifying a need for MOD’s distinctive offerings. Since then, she’s built a loyal local following as well as customers from Port Alberni, Campbell River, Victoria and Vancouver.
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  • rusty-joerinWe just wanted to get out and start a new life

    Rusty Joerin is a supply management consultant who provides procurement and supply management services to clients across Canada. He runs his business, Woodsgift Enterprises, from his home office in Qualicum Beach.“I was a young 24-year-old traveling around with my wife and we just liked this area. We were living in downtown Vancouver and really just wanted to get out and start a life.”

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Close to Everything...
but Away From it All

The Parksville-Qualicum Beach region of central Vancouver Island offers a range of business, housing and recreation options for people who’d like to live close to everything but away from it all.


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