October 20 to 22, 2026 | Vancouver Island Conference Centre, Nanaimo

This October, leaders from across Vancouver Island will come together in Nanaimo for the 20th Annual State of the Island Economic Summit, hosted by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA).

For two decades, the Summit has brought together people from business, government, First Nations, education, industry and community organizations to look at the issues shaping the Island and consider what comes next.

For project professionals, that broader conversation matters.

The bigger picture behind the projects

Project work rarely happens in isolation. The decisions, investments and challenges shaping a region often become the context in which projects are planned and delivered.

Housing, for example, connects to land use, infrastructure, workforce and policy. Economic growth depends on energy, transportation, industrial land and supply chains. The growing use of artificial intelligence is changing how organizations work while raising questions about data, privacy, infrastructure and governance.

These are complex challenges that cross organizational and sector boundaries. Understanding that bigger picture can help project professionals see how their work connects to the wider community and economy.

What is on the 2026 program?

The Summit program includes conversations on some of the key opportunities and challenges facing Vancouver Island.

Untangling Housing looks at the interconnected land economics, policy and industry practices behind the housing challenge and the structural barriers that need to be addressed.

AI & the Island explores what artificial intelligence means for Vancouver Island as it changes work and business, including questions around privacy, data sovereignty, infrastructure, policy, opportunities and risks.

Energy Futures for VI examines the relationship between reliable, affordable and sustainable energy and economic competitiveness, including generation, transmission, Indigenous leadership, electrification and the Island's future energy resilience.

Next Generation Economy brings emerging voices into the conversation about work, affordability, business, growth and opportunity, asking what Vancouver Island needs to get right if the next generation is to build their futures here.

The program also includes Land to Build an Economy, focused on industrial land and economic development; Farming Between the Rules, exploring agriculture and food sovereignty; Maritime Momentum, focused on the Island's maritime economy; and Beyond the Dock, exploring supply chains and international trade.

Why this matters to project professionals

Project managers often work at the point where strategy becomes execution.

Whether the work involves infrastructure, technology, construction, organizational transformation, economic development or community initiatives, projects are increasingly shaped by factors beyond the project itself.

The Summit offers an opportunity to step back from the immediate work and consider some of the forces shaping the environment in which projects are delivered:

• Where is investment happening?
• What barriers are affecting growth and delivery?
• How are industries and communities changing?
• What role will technology and infrastructure play?
• Where might collaboration across sectors create new opportunities?

It is also an opportunity to connect with people outside the traditional project management community, including business leaders, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs, economic developers, educators and others working to shape the Island's future.

Be part of the conversation

The 20th Annual State of the Island Economic Summit takes place October 20 to 22, 2026, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo.

For project professionals, it is an opportunity to broaden the lens, understand the regional context behind the work we do and connect with people working across Vancouver Island.

Explore the program, speakers and registration options: https://vieasummit.ca/