Cumberland (Comox Valley)
The historic Village of Cumberland (2817) is proud of its rich and diverse coal mining history which is captured in its charming heritage buildings, eclectic main street and through the communities' festivals and celebrations.
The Village is considered a gateway to world class outdoor recreation with Comox Lake and extensive hiking and mountain biking trails surrounding this Village in the Forest. Recently new unique shops and restaurants have opened on main street, alongside long standing family run businesses, enhancing the warm and vibrant community for its residents and visitors alike.
Comox Valley Economic Development Strategic Plan
Although the Comox Valley has several distinct communities and areas, it takes a regional approach in its economic development strategies.
In 2005 the Comox Valley Economic Development Society together with the municipalities and Regional District developed a comprehensive plan which saw key sectors and opportunities targeted as having the best economic growth potential for the region. They include:
- Food and Beverage Processing Cluster
- Air Transportation Cluster
- Knowledge-based and Environmental Technologies Cluster
- Resort Development
- 2010 Olympic Opportunities
- Value-added Wood Products
Food and Beverage Processing Cluster
Extensive agrifood research and a full-scale marketing campaign has been launched targeting agrifood producers and processors to relocated or expand their businesses to the Comox Valley. This opportunity is ideally suited to the rural areas as there is a critical mass of agricultural and processing activity already taking place and large amounts of agriculturally designated land is selling for less than other growing regions like the Fraser Valley.
Air Transportation Cluster
The Comox Valley has an unprecedented competitive advantage in developing an air transportation cluster because of the scale of the civil aviation services that have developed at the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). The airport resides on Canadian Forces Base CFB 19 Wing Comox, and thereby boasts the second largest runway (10,000 ft. long) after Vancouver International. The region has attracted such airlines as WestJet, Air Canada, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal.
2010 Olympic Opportunities
The Comox Valley is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the 2010 Games due in part to its proximity to Vancouver and the region being home to Mount Washington Alpine Resort.
The Comox Valley Spirit of BC Community Committee was the only Vancouver Island Community to send a delegation to the 2006 Torino Winter Games, and has aggressively pursued team training attraction based on Mount Washington's comparable training conditions to Whistler and Callahan Valley. To date the Swiss Nordic Ski Team and the Canadian National Nordic Ski Team have named the Valley as their 2010 training destination.
