The Last of Us is the award-winning drama adapted from Naughty Dog’s iconic video game, produced by Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions. Known for its cinematic storytelling and large-scale sets, the series employs hundreds of crew members and brings significant economic activity to every shooting location. For Season Two the production chose parts of Vancouver Island, including downtown Nanaimo, to stand in for key scenes, partnering closely with local authorities and businesses to keep the city moving while cameras rolled.

The Downtown Nanaimo Business Association is a nonprofit steward of the city’s historic waterfront district on Vancouver Island. Representing hundreds of merchants, restaurateurs, and property owners, the association advocates for economic vitality through beautification projects, marketing initiatives, and crowd‑drawing events. From the Commercial Street Night Market to free festivals in Diana Krall Plaza, the DNBA works year‑round to make downtown Nanaimo a welcoming destination for residents and visitors alike.

Unleashed Hotdogs is a Nanaimo‑born food truck and catering outfit that elevates the humble street dog with chef‑driven creativity. Founded in 2025 by chef‑owner Shawn Williams, the rolling kitchen roams Vancouver Island’s festivals, markets, and ball games, doling out playful “breed” specials such as the Shiba Inu layered with pickled daikon, unagi sauce, and chili aioli, or the German Shepherd bratwurst simmered in ale and crowned with sauerkraut and crispy onions. The menu is built on scratch‑made toppings and locally sourced ingredients, and the team encourages patrons to bring their own pups for a treat, reinforcing the brand’s tongue‑in‑cheek canine theme. Regular stops at downtown plazas and Night Owls baseball games, plus an energetic social‑media presence, have cultivated a devoted following that lines up for every new creation. Unleashed Hotdogs pairs gourmet quality with a playful spirit, making each order a celebration in a bun.

With over 44 years of experience in the construction industry, Parhar Group  is a seasoned leader and visionary builder.  The company has overseen the development of more than 500 residential homes and spearheaded the construction of over 350,000 square feet of commercial buildings in BC and Alberta.

Under Balbir Parhar’s  leadership, Parhar Group has expanded its portfolio to own and manage approximately 500,000 square feet of commercial and residential property. Notably, over 95% of the company’s commercial holdings were constructed in-house, showcasing the group’s vertical integration and commitment to quality. We are a family run and owned company.

TravelBar began as a 1970s Travelaire camper, bought, gutted, and rebuilt by two Nanaimo bartenders, Brennan and Bryce, into a fully functioning mobile bar. After seven years working and managing local hotspots, they turned 2020 downtime into a bold idea: bring the best parts of a favorite bar to wherever the party is. Today, TravelBar operates like a full bar on wheels, stocked equipment, experienced and fully licensed staff, and the flexibility to serve virtually anywhere. You bring the liquor (with our close consultation on selections and licensing), and we handle the rest—making weddings, events, and parties seamless, professional, and fun across Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and the Mainland.

Loaded Movement Academy is a Nanaimo-based fitness studio dedicated to building lifelong strength, confidence, and resilience through personal and group training. Founded by passionate coaches with a commitment to holistic performance, LMA blends expert-led instruction with a strong community-driven atmosphere. With a growing client base and a powerful reputation in the local fitness scene, LMA needed a digital presence that could match their high-impact, transformation-focused programs.

Painter’s Palate is a three-day festival hosted at Painter’s Lodge in Campbell River, BC, running September 18–20, 2026. It’s positioned as “The Island’s newest celebration of art, flavour, and community,” turning the historic oceanfront lodge into a “coastal canvas” where craft beer, world-class wine, culinary experiences, and visual art all come together. Core programming includes HOPS, VINE, CANVAS, Midnight Snack, and additional on-site experiences, with flexible options for guests: single-event tickets, Weekender Passes, local VIP bundles, and premium room-and-ticket packages that encourage people to stay on-site for the full weekend.

Beyond the lodge, the festival extends across North and Mid-Vancouver Island through “Palate Cleanser” events and partnerships with local venues, transportation providers, culinary partners, beverage vendors, and artists. Painter’s Palate is designed as a scalable platform for Vancouver Island’s creative and hospitality communities, connecting guests to makers, performers, and places while acknowledging that the event takes place on the unceded traditional territory of the Lig’il’daxw people: the Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai, and Kwiakah First Nations.

NCI Technical is a Nanaimo‑based IT support and consulting firm founded in 2005. The company delivers proactive cybersecurity, 24 / 7 help‑desk coverage, data backup and recovery, VOIP phone systems, and surveillance solutions to small and mid‑sized businesses across Vancouver Island. Led by owner Nigel Fee, the local team prides itself on fast response times, no outsourcing, and a partnership mindset that keeps clients’ operations running smoothly.

The Billon Foundation is a federally registered Canadian nonprofit dedicated to supporting the mental health and well‑being of comedians, founded in 2022 in memory of Canadian comedian Matt Billon. Born from a close-knit comedy community grieving the loss of a beloved friend, the foundation exists to make sure comedians never have to navigate isolation, travel stress, or the unique pressures of the profession alone. Through partnerships, storytelling projects, and a growing network of comedians and allies, they focus on increasing access to care, fostering honest conversations about mental health and addiction, and honouring Matt’s legacy by helping others stay connected, resourced, and heard.

VATS Consulting Inc. is a Nanaimo‑based firm that helps entrepreneurs scale, systemize, and eventually exit their businesses on their own terms. Founded in 2012 by Daniel and Richelle Stav, the team blends strategic planning with hands‑on operational coaching, using its Vision, Accountability, Tactics, Strategy framework to boost leadership capacity, financial performance, and enterprise value for companies ranging from start‑ups to multi‑billion‑dollar enterprises.

Pleasant Valley Registered Massage Therapy is a home‑based clinic in Nanaimo led by certified RMT Blake Robson. Combining a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Health and Physical Education with eight years of massage experience, Blake offers myofascial release, trigger‑point therapy, PNF stretching, and pregnancy massage to treat sports injuries, TMJ dysfunction, tension headaches, and more. The clinic provides functional assessments for every new patient, handles direct billing to major insurers and ICBC, and offers flexible same‑day and evening appointments to keep Nanaimo residents moving pain‑free.

The Tour de Rock Golf Classic is an annual charity tournament held every year in British Columbia. All proceeds support the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, a two‑week cycling trek that raises funds for childhood cancer research and programs like Camp Goodtimes. The golf event brings together first responders, local businesses, and community members for a day of friendly competition that drives real impact for Vancouver Island families facing childhood cancer.