Small towns across B.C. have struggled to maintain population and economic stability. Many of these towns heavily rely on the forestry industry that has struggled to maintain capacity, particularly during the American housing recession. Five students from Sauder are currently working on a marketing strategy for Port Alberni, a small town on the west cost of Vancouver Island.
These students have gathered input from businesses, and people from the town, and have worked on developing a plan over a semester long marketing class. This is a great opportunity for these students to work on a real life case study, interact with real businesses, and ultimately try to fulfill the goal of the city to increase the population.
Located on Highway 4, Port Alberni is the last town before Uclulet and Tofino. The city has tried to benefit from tourists travelling through the town on the way to Long Beach. The students have also taken on the challenge to attract these travelling tourists, to stop in Port Alberni and contribute to the economy. This case study outlines just one of several B.C. towns that have struggled with the economic downturn that has affected the entire world.