The Local Explorer Challenge is your opportunity to help shape how people discover Vancouver Island — and to reward them for choosing local. By joining the Challenge, your business becomes part of a year‑round Island‑wide experience that encourages residents and visitors to explore new communities, support local shops, and enjoy the unique offerings that make our Island unforgettable.
Why Your Participation Matters
Every prize awarded in the Local Explorer Challenge comes directly from participating businesses. This means your contribution has real impact: it motivates exploration, strengthens community engagement, and keeps spending circulating within the Island’s economy. When people choose local, everyone benefits — and your business becomes part of the story.
The Vancouver Island App recognizes how vital local businesses are. You provide the character, creativity, services, flavours, and experiences that define each community. The Challenge is designed to highlight your business, increase your visibility, and celebrate the value you bring to the Island.
Tiered Registration Options
To ensure prizes are awarded respectfully and sustainably, businesses may register at one of four tiers. Each tier corresponds to the prize value your business contributes — and the prize value awarded to Local Explorers who complete your challenge.
Bronze — $1,000 Awards a $100 prize from your business.
Silver — $1,250 Awards a $250 prize from your business.
Gold — $1,500 Awards a $500 prize from your business.
Platinum — $2,000 Awards a $1,000 prize from your business.
These tiers allow businesses of all sizes to participate meaningfully, ensuring every prize reflects the value and generosity of the contributing business.
Be Part of the Island’s Biggest Local Movement
By registering, your business becomes a featured challenge destination — pinned on the interactive map, highlighted in the app, and promoted as part of a curated network of trusted local experiences. You help inspire exploration, support community growth, and celebrate the incredible diversity of Vancouver Island’s businesses.
Join the Local Explorer Challenge and let your business become a destination worth discovering.
$1,000 Bronze —Awards a $100 prize from your business.
$1,250 Silver — Awards a $250 prize from your business.
$1,500 Gold — Awards a $500 prize from your business.
$2,000 Platinum — Awards a $1,000 prize from your business.
The Local Explorer Challenge is a signature feature of The Vancouver Island App — a fun, Island‑wide experience designed to inspire exploration, strengthen community connection, and celebrate the incredible diversity of local businesses across Vancouver Island. By joining the Challenge, your business becomes part of a curated network of destinations that encourage residents and visitors to discover new places, support local, and enjoy meaningful experiences throughout the year.
As part of this initiative, it’s important to note that all participation follows a strict, legally compliant rule of no purchase necessary. This ensures the Challenge remains accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to everyone while still showcasing the value your business brings to the Island. Explorers can engage with your challenge simply by visiting, discovering, and connecting with your location — keeping the experience fun, fair, and community‑focused.
This challenge is available only to businesses pinned on the app or to online businesses registered in the directory. This ensures clarity, consistency, and fairness for all participating businesses and explorers.
For the full set of rules, please visit: [insert your official rules link here]
Recognizing the Importance of Supporting Local
Local businesses are the heart of Vancouver Island’s communities. They provide the character, creativity, services, flavours, and experiences that make each town unique. The Vancouver Island App is built on the belief that supporting local strengthens our economy, enriches community life, and preserves the Island’s identity.
The Local Explorer Challenge amplifies this mission by rewarding people for choosing local. Every prize awarded encourages exploration, supports local businesses, and celebrates the incredible offerings found across the Island.
Tiered Registration Options
To ensure prizes are awarded respectfully and sustainably, businesses may register at one of four tiers. Each tier corresponds to the prize value associated with your challenge — and the prize itself is fully included as part of your registration tier. It is not a donation or contribution from your business.
This structure ensures clarity, fairness, and consistency: your tier determines the prize amount awarded to Local Explorers, and the prize is covered within the registration fee.
Bronze — $1,000 Awards a $100 prize included in your registration.
Silver — $1,250 Awards a $250 prize included in your registration.
Gold — $1,500 Awards a $500 prize included in your registration.
Platinum — $2,000 Awards a $1,000 prize included in your registration.
These tiers allow businesses of all sizes to participate meaningfully, with the assurance that the prize is part of the registration package — never an expectation of donation.