About Vancouver Island Life
Vancouver Island Life
Powered by LOCORA
Vancouver Island Life was founded by three long-time Vancouver Island residents from the Oceanside and Central Vancouver Island region who share a common vision: to create the modern online home for the island we proudly call home.
Greg, Angela, and Jodi have been friends for more than 25 years. Throughout those years, we've watched our communities grow, technology change, and countless local websites become outdated, fragmented, or disappear altogether. We believed Vancouver Island deserved something better.
Our vision is simple:
To build the most complete, trusted, and community-focused online platform dedicated entirely to Vancouver Island.
More than just a website, Vancouver Island Life is designed to help people discover everything our incredible island has to offer. Whether you're looking for a new job, searching for local businesses, buying and selling in our dedicated marketplace, discovering weekend events, making new friends, finding activity partners, exploring hidden beaches and hiking trails, or planning your next island adventure, our goal is to bring it all together in one place.
We believe there is something special about Vancouver Island.
It's our forests, mountains, lakes, beaches, small towns, cities, artists, entrepreneurs, volunteers, local businesses, and the people who choose to call this island home. Every community has its own personality, and every resident has a story to tell. Vancouver Island Life exists to help celebrate those stories while making it easier for people to connect with one another.
Why We're Different
Unlike large national platforms, we're not trying to build a website for everyone.
We're building it specifically for Vancouver Island.
Every feature we create is designed with our local communities in mind. We understand the unique character of the island because we live here too. Our success is measured by how well we serve our neighbours, local businesses, community organizations, visitors, and future residents.
Our goal isn't simply to list information—it's to help people experience more of Vancouver Island.
- To discover a new café they've never visited.
- To attend a local festival they didn't know existed.
- To support a small business around the corner.
- To find meaningful employment closer to home.
- To meet new friends, activity partners, or even someone special.
- To explore communities they've never had the chance to visit.
- To keep local dollars circulating within our island communities.
Supporting Local
Strong communities are built by supporting one another.
We're passionate about helping local businesses reach local customers, providing organizations with a place to share events and opportunities, and giving residents a trusted platform where they can buy, sell, discover, and connect.
Every local purchase, every marketplace listing, every business profile, every event shared, and every community connection helps strengthen Vancouver Island.
When local businesses thrive, our communities thrive.
Built to Grow With Vancouver Island
Our goal is to build a platform that supports itself through responsible monetization so it can continue to grow and improve for years to come.
Revenue generated through premium services, advertising, featured listings, and business tools is reinvested into expanding Vancouver Island Life—adding new features, improving the user experience, supporting local initiatives, and creating even more value for the communities we serve.
Our success is directly tied to the success of Vancouver Island.
More Than a Website
We don't see Vancouver Island Life as just another directory, marketplace, or community website.
We see it as a living, growing digital home for everyone who loves Vancouver Island.
Whether you've lived here your entire life, recently moved to the island, own a local business, are planning a visit, or simply dream of calling Vancouver Island home one day, we hope this becomes your first stop for discovering everything our island has to offer.
Together, we're building more than a platform.
We're building a stronger, more connected Vancouver Island community.
Volunteer Community Contributors
Join Our Journey
Every beach has a story.
Every trail leads somewhere beautiful.
Every small town has its hidden gems.
And every person who calls Vancouver Island home has something unique they can share.
Vancouver Island Life, powered by LOCORA, is a community-driven project created to celebrate everything that makes Vancouver Island such an incredible place to live, work, visit, and explore.
We're inviting friendly, passionate residents from every corner of the Island to become Volunteer Community Contributors and help us build something truly special—one story, one photo, one event, and one connection at a time.
You don't need to be a professional photographer, writer, or journalist.
You simply need to love Vancouver Island.
Whether you enjoy exploring your community, taking photos, discovering local businesses, hiking new trails, attending events, or sharing your favourite places, we'd love to have you along for the journey.
Contribute Your Way
There are no schedules.
No deadlines.
No quotas.
Contribute whenever inspiration strikes. Whether you share one photo a month or write an occasional article, every contribution helps tell the story of our Island.
Some of the ways you can help include:
- Sharing original photographs
- Writing local stories and guides
- Promoting community events
- Discovering hidden places
- Supporting local businesses and organizations
- Helping neighbours discover more of Vancouver Island
Your Contributions Matter
Whenever your original photos or articles are published, you'll receive contributor credit wherever practical. We believe the people helping build this community deserve to be recognized.
Together, we're creating something that simply can't be replicated by the large global platforms—a place built by people who actually live here and care about this Island.
More Than a Website
Vancouver Island Life, powered by LOCORA, isn't just another website.
It's a long-term vision to create a home for Vancouver Island online—a place where residents can connect, support local businesses, discover events, buy and sell locally, explore new communities, and celebrate everything that makes Island life so special.
And we'd love for you to be part of that story.
Our name
Where local character meets community
LOCORA is inspired by two simple ideas: Local and Aura. Every community has its own unique character, its own stories, and its own people. LOCORA brings that local spirit online, making it easy to buy, sell, discover, and connect close to home. Whether you're finding a great deal down the street or supporting a local business, LOCORA is where your community comes together.
How plans & listings work
Your shop plan, each listing’s active period, and optional featured placement work on three separate schedules. Paying for a plan does not change how long each listing stays live — it changes how many listings you can run and how many photos each one can have. Featuring a listing does not extend its expiry either — it only boosts visibility in its category.
Included with every account
FREE plan — always free to start
Every member begins on the FREE plan. No credit card is required to create an account or post listings. Paid shop plans are optional when you need more listing slots or photos.
- 5 listings per rolling 30-day period — deleted listings still count until 30 days after you added them
- 1 photo per listing
- Unlimited messages per 30-day period
- 30 days active per listing
- $0 — no monthly fee
Shop plan (monthly)
- You pay for a monthly shop plan (1, 2, or 3 months at a time).
- Your plan sets how many listings you can add during each billing period, how many photos per listing, and how many member messages you can send each period.
- Each listing you add uses a slot for the rest of that billing period — even if you delete it later. Paid plans reset all slots on the plan renewal date shown in your dashboard.
- Upgrading activates your new plan right away. Any amount due appears in your account balance until your card is processed.
- Downgrading moves you to the free plan at the end of your current billing period — you keep paid benefits until that date.
Each listing (separate timer)
- Every listing is active for 30 days, then expires on its own — regardless of your shop plan.
- When a listing expires it becomes inactive and is hidden from the site until you renew it.
- Renew for another free 30-day period anytime from My Listings.
- Listings that stay expired are automatically deleted 30 days after their expiry date.
Featured listing (optional boost)
- After each listing is live, you can optionally feature it for $5.00 per 30 days (LOCORA Ads).
- Featured listings appear at the top of their category before other listings. Among featured listings, those expiring soonest show first.
- Feature from My Listings or Billing & Plans. Payment works the same way as plan upgrades — your listing is featured right away.
- Featuring does not extend how long the listing stays active. Plan slots, listing expiry, and featured placement are all separate.
- You can feature again before it ends to extend the boost from your current featured end date.
After you downgrade to free
- When your paid period ends, the free plan allows 5 listings per 30-day period (deleted listings still count).
- If you have more than that, your oldest listings stay eligible; extras are hidden from the site and marked Upgrade plan in My Listings.
- Upgrade again anytime to restore visibility, or remove listings you no longer need.
Our shop plans
Compare listing slots and photos per billing period. Listing active time (30 days each) is the same on every plan.
FREE
Included with every account.
Free · always included
- 5 listing slots per billing period
- 1 photos each
- Unlimited messages per period
Starter 10
Up to 10 active listings for 30 days.
$5.00 · 1 month
- 10 listing slots per billing period
- 3 photos each
- Unlimited messages per period
Growth 25
Up to 25 active listings for 30 days.
$10.00 · 1 month
- 25 listing slots per billing period
- 5 photos each
- Unlimited messages per period
Business 50
Up to 50 active listings for 60 days.
$15.00 · 2 months
- 50 listing slots per billing period
- 10 photos each
- Unlimited messages per period
Pro 100
Up to 100 active listings for 60 days.
$20.00 · 2 months
- 100 listing slots per billing period
- 10 photos each
- Unlimited messages per period
Power 200
Up to 200 active listings for 90 days.
$40.00 · 3 months
- 200 listing slots per billing period
- 10 photos each
- Unlimited messages per period
Sign up free, then upgrade from your dashboard when you need more capacity.
LOCORA Connections plans
Meet people on Vancouver Island through LOCORA Connections — separate from marketplace listing plans. Upgrade for more profile photos, higher message limits, and a list of who viewed your profile.
Free Connections
Included when you create a Connections profile.
Free · always included
- 2 profile photos
- 100 messages per billing period
- Profile view counts only — no viewer list
Connect 300
Our Connect 300 plan offers up to 5 photos and 300 sent messages a month, unlimited received messages.
$10.00 · 1 month
- 5 profile photos
- 300 messages per billing period
- Last 50 profile viewers with dates
Connect 600
Our Connect 500 plan offers up to 10 photos and 600 sent messages a month, unlimited received messages.
$15.00 · 1 month
- 10 profile photos
- 600 messages per billing period
- Last 50 profile viewers with dates
Connect Unlimited
Our Connect Unlimited plan offers up to 15 photos and unlimited sent or received messages a month
$20.00 · 1 month
- 15 profile photos
- Unlimited messages per billing period
- Last 50 profile viewers with dates
Connect Unlimited 90 Days
Our Connect Unlimited plan offers up to 15 photos and unlimited sent or received messages billed every 90 days.
$50.00 · 3 months
- 15 profile photos
- Unlimited messages per billing period
- Last 50 profile viewers with dates
Optional Verified badge on Connections profiles: $5.00 one-time (admin review).
Create a free account, set up your Connections profile, then upgrade from Billing & Plans when you need more.
Verified local sellers
Some shops on LOCORA display a Verified badge . This means our team has confirmed that the seller:
- Has an active paid shop plan billed with a credit card on file
- Provided a complete mailing address that appears to be on Vancouver Island
- Was reviewed and approved by LOCORA admin
Verification helps buyers spot sellers who have put real local billing details behind their shop. It is not a guarantee of item condition, delivery, or every transaction — always use your judgment, meet safely when picking up, and message the seller with any questions.
Want to become verified? Subscribe to a shop plan with your card in Billing, keep your mailing address current in Settings, and we will review all requests.
Already selling on Etsy or eBay?
Are you local to Vancouver Island? If you already sell on Etsy or eBay, you can import your listings to your LOCORA profile/shop and reach buyers right here on the Island — for direct local selling, pickup, and neighbour-to-neighbour deals without the shipping hassle.
Upload your shop export from your dashboard and LOCORA will bring your titles, descriptions, prices, and photos across. New items in your export can be added; updates sync when you re-upload. It’s a simple way to meet local buyers where they already look for community marketplace listings.
Create a free account and head to Etsy / eBay Import in your dashboard to get started.
How it works
Curious what you can do on LOCORA before creating an account? We publish the same detailed member guide our sellers use in the dashboard — covering registration, listings, plans, messaging, favourites, Explore, and safety.
Join the Community
Thousands of opportunities exist across Vancouver Island every day.
Create your free account, browse your local community, post your first listing, and discover why buying local has never been easier.
Vancouver Island Map — click to view full screen
LOCORA — EVERYTHING LOCAL.