This new section of the E&N Trail adds 1.2 kilometres of soft surface trail. Delivered through a collaborative partnership between the City of Nanaimo, the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF) and Southern Rail, this new section provides a safe, dedicated space for walking, cycling and other forms of active transportation along a heavily used rail corridor. The extension fills a key gap in the trail network, improves safety for people of all ages—including children travelling to and from school—and reflects a shared commitment to enhancing connectivity, recreation and sustainable transportation in Nanaimo.

Starting in the Duke Point area, crews will work their way north through the various corridors of the city. This work involves large equipment and staff working on the road. Please approach with caution and obey traffic control personnel's directions. The annual catch basin cleaning program is expected to be complete by the end August.

The agreement was reached following a series of bargaining sessions earlier in March and was ratified by both parties this week. The new agreement provides better clarity around seniority accrual, overtime and statutory holiday provisions and reflects settlements being achieved in other communities in the central and north Island regions.

CUPE Local 401 represents approximately 760 City staff in such areas as sanitation, public safety, parks maintenance, recreation, administration and at the RCMP detachment.

First launched in 2025, Luminous Paths is Nanaimo’s winter celebration of light, art, land and community. The festival invites artists to reimagine public space through illumination, projection, sound, and interactive artworks that encourage curiosity, play and connection.

Taking place in a popular park along Nanaimo’s downtown waterfront, the month-long festival features temporary art installations that animate familiar spaces after dark and draw residents and visitors outdoors during the winter months. Opening and closing celebrations, live performances, free tours and community engagement activities complement the illuminated artworks throughout the festival period.

Artists are encouraged to create works that respond thoughtfully to place and environment while inviting audiences to explore the park in new ways. Proposals may incorporate light, sound, motion or other creative approaches to produce engaging outdoor experiences suitable for evening viewing.

Potential themes for artists to explore include transformation and renewal through light, the interconnectedness of community, land and water, pathways that connect people and place and shared experiences of discovery in public space.

Temporary public art projects will be selected in summer 2026, with installations presented during the festival from Feb. 15 to March 12, 2027. The submission deadline is June 14, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time). Full details, eligibility requirements and the online submission form can be found on the City’s website.

For those who are in favour of the proposed boundary extension, no action is required. Eligible voters in Nanaimo who are opposed to the boundary extension may fill out and submit an elector response form available at City Hall, or on the City website.

Completed forms must be received by the deadline of 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2026. Details on how to submit a completed form can be found on the City’s Alternative Approval Process page: www.nanaimo.ca/goto/aap. Each eligible voter is permitted one response.

For more information on this AAP please visit https://nanaimo.ca/goto/boundary-extension-AAP.

What we heard – Round one engagement

Round one of community engagement concluded in August 2024. The City received input regarding issues and opportunities to create a safer transit exchange with better access to Country Club Centre Mall. The round one engagement summary can be viewed online.

Round 2 – Reviewing and refining concepts

Round two launches on March 4 to gather feedback on the concept plan for the transit exchange and mobility improvements built over the new underground utilities. Community members can get involved and share their feedback by:

• Visiting nanaimo.ca/goto/CountryClub to review the concept plan
• Completing an online comment form that is open until April 17th, 2026. Paper copies are available at the Vancouver Island Regional Library (Wellington Branch) in Country Club Centre Mall.

Planning and design, which began in spring 2024, is expected to conclude in 2026. Construction is anticipated to begin with trenching for underground infrastructure in 2027.

A municipal boundary extension, to include SFN reserves (IRs 1, 2, 3 and 4) was requested by SFN and is supported by City Plan policy and in alignment with the City’s commitment to advancing reconciliation. Including these lands within the City boundary would enable Snuneymuxw residents living on reserve to participate in City of Nanaimo municipal elections.

The City would not be required to provide new services as part of the proposed boundary extension. Existing servicing arrangements between SFN, other levels of government and the City covering infrastructure, transportation and other assets would remain unchanged.

The AAP process will begin on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. and will run until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 13, 2026.

For more information on the Alternative Approval Process visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/aap.

The installation consists of three satellite locations featuring red neon lights shaped into the Chinese characters for the numbers one, two, and three, each representing one of Nanaimo’s successive Chinatowns. Mounted on gold backing and enclosed in Plexiglas, the artworks are located near the intersections of Esplanade and Victoria Crescent; View Street and Bing Kee Street; and Pine Street and Hecate Street. To ensure environmental responsibility and neighbourhood compatibility, the pieces are solar-powered, energy-efficient, and designed to emit soft, focused light that minimizes brightness and avoids light pollution.

Chinese immigrants began arriving in Nanaimo in the late 1800s to work in the coal industry, establishing vibrant communities that supported daily life, culture, and commerce. As the city grew and land values increased, the first two Chinatowns were relocated; the third was later destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. Today, little visible evidence of these communities remains. “Lost Intersections” serves as a contemporary wayfinding system, reconnecting present-day Nanaimo with these layered histories.

Each installation includes an accessible QR code linking viewers to historical information about the Chinatown that once stood at that location. By blending visual impact with research-based storytelling, Wong’s project encourages reflection and a deeper appreciation of the contributions Chinese Canadians have made to Nanaimo’s development.

Inspired by the neon signage commonly associated with Chinese restaurants throughout the 20th century, the artwork also reflects Wong’s personal history. A Chinese Canadian artist whose grandparents immigrated to Canada in 1907 and whose father operated Ming’s Restaurant in Victoria, Wong uses neon as both a cultural reference and a material expression of memory, identity, and diaspora.

“Lost Intersections” will remain on display through the City’s Temporary Public Art Program until 2030. More information on the project can be found on the City’s website.

The purpose of the initiative is to remove a regulatory barrier to the development of social housing by eliminating the need for a rezoning. Social housing developments rely on securing external government funding to be viable and the time and cost to proceed through a rezoning can impact the viability of the development. Pre-zoning land is one approach to address this barrier. An overlay zone is proposed, which would allow, as-of-right, an increase in density and/or height where social housing is provided and a set of conditions are met. The overlay is proposed to be applied to 2,022 parcels, as shown on this interactive map.

A survey will be open from Feb. 23 to March 15, 2026, to collect feedback on the proposed initiative. The survey, a FAQ page and find additional information can be accessed on the Pre-Zoning for Social Housing page on Get Invovled Nanaimo. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Service and Resources Centre located at 411 Dunsmuir St.

It is at the discretion of local governments to approve the change in liquor service hours. Licensees in good standing within the City of Nanaimo will have the ability to extend their hours for this one-time event.

This approval applies only to the 2026 Olympic men's hockey gold medal game and does not constitute a permanent change to operating hours. Businesses are reminded to continue following all other requirements set out by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.

Registration for aquatics programs begins at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4 while registration for all other programs starts on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 a.m.

There are three ways to register:

• Online at recreation.nanaimo.ca
• In Person at Beban Park, Bowen Park, Oliver Woods Community Centre, Nanaimo Aquatic Centre and Nanaimo Ice Centre
• By Phone at 250-756-5200

Details on a variety of programs and events for all ages at facilities and parks throughout Nanaimo can be found in the Activity Guide along with information on several other community opportunities. A large number of new classes have been added, including Swim Stars Camp, Kids Intro to Workout Training, many new pottery options, Podcasting for Beginners and a Refresher Pruning class.

Also included in the guide are the Summer Concerts in the Park schedules, Playground Program details and information on summer family events held in June and August. Summer daycamps are back this summer with the opportunity for families to mix and match registration options allowing for more flexibility and broader camp experiences.

There are also updates on cultural opportunities, park updates and future facility projects. The new guide can be viewed beginning Feb. 27 on the Activity Guide page on the City website.

Once pay parking on downtown streets is reinstated, the same fees as before will be in effect: $0.25 for 12 minutes and $1.25 for each hour. Parking after 5 p.m. and all day Sundays along downtown streets will remain free. In addition to the current curbside pay kiosks that can be found downtown, the City is adding mobile payment options with Hotspot, the same mobile pay option used for the on-street pay parking near the hospital.

For information on parking, visit the Parking section on the City's website.

As visitors move through the park, seven large-scale light projections animate pathways throughout the landscape, turning the site into an immersive canvas. Each projection features work that brings forward themes of place, identity, memory, and the enduring relationship between people and land. These luminous artworks invite visitors to slow down, listen, and experience Sway-a-Lana in new and meaningful ways.

Featured artists include the late Dr. William Good; the late W. Joel Good; Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun; kwasilwit, Chenoa Point; Noel Brown; Ryan Hughes; and yutustana:t, Gena Seward-Wilson.

“Lighting a Path” honours the land while offering a gentle, immersive experience for all ages throughout the winter season. Visitors are encouraged to return throughout the month, as shifting light, changing conditions, and evolving perspectives reveal new layers of story and connection with each walk.

For more information, visit the event page on the City of Nanaimo website.

Currently, SFN members living on reserve vote for a Regional District of Nanaimo Electoral Area Director and school trustees. If reserve lands were brought into the City’s boundary, SFN members living on those lands would have the option to vote for the Mayor and Council of Nanaimo and take part in municipal assent voting processes.

A recent transfer of land from the Government of Canada to SFN has highlighted the need for a consistent and equitable approach. Because the recently transferred land is now reserve lands and already within the municipal boundary, SFN members living there in the future would be eligible to vote in City elections, while SFN members living on other reserve lands outside the boundary would not. Existing servicing agreements for infrastructure, transportation and other assets located on SFN reserve lands will not change as part of this process. These services continue to be delivered through agreements between SFN and other governments.

Under the Local Government Act, approval of the electors is required before municipal boundaries can be extended to include new lands. A report seeking approval to proceed with an elector approval process will be brought forward for Council’s consideration at the February 23, 2026 Regular Council meeting.