Parking

Parking Services

Parking Services oversees the administration, maintenance and parking enforcement of all City parkades and City lots. Parking Services also manages parking related matters for On-Street pay parking, Commercial Loading Zones, and Residential Parking passes.

On-Street Parking

The City of Nanaimo has 924 on street parking stalls available for public use. These stalls consist of unmetered, metered and disabled stalls.

2 Hour Free Parking Zones

2 hour parking zones are designated and marked with 2 hour parking signage. There are no exemption periods for 2 hour zones. They are enforced 7 days a week, 24 hours per day except on statutory holidays.

2 hour on-street parking map (PDF)

Downtown Pay Parking Rates 

Street parking is enforced Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, free evenings and weekends.  20 digital pay stations are located within the Downtown. Payment can be made with coin or credit card.  Debit payment is not available. 

Please note - parking rates at City Parkades are $0.75 for 2 hours. Please see Parkade Fee rates below for more information.

Downtown Parking Meter Map (PDF)

Disabled Parking Zones

Parkers displaying a valid official Disable Parking Tag are eligible to park in any of the designated disabled parking spaces on-street or off-street. Should there be no available disabled parking spaces, Disabled Parking Tag parkers may park in any City space or stall at no charge for the designated time displayed in the area.

Disabled On Street Parking Map (PDF)

For information on official disability parking tag contact the Nanaimo Disability Resource Centre website.

Nanaimo Disability Resource Centre

Parking Meter Assistance

Should the meter you are using experiences any challenges with accepting payment, please contact the number on the meter or Parking Services 250-755-4468 for assistance. Please provide the number of the meter, your vehicle description and license plate number.

City of Nanaimo Downtown Parkades

The City of Nanaimo manages 3 major parkade structures located in downtown Nanaimo with 901 stalls available for public use.

Monthly Parking Pass Application

City of Nanaimo Off-Street Parking Lots

For information on Temporary Monthly Parking Passes please contact us directly at parkingpasses@nanaimo.ca or by calling Parking Services at 250-755-4468.

Off-street parking map (PDF)

Parkade & Parking Lot Hourly Rates

Ticket dispensers in City parkades and lots accept coins, Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Multi-day parking is available through the ticket dispenser.

Parking Extensions - HONK Mobile

If you are not able to return to your vehicle prior to your pay parking expiring, you can extend your parking via the HONK mobile contactless parking app.  For more information, please contact Parking Services 250-755-4468.

Statutory Holiday Parking

Pay Parking is not in effect in any Parkade on the following Statutory Holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Family Day
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Victoria Day
• Canada Day
• BC Day
• Labour Day
• Thanksgiving
• Remembrance Day
• Christmas Day
• Boxing Day

Vancouver Island Conference Center (VICC/PoNC)          101 Gordon Street (HONK Mobile Zone 429)

Hours: 24 hours, Monday to Sunday

Harbour Front Parkade - 51 Gordon Street (HONK Mobile Zone 383)

Hours: 24 hours, Monday to Sunday

Bastion Street Parkade - 236 Bastion Street (HONK Mobile Zone 384)

Pay Parking: 8am-5pm  Monday to Friday  Free Evenings & Weekends

Cavan Street Lots (HONK Mobile Zone 390 or 391) & Wallace Wentworth Street Lot (HONK Mobile Zone 387)

Pay Parking: 8am-5pm  Monday to Friday  Free Evenings & Weekends

Maffeo Sutton Park - 68 Arena Street (HONK Mobile Zone 392)

Pay Parking: 8am-5pm  Monday to Friday   Free Evenings & Weekends

*See details below on Saysutshun Newcastle Island Day and Overnight Parking at Maffeo Sutton Park.

Brechin Boat Ramp** - 1900 Zorkin Road (HONK Mobile Zone 385)

Pay Parking: Daily  Monday to Sunday

**Parking use is limited to boat ramp users ONLY.  Visible means of launching a boat is required to park in this lot.

Multi-day parking available at the meter. Extensions available with HONK Mobile App.

Annual Boat Ramp Parking Permits available.

Brechin Boat Ramp Annual Parking Pass Application

Monthly Parking Passes 

If you are a downtown employee or resident you may find your parking needs require a monthly parking pass. Monthly parking passes are available for most of the City Off-Street Parkades.

For monthly parking pass inquiries, please contact Parking Services at parkingpasses@nanaimo.ca or by calling 250-755-4468 for details on the best options for your parking needs.

Monthly passes start on the 1st of a month and end the last day of the month.  Passes are not prorated if started after the 1st of a month.

If you would like to register for a monthly permit please complete the application below.  Once submitted, your application will be processed (within 3 business days) and you will be contacted to finalize and make payment.  

Parkade Pass Application

If you would like to renew an existing pass or re-activate a previous pass please contact us at parkingpasses@nanaimo.ca to make these arrangements.

Temporary On-Street Parking Passes

There are instances when a vehicle requires parking on-street for an extended period of time. In these circumstances a Temporary On-Street Parking Pass can be purchased for the duration needed, in the location needed. Passes are $10 per day, per space. In downtown pay parking areas these permits are available at the meter.  Please contact Parking Services (250-755-4468) for more information. 

Commercial Vehicles & Decals

If you own a commercial vehicle and would like to have access to Commercial Vehicle Loading Zones, see Commercial Vehicle Permits or contact the Permit Center at 411 Dunsmuir Street (250-754-4251) for assistance.

• Commercial Vehicle Permits

Resident Parking Passes

If you are looking for more information regarding Resident Exempt parking passes please see the Resident parking information page.

• Resident Parking Information

Brechin Boat Ramp Annual Parking Passes 

Annual passes are valid for one year from the date of purchase.  Parking passes are digitally applied to vehicle license plates which are collected from the passholder at the time of purchase.  Purchase of a parking pass does not guarantee parking space availability in the parking lot.  All vehicles parked in the Brechin Boat Ramp lot must show visible means of launching a boat.

Current Rates:
$75 for a Boat Trailer Vehicle Pass (Towing Vehicle License Plates required).
$50 for a Car Top Vehicle Pass (Vehicle License Plates required).

• Brechin Boat Ramp Parking Pass Application

Purchase of single day-use parking is available from the onsite Ticket Dispenser. Fees for single day parking are $6 per day.  Multi-day parking is available at the Ticket Dispenser.

For more information please contact Parking Services 250-755-4468.

Saysutshun Newcastle Island Day or Overnight Parking - Maffeo Sutton Park

Visitors to Saysutshun Newcastle Island can find available day or overnight parking in the Maffeo Sutton Park parking lot at 68 Arena Street.  Payment is required and multiday parking is available.  Parking is $9/24 hour day or by the hour.  Please ensure your parking stub is displayed on your dash.  Evenings, weekends and statutory holidays are free.  Please purchase the required parking for the payable parking time you are in the lot. 

If you are parking before and after a free parking period (a weekend or statutory holiday), 2 parking sessions will need to be purchased.  One, for the time leading up to the free parking timeframe and one for the period after the free parking timeframe. In this situation, please place both receipts on your dash for clarification.  HONK Mobile can also be used to complete your parking sessions.

Parking Extensions - Maffeo Sutton Park - HONK Mobile (Zone 392)

If you are not able to return to your vehicle prior to your pay parking expiring, you can extend your parking via the HONK mobile contactless parking app.  For more information, please contact Parking Services 250-755-4468.

Overnight camping is not permitted in Maffeo Sutton Park.

For further information, please call Parking Services at 250-755-4468.