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 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 enforceable 7 days a week, 24 hours per day except on statutory holidays.

2 hour on-street parking map (PDF)

Meter Parking

Street parking rates (enforced Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, free evenings and weekends):

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

Downtown Nanaimo 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)

Parking Meter Assistance

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

Understanding Re-Metering and the Downtown Zone

In an effort to keep downtown business parking available to the public the Restricted 2 hour On-Street Parking Zone was implemented to accommodate short term downtown parking.

Restricted 2 Hour On-Street Parking Zone map (PDF) 

Inside this zone, parkers are only allowed to park for 1 session of 2 hours per day. Once the limit has been reached, parkers will need to move their vehicle outside the zone to re-park or park in one of the 3 main parkades. Parkers who remain within the restricted zone will be subject to a violation notice. There is no limit to the amount of time a parker can park their vehicle in a parkade. (This does not include long term storage of vehicles.) We encourage all downtown parkers to take advantage of the parkade parking whenever they are unsure of the time they need to park.

City of Nanaimo Downtown Lots and Parkades

The City of Nanaimo has 3 major parkade structures located in downtown Nanaimo with 871 stalls available for public use.

City of Nanaimo Off-Street Outdoor Parkades

Off-street parking map (PDF)

Downtown parking options free on evenings after 5 p.m. and on weekends (PDF)

Parkade Hourly Rates

PoNC/VICC

Hours: 24 hours, Mon-Sun

Harbour front

Hours: 24 hours, Mon-Sun

Bastion Street

Hours: 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri

Cavan & Wallace Lots

Hours: 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri

Maffeo Sutton - Park Arena St

Hours: 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri

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

Brechin Boat Ramp**

Hours: 7am-11pm, Mon-Sun

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

Ticket dispensing machines in all City off-street facilities accept coins, Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Multi-day parking is available at this lot through the ticket dispenser.

Monthly Parking Passes for Off-Street Facilities

If you are a downtown employee or resident you may find your parking needs require a monthly parking pass. Monthly parking passes are available at most of the City Off-Street Parkades. For monthly parking pass inquiries, please contact Parking Services 250-755-4468 for details on the best options for your parking needs.

Renew your monthly parking pass

Parking Extensions & Multiple Day Parking in Parkades

Parkade ticket meters offer 24 hour parking for up to 7 days. Should you be out of town when your parking expires, please contact Parking Services 250-755-4468 to make over-the-phone arrangements for parking extensions.

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

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 stall. Please contact Parking Services (250-755-4468) for assistance. 

Meter Hoods

There are instances where a vehicle requires parking on-street at a meter for an extended period of time. In these circumstances a Meter Hood can be signed out for the duration needed, in the location needed. Meter Hoods are $10 per day, with a $20 security deposit required. 

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 Passes (Annual)

Annual Brechin Boat Ramp parking passes are available for purchase Monday through Friday at the Service and Resource Center at 411 Dunsmuir Street.  For details or assistance please email parkingpasses@nanaimo.ca .

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 and Vehicle Pass (Towing Vehcile plate(s) required).
$50 for a Car Top Boat Pass (Vehicle License Plate(s) required).

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.

Newcastle Island Day or Overnight Parking - Maffeo Sutton Park

Visitors to Newcastle Island can find available day or overnight parking in the Maffeo Sutton Park parking lot.  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, 2 parking stubs may be required.  One, for the time leading up to the free parking and one for the period of time remaining after the free parking period. 

Overnight camping is not permitted in Maffeo Sutton Park.

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