Quick Stats

  • As of 2025, Nanaimo has:
    • 527 km of roads
    • 458 km of sidewalks
    • ~1,293 marked crosswalks
    • ~53 pedestrian activated crosswalk-warning beacons.

Planning for Pedestrians

Nanaimo’s Official Community Plan, City Plan: Nanaimo Reimagined includes policies and targets that guide city planning for Nanaimo’s transportation system including pedestrian facilities. Here are a few highlights from the plan:

  • City Plan has a target to double the number of walking trips by the year 2041
  • The “Hierarchy of Mobility Modes” prioritizes walking and rolling over other modes of transportation.
  • Land Use Priority – Nanaimo’s Urban Centres are the highest priority for pedestrian infrastructure, as they have the highest density of services, jobs, and housing.
  • One of City Plan’s main goals is “A Connected Nanaimo”. This highlights how important it is for all parts of the transportation network to connect and work together.

Complete Streets

“Complete Streets” are streets designed to enable safe and comfortable use by all – including pedestrians – regardless of their age or ability.

In 2020, Nanaimo City Council adopted the City’s first "Complete Streets" road design standards 

Council's Pedestrian Infrastructure Improvement Funding

Nanaimo City Council dedicates $300,000 or more per year to a “Pedestrian Unallocated” fund. This money goes towards select pedestrian improvement projects throughout the city. These projects tend to be relatively small-scale and identified/delivered in the shorter term as opposed to the City’s Capital Projects which are normally planned out and funded years in advance. In past years, the pedestrian unallocated funding has been put towards pedestrian improvements such as crosswalk enhancements, accessibility improvements, and sidewalk infill.

 

Crosswalk Improvement Prioritization Tool

The Transportation group receives many requests for crosswalk improvements. With more than 1200 crosswalks in Nanaimo, and limited resources to upgrade these, we have to focus investments on the crosswalks that have the greatest potential to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity.

To help with this, the City uses a crosswalk improvement prioritization tool which generates a "score" for each crosswalk in Nanaimo. These scores are based on:

Risk Factors:

  • The posted speed limit
  • Volume of vehicles travelling on the road
  • Collision history
  • Length of the pedestrian crossing

Trip Generator Factors:

  • Within or near a City Centre, as designated in City Plan
  • WalkScore
  • Proximity to a transit stop, plus usage levels
  • Equity Analysis
  • Proximity to a school

This tool is typically used to help select Pedestrian Unallocated projects, and as a reference when the City receives requests for improvements at specific cross walks.


Sidewalk FAQS

1. Why doesn’t Nanaimo have sidewalks on every road?

There are a few reasons why Nanaimo’s sidewalk network is incomplete

Historical development

  • For many years, roads were constructed with the main goal of moving cars as efficiently as possible, meaning sidewalks were often not included when new roads were built. 
  • In the 1970s, Nanaimo amalgamated with formerly rural areas such as Harewood, the Hammond Bay Road area and the Jingle Pot Road area. Many of these were built as rural roads without sidewalks before the City acquired them. 

Cost 

The cost of building new sidewalks is over $2000 per metre, and is steadily increasing. It would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to add sidewalks to all areas of Nanaimo that do not have them.

2. How does the City get more sidewalks?

Because we cannot quickly build out the sidewalk network without breaking the bank, we have to be strategic.

Prioritizing 

We have to ensure we are putting our limited resources towards projects that will have significant benefits. Schedule 3 of City Plan: Nanaimo Reimagined identifies Primary and Secondary Active Mobility Routes, and these are considered priorities for investment.  City Plan also supports considering safety, demand, and equity when prioritizing new pedestrian infrastructure.

Taking opportunities as they come up 

There are times when sidewalks can be added for a smaller cost

  • With other infrastructure projects – By building new sidewalks along with other infrastructure projects (such as water or sewer utility line upgrades) we can save a lot of money. This is because costs such as equipment rental and  traffic control can be shared. Even with these cost saving opportunities, we cannot provide sidewalks along with all utility projects due to budget constraints.
  • With private development – most larger developments are required to fund and construct “frontage works and services” along their property frontage. This includes sidewalks. Because developers are only obligated to construct works in front of the development property, this can create segments of sidewalks that end at the edge of the development property. We believe that it is better to get some sidewalk than none.
  • By using lower-cost interim standards - While sidewalks are the “gold standard”, they are not the only way to enhance pedestrian safety. The City has used lower-cost measures, such as delineating bollards, to improve pedestrian safety at a greatly reduced cost.

3. My house has a sidewalk in front of it. What are my responsibilities?

The Nanaimo Traffic and Highways Bylaw No. 5000 requires that property owners and occupants (renters) clear snow, ice, and rubbish from sidewalks and footpaths bordering the property within 24 hours. It also requires that snow, ice, or rubbish be removed from rooftops when there is a danger of this falling on people who are using the sidewalk.

Please ensure that waste collection carts do not obstruct the sidewalk or bike lanes - both while stored, and on waste collection day. Carts blocking the sidewalk can be especially disruptive for pedestrians who use mobility devices.

More info on cart placement: [LS4] https://www.nanaimo.ca/city-services/garbage-recycling/cart-placement

4. Are bikes, kick-scooters, skateboards, roller blades/skates etc. allowed on sidewalks?

No. According to Bylaw No 5000, bicycles and "micromobility" devices (e.g. kick scooters and skateboards) must stay on the roadway or in a bike lane. People who use mobility devices such as mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs are pedestrians. These devices are allowed on sidewalks and anywhere else pedestrians travel.  

Last updated: July 17, 2025


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