March 23, 2026 Regular Council Summary

Rise and Report

Council appointed Mikel Romo to the Board of Variance for a three-year term.
Section 7a

Presentations

Representatives from United Way BC provided Council with an overview of the 2025 Nanaimo point-in-time homelessness count.
Section 8a

Representatives from BC Housing and United Way BC provided Council with information regarding the BC Tri-Lateral Alignment Project.
Section 8b

Representatives from BC Housing provided Council with an update on BC Housing HEART and HEARTH projects in Nanaimo.

Committee Recommendations

Recommendation from the March 11, 2026 Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness meeting:

• Council directed staff to bring forward a report regarding options for setting benchmark goals as per the Rick Hansen Foundation standards for accessible facilities.

  Section 10a

Recommendations from the  March 18, 2026 Finance and Audit Committee meeting:

• Council directed staff to retain the status quo, as per the current Council Spending and Amenities Policy, which would: 
  1. Increase Mayor and Council salaries to median rates based on the 2025 remuneration survey, effective 2026-NOV-01.
  2. Continue to annually apply the BC Annual Percent Consumer Price Index (CPI) to the prior year’s base compensation amount to a maximum of 2% per year.
  3. Provide no reimbursement for dependant care expenses to Mayor and Council.
• Council deferred a motion to direct staff to proceed with a Development Cost Charge (DCC) Reduction Bylaw, with a 75% DCC reduction for not-for-profit rental and supportive housing to a future Council meeting.

• Council approved a $20,000 Heritage Façade Grant for the Angell's Trading building at 426 Fitzwilliam Street.
• Council approved allocation of the 2025 operating surplus as follows:
  • General Fund
    • Special Initiatives Reserve    5,475,135
    • RCMP Contract Reserve    4,015,860
    • Property Acquisition Reserve   1,700,000
    • Snow and Ice Control Reserve    257,000
      Total    $ 11,447,995
  • Sewer Fund
    • Sewer Reserve   $ 340,938
  • Water Fund
    • Water Reserve   $ 1,592,953

• Council amended the 2026 – 2030 Financial Plan to include:
  • A $149,900 grant to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island in 2026 to support the Home Away from Home project,
  • An ongoing annual allocation of $250,000 for all five years of the Financial Plan to support DCC Waivers and Reductions provided for non-market (affordable) housing units.
• Council approved the City of Nanaimo Partners in Parks Policy COU-252.

Section 10b

Delegations

Deborah Hollins, Executive Director, Nanaimo Family Life Association, and Violet Hayes, Executive Director, Island Crisis Care Society, spoke regarding their request for a letter of support for the Hub, seeking funding from BC Housing to assist in relocating services to a permanent location.

In response to the proposal, Council directed staff to contact Island Health to discuss the potential of locating the Hub at 250 Albert Street and report back to Council.
Section 11a

Reports

Council consented on behalf of the electors to the adoption of "Southern Community Sewer Local Service Departure Bay Forcemain Twinning Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 1904, 2026".
Section 12a

Three “housekeeping” bylaws related to Land Use Contracts, which were terminated by the Province on 2024-JUN-30, passed three readings.
Section 12b

Council authorized the road closure of a portion of Victoria Avenue and Corunna Avenue, adjacent to 4295 Victoria Avenue, to support the Loudon Park Improvement Project. An accompanying bylaw passed two readings.
Section 12c

Council is recommending that the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch approve the application for a liquor primary licence at 1975 Bollinger Road.
Section 13a

An application to rezone 950 Phoenix Way, to allow a future industrial and agro-industrial development, and parkland dedication, passed two readings. A public hearing will be held prior to third reading being considered.
Section 13b

Bylaw Updates

"City Plan Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 6600.001" was adopted.
Section 14a

"Zoning Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 4500.213" was adopted.
Section 14b

"Park Dedication Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2023 No. 7182.01" was adopted.
Section 14c

"Public Works Yard Updates Borrowing Bylaw 2026 No. 7450” was adopted.
Section 14d

Correspondence and Other Business

Correspondence will be sent to the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), indicating support for the proposed changes to the RDN’s voting structure.
Section 15a

The Mayor, on behalf of Council, will be providing a letter of support to the Nanaimo Hornets Rugby Football Club for their application to the “BC Gaming” program.
Section 15b

Council directed staff to bring forward the following amendments to the Council Procedure Bylaw:

• That Council not act in response to a delegation in the same meeting, unless it is to refer the matter to Staff for a report or to a Committee for further review, or unless Council resolves by a 2/3 vote to consider the matter immediately, and,
• That any amendment to a motion for which notice has been given must remain within the original intent and scope of that notice and that any amendment that significantly alters the substance or intent of the motion will require a new notice of motion.

Section 17a,b

A request to reconsider a previously defeated motion regarding endorsement of the “Forestry is a Solution” campaign was deferred to a future meeting.
Section 17c

March 23, 2026 Regular Council meeting – agenda, documents and video