A Future Fit Cities public-service page · Nanaimo, BC
Who looks after what in Nanaimo
A plain-language guide to what Nanaimo City Council can actually fix — and where to send the rest. Then vote on the part they control.
Vote · Saturday, October 17, 2026This page does not support, oppose, or endorse any candidate or slate. It exists for one reason: to help residents understand who is responsible for what, so your questions reach the right desk — and to encourage every eligible Nanaimo resident to vote on October 17. Who you vote for is entirely up to you.
Your city is one layer in a bigger system
Your city is one layer in a larger system. Local, regional, provincial, federal and private bodies all share the map — and each has its own address for questions and complaints. Sending frustration to the wrong one just means nothing changes. Here's how to tell them apart.
City Council
Nanaimo's mayor and 8 councillors decide this. Your October vote shapes it directly.
Shared / partnered
The City has a hand in it, but so do other governments. It's genuinely complicated.
Someone else entirely
A different government or a private company. Council can advocate, but can't decide it.
What Nanaimo City Council does control
These are the levers Council pulls through the City budget, bylaws and staff. If it's on this list, the ballot box is exactly the right tool.
Local roads, sidewalks & bridges
Potholes, street lighting, crosswalks, snow clearing and repaving on city-owned roads.
Water, sewer & storm drains
Your tap water, the sanitary sewer system, and drainage that keeps streets from flooding.
Garbage, recycling & organics pickup
Curbside collection at your home. (The regional landfill itself is run by the RDN — see below.)
Parks, trails, rec centres & pools
Beban Park, Westwood Lake, the Aquatic Centre, arenas, playgrounds and sports fields.
Fire service & local policing
Nanaimo Fire Rescue, and the RCMP contract the City pays for — Council approves the police budget and sets local priorities, even though officers' day-to-day operations stay independent.
Land use, zoning & development
What can be built where, rezonings, building permits, secondary suites and neighbourhood plans.
Bylaws & enforcement
Noise, unsightly premises, parking rules and animal control within the city.
Business licensing & local economic development
Licensing local businesses and supporting downtown, tourism and local investment.
Bike lanes, walkways & parking
Active-transportation routes and on-street parking on city roads.
The City budget & your municipal property taxes
Council sets the municipal tax rate every year. If property taxes are your issue, this is the right election to raise it — just note your bill also includes charges the City only collects (see the FAQ).
What City Council doesn't control — and who to call instead
Council can write letters and lobby on any of these, but it can't decide, fund or fix them. When one of these is your issue, here's the desk that can actually act.
Common mix-ups, cleared up
What's the difference between City Council and the Regional District of Nanaimo?
City Council governs the City of Nanaimo — the services and decisions inside city limits.
The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) is a federation of Nanaimo, neighbouring towns like Parksville and Qualicum Beach, and rural electoral areas. It delivers services that cross municipal boundaries: transit, regional parks, the landfill and regional recycling, some regional water systems, and 911 dispatch. If you live in the city you elect City Council; rural residents elect RDN electoral-area directors.
My bus was late again — who do I actually call?
The Regional District of Nanaimo and BC Transit, not City Hall. The RDN is the local government that approves transit service levels and fares, and BC Transit runs the system with it. Reach the RDN transit line at 250-390-4531 or rdn.bc.ca/regional-transit.
Why did the RDN pay to tear up Hammond Bay Road when it's inside the city?
Because the project was a regional wastewater upgrade — the Departure Bay pump station and force main, which handles a large share of the city's sewage — not a City road repair. The road happened to sit on top of the pipe, so it had to be opened to do the work. It's a good example of how "inside city limits" doesn't always mean "the City's project."
Are my rising property taxes Council's fault?
Partly — and it's worth knowing which part. When you hear "Nanaimo taxes went up 6.4% in 2026," that figure is only the City's own line. Your annual notice is actually a stack of separate charges the City collects for other bodies, and each one sets its own increase. Here's what that looked like on a typical 2026 notice:
So for an average home (assessed around $797,000), the City's portion rose roughly $195 — the 6.4% you heard about, and the part Council genuinely owns. But the Regional District added about 5.7% of its own, and the regional hospital district's share climbed to help fund upgrades at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. If your total bill jumped by more than 6.4%, that extra came from the non-City lines — not from Council.
Two more things worth knowing when you compare year to year. First, your assessment going up doesn't automatically raise your tax — it only does if your home rose more than the town-wide average. Second, water, sewer and garbage are billed as separate user fees on top of all this (each up about 4–5% in 2026). Your own notice at mycity.nanaimo.ca lists every line in dollars, so you can see exactly which one moved.
So what's the point of voting if the City doesn't run half of this?
Because the half it does run touches your day constantly: the roads you drive, the water you drink, the parks your kids use, how fast homes get approved, what your neighbourhood is allowed to become, and how much of your tax bill the City sets. Local elections are usually decided by a small number of votes — which means yours carries more weight here than almost anywhere else.
Now vote on the part they control
On October 17 you elect a mayor and 8 councillors for a four-year term. Nanaimo has no wards — everyone votes for the whole council.
General Voting Day
Saturday, October 17, 20268:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Advance voting
Wed, Oct 7 & Wed, Oct 148:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Beban Park Social Centre, 2300 Bowen Road.
Vote anywhere
There are no assigned polling stations for local elections — cast your ballot at any Nanaimo voting place that's convenient.
Vote by mail
Apply through the City, then return your ballot so it arrives before 8 p.m. on Oct 17. Apply early — applications close Fri, Oct 16. Details at nanaimo.ca/elections.
Who can vote
Age 18+, a Canadian citizen, a BC resident for 6+ months, and a Nanaimo resident (or a registered non-resident property owner).
Bring ID
You'll need to prove your identity and where you live. Check the City's list of accepted ID before you go.
Find the candidates & everything official: the confirmed candidate list, voting places and forms are all on the City's election site. We deliberately don't list or rank candidates here.
City of Nanaimo Elections · nanaimo.ca/elections · elections@nanaimo.ca · 250-755-4405