People sometimes ask: ‘Don’t you feel isolated living on an Island? What do you do if you need to go somewhere?’ Well, let’s compare:

Nanaimo’s central location works to its advantage in a lot of ways, enabling convenient travel to renowned urban, rural, and wilderness attractions. Downtown Vancouver is only a 20-minute float plane/Helijet or 70-minute ferry ride away. Victoria, BC’s capital, is only a 90-minute drive and it’s a 30-minute drive to resort towns like Parksville and Qualicum Beach. If you’re after more adventure, a scenic 3-hour drive will have you in spectacular West Coast destinations of Tofino and Ucuelet.

What do YOU do if you need to go somewhere? No matter where you are, you are closer to some things and farther from others. In Nanaimo, we are close enough to engage with BC’s large economic hubs and just far enough away to still enjoy none of the drawbacks of living in a big city.

The City’s demographics are evolving with a considerable recent influx of people aged 25 to 44 – a trend expected to continue for the next decade. As one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, attraction to Nanaimo is driven by our central location, enjoyable west coast lifestyle, employment opportunities, close proximity to cities of Vancouver and Victoria, and our stunning natural environment of ocean and mountains.

Nanaimo is comprised of 20 distinct neighbourhoods. Brechin Hill, for instance, perched overlooking Departure Bay and Saysutshan (Newcastle Island), a 900-acre marine provincial park accessible by boat, is one example, a hillside neighbourhood with lovely ocean, gulf island and mountain views. Another is the Old City Quarter with its quaint collection of shops and eateries, period homes and multi-family density just up the hill from Nanaimo’s historic downtown and active waterfront. Hammond Bay is characterised by waterfront and hillside view homes with easy access to beaches at Piper’s Lagoon and Rocky Point while Jingle Pot offers acreages for your pet projects.

Whether you are looking for rural, suburban, or urban living, Nanaimo offers an array of attractive options from small apartments to character homes and luxury condos to hobby farms. One thing is for sure, wherever you choose to live in Nanaimo, your days of sitting in traffic or in long-distance highway driving are over! Per the 2023 Vital Signs Report by the Nanaimo Foundation, 43.8% of Nanaimo’s workers travel less than 15 minutes to work and 81.2% travel less than 30 minutes. Just think what you’ll be able to do with all that found time!

Explore Nanaimo

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Climate & Population
Climate & Population
Infrastructure
History
Recreation
Sport
Entertainment
Charity
Education
Shopping & Dining
Festivals & Events
Meetings & Conventions
Facilities
Climate & Population

Nanaimo enjoys the best climate in Canada. Our temperate climate is characteristic of the southern coastal region of British Columbia. We’re sorry to disappoint the stereotype but this isn’t the ‘Frozen North’. The best climate in Canada tends to be neither cold in winter nor hot in summer (the unpredictability of climate change notwithstanding). Let’s put it this way, snow tire sales are not a high volume business in Nanaimo.

About 110,000 people live in Nanaimo. The service area population (Regional District of Nanaimo) is about 170,000 people. Our tertiary hospital (Nanaimo Regional General Hospital) serves half the population of Vancouver Island – about 450,000 people. Nanaimo, by population, is actually the largest municipality on Vancouver Island. Greater Victoria, with about half of the Island’s population, is a network of thirteen municipalities.

Did you know that Vancouver Island has a population of nearly 1 million people and is the size of Taiwan? A North American comparison, the State of Massachusetts in the United States is 10,555 square miles (27,340 square kilometers). Vancouver Island is 12,079 square miles (31,285 square kilometers).

Infrastructure

As a city, Nanaimo has excellent infrastructure (especially our enviable municipal water works) that aims to sustain the high quality of life residents enjoy as the community continues to evolve. While hydro-electricity powers most of the Island, a third of Nanaimo households are powered by another clean-power alternative: biomass and recaptured steam.

Did you know that fibre optic cables run their way through over 90% of Nanaimo, Lantzville, and Snuneymuxw and Snaw-Naw-As First Nations? This web of connectivity is for a lot more than just emailing and browsing linkedin but has increased bandwidth capable for high-speed data transfer, involving large-scale file sharing, cloud computing, and video conferencing essential for the software and IT industry.

Immediate highway access stretches south to Victoria, north to Port Hardy and west to Tofino/Ucluelet. BC Ferries connect to North Vancouver, Tswassen and Gabriola Island. Hullo Passenger Ferry connects to downtown Vancouver. Float plane and Helijet offer scheduled services to downtown Vancouver, YVR, Sunshine Coast and Tofino. Nanaimo Airport provides scheduled services with Air Canada, WestJet and Pacific Coastal Air to Vancouver, Calgary, Kelowa and Prince George with seasonal services to Toronto.

Essentially, Nanaimo has everything you need, including significant unrealized potential – a perfect setting for your new idea to take root.

Median household income, employment rates, building permits, and other positive indicators continue trending upwards as residents enjoy their West Coast lifestyles. (See stats page)

History

The discovery of coal thrust the community into prominence in the 1850s and coal mining along with forestry and fisheries drove development for 100 years. Nanaimo later emerged as the business and service centre for central Vancouver Island and has continued to expand and diversify. Now, Nanaimo is home to Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, one of only two tertiary hospitals on the Island, and the Pacific Biological Station which is part of a network of nine major scientific facilities operated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Nanaimo, though one of the oldest communities in British Columbia, is still in the process of becoming. There is room for you here in this still-to-be-defined space. While Vancouver is internationally known and Victoria, the BC Capital, has an iconic identity, Nanaimo is unfinished, full of contrasts, and undefined. Nanaimo is urban, rural, and suburban. It’s industrial and surrounded by natural beauty. It’s close to Vancouver, and yet far away. It’s unapologetically itself—informal, non-conforming, and unpretentious.

Recreation

Nestled between the Salish Sea and Vancouver Island Mountains, the urban and natural setting of Nanaimo gives you access to myriad activities. From exhilarating bungee jumping and mountain biking to serene hikes, ocean kayaking, sailing, and scuba diving. In fact, Jacques Cousteau considered these waters “the best temperate diving in the world, second to only the Red Sea.”

Nanaimo is home to a diverse community of nature-goers. Residents embrace immense recreational opportunities with 180 kilometers of trails, 1000 hectares of city parks, numerous public beaches and playgrounds, and 5km of walkable waterfront. The City also promotes active living activities like ice skating, swimming and more that can be found on City’s Activity Guide! Or to search for all Nanaimo facilities, click here.

And centrally positioned on the east coast of Vancouver Island, you’re a 90-minute drive to alpine and nordic skiing at Mount Washington, within 60 minutes of a dozen golf courses, 45 minutes to Cowichan Valley wineries, 90 minutes to Comox Valley wineries, and a 20-minute float plane or helijet to downtown Vancouver.

Sport

As a participant or spectator, young or advanced (older), teams, leagues, and facilities abound in Nanaimo. At the top end: VI Raiders (football), Nanaimo Clippers (hockey), Night Owls (baseball), VIU (basketball, soccer, volleyball). Recreational and developmental opportunities for youth and adults are extensive and referenced for the Island region by PacificSport.

Nanaimo boasts a ‘sports zone’ adjacent to the VIU campus featuring an Olympic swimming pool, two hockey arenas, an artificial turf field for football, soccer, and la crosse, a track and field racing oval, a park for soccer and baseball, and Serauxmen Stadium, one of the best amateur baseball stadiums in Canada.

Additional gymnasia, skating rinks, curling facility, cricket pitch, swimming pools, lawn bowling, tennis and volleyball courts, a BMX track, skateboard parks and playing fields are available throughout the community.

From local sports teams to hockey arenas, swimming pools, BMX track, and skating rinks, there is plenty of Nanaimo sports activities to enjoy.

Entertainment

You’ll find local and traveling exhibitions at the Nanaimo Art Gallery; performances by the Vancouver Island Symphony and a regular schedule of local and traveling performances at the 600-seat Port Theatre. Local companies include TheatreOne and Crimson Coast Dance. Aspiring dancers will find tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and ballet instruction at several academies, etc.

After a theatrical or musical performance at Nanaimo’s intimate Port Theatre or a tour through the historic Indigenous, fishing and mining displays in the Nanaimo Museum, you can explore the local food and beverage scene and niché boutique stores. Departing from the popular Matteo Suffon Park along the downtown waterfront walkway, ferries provide short voyages to Gabriola, Protection, and Saysutshun Islands. At Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Marine Provincial Park, visitors can enjoy interpretive walking tours rooted in the rich history and culture of the local Snuneymuxw First Nation or simply hang out on the beach or wander the numerous forested pathways.

Charity

Whether a donor, volunteer or both, opportunity abounds to get involved and share your human and/or financial resources for the betterment of our community. According to Nanaimo’s Vital Signs Report produced by the Nanaimo Foundation, there were 271 registered charities in 2023 and $25.92 million in charitable donations in 2021. From Hospital, University, Community Foundations and United Way to smaller charities such as Hospice, FoodShare, Child Development, Haven Society, and environmental organizations such as Georgia Strait Alliance, Nanaimo Area Land Trust, and Rugged Coast Research Society, we have room for your contributions toward the social and environmental vitality of our community. Find a home for your charitable interest and passions here.

Education

Your children’s educational success is important and Nanaimo has an excellent environment to see your children thrive from kindergarten to post-secondary education. The Province and the City of Nanaimo are equally invested in your children’s success with initiatives like the School Enhancement Program (SEP) increasing programs and opportunities for local and international students. If you prefer private schools, several options are available for your consideration (link to private school urls). Nanaimo has three branches of the Vancouver Island Regional Library with over one million books, magazines, videos, cassettes, newspapers and other materials!

For more information on the practicalities of enrollment or specific schools or programs, please visit our Relocation Guide!

Shopping & Dining

Shopping in Nanaimo ranges from major brand retailers to one-of-a-kind shops and boutiques. Nanaimo features several indoor and outdoor malls such as Woodgrove Centre, Port Place Shopping Centre, Country Club Centre and Nanaimo North Town Centre. In Downtown Nanaimo you will find three distinct shopping districts: Arts District, Old City Quarter, and Waterfront District each offering distinctive shops and services.

As for dining, it is said that ‘variety is the spice of life.’ You’ll find French-inspired, Vietnamese, Italian, Japanese, Greek, Canadian, and Mexican cuisine along with cafes and specialty foods within two blocks of each other in the Old City Quarter. On the waterfront and in the downtown core you’ll find Burgers, Steaks, Seafood, Thai, Mexican, Fusion, French, and Organic along with cafes, bars and clubs. Exploring the many nooks and crannies throughout the City, you will find brewpubs and breweries, distilleries offering cocktails on-site, chain and local restaurants, food trucks and cafes of every description.

Nanaimo is known as the home of the Nanaimo Bar, a Canadian classic with rich chocolate, filling and a nut and coconut base. Our iconic dessert can be sampled in traditional form, with variation and even as cocktails and coffees.(Link to tourism nanaimo nanaimo bar trail)

Stay local or venture along the Nanaimo & Comox BC Ale Trail or the Cowichan, Nanaimo & Parksville Qualicum trail to sample brews at three breweries in Nanaimo as well as at their neighbours on Vancouver Island. (in general throughout site, provide links when possible.)

Festivals & Events

Nanaimo is famous for its love of quirky fun – perhaps initiated when, in 1967, a former mayor of Nanaimo famously donned a pirate costume, raised his sword and launched Nanaimo’s first annual Bathtub Race. “Tubbers” and visitors from around the world have been coming to Nanaimo for more than 40 years to take part in this now world famous festival and race.

The Bathtub Race is just one of many festivals and events in Nanaimo. Check the Tourism Nanaimo calendar of events for everything from wine and food festivals to the Diwali Festival of Lights, Pumpkin Festival, Summertime Blues Festival, Jazz Festival, Silly Boat Regatta, and other such unique events.

Meetings & Conventions

Just steps away from the scenic Nanaimo Harbour, in the heart of Nanaimo’s walkable downtown, is the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. Since opening in 2008, this venue has been recognized for exceptional service, building design, sustainability and high-tech innovation. This 38,000-sq.ft. conference space is a venue of choice for small and mid-sized meetings, conferences, tradeshows and weddings for up to 1,300.

A Courtyard Marriott Hotel opened next to the conference centre in 2023 adding 172 four-star hotel rooms to the existing hotel inventory of rooms supporting people traveling to Nanaimo.

Facilities

The Pacific Biological Station (PBS) is globally recognized for its notable contributions to fisheries, aquaculture, marine mammals, and marine ecosystems research. It plays a vital role in Nanaimo’s economy, providing employment opportunities for skilled professionals, attracting research funding, and supporting educational and training programs that contribute to the development of a skilled workforce. The waters surrounding Vancouver Island represent one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on the planet. As a result, the station acts as a nucleus for marine research in western Canada, playing a fundamental role in shaping modern fisheries science. Employing a large staff of over 180 members, including nearly 50 individuals with PhDs, the PBS stands as one of Canada’s most impressive marine research facilities.

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