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Last Saturday morning I went to Maffeo Sutton Park to chat with American visitors who were in town as a show of support and solidarity with Canada. Called Tod’s Nanaimo Infusion, the idea was for people from the United States who disagreed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation rhetoric to help support a Canadian city’s local economy. 

It wound up being more than that to a number of the Americans who I spoke with, who not only found a welcoming city on an Island with stunning natural surroundings, but also told me that they found hope for the future of their country with one another. 

I’m honoured to share some of what they told me in my story below. 

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

Talking with Americans at Tod’s Nanaimo Infusion

The Discourse spoke to American tourists visiting Canada as part of Tod’s Nanaimo Infusion.

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Council corner

Nanaimo city council will be meeting on Monday, May 5 at 7 p.m. after cancelling its regular meeting which fell on the voting day for the federal election. On the agenda are awards for financial reporting and aquatic programming and quarterly updates from Tourism Nanaimo, the Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation and the Nanaimo Systems Planning Organization. 

Council will also discuss some changes to the financial plan to increase funding for cleaning public spaces, a grant for the Vancouver Island Slopestyle 2025 event and increased funding for the Japanese-Canadian Memorial Garden project and the Beban Park outdoor performance space, as well as supporting a bid to host Pacific Contact.

There will also be three delegations about the planned development of a boathouse and community centre in Loudon Park.

There are also reports on the Evolve ebike program, the Nanaimo Economy, 2025 property tax rates and development permits. 

In other business, councillor Erin Hemmens will propose a motion for city staff to draft policy on the distribution of new supportive housing projects in the city. Another motion to invite representatives of the Newcastle Community Association to talk to the Public Safety Committee is also on the agenda after being deferred from the Jan. 20 council meeting.

On the Island

🌊 A new shelter opened last month in Duncan for young people aged 15 to 18 in crisis or at risk of harm or homelessness. Our Cowichan Valley reporter Eric Richards has the story.

In other news

👉 The the Nanaimo sign in Maffeo Sutton Park was vandalized for a second time with someone painting the “O” on it white to match the other letters, covering up a rainbow design that is similar to the United Nations Sustainability Goals. It had previously been the target of graffiti against the World Economic Forum, of which a small but vocal group of people in Nanaimo believes controls the mayor and city council. City staff cleaned the white paint off and there were already plans to repaint it with a different design. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story. 

👉A new 22-unit complex care housing building is proposed on a vacant lot on Boxwood Road between Dufferin Crescent and Madsen Road. The proposed BC Housing building will be the third complex-care housing unit in the city where people experiencing homelessness can be supported with health-care supports from Island Health. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story.  

Plans were also unveiled for another permanent supportive housing project at 250 Terminal Ave., which has been occupied by temporary trailers housing people experiencing homelessness since 2018. The five-storey apartment building will have 50 units. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the details. 

👉 In an effort to reduce long lines in the mornings, the Medical Arts Centre in the Port Place Mall will now allow people to book same-day appointments over the phone starting at 8 a.m. The change also comes as Nanaimo’s second Urgent and Primary Care Clinic on Norwell Drive opened its doors today. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story. 

👉 A group of protesters picketed Nanaimo City Hall after the seasonal winter funding for a cold-weather shelter at the MidIsland Community Connection Centre — operated by Risebridge Society — ended this week. CHLY has a news story as well as interviews with a shelter guest, a Risebridge volunteer and an executive from BC Housing on Midcoast Morning.

Have something to say about the news? Email nanaimo@thediscourse.ca. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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