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Last week, the Regional District of Nanaimo made a small but important step forward to allow people to live full-time in recreational vehicles on private property.

You may recall past reporting from The Discourse about this issue and we are pleased to provide you with a short update. The district is creating a policy that will allow property owners to apply for a temporary use permit for full-time RV living for up to three years. This is in an effort to address regional housing shortages and affordability.

You can read the story below.

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

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Regional District of Nanaimo developing policy on full-time living in recreational vehicles

District staff will also create a rural housing strategy. 

Council Corner

Here’s what happened at Monday’s Nanaimo city council meeting. 

• Dr. Dennis Johnson, interim president of Vancouver Island University, made a presentation on the state of the university asking for the city’s help through a “difficult transition period.”

• Council approved the advisory committee on accessibility and inclusiveness’ 2025 annual report.

• Council directed staff to update the Nanaimo Zoning bylaw, including adding pre-zoning for social housing.

• Council heard delegations about the Nanaimo Foundation’s 2025 Vital Signs Report, wildfire prevention through the removal of invasive scotch broom and noise from a car wash.

• The Nanaimo Acute Response Table gave an update on its work and requested a letter of support from council for a $30,000 grant application from the province, which was approved unanimously.

• A new roundabout at Hammond Bay Road and Brickyard Road, budgeted at $350,000,  was deferred to the city’s Public Safety Committee. Meanwhile, $50,000 was approved for crosswalk improvements at Townsite Road and Holly Avenue.

• Amendments to the city’s financial plan were approved. 

• The city’s streamlined business licence requirements for food trucks and other mobile food vendors were approved. 

• A Telus telecommunications tower on Nanaimo Lakes Road and two streetlight / antenna poles at the intersection of Turner Road and Island Highway North were approved.

• A housing agreement for a 35-unit supportive housing building owned by BC Housing at 355 Nicol St. was approved.

• Council agreed to send a letter of support for the Chase River Community Association's application for federal funding for its Chase River Heritage Day. 
  

On the Island

How 75 paintings by a renowned Dutch Canadian artist found a new home at the Cowichan Public Art Gallery

🌊 Wayfinder, featuring the art of Will Julsing, can be viewed at the Cowichan Public Art Gallery until March 28. Read the full story by Cowichan Valley reporter Eric Richards.

In other news

👉 A Vancouver Island marmot is predicting another six weeks of winter after seeing its shadow at the Toney Barret Mount Washington Recovery Centre. CHEK News has the story.

👉 Stone Soup, an organization that ran a food distribution service for people who are unhoused in Nanaimo, has been evicted from the former firehall on Victoria Road after months of failing to pay rent. This is the second time the organization has been evicted for failure to pay rent and Island Health pulled its food safety permit recently. CHEK News has the story.

👉 A new Wind Phone has been installed as a public arts project in the Bowen Road Cemetery to help people process their grief of losing loved ones. The concept of a Wind Phone originated in Japan following a devastating earthquake and tsunami in that country. CHLY has the story.

👉 According to BC Assessment, the number of new properties built in the Regional District of Nanaimo was 0.3 per cent in 2025. Meanwhile, the value of new construction in the City of Nanaimo dropped nearly $40 million compared to the previous year at $316 million. The Nanaimo News Bulletin has the story.

Have your say

📣 The City of Nanaimo wants to hear from residents about compensation for tenants who have to relocate if the rental apartment buildings they live in are redeveloped. 

The Rental Tenant Relocation Assistance project is looking at creating a city policy or regulation “that provides meaningful support for tenants at risk of eviction when rental buildings with four or more units are redeveloped.”

“Many residents in older apartment buildings face vulnerability during redevelopment, with limited affordable alternatives,” a City of Nanaimo press release says. “This initiative seeks to ensure future redevelopment considers renters’ needs and helps those most at risk of displacement.”

Residents can fill out an online survey between Jan. 28 and Feb. 18, 2026. The survey and additional information can be found on Get Involved Nanaimo.

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