Nanaimo ReImagined

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The REIMAGINE NANAIMO process has concluded and, out of that process, a new City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined has been created. The new plan was adopted by Council in 2022. Thank you to everyone who participated in this process! 

Considering our future.

Great cities aren’t created by accident. They are built by residents collectively creating a vision and road map for their City's future.

Over the past two years through the REIMAGINE NANAIMO journey, our community has shaped a vision and path forward for Nanaimo's next 25 years with a new City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined. Staff are now shifting their attention to City Plan’s implementation, which will be supported by two key documents: an Integrated Action Plan and a Monitoring Strategy. Scroll down to learn more.

Great cities aren’t created by accident. They are built by residents collectively creating a vision and road map for their City's future.

Over the past two years through the REIMAGINE NANAIMO journey, our community has shaped a vision and path forward for Nanaimo's next 25 years with a new City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined. Staff are now shifting their attention to City Plan’s implementation, which will be supported by two key documents: an Integrated Action Plan and a Monitoring Strategy. Scroll down to learn more.

The REIMAGINE NANAIMO process has concluded and, out of that process, a new City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined has been created. The new plan was adopted by Council in 2022. Thank you to everyone who participated in this process! 

  • Monitoring Strategy

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    The Monitoring Strategy will be a supporting document to City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined which will outline key indicators that provide meaningful, holistic insights on progress towards our goals. Key indicators are those that can be tracked regularly and consistently. While the City does, and will continue to monitor many supporting statistics through various processes, the focus of the Monitoring Strategy is to work together to regularly monitor a manageable selection of key indicators related to the Five City Goals.

    Great change does not happen overnight; it is achieved step-by-step through the committed, ongoing efforts of many. As we move forward, we will want to keep tabs on how we are doing and see how collective efforts are moving us towards the Five City Goals. Monitoring and reviewing allow us to look back, take stock, and adjust our efforts as needed to keep us on the right path.

    In the Monitoring Strategy, each of the Five City Goals will have priority targets and indicators:

    Targets will define, in measurable terms, desired outcomes for City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined.

    Indicators will tell us how we are doing.

    Monitoring is anticipated under two-time frames:

    Annual Monitoring will rely on data sources that are available annually to the City, such as development patterns, City investments, and City compiled data to provide a check-in on performance on key indicators. Findings could lead to prioritization of new or existing actions in the Integrated Action Plan or completion of other studies needed to accelerate progress. Annual monitoring may also identify minor City Plan Amendments for consideration.

    Five Year Monitoring will provide a more comprehensive monitoring report, relying on a mix of annual data sources, census data, and data compiled by external organizations. The five year report will provide a more in-depth review of progress, analysis of trends influencing performance on key indicators, and potential recommendations for how City Plan policy and regulations may need to be adapted as part of a five year review and update.

    The City will undertake a comprehensive Five Year City Plan Review and Update. The review will be an opportunity to consider the results of the Five Year Monitoring and determine if adjustments to policy and land use designations are required to accelerate progress towards goals. This will also include reviewing actions included in the Integrated Action Plan, to determine if new actions or adjustments to existing actions need to be made. It will also be an opportunity to consider community input and integrate potential changes based on shifts in the city, demographic trends, development activity, emerging technology and knowledge, and other aspects that influence how City Plan is implemented.

    For up-to-date information, please visit the Monitoring Strategy Webpage.

  • Integrated Action Plan

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    THE INTEGRATED ACTION PLAN

    To support City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined, we need concrete actions that the City can put in motion to make progress towards the Five City Goals. This is our Integrated Action Plan.

    The Integrated Action Plan is a supporting document to City Plan: Nanaimo Reimagined and lists the “library of actions” the City of Nanaimo is already doing, and would like to do, over the immediate and long term to implement the policies in City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined. The actions are drawn from previously endorsed or adopted plans, in addition to new actions to support the implementation of City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined.

    The Integrated Action Plan serves as a guiding document for Council to consider resource allocation through annual budgeting in order to strategically support priority actions. It is intended to be regularly referenced and reviewed by all City departments to guide their work. Acting as a living document, the Integrated Action Plan will be updated on an ongoing basis, to incorporate new actions and adjust or remove actions that have been achieved, become outdated, or been superseded, accounting for new knowledge and directions from Council or planning processes. Overall, the Plan support’s the City’s commitment to integration and interdepartmental communication, with the goal of leveraging opportunity, investing efficiently and equitably, and maximizing community benefit through City actions.

    COUNCIL’S PRIORITY ACTIONS

    Council’s Priority Actions, which form part of the Integrated Action Plan, reflect the top actions prioritized by Council that may be implemented over the next four years. It will be at Council’s discretion which actions to consider for inclusion into the City’s annual capital plans, budgets, and department plans. The Priority Actions can be found on page 16 to 33 of the Integrated Action Plan.

    The Integrated Action Plan can be found here. For more information on the Integrated Action Plan, please visit the Integrated Action Plan Webpage.

  • City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined

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    On Monday, July 4, 2022, Nanaimo City Council passed the third and final reading of the City Plan Bylaw 2022 No. 6600.Thank you to everyone in the community who helped us achieve this milestone! See below for links to the City Plan and background documents.

    Download City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined:

    City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined (full resolution)
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    City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined (low resolution)
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    City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined | Area Plans (Appendices B - F)

    City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined | Executive Summary

    City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined | Backgrounder

    For more information about City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined and additional background information, please visit the City Plan: Nanaimo ReImagined Webpage.

  • Phase 3 Public Engagement Summary

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    The Phase 3 Public Engagement Summary is now available! Thank you to everyone who took part and provided feedback. Over 1,250 participants shared their thoughts the draft City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined. The feedback gathered in Phase 3 will be considered during refinements to the draft City Plan.

    The Phase 3 Engagement Summary is being presented to the Governance and Priority Committee on May 9th, 2022 at 1pm. A copy of the Staff Report can be viewed here. Staff will also be presenting three additional reports related to Reimagine Nanaimo on May 9th, 2022. They include:

    Staff Report | Draft City Plan Amendments

    Staff Report | Land Use Designation Review Summary

    Staff Report | City Plan Development Permit Areas

    Thank you again to everyone who has taken part in REIMAGINE NANAIMO! Your insights are helping guide our community into its future.


  • Council Proposed Changes to City Plan To Date

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    Click on the GPC meeting date to see Council's proposed changes to the draft City Plan. The recommended changes will be considered at the May 9th, GPC, alongside the Phase 3 Public Engagement Summary.

    GPC, March 14, 2022 | A Green & Connected Nanaimo

    GPC, March 28, 2022 | A Healthy, An Empowered and A Prosperous Nanaimo

    GPC, April 11, 2022 | Land Use & Neighborhoods

  • Draft City Plan - February 2022

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    In February - April, 2022 the third and final phase of community engagement was held to review the draft City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined (February 2022). If you'd like to review this earlier version which the survey was passed on, you can download the draft using the links below. This draft was reviewed, refined, and changed through the Phase 3 Engagement process. View above articles to see the refined May 2022 City Plan - Nanaimo ReImaigned document, which is being considered for public hearing on June 22, 2022.

    Our Future Starts Here - REIMAGINE NANAIMO Phase 3 Video

    This 4-minute video is a great way to quickly learn about highlights in City Plan - Nanaimo ReImagined.

    Key Directions in the draft City Plan

    Because there's so much information in the draft City Plan, the REIMAGINE NANAIMO Story Map and Information Sheets summarized key directions. Similar information was presented in two different ways:

    • Nanaimo Story Map - an interactive map and journey for people who love zooming around a webpage
    • Information Sheets - for people who prefer to read a poster (slower download)

    Public Engagement is now closed. Thank you to everyone who provided their feedback! The public engagement summary was presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee meeting on May 9th, 2022. View above articles to see the Phase 3 | Public Engagement Summary. You can also visit https://www.nanaimo.ca/your-government/city-council/council-meetings/meeting-documents-and-videos to view the meeting where the summary was presented.

  • Phase 2 Public Engagement Summary

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    Phase 2 Public Engagement Summary and Appendices are now available. Thank you to everyone who took part and provided their feedback. We heard from over 2,300 participants on Nanaimo's Foundations (Goals, Targets & Indicators) and 3 Draft Scenarios. The feedback gathered in Phase 2 will be used in the preparation of a draft City Plan.

    Update: The Phase 2 Engagement Summary is being presented to the Governance and Priority Committee on November 22, 2021. A copy of the Staff Report can be viewed here.

    Thank you again to everyone who took part. We look forward to engaging with you in the Phase 3 - the final phase of REIMAGINE Nanaimo.

  • Phase 2 | FOUNDATIONS

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    In order to plan for how and where growth will happen over the next 25 years, it is important to set a strong foundation. Reimagine Nanaimo’s Foundations is based on a Draft Framework, Draft Strategic Goals and Draft Indicators and Targets. Watch the Foundations video to learn more.

  • Phase 2 | SCENARIOS

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    The choices we make – where we live and work, how we move, where we shop – all influence how Nanaimo will grow over time. Great cities aren’t created by accident. They are created through thoughtful plans and a desire by the many who live there to make great choices.

    While much of our city will remain as the neighbourhoods and features we know and love, some areas will change in the next 25 years. By choosing where to focus new growth and planning what it could look like, we can help create a great city.

    Three draft scenarios were provided for consideration. Below is a summary of each:

    Scenario 1 | The current path follows the existing Official Community Plan, meaning we’ll continue planning the way we are today. While Current Path was progressive when created in 2008, new knowledge provides opportunity to make enhancements that could move us faster towards our goals. To learn more, watch Scenario 1 video.

    Scenario 2 | Mobility Hubs focuses new growth around seven hubs distributed across the City, where transportation networks (roads, transit, cycling) come together. It encourages more housing forms like townhomes and fourplexes to fill the gap between single-family homes and apartments. In this scenario, more growth would occur in and between hubs. To learn more, watch Scenario 2 video.

    Scenario 3 | Central Focus encourages most new growth and higher-density housing within a focused urban core bounded by Downtown, the Hospital, and Vancouver Island University. It would lead to a more urban, walkable, and vibrant central core with less growth and change (though still some) in areas beyond this core. To learn more, watch Scenario 3 video.

    An detailed overview of all 3 Draft Land Use Scenarios can be found here.

  • View the Phase 1 Engagement Summary

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    Wow, Nanaimo! You’ve shared some great insights for the first phase of REIMAGINE NANAIMO – what’s great about our City, what needs work and fantastic ideas for the future. Take a browse through the Phase 1 Engagement Summary and the appendices and see what our community has shared so far. These ideas are now being used in Phase 2 of the process to identify a range of potential scenarios and options for Nanaimo’s future. Later this spring, we’ll be asking for your review and thoughts on these emerging directions. Stay tuned!