| Nanaimo | |
| Official Name: | Regional District of Nanaimo |
| Settlement Type: | Regional district |
| Image Blank Emblem: | Nanaimo_RD_BC_logo.png |
| Blank Emblem Type: | Logo |
| Map Alt: | A map of British Columbia depicting its 29 regional districts and equivalent municipalities. One is highlighted in red. |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | British Columbia |
| Seat Type: | Administrative office location |
| Seat: | Nanaimo |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Government Type: | Regional district |
| Governing Body: | Board of directors |
| Leader Title: | Chair |
| Leader Name: | Vanessa Craig (B) |
| Leader Title1: | Vice chair |
| Leader Name1: | Tyler Brown (Nanaimo) |
| Leader Title2: | Electoral areas |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Land Km2: | 2038.04 |
| Dimensions Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population As Of: | 2016 |
| Population Total: | 155698 |
| Population Density Km2: | 76.4 |
The Regional District of Nanaimo is a regional district located on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the south by the Cowichan Valley Regional District, to the west by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, and to the northwest by the Comox Valley Regional District. Its administration offices are located in Nanaimo. During the 2016 census, its population was established at 155,698.
The Regional District of Nanaimo was incorporated on August 24, 1967. It has members that are cities, towns, districts, and seven electoral areas that contain unincorporated communities.
The region owns and operates the Nanaimo Regional Transit System, which provides conventional local bus routes and special needs paratransit services.
| Municipality | Government Type | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nanaimo | city | 90,504 | |
| Parksville | city | 12,514 | |
| Qualicum Beach | town | 8,687 | |
| Lantzville | district municipality | 3,601 |
Electoral areas have no administrative or governmental function, and are used only to select rural representatives to the Regional District board.
This electoral area is located on Vancouver Island, on the Stuart Channel southeast of Nanaimo. Jessica Stanley is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2021 Census:
Contains the communities of Cassidy, Cedar, and South Wellington. Nanaimo Airport is also located here.
This electoral area contains DeCourcy Island, Gabriola Island and Mudge Island. Vanessa Craig is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2016 Census:
This electoral area is located on Vancouver Island, to the southwest of Nanaimo. It contains the upper Nanaimo River, the Nanaimo Lakes, Mount Benson and Mount Arrowsmith. Lauren Melanson is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2016 Census:
Contains the community of Extension.
This electoral area is located on Vancouver Island, on the shore of the Strait of Georgia, between Lantzville and Parksville. It is co-extensive with the community of Nanoose Bay. Bob Rogers is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2016 Census:
This electoral area is located on Vancouver Island, to the west of Qualicum Beach and Parksville. British Columbia Highway 4 runs the length of the area. Leanne Salter is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2016 Census:
Includes the communities of Coombs, Errington, Hilliers, Meadowood and Whiskey Creek, as well as Cameron Lake and Cathedral Grove.
This electoral area is located on Vancouver Island, on the shore of the Strait of Georgia, surrounding Qualicum Beach and almost surrounding Parksville. Lehann Wallace is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2016 Census:
Contains the communities of Dashwood and French Creek.
This electoral area is located on Vancouver Island, on the shore of the Strait of Georgia at the southern entrance to Baynes Sound, northwest of Qualicum Beach. Stuart McLean is the elected RDN Director for the electoral area.
According to the Canada 2016 Census:
Contains the communities of Bowser, Deep Bay, Dunsmuir and Horne Lake, as well as the Shaw Hill area in its southeastern part.
As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Regional District of Nanaimo had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 2035.93km2, it had a population density of in 2021.[3]
| 2021[4] | 2016[5] | 2011[6] | 2006[7] | 2001[8] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European | 138,015 | 130,140 | 126,620 | 122,405 | 114,310 | ||||||
| Indigenous | 12,210 | 10,635 | 8,390 | 6,815 | 5,375 | ||||||
| East Asian | 5,080 | 3,885 | 2,805 | 3,140 | 2,070 | ||||||
| Southeast Asian | 3,475 | 2,275 | 1,440 | 1,415 | 1,520 | ||||||
| South Asian | 3,450 | 2,255 | 1,940 | 2,090 | 1,410 | ||||||
| African | 1,410 | 950 | 600 | 480 | 325 | ||||||
| Latin American | 925 | 565 | 465 | 260 | 260 | ||||||
| Middle Eastern | 775 | 465 | 270 | 150 | 105 | ||||||
| Other | 830 | 445 | 435 | 395 | 180 | ||||||
| Total responses | 166,165 | 151,630 | 142,955 | 137,150 | 125,550 | ||||||
| Total population | 170,367 | 155,698 | 146,574 | 138,631 | 127,016 | ||||||
The Regional District of Nanaimo categorizes its responsibilities into five "action areas":[9]