The elephant in the room

The City of Victoria* and the City of Nanaimo have comparable populations. As of the 2016 Census, Victoria’s population was 85,792 and Nanaimo’s 90,504. Vitoria’s 85,792 people live on a land mass of 19.47 km² while Nanaimo’s 90,504 people are spread out over 90.76 km². Victoria’s population density is 4,405 people per square kilometre, Nanaimo’s is 997 people per square kilometre.

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— NanaimoCommons (@NanaimoCommons) November 19, 2020

Nanaimo’s low population density is the elephant in the room on every file our City Hall struggles with, economic and environmental sustainability, compact walkable neighbourhoods, mobility alternatives, social justice and inclusivity issues.

One good thing about our low population density : the large undeveloped properties in the city centre, the City-owned Downtown Waterfront Lands, the School District owned lands at Franklyn and Selby and the Department of National Defence lands south of the VIU campus.

Directing our growth, instead of to these properties, to the greenfield lands of rural Cedar would be a disincentive to develop these city centre lands, a huge mistake. And a missed opportunity to partner with the Snuneymuxw First Nation on city centre land development to mutual benefit and meaningful reconciliation.

*The Greater Victoria Area of course is larger, composed of several independent municipalities that surround the City of Victoria.

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