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December 1, 2025

This Week...

Get your budget questions in for the eTown Hall, check out what's happening in Nanaimo's arenas and decorate wisely this holiday season. Read on for more!

2026 Budget Talks - eTown Hall Edition

Get ready for tonight's eTown Hall! Starting at 7 pm, Council will answer your budget questions.  

What is an eTown Hall? It's like a town hall, but you don't need to attend in person to ask a question. Wherever you find yourself tonight, you can participate by submitting a question on the City’s website, eTown Hall event page on Facebook or by using #NanaimoTH on Bluesky, Instagram and X.

Learn more about the 2026 budget by watching the video above, head over to the City website to review the budget documents, watch the first two Budget Talks meetings and watch tonight's eTown Hall

eTown Hall

Header for Around Town section with the Nanaimo sign in a snowy Maffeo Sutton Park and a light evergreen tree in the forefront.

Visit Nanaimo's Arenas This Season

Nanaimo's arenas are buzzing! With four sheets of ice, there are a lot of activities taking place in our arenas for you to participate in from public skating sessions to skating lessons to taking in a hockey game. Check out the many programs and drop-in sessions happening in our arenas in the Fall and Winter Activity Guide, available on the City website and at City recreation centres.

Have you ever wondered how we make ice for our arenas? Check out the video above to find out!

Activity Guide

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Collage of zero-waste holiday ideas with eco-friendly gift wrapping, natural decor and sustainable packaging.

Zero Waste Holidays

There is nothing like Christmas lights to brighten up anyone’s day this time of year. When decorating, choose items that are long-lasting or ones you find in your backyard, like fallen acorns, clippings from a holly tree, branches and more. Gather a collection by adding one item each year. Get creative and repurpose items already in your home.  

Do you have burnt out lights? Bring them to Regional Recycling so they can be recycled. 

Zero Waste 101

A snowy Bowen Road in front of Beban park.

Be Winter Road Ready

Brrr! It's getting chilly out there! Are you ready for winter driving conditions? We can get a variety of challenging conditions during this time of year including heavy rain, fog, snow and ice. Make sure you're prepared for all conditions. Check out ICBC's Winter Driving page for tips on being prepared. 

Tips from ICBC

A nighttime view of the bastion lit up in orange.

Bastion Lighting

Have you ever noticed the Bastion lit up in different colours? Each time it is lit up in a certain colour, it's to raise awareness of a cause or to mark an occasion. Right now, it is lit in orange until December 10 for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

Organizations can request on the City website to have it illuminated in a specific colour to promote their cause. 

Bastion Lighting Request

A snowy Bowen Road in front of Beban park.

Public Art Spotlight

Nanaimo is fortunate to have a lot of artistic talent in our community. We like to showcase that talent throughout the community. As you travel through town, you can find many pieces in Nanaimo's Public Art Inventory. 

One notable piece is the welcome pole in Maffeo Sutton Park. This 49-foot-tall carving is by Snuneymuxw Master Carver Noel Brown. Specifically made for the park, it acknowledges Sway'a'Lana as a historical village site that continues to have living resonance and raises awareness about the Snuneymuxw peoples’ ongoing sacred connection to the land. 

You can learn more about this piece and others by searching our Public Art Inventory on the City website.

Public Art Inventory

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Will Your Commute Be Affected This Week?

Here’s a list of up-to-date information on City construction projects. For more information on Nanaimo construction projects, visit the current Construction page on the City's website.

  • On Monday, December 1, Fitzwilliam Street will be closed from Machleary St to Milton St while crews work on replacing underground utilities in the intersection of Fitzwilliam and Milton St. The rest of the week, expect delays and single lane alternating traffic on Fitzwilliam St between Pine and Milton St. Avoid delays by planning an alternate route.
  • Expect significant delays due to single lane alternating traffic along Hammond Bay Rd between Turner Rd/McGirr Rd and Kenwill Dr intersections while crews continue to work on replacing sewer and re-paving the road. Avoid delays by taking Rutherford Rd and Uplands Dr as an alternative route.
  • Expect slight delays due to single lane alternating traffic along Dickinson Rd between Groveland Dr and Medd Rd intersections while crews continue to work on replacing water mains. Avoid delays by taking Schook Rd and Dover Rd as an alternative route. 
  • Cienar Drive is closed, except for local traffic while crews work on replacing the watermain.
  • Expect single lane alternating traffic or eastbound lane closures at times on Jingle Pot Road at the intersection of Holland Road. Eastbound traffic watch for possible detour using Holland Road and Ashlee Road.

Note: All businesses in the construction areas are open unless otherwise posted. When approaching construction zones, please make sure to slow down and obey all signage and traffic personnel instructions. Remember that construction zone speed limits are 30 km/hr unless otherwise posted. If you know your commute is taking you through any of the areas below, please allow for additional time and plan ahead.

Current Construction Projects

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Work With Us!

We are currently looking for candidates to fill the following positions:

  • Assistant Fire Chief
  • Fire Fighters
  • Aquatic Supervisor
  • Lifeguard/Instructors
  • Casual Arena Maintenance Worker
  • Building Official
  • Casual Lifegard/Instructors
  • Casual Clerk Opportunities
  • Casuals - Police Services

Job Postings

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A view from the Mayor's chair in the Shaw auditorium looking toward the audience

Meetings This Week

Monday, December 1: Council Meeting and eTown Hall in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre's Shaw Auditorium starting at 7 pm.

Wednesday, December 3: Special Finance and Audit Meeting (Budget Talks 2026) in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre's Shaw Auditorium starting at 9 am.

Thursday, December 4: Board of Variance Meeting in the Service and Resource Centre Boardroom starting at 4 pm.

Meetings

Review decisions made at each Council meeting with the Council Meeting Summaries posted the day after each meeting.

Council Meeting Summaries

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