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The information here is an AI summary of the advice people in our Discord have shared. Their experiences may not always reflect the accurate process. None of this should be considered financial, immigration, or real estate advice.

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Is there parking in Nanaimo?

Nanaimo is not a big city and parking is generally not a problem. You can park on residential streets or at mall parking lots without issue.

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A parking map for the downtown area is available at parking.nanaimoinfusion.ca

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What are my options for getting around once I'm in Nanaimo?

• Walking: Downtown Nanaimo is compact and very walkable. The waterfront walk is a flat, paved path that runs from the Gabriola Island ferry south to Newcastle Marina — about 30 minutes end to end, with lots to see along the way.
• Car share: Evo Return and Modo Car share services are a great fit if you want to go beyond downtown, and your destination is not on a bus route or you weren’t certain where you’d like to go. they are best suited for short trips and include insurance, gas and mileage in the hourly fee. They don’t make us much financial sense If you want use of a vehicle for two or three days in a row. These are both app driven services and allow people to pay a fee to pick up a vehicle marked on the app for rent. Both car share services in Nanaimo require you to return the vehicle to the place you found it. In Victoria and Vancouver, both services allow you to end the ride wherever is convenient and leave the vehicle parked at curbside.
• Ride share and taxis: Nanaimo has U-Ride (a local, Canadian ride-share service), and traditional taxis with apps.
• **BC Transit:** Buses cover most of Nanaimo, though the system is described as "functional but not robust." Payment is via the Umo app on board buses, a prepaid transit pass card, or cash. No credit cards accepted directly. All buses are ramp equipped and have 2 spaces for wheelchairs or strollers. Check out The BC transit Nanaimo website before your trip to find out what neighbourhoods are serviced by our bus system and how to charge up your Umo app or buy a prepaid card.
• Rental car: Recommended if you want to explore beyond downtown especially for more than a day of use. Locals strongly advise booking a rental in advance — do not show up and hope. If you're flying into Vancouver, it is significantly cheaper to rent on the island than to bring a car over on the ferry (which adds about $100 each way and limits your ferry options).
• E-bikes: E-bikes are popular and legal on Vancouver Island. EVO bike & scooter rentals are available throughout Nanaimo (download the app to search for the closest parking station or EVO Evolve bike or scooter. These are an excellent way to get around Nanaimo on our many sheltered bike trails and on-street bike lanes! City of Nanaimo cycling map. Tourism Nanaimo’s guide to cycling. Helmets are required for cycling in BC, and are provided with bike share rentals.
  • Check out the Parkway trail, a paved off-street cycling trail that runs the entire length of Nanaimo from Chase River in the south to Dover Rd at Nanaimo’s northernmost boundary, and the E&N trail, an off-street rail trail that follows the old Esquimalt & Nanaimo train route from downtown along the old island highway, connecting with Metral Drive at Rutherford to take you to North Nanaimo and Woodgrove Centre.
  • There are some amazing cycling trails all over Vancouver Island.

How do I charge my EV on the island?

BC Hydro operates a fast-charging network across the island, and there are level-2 chargers at various locations in Nanaimo. The PlugShare app shows all charger locations. Walmart and some other retailers also have charging stations. A local member noted that Chademo chargers are available for older EV standards as well.