As volunteer Ian Yewer works to remove Scotch broom off Hammond Bay Rd. recently, the City of Nanaimo is creating a bylaw to ban the sale of several types of invasive plants. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

pesky plants

City of Nanaimo examines invasive plants bylaw

Jun 24, 2025 | 12:15 PM

NANAIMO — Preventing the sale of damaging invasive plant species is being actively pursued by the City of Nanaimo.

During a Monday, June 23 governance and priorities meeting, Nanaimo City Council agreed to start drafting a bylaw to prohibit the sale and distribution of specific plant species, as well as establish a public awareness campaign.

Speaking at the meeting, ecological restoration consultant Hunter Jarratt said this bylaw is a proactive approach to dealing with invasive plant species, which will save municipalities time and money.

“As someone who works in our community, it’s bewildering going to stewardship events, typically completed by volunteers, cutting and pulling English ivy, for example, and then seeing it on store shelves. It’s often not disposed of properly, dumped in green spaces or over fences where it then spreads.”

A number of invasive plant species have been identified by the province, which feature prominently throughout Vancouver Island, including Scotch broom, Himalayan Blackberry, and English ivy.

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Jarratt said these plants can pose serious environmental, economic, and human health risks as they steal nutrients from native plant species, while also increasing the risk of wildfires.

While there are currently numerous yearly efforts to remove invasive plant species done in Nanaimo, such as City-led clean-up events, groups like BroomBusters Invasive Plant Society, and volunteers working together on Gerald Island in April, it’s an ongoing and continuous battle.

Hedera helix, also known as English ivy, is one invasive plant species the City of Nanaimo is looking to ban the sale of with a new draft bylaw. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Jarratt said public outreach efforts have been in place for a while, but they only work if people are actively taking steps to ensure they’re not adding to the issue.

“It puts the onus on the consumer rather than the industry, which I feel is often very predatory. These invasives are advertised as “fast-spreading”, “great ground cover”, “good for pollinators”, typically for European insects. It’s greenwashing to the highest extent. Some, like English ivy, they’re advertised as ‘tropical indoor plants’ but people fully plant them outside.”

Kirsty MacDonald, the City’s manager of parks operations, said a site survey was done on local retailers to see if any plants identified by the Invasive Species Council of B.C. were available for purchase.

“We didn’t check the grocery stores, but we did check six retailers, and each had one or two species. So it’s not a huge amount of what they sell, but there were some specific examples in five of the six retailers.”

While invasive animal species are included in provincial regulations, such as the Wildlife Act Control and Alien Species Regulations, this bylaw would cover plant species only and requires no additional financing.

Still, changes could be made to include invasive animal species, as well as other invasive plants identified in the future.

More information on invasive plant management in the City of Nanaimo can be found here on their website.

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