A development permit has been issued for a 35-unit, six-storey supportive housing development at 355 Nicol St. in south Nanaimo, along with plans for an office space and an outdoor amenity area located on two adjacent Haliburton St. lots. (City of Nanaimo)

By Jordan Davidson

supportive developments

‘It belongs exactly where it’s going:’ south Nanaimo supportive housing proceeds

Sep 9, 2025 | 2:02 PM

NANAIMO — A six-storey supportive housing complex in the City’s south end is another step closer to becoming a reality.

Located at 355 Nicol St., the 35-unit building was issued a development permit by City Councillors on Monday, Sept. 8, along with approval to move ahead with an outdoor amenity space and an office building/resource centre located on two adjacent lots.

Coun. Erin Hemmens said she’s pleased to support projects like this.

“When people ask how the City supports affordable housing, this is one of the ways. We’re offering City-land for affordable housing to be built on. I was really glad to see the 35-unit cap, that’s something we’ve been working with BC Housing on for some time, and it’s nice to see it evolving in projects.”

Renderings of the supportive housing proposal at 355 Nicol St. A major design feature is the Hul’q’umi’num’ phrase ‘i’ cun ‘uw ‘i’ (pronounced ‘eets-in-oh-n-ee’), which translates to “I am here,” located on the side of the building. (City of Nanaimo)

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The development will be operated by Snuneymuxw First Nation (SFN) and is part of a 2020 agreement between the City of Nanaimo and BC Housing for housing projects in the region.

Also approved during the meeting was a temporary use permit for an office/social service resource centre located in one building at 364 Haliburton St., as well as a 60-year lease disposition to BC Housing to build an outdoor amenity space and two off-site parking stalls on City-owned land at 354 Haliburton St.

Both Haliburton properties will be utilized by the 355 Nicol St. housing development.

The plan for 364 Haliburton is to convert an existing single residential dwelling into a temporary office space during construction on the Nicol St. development, eventually converting it into a social service resource centre.

City director of developmental approvals Jeremy Holm said it will provide on-site counselling and cultural support for residents, as well as at-risk members of the community and SFN.

“The property is more intended to be used for administrative purposes and also, as allowed within office-use, to provide information, a referral, counselling and advocacy services, but not the other, more intensive services that would be provided for under social services resource centre.”

The permit would be in effect for three years, with the possibility of one, three-year renewal, with rezoning required for use beyond that period.

It would operate from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. with two to four outreach workers on site, with no activity occurring outside of operating hours, according to the report.

The outdoor amenity space at 354 Haliburton would include a sacred garden food forest, courtyard, and walkway leading from Haliburton St., and will be used as a healing space where tenants can gather for programs.

SFN intends to allow other non-profit community groups to book the space for gatherings, while also keeping the gates unlocked between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. to allow for public access through the space.

During Monday’s meeting, Sydney Robertson made a few comments on behalf of the South End Community Association (SECA).

While she had earlier lobbied for the closure of The Hub, a resource and drop-in centre located on nearby Victoria Rd., she said the Nicol St. project is exactly what they’d prefer to see.

“That’s a project that we completely support, and we’re very excited about. We’ve said for a long time that SECA has challenges with how…many supports and housing things are in our neighbourhood. It belongs exactly where it’s going, and we’re just very excited, and it’s a beautiful vision for the space.”

While a building permit is still required for 355 Nicol St., representatives from SFN say they hope to break ground on the project in the spring.

Highlighted in red, the housing development at 355 Nicol St. will utilize the adjacent lots at 354 and 364 Haliburton St. for outdoor amenity space and off-site parking. (City of Nanaimo)

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