Regional District of Nanaimo board members approved the 2026 budget, and five-year financial plan at a Tuesday, Feb. 24 board meeting. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

budget approved

Despite concerns, Regional District of Nanaimo board approves budget  

Feb 25, 2026 | 5:48 AM

NANAIMO — A slightly reduced RDN tax rate increase wasn’t celebrated by critics of the regional government’s latest five-year financial plan. 

The amended budget includes a 5.7 per cent increase in property tax requisition for this year, reduced from 7.2 per cent in December, to be absorbed by four member municipalities and seven rural electoral districts. 

RDN board members formally endorsed the financial plan during a Tuesday, Feb. 24 regular board meeting, which drew criticism from local citizens, as well as concerned RDN board members.  

Approval of the budget equates to RDN property taxation hikes between as low as $10 for an average assessed home in Area B to as high as $110 additional for Area C. 

Breakdown of property tax implications for RDN member municipalities and rural areas for this year. (Image Credit: Regional District of Nanaimo)

budget approved

Despite concerns, Regional District of Nanaimo board approves budget

1h ago

sustainable grads

Prom Closet Nanaimo celebrates 12 years fitting grads with pre-owned formal wear

15h ago

big boost

$77M added to Nanaimo public works yard budget

17h ago

Unlike individual municipal governments, property taxation rates are calculated differently among different RDN jurisdictions since a varying range of local services are provided. 

Pointing to what he called a concerning rate of property tax increases, Fairwinds Community Association president Barry Nicholls called for the budget document to be rejected.   

“If the plan holds true, from 2020 to 2030 we will have experienced a 138.6 per cent increase in property taxes in the RDN.” 

Rudi Widershoven of the Northwest Residents Association told the meeting over 1,900 signatures had been collected with a request for the RDN.

“We urge you to take the desire by the taxpayers for a cap on property taxes under serious consideration when deliberating and accepting your modified, updated 2026-2030 financial plan.” 

Another concerned citizen lobbied for the RDN to focus critical infrastructure projects as opposed to “desirable” projects. 

Four RDN directors voted down the budget: Lehann Wallace, Bob Rogers, Leanne Salter and Mark Swain. 

Director Rogers (Nanoose Bay) said the budget does not reflect today’s challenging economic realities that taxpayers are facing.  

“It is not sustainable and our taxpayers do not have the ability to continue to have their taxes increased on such a note year in and year out.” 

Several members of the board expanded on the importance of infrastructure renewal and substantial increases in construction costs. 

Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, who represents the municipality on the board, said the impact of rising construction costs cannot be understated. 

“At the City of Nanaimo and here at the RDN we don’t buy a lot of groceries, but we do buy a lot of steel and concrete, and the cost of those things has gone up.” 

The RDN provides 115 different services, with 48 shared services and the rest provided to individual jurisdictions.  

 Follow us on Facebook. Join Everything Nanaimo on Facebook and stay connected with everything happening on central Vancouver Island.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook