‘More than double:’ huge visitor influx expected for second Nanaimo Infusion

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A map of confirmed attendees to the Nanaimo Infusion in 2026 and where they’re coming from. (Image Credit: Tod Maffin)

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Aside from the immediate economic impact of hundreds of people staying in hotels and campgrounds and eating at local restaurants, other longer-term effects have resulted from the now-annual Infusion.

Since last April, dozens of healthcare workers and their families have begun working on the Island, including several in Nanaimo.

While registration for the 2025 Infusion visit is not required, those who have RSVP’d currently total 217 different groups, accounting for 439 people, as of Friday, April 10.

Nearly 40 per cent say they’re coming with a healthcare worker in their group.

Ensuring the momentum is sustained and addressing the growing interest from American professionals to live and work on the Island, Tod and his wife/co-organizer Jocelyn are enlisting some extra help.

“We knew that we needed to have community members who could answer very specific questions there for them. We’ll have a couple of registered Canadian immigration consultants there, we’ll have a couple of Realtors there, we’ll have people from Island Health answering questions, so I think that is going to be really helpful.”

Tours of various healthcare facilities are also being arranged between Island Health recruitment teams and those coming for the weekend.

Tod Maffin speaks to visitors at the 2025 event in Nanaimo (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Tod said there are a lot more expectations around the event this year, given the success the movement has had so far, but it’s proportional to the help being received.

“Because there is increased attention, there are more locals in the Discord than there were last year. There are more people aware of it in town, there’s more excitement among the downtown and Old City Quarter merchants.”

Organic and grassroots in nature, the only formal event Tod and Jocelyn are hosting is Saturday’s family photo, to take place at Noon.

The lack of much concrete organization is a deliberate tactic.

“We don’t want to load these visitors’ agenda up with things. We want them to have time to meet with Island Health, to take a tour of the hospital, and to spend their dollars in our restaurants, in our shops, and at our campgrounds,” Tod said. “We don’t want to intrude on any of that time.”

Other events planned around the weekend include a food truck festival on the Friday, as well as some musical performances and informal meetups.

Full details are available online.

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