The City of Nanaimo is returning to paid parking in the downtown core, after over a year of free, timed parking in certain areas due to ongoing construction projects. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

parking fees

Paid parking returning to over 250 roadside spots in downtown Nanaimo

Feb 19, 2026 | 3:59 PM

NANAIMO — Following an extended stretch of free parking, motorists venturing into Nanaimo’s downtown will soon have to pay for curbside parking.

Paid parking was suspended in the fall of 2024 in relation to the Commercial St. revitalization project to encourage more downtown traffic, replacing it with a flat, two-hour time limit in several area streets.

The City announced on Thursday, Feb. 19 pay parking will return to the downtown starting March 2, with the same fees in effect as before: $0.25 for 12 minutes and $1.25 per hour.

Parking after 5 p.m. and all day Sunday remains free along downtown streets.

Overall, 255 parking spots are converting back to paid parking, the City of Nanaimo informed our newsroom:

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• Commercial and Church St. between Terminal Ave. and Front St. (49 stalls)
• Wallace St. between Fitzwilliam St. and Commercial St. (41 stalls)
• Cavan St. between Albert St. and Victoria Cres. (40 stalls)
• Chapel St. between Front St. and Church St. ( 39 stalls)
• Albert St. between Robarts St. and Victoria Cres. (21 stalls)
• Front St. between Chapel St. and Promenade Dr. (20 stalls)
• Franklyn St. between Dunsmuir St. and Wallace St. (14 stalls)
• Anchor Way (12 stalls)
• Promenade Dr. (10 stalls)
• Bastion St. between Commercial St. and Front St. (5 stalls)
• Museum Way between Gordon St. and Front St. (4 stalls)

The City also announced it’s adding mobile payment options via Hotspot, which is used for on-street pay parking near the hospital.

Users can scan the Hotspot QR code or download the app on their smartphones.

More information, including an interactive parking map of the downtown area, can be found here.

At the time, the City said removing parking fees in the area would cost them around $55,000 in lost revenue during the length of the project, with phase one completed last year.

Paid parking was suspended in areas of Nanaimo’s downtown during the ongoing revitalization project along Commercial St. and surrounding streets. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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