Good reasons to choose Nanaimo

Vancouver Island rarely experiences sub-zero temperatures, which is unusual for Canada! Winters are therefore quite mild, but expect heavy rainfall! Those rainforests are there for a reason 🙂

An ideal location in the heart of British Columbia

Nanaimo is:

• 1.5 hours by ferry from Vancouver, the economic capital and main gateway to British Columbia
• 1.5 hours by car from Victoria, the political capital of British Columbia
• between the renowned Pacific beaches of Tofino and the Strathcona Mountains, home to the Mount Washington ski resort
• and close to magnificent national and provincial parks
• In short, it's the perfect location for combining city life with quick access to nature!

An exceptional environment

Don't be fooled by maps: Vancouver Island is huge, almost the size of Belgium or Lesotho! While most of the island is covered in forest, there are a variety of environments to explore. Nanaimo is a perfect example of this.

Exceptional wildlife

Here, it's not uncommon to see deer in gardens, and you might spot whales while walking along the coast. In autumn, you can watch salmon swimming upstream, and maybe even bears!

Hikes for everyone

Dominated by Mount Benson, the Nanaimo region is ideal for hiking, biking, and kayaking. Numerous trails offer a variety of environments and levels of difficulty: coastlines, forests, mountains... a whole world to discover!

Beaches and water everywhere

Of course, Nanaimo is a port city, oriented toward the water. You will discover numerous beaches, as well as lakes and rivers where you can swim during the hottest days of summer. 

Activities for all tastes

As you read in the previous point, Nanaimo is nature-oriented, but the city also offers a wealth of activities!

Outdoor sports

Water sports are everywhere, as are all outdoor activities: fishing, mountain biking, and kayaking are the most popular!

Indoor sports

The city offers numerous gyms (badminton, volleyball, etc.), accessible sports fields (tennis, basketball, soccer, etc.), ice rinks (often free for a few hours on Sundays), and swimming pools.

Culture

Here you will find two mainstream movie theaters, arthouse film screenings with our partner nifss.ca, cultural associations, a museum, an art gallery, numerous creative workshops, and a rich music scene. Many community events punctuate the life of the city, such as the family-friendly Sucre d'Érable festival, which celebrates Francophone cultures.

Shopping

Nanaimo has many shopping centers, and you'll find everything you're looking for here, without having to travel any further!

Community

Various associations and cultural communities bring the city to life by regularly offering activities and opportunities to meet. For French speakers, the Nanaimo Francophone Association is the place to meet!

A rich French-speaking community

The French-speaking community is well established in Nanaimo. While you will be entering a minority context, the French-speaking community is close-knit and centered around the Association des francophones de Nanaimo and École Océane.

A city on a human scale

With nearly 100,000 inhabitants, Nanaimo is not a small town! However, stretching along the coast, nothing is ever far away!

Getting around (without a car) in Nanaimo

• Local buses: The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN Transit) network offers regular service within the city and to surrounding areas.
• Taxis: Taxis and services such as Uber make it easy to get around.
• Biking and walking: Nanaimo can be explored on foot or by bike, with bike paths and walking trails.
• Ferry: For trips to other islands in the Nanaimo district, such as Gabriola Island.
• A compact city center: nothing could be easier than getting around on foot!
• Everything within easy reach: shops, hospital, university, port, airport, government offices... all services are right there!
• Close to nature: You'll find pockets of nature throughout the city, with green spaces and beaches, some equipped and maintained, others more wild!
• Sense of community: After a few months or years in the city, it's not uncommon to see familiar faces!

Economic opportunities

Nanaimo is one of Canada's fastest-growing cities, so there are many opportunities in a variety of fields:

Francophonie

• Teaching and academic support: French-language and immersion schools are often looking for people who can teach in French or assist teachers in their classrooms.
• Early childhood educators: As everywhere else in Canada, ECEs are in high demand!
• School childcare: open to anyone with just a short training course and responsible adult certification.
• Administrative jobs: Some positions at Service Canada or in the provincial government require French language skills.

Other sectors that are hiring, on the English-speaking side

• Construction and real estate development
• Health and social services
• Retail and food services
• Tourism and hospitality

Self-employment

Registering as a sole proprietor is a fairly simple process in British Columbia.

Get trained

In Nanaimo, there are many accessible options for training and professional development, as well as French-language training programs available online!

Getting to Nanaimo

Airplane

Nanaimo Airport (YCD) offers regional flights from Vancouver and other cities in British Columbia. However, most newcomers prefer to fly into Vancouver and then take the ferry or seaplane.

Ferry

Regular crossings connect Nanaimo to Vancouver via BC Ferries (cheaper for pedestrians, possibility of taking a car) or Hullo (from city center to city center, pedestrians only).

Seaplane

The fastest (but most expensive) way to get to Nanaimo from Vancouver.