FAQ

Hamilton Marsh is located south of the Town of Qualicum Beach bounded by Hilliers Road on the north and west sides, Memorial Avenue on the east side and the Island Corridor Foundation rail corridor on the south side. 

Most of the lands are located with RDN Electoral Area F and a segment within Electoral Area G.

The Hamilton Wetlands and Forest Preservation Society have a great website you can visit to learn more about the area hamiltonwetlands.com.

The property is approximately 360 hectares. Hamilton Marsh itself is approximately 36 hectares in size and the surrounding forest area make up the remaining 324 hectares.

Hamilton Marsh is currently owned by Island Timberlands and managed under Mosaic Forest Management. 

Acquiring Hamilton Marsh as a conservation site has been a priority for the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) for many years. Acquiring the approximately 360 hectares of land would help protect vital ecosystems and enhance regional parkland offerings.

Securing this area would represent a significant step within British Columbia toward achieving Canada’s 30 by 30 conservation target which aims for the effective protection and management of 30 per cent of Canada’s land and water by the year 2030.

Look for the Stay Informed and microphone image at the bottom of the page. Fill in your email address and click the SUBSCRIBE button. Once you have clicked on SUBSCRIBE, it will change to: Thank you for subscribing. We will then send updates directly to those subscribed to the project page moving forward. 

The project page will also be updated as more information becomes available.

Donations to the Nanaimo & Area Land Trust Hamilton Marsh fundraising campaign can be made by visiting nalt.bc.ca/hamilton-marsh.

Mt. Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR) has also launched a conditional pledge drive. Pledge forms can be downloaded online or picked up and dropped off in person at ts'xwelikwshenawtxw, the MABR Education Centre, located at 124 West 2nd Ave, Qualicum Beach, BC.

As other sources become available this information will be updated. 

If you donated through NALT, your donation will be applied toward another conservation acquisition in their area, as stated on the NALT website. If you pledged through MABR, no payment would be made unless the purchase is completed.

Mosaic Forest Management accepted an offer of $30 million for the 360 hectares of land. To help offset the $30 million cost, the RDN is actively pursuing funding contributions from partners, including conservation groups and the provincial ministries, in the amount of $7.5 million.

The funding sources include $1.3 million from the Regional Parks and Trails reserve funds, $7.5 million from external fundraising and $21.2 million from long-term borrowing.

Hamilton Marsh would be considered a Regional Park and Conservation Area therefore, would be purchased through the Regional Parks and Trails service area.

The long-term borrowing of $21.2 million will require debt repayment costs for 20 years. The estimated annual debt repayment costs of each participating area are outlined in the table below. The amounts in the table assume a borrowing rate of 4.8% as per the Municipal Finance Authority and a 20-year borrowing term. The average residential value is based on BC Assessment 2025 Revised Roll Assessments. Interest and assessment values are subject to change at time of borrowing.

If the RDN is successful in securing the property it will be maintained as a regional park and conservation area. A management plan for the park would be developed and the future costs of maintaining the property will be determined.

No, the RDN is not required to hold a referendum for this long-term borrowing. Section 3 of the Regional District Liabilities Regulation in the Local Government Act allows regional park and regional trail borrowing without elector approval if the total of the outstanding amount of borrowing for the service and the amount proposed to be borrowed will not exceed the greater of $5 Million, and an amount equal to $5 per $1,000 of assessed value. 

The current borrowing amount of the Regional Parks and Trails Service plus the $21.2 million proposed borrowing are calculate to significantly lower than $5 per $1,000 of assessed value, the current calculation is $329 million. Therefore, the RDN is well within the borrowing limits and can proceed without requiring a referendum.

To help offset the $30 million cost, the RDN is actively pursuing $7.5 million in funding support from partners such as the Government of British Columbia, support through federal grants, conservation groups and the provincial ministries. 

If the RDN is successful in securing partnership funding, information will be shared here on the Get Involved RDN project page.

The Hamilton Marsh site is currently comprised of seven separately titled parcels, six of which straddle the road right of ways. A subdivision is required to sever the parcels within the road boundaries that the RDN has agreed to the purchase, from the sections that lie on the other side of the roads.

The subdivision is required as part of the conditional Contract of Purchase and Sale (CPS) with Island Timberlands Limited Partnership. It allows the RDN to purchase and retain the preferred parcels within the road boundaries.

Subdivision approvals within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) fall under the jurisdiction of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). However, the Provincial Approving Officer (PAO) can approve subdivisions that meet certain criteria under ALR regulations.

The two-lot concept offers flexibility for funding partnerships by separating the marsh area from the forested area. This approach also aligns with regulatory requirements and facilitates the creation of the conservation site.

Notices have been posted on all seven lots as part of the Regional District’s subdivision notification requirements. The notice is also posted in the Background Documents section. Additional information will be shared here on the RDN Get Involved project page as it becomes available.

The subdivision application does not automatically change the land use zoning. The property remains under its existing zoning designation until a formal rezoning process is initiated. 

The RDN’s intent is to acquire the property as a Regional Park and Conservation Area. No change in zoning is required for this purpose, as parks are a permitted use in every zone under the current zoning bylaw.