Nanaimo River Fire Protection Area - Fire Truck Storage Facility

On January 15, 2026, RDN staff presented a report to the Board outlining recommended next steps for the Nanaimo River Fire Protection Service Reserve Fund, established under Bylaw No. 1612. This work responds to Board Resolution 25‑599, which directed staff to explore options for dissolving the fund following the 2025 community engagement process.

Why This Matters

The Reserve Fund balance is $257,158 as of October 31, 2025. With no future capital projects planned for this service and the fire service debt being fully paid in 2026, staff found no viable way to use or transfer the remaining funds for their original purpose.

Refunding property owners directly is not feasible due to legislative limitations and administrative complexity.

What Staff Recommended

1. That the entire balance of the Nanaimo River Fire Bylaw 1612 Reserve Fund as at December 31, 2025, be used to reduce the Nanaimo River Fire Service tax requisition in 2026 and that the 2026-2030 Financial Plan be amended accordingly.
2. That any residual interest accrued on the Nanaimo River Fire Bylaw 1612 Reserve Fund balance between January 1, 2026, to August 4, 2026, be used to reduce the tax requisition in 2027.

Both recommendations were passed by the Board.

Financial Impact for Property Owners

Approximately 71 properties will benefit.

The estimated 2026 reduction equates to about $335 per $100,000 of assessed value, which would equate to approximately $3,350 for an average home valued at $1,092,481 based on 2026 assessments (approximately $3,350 for an average‑valued home based on 2026 assessments).

More Information

Read the full staff report here: https://rdn-pub.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=46791

On November 6, 2025, the Staff Report on the proposed fire truck storage facility survey was presented to the RDN Electoral Area Services Committee (EASC) and approved by the RDN board on November 18, 2025.

Staff Recommendations:

• Receive the What We Heard Engagement Summary Report: Nanaimo River Fire Protection Area – Proposed Fire Truck Storage Facility Survey 2025 for information.
• Based on the survey results, suspend further collection of the Nanaimo River Fire Protection Service Reserve Fund indefinitely.
• Refer survey results to staff for future reports on dissolving the Reserve Fund and other considerations for fire services in the area.

Survey Process Highlights:

• The survey, mailed to registered property owners, sought feedback on constructing a purpose-built fire truck storage facility on RDN-owned land at Nanaimo River Road and South Forks Road.
• Objectives included maintaining current service levels, improving safety and compliance, reducing liability, and providing a base for Extension Truck No. 4.
• Responses informed preferences on borrowing terms and taxation impacts, guiding next steps in capital planning.
• The What We Heard Engagement Summary Report was presented for information, ensuring transparency and alignment with community feedback.

Survey Outcomes:

• A majority of respondents did not support borrowing or taxation increases for the proposed facility.
• These results led to the recommendation to halt reserve fund collection and reassess future fire service needs.

Learn more:

• RDN Electoral Area Services Committee meeting, agenda items and supporting documents - November 06, 2025 (see item 12.1)
• RDN Board meeting, agenda items and supporting documents - November 18, 2025 (see item 12.1.8)
• Get Involved RDN project site

To support community participation, the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has extended the survey submission deadline to:

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.

Survey Drop-off Opportunity

You can drop off your completed survey in person (to the RDN Fire Services representative) at:

• Location: Jonanco Hobby Workshop parking lot
• Address: 2745 White Rapids Rd., Nanaimo, BC V9X 1E4
• Date & Time: Wednesday, October 8, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Other Ways to Submit Your Survey

• Email: Scan or photograph your completed survey and send it to fireservices@rdn.bc.ca.
• Fax: Send to 250-390-4163, attention: RDN Fire Services.
• In-Person Drop-off: Deliver to RDN Administration Office at 6300 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, attention: RDN Fire Services.

If you have questions or concerns about your submission, please email fireservices@rdn.bc.ca and include:

• Your first and last name
• Property ownership address
• Correspondence address (if different)

Thank you for your participation!

Nanaimo River Fire Protection Area - Fire Truck Storage Facility Construction Survey 2025

Due to the current postal strike, mail delivery is no longer a reliable option for returning your completed survey. While a postage-paid envelope is included, we strongly encourage you to use one of the following alternative methods to ensure your survey is received on time:

• Email: Scan or photograph your completed survey and send it to fireservices@rdn.bc.ca.
• Fax: Send your completed survey to 250-390-4163, attention: RDN, Fire Services.
• Drop-off: Hand-deliver your survey to 6300 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, attention: RDN, Fire Services.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your survey submission, please email fireservices@rdn.bc.ca with your first name, last name, property ownership address and correspondence address (if different).

Survey submission deadline: October 6, 2025

Thank you for your understanding and continued participation.

Learn more: www.getinvolved.rdn.ca/nanaimo-river-fire-protection

Look for your invitation letter with an enclosed survey in your mailbox.

Returning your completed survey

An addressed, postage-paid envelope will be provided for you to return your completed survey to: Fire Services, Regional District of Nanaimo, 6300 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6N2. Alternatively, you can email a scanned/photographed version of your completed survey to fireservices@rdn.bc.ca, fax your completed survey to 250-390-4163 for the attention of RDN, Fire Services, or drop off your survey at 6300 Hammond Bay Rd. for the attention of RDN, Fire Services.

Surveys must be received no later than October 6, 2025.

This survey is intended for registered property owners within the Nanaimo River Fire Protection Area.