Forward Nanaimo was created by a small group of volunteers who live right here in Nanaimo, and we want our local government to prioritize the needs of all people, within the means of our living planet.
Our Organizers
Heather Baitz is a climate activist, clinical psychologist, and food forest enthusiast. She serves as a volunteer board member for the Rock City Neighbourhood Association and the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub. She loves commuting to work by e-bike along Metral Drive in the summer and wants to see more safe bike routes like this one.
Bethany Ricker is a family doctor, co-chair of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment – British Columbia, and a board member of the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub. She loves exploring the outdoors of Vancouver Island, especially hiking and skiing! She loves exploring the outdoors of Vancouver Island, especially hiking and skiing, and wants to make sure the places she loves remain beautiful and accessible to all. She sees how her patients’ health depends on having things like accessible green spaces, protection from extreme heat and smoke, safe active and public transportation options, and the community services they need – all reasons to vote in this municipal election!
James Boak is an professional engineer, entrepreneur, community organizer, and gardener. He’s passionate about decarbonizing the built environment, and a just transition away from fossil-fuels. He also serves on the board of the Rock City Neighbourhood Association.
Ian Gartshore is an active community-building volunteer, a Registered Clinical Counsellor, a champion of healthy transportation options, and a lover of planet Earth, our collective (and only) habitable planet. Municipal governments have the most direct impact on our lives; he wants Nanaimo to be livable, affordable, clean and have a sense of community.
Why We Care
Our city council makes decisions that directly impact our daily lives:
- Deciding where different types of homes and buildings can be built
- Investing in parks, pools, and other public spaces
- Upgrading and maintaining our roads, sidewalks, and bike paths
- Managing tap water, sewage, and pickup of garbage, compost, and recycling
In the last municipal election, only 24% of eligible voters showed up at the polls in Nanaimo. Just a few more people voting can make a big difference to the outcome – only 126 votes separated the last council member to be elected from the candidate with the next-highest number of votes!
What We Want
The current city council has made some great progress that we hope will continue with the next council. We hope to see more:
- Upgrades to “complete streets” like the Albert Street and Front Street projects, when construction is already happening for necessary sewer or water maintenance.
- Protection of public green spaces like Loudon Park and the Cable Bay Trail.
- Protection of standards that guarantee clean and affordable heating and cooling in new buildings.
- Zoning that allows shopping and services within walking distance of homes.
Forward Nanaimo 2026 