SOLVING A PROBLEM OR CREATING A PROJECT?

$400,000 Sea Level Rise Management Plan ...... 
Downtown Nanaimo Doesn’t Need Another Binder — It Needs Decisions

We don’t need a consultant to tell us what every Nanaimo resident can see with their own eyes: large parts of downtown are low-lying, and some of that land exists because earlier generations filled shoreline and inlets to build on “made land.” 

So when City Hall pays nearly $400,000 for a “Sea Level Rise Management Plan,” the only question that matters is not whether sea levels rise—it’s whether this contract produces hard, enforceable choices. 

Because we already have studies and maps. The City’s 2019 sea level rise study already explains Flood Construction Levels and why they matter for minimum building/infrastructure elevations. 

And the City’s new plan page promises more modeling, risk assessment, and an “options analysis.” Fine. But here’s the test:

If this project doesn’t end with (1) updated flood construction levels that actually get adopted, (2) a short list of specific infrastructure fixes with rough price tags (outfalls, backflow prevention, pumping, low-road upgrades), (3) clear “do-not-build” rules for the worst spots, and (4) a 12–24 month implementation schedule—then it’s just another glossy report for the “useless study file.” 

And yes, the City says this work is grant-funded. That’s not a free pass—it’s still staff time, still opportunity cost, and still a governance choice. 

Common sense isn’t complicated: stop adding risk, fix the obvious weak points, and show the public the actions—not another binder.