Individual property owners in part of downtown Nanaimo who want to redevelop will save time and money because they are no longer subject to underground drinking-water regulations
Nanaimo’s downtown is poised for new possibilities now that the province has agreed that regulations governing possible underground drinking water do not apply in a part of the historic city partially built on fill from coal mines.
The Environment Ministry said in a letter July 29 that a 27-hectare area in the city centre will not be included in regulations that require groundwater quality to be assessed during site investigations. The investigations are carried out when a development is proposed. Factors considered by the province include: These lands are in a tidal area, much of the area was marine and estuaries, it does not contain any mapped aquifers, former mine workings continue to exist underground, and poor quality fill such as coal waste was put down many years ago.The decision removes a barrier to developing downtown, he said.
Darren Moss, a key volunteer in the area-wide application that went to the province, said individual property owners could face costs of $50,000 to $100,000 to show the province that water regulations should not apply to their property. They had to prove that there was no risk to aquifers.Starting in 2011, that group and the former business improvement area started raising funds to pay for an environmental study.
“This project is a great example of how courageous and collaborative effort between the city, volunteers and stakeholders can accomplish meaningful change that would be almost impossible to achieve by any single party,” Moss said.
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