Global News has declared Leonard Krog – a former MLA – mayor of Nanaimo after the tumultuous tenure of Bill McKay, who didn’t run. Krog so far has 17,577 votes, beating out Don Hubbard (who had 5,630 votes). One polling station has not yet tallied their votes. Raymond Farmer earned only 316 votes.
Out of 39 people running for the eight council seats, only two incumbents, Sheryl Dawn Armstrong and Ian W Thorpe, were re-elected. The rest will be the new faces of Don Bonner, Tyler Brown, Ben Geselbracht, Erin Hemmens, Zeni Maartman and Jim Turley.
Mayoral Candidates
Raymond Farmere
Eike Jordan (dropped out)
Council Candidates
Sheryl Dawn Armstrong (Incumbent)
Guy Beaulieu
Don Bonner
Tyler J Brown
Brunie Brunie
Gordon W Fuller (Incumbent)
Ben Geselbracht
Pele L Gouda
Erin Hemmens
Jerry Hong (Incumbent)
Peter H Kent
Rae Kornberger
Gary R Korpan
Brian Loos
Zeni Maartman
Lloyd W MacIlquham
Caranjit (Jeet) Manhas
Bill W Manners
Darcy Olsen
Ken Osborn (Kenneth Osborn)
Conrad Peach
Alexis Petersen
Wendy Pratt
Michael Ribicic
Noah Routley
Richard Scott
David Simpson
Norm E Smith
Rick Smith
Fred Statham
Kevin B Storrie
Balakrishna (Viraat) Thammanna
Al Thompson
Ian W Thorpe (Incumbent)
Jim Turley
Avel Turnip
Peter Urquhart
Trent R Whaley
Ashley B Zboyovsky
Boundary
Nanaimo is located on southeastern Vancouver Island, right across the water from Gabriola Island. It’s situated between Nanoose Bay and Ladysmith, and is just over 100 kilometres from Victoria.
Population (2016)
90,504
History
The Snunéhymuxw people were first to the Nanaimo area, occupying parts such as Nanaimo Harbour, the Nanaimo River and Departure Bay.
Then coal would be discovered, and miners with the Hudson’s Bay Company would arrive in 1852.
A fortress, known as the Bastion, would be erected the following year.
For almost 100 years, coal would drive Nanaimo’s economy as an estimated 50 million tonnes of it would be taken out of the ground.
After the Second World War, Nanaimo would become a more modern city.
Mayors who would have a heavy influence on the area’s history include Peter Maffeo and Frank Ney, who dressed as a pirate and inaugurated bathtub races in 1967.
Median total income of couple economic families with children (2015)/B.C. median
$105,788/$111,736
Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal/B.C.
111.51 (+9.96)/93.63 (-0.71)
RCMP — rural/B.C.
55.55 (+3.85)/93.63 (-0.71)
Violent Crime Severity Index (CSI) — 2016
RCMP — municipal
68.70 (+1.84)/74.86 (-9.81)
RCMP — rural
31.21 (-0.29)/74.86 (-9.81)
Political representation
Federal
Sheila Malcolmson (NDP)
Provincial
Leonard Krog (BC NDP) — Nanaimo
Doug Routley (BC NDP) — Nanaimo-North Cowichan
Michelle Stilwell (BC Liberal) — Parksville-Qualicum