Hope Lompe
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder
The Nanaimo Regional District has committed $22.5 million in conditional funding to acquire the Hamilton Marsh wetlands and forest in a special board meeting on Sept 9, part of a $30 million total deal.
Should this go through, it would be the largest land acquisition for conservation in Vancouver Island history, which includes the largest body of water in the French Creek watershed, at 360 hectares (890 acres). It would become the 13th Regional Park in the RDN. Coats Marsh Regional Park on Gabriola is 46 hectares (117 acres).
The Hamilton land represents a rare ecosystem on Vancouver Island, located in Qualicum Beach near Coombs. The surrounding coastal Douglas fir forest was harvested and replanted 100 years ago, on its way back to be considered old growth.
A series of interconnected marshes on the property are home to one of the largest thriving ecosystems of brood marsh areas for waterfowl, says Vanessa Craig, RDN board chair and director for Electoral Area B, stressing its ecological value.
She adds development on the east coast of Vancouver Island, and challenges with water security and ecosystem health, makes rare lands like these important to preserve. The RDN is looking to acquire the land from Islands Timberlands, managed by Mosaic Forestry.
“On eastern Vancouver Island, we really have to be proactive about preserving these natural spaces that still exist because of the level of interest in developing in the area,” says Craig.
“Mosaic, as the landowner, has the legal right to be able to harvest the site if they so wish,” she adds. “Right now they don’t appear to have plans, but you know what happens in 50 years? If things are changing as the landowner, they are able to do that. So this is an opportunity now that’s presented to us, [and] don’t know if we’ll have that opportunity again to ensure that in perpetuity, we don’t need to risk that area being harvested.”
The RDN board voted to approve the $22.5 million contribution to the $30 million total cost to acquire the land, however, the funding is completely contingent on the RDN working with interest groups and higher levels of government to raise the other $7.5 million.
“It’s really saying the RDN is strongly committed to this, but cannot do it alone, and shouldn’t have to do it alone, as the site is of importance at a provincial and national level,” says Tom Osborne, RDN’s general manager of recreation and parks services, who adds this acquisition would also fit into 30 by 30, a federal conservation goal to preserve 30 per cent of the country’s land and oceans by 2030.
Fundraising is led by the RDN who are in partnership talks with philanthropic foundations at the national, provincial and local scale. The province has also shown support for the acquisition, and they are working with them to commit to funding. At the local level, the Nanaimo and Area Land Trust, who have a service contract with the RDN, committed to raise $250,000 by Jan. 30, 2026, and the Hamilton Marsh Preservation Society are also heading local efforts.
The deal is expected to close in March, partnership agreements required to be in place by Nov. 21, and confirmation of funds needed by January 30. If they are short the $7.5 million by any amount whatsoever, the deal will not go through.
Of the $22.5 the RDN conditionally pledged, $21.2 million is in borrowing from the regional parks and trails fund, and an additional $1.2 million would come from reserves. “The $21.2 million [is] a fixed amount. We don’t have the ability to go to another funding source within the RDN to pay the difference, so it’s very fixed,” says Osbourn. “A lot of lifting still to do, and we’re really encouraging the community to play a role in helping secure the site and advocate for it.”
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