ELECTION DAY is OCTOBER 17th, 2026.
Advance Polls on October 7th and 14th will be open at Beban Park Social Centre from 8am-8pm.
For more information on how and where to vote, including instructions on voting by mail, please visit the City of Nanaimo’s Elections Page.
I’m running for re-election to continue building a more livable, accessible, and sustainable city.
Through my experience on Council, my background as a reporter, and my previous job as Caseworker for the Member of Parliament’s office, I have learned a lot about where we’re succeeding and where we still have room to grow and improve, and I understand the systemic issues impacting residents.
During my time on Council, I have served as Chair of the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness, Co-Chair of the Public Safety Committee, Council’s representative on the Design Advisory Panel, and as Alternate Director for the Regional District of Nanaimo.
I’m committed to listening closely to residents, bringing those diverse priorities and perspectives to the Council table, and supporting the changes needed to improve our collective quality of life. Responding to community needs and concerns, I have brought forward motions to address a wide variety of local issues, from data centre water usage and banning the sale of invasive plants to restoring rail transit and recognizing housing as a human right. Much of that work is ongoing and there’s more to do.
To ensure data centre water usage and energy demands are fully disclosed at the rezoning stage for any future data centre proposals, I introduced a motion to amend our Official Community Plan (OCP). My motion passed but the vote on the OCP amendment will come to the next Council, which I sincerely hope to be a part of. I brought forward a motion to ban the sale of invasive plant species like English Ivy, which are causing harm to our local ecosystems and creating an impossible task for residents, local volunteers, and City staff trying keep up with removing them. The next Council will be responsible for ensuring the invasive plant bylaw is adopted. I also brought forward a motion to consider interim uses for 6 Commercial Street, formerly the Jean Burns Building, which has been an empty pit since a fire in 2016. I hope to support creative community uses for that central downtown site while we await future redevelopment.
Serving as a Nanaimo City Councillor for the last four years has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life and I’m committed to continuing this work.
If you are curious about my voting record, please check out the Council Meeting Dashboard and use the filter feature to explore the local issues that matter to you.
Platform
As an elected Nanaimo City Councillor, I am committed to continue working in collaboration with Council, City staff, citizens, businesses, community groups, the Snuneymuxw First Nation, and upper levels of government to proactively address issues impacting the quality of life of all Nanaimo residents.
A more livable, affordable Nanaimo
More details
- Support housing & affordability initiatives for renters and owners
- Support the Fair Care Alliance with strong advocacy to upper levels of government on the much-needed Nanaimo Regional General Hospital expansion (including a cardiac & catheterization lab and new patient tower) & primary healthcare services
- Improve City building permit processes to cut down on wait times impacting building affordability
- Work closely with developers, non-profits and BC Housing to help build housing that is accessible for individuals and families of all income levels and abilities
Improved accessibility for residents
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- Make City facilities, parks, trails and programs more accessible and safer for all
- Enhance and increase accessibility to transit service (including BC Transit and HandyDART service) and support restoring passenger rail service
- Prioritize pedestrian safety upgrades, including sidewalks and illuminated crosswalks in underserved neighbourhoods
- Ensure the city is actively supporting community organizations dedicated to serving individuals with diverse abilities
Planning for a sustainable future
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- Prioritize protecting Nanaimo’s watershed and drinking water supply
- Enhance and expand urban forest, parks, and natural spaces
- Support local food security by collaborating with community partners to establish a permanent indoor farmers’ market and increase access to local food
- Support energy retrofits for residential and commercial buildings
- Plan and prepare for extreme weather to keep all residents safe
Questions or comments?
Want to request an election sign?
Please get in touch and let me know what’s important to you.
If you would like to support my campaign by putting a sign in a publicly-visible spot in your front garden, on your lawn, in your window, or on your apartment balcony, please send me a message and I’ll arrange to drop it off to you and pick it up after the election.
Donate
Your support means a lot!
Thank you for visiting my website. If you would like to donate to my re-election campaign, I would deeply appreciate your support. You can donate here or by sending an e-transfer to hilaryforcouncil@gmail.com.
Donations will help me pay for locally-printed signs and campaign materials to help me reach more voters. Any amount helps!
Please note: Individuals (Not Corporations or Unions) may donate up to a maximum of $1429.70 per year per candidate in 2026 BC Local Elections. Local Elections donations are not tax deductible.
About
I moved to Nanaimo in 2013 from Elora, Ontario, to work as a radio reporter. I didn’t know anyone here and I had never been to BC, I just knew I loved Nanaimo bars and I was excited to get to know the city. My goal was to cover all the important issues and help citizens better understand what was happening in their community so they could be more engaged and involved in shaping the future of the place they call home.
I quickly fell in love with Nanaimo, not just for its natural beauty, but because of the vibrant community. This city is full of amazing community-builders, including artists, business owners, entrepreneurs, activists, dedicated volunteers, and big-hearted people working hard to make Nanaimo an even better place. After only a short time, I knew I wanted to stay for good and be a part of it.
As a reporter with 91.7 Coast FM, I saw many highs and lows firsthand and regularly covered City Council meetings. I gained a strong understanding for the key issues at play in our city and what really matters to residents. I also gained a lot of respect for the many grassroots organizations, not-for-profits, service clubs, and volunteer groups making a positive impact in the community.
Making a positive impact is why I got into journalism in the first place, which then led to politics. In my former role as a Caseworker in the Member of Parliament’s Constituency office, I helped people navigate federal bureaucracy and advocated on their behalf when they needed assistance. I loved getting positive results and helping people feel heard, understood, and respected. That work inspired me to get involved in municipal politics, where Council decisions have a direct impact on the built and natural environment, provision of basic services, recreational opportunities, and community-level programs that residents rely on.
During my time in Nanaimo, I have also worked as the Bookstore Manager for Literacy Central Vancouver Island, an incredible social enterprise that helps people reach their literacy goals. I have volunteered at many invasive plant removal work parties and restoration efforts with organizations like the Nanaimo & Area Land Trust Society, and been involved with organizing the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival. I have written freelance articles for The Discourse, including one about the Nanaimo Rent Bank highlighting the ongoing rental affordability crisis. In 2015, I had the honour of participating in the Tour de Rock as a media rider. I personally helped fundraise over $18,000 to send kids with pediatric cancer to Camp Goodtimes, and I shaved my head during an event at Maffeo Sutton Park to support the cause.
Endorsements
Restore Island Rail Society
Thank you to the Restore Island Rail Society for the opportunity to highlight my support for restoring rail service along the Island Corridor as a key transit and transportation asset.
Media
Recent Media Coverage
From Times Colonist:
Nanaimo councillor raises concerns about data-centre water consumption
August 2, 2026
Detailed information on water and power usage should be provided before any future data centre rezonings are approved in the city, says a Nanaimo councillor.
In 2022 and 2023, council approved the rezoning of two lots on East Wellington Road for a data storage centre.
But Coun. Hilary Eastmure said she felt “completely in the dark” at the time about what the project actually entailed. (Clarification: Councillors Eastmure, Geselbracht, and Manly voted against final adoption.)
Eastmure was elected to council in 2022, when the project was between third and fourth readings. She said none of her questions at the time — particularly about the data centre’s water use — could be answered because council was no longer allowed to receive new information. Instead, councillors had to rely on material provided to the previous council.
She made the comments in an interview this past week, after council approved her motion calling for more information to be provided for future data centre rezoning applications.
“Given the degree of concern around the preservation of our water resources in general, let alone the amount of water used by the data centre industry more broadly, I think it’s a really central question.” READ MORE.
From The Nanaimo News Bulletin:
Nanaimo considers temporary uses for the giant downtown hole
July 30, 2026
A motion by Coun. Hilary Eastmure, which received unanimous support at a special council meeting on July 27, directed staff to provide a report on possible temporary uses for 6 Commercial St., a 1,066-square metre site that has been vacant since the Jean Burns Building, which once occupied it, burned down in 2016.
The city bought the property for an undisclosed amount in 2021, in an effort to ensure that it didn’t sit idle for many more years.
“So I think it’s time to get creative, and I’m really curious to see what options for interim uses our staff could come up with.”
Eastmure said she thinks there’s amazing potential for a temporary amphitheatre or performance space, food-truck parking, a pop-up shop area, a pop-up community garden using raised beds, or a temporary skate park at the site. READ MORE.
From The Nanaimo News Bulletin:
Nanaimo makes next step in targeting invasive plant species
July 23, 2026
Nanaimo is taking its next steps in efforts to deal with the proliferation of invasive species in the municipality.
Council passed a motion at its meeting on July 20, directing staff to bring to council proposed bylaw amendments to the city’s business licences to include provisions restricting the sale and distribution of invasive plants by retail stores in Nanaimo.
This followed an instruction to staff in June, 2025, to begin a phased process to draft a bylaw that prohibits the sale and distribution of specific species of invasive species in the city.
Coun. Hilary Eastmure said she had volunteered at invasive-plant work parties throughout the city, and saw first hand the impacts of invasive plants on the environment.
She said banning the sale of the plants through business licences and the city’s public-awareness campaigns are proactive means to help deal with the issue. READ MORE.
2022 Election Campaign
From The Nanaimo News Bulletin:
Eastmure wants to help with the housing crisis, for example by working to identify suitable sites for social housing and pushing for affordable components in new developments. She wants to advocate for health services and partner on initiatives to attract and retain physicians.
She anticipates being a lifelong renter and would bring that perspective to discussions about affordability, and said she understands the values of the “younger generation” and the changes they’re keen to see.
She said local government impacts people’s daily lives, and the idea of working as part of team to bring positive change appeals to her.
“I see a lot of people who are maybe feeling a bit fearful about things like community safety and … crime and some candidates are approaching this trying to capitalize on that fear-based angle,” Eastmure said. “But when I’m talking to people, I hear a lot of hope and lot of positivity and a lot of belief in Nanaimo’s potential and I think that is what people want to see from council.” READ MORE.