Teunis Westbroek, a director on the Regional District of Nanaimo board, will put forward a motion on March 27 to direct staff to prepare a process by which the board can change the RDN’s name. (News Bulletin file)

A Regional District of Nanaimo director wants to revisit a name change for the local level of government.

The RDN considered rebranding itself in 2017, but name change motions were defeated in February 2017, citing cost. However, at the RDN’s Feb. 27 regular meeting, Teunis Westbroek, director and Qualicum Beach mayor, informed the board he will bring forward a motion March 27 directing staff to develop a renaming process.

“The RDN is looking at rebranding the signage and so on, which I was told was too expensive. If we wanted to change the name … it would cost too much money to change it on all the signs,” said Westbroek. “Well, if we’re doing the signs, that’s a big chunk of it and the rest we can be doing gradually.”

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Bill Yoachim, City of Nanaimo councillor and RDN director, is in favour of changing the name.

“I would definitely be in support of the motion for the simple fact that in the era of reconciliation, I believe it’s much more than just recognizing the territory that we’re in,” said Yoachim, a member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. “It’s signifying the change and Westbroek’s going to recommend a name, the Regional District along the Salish Sea, and I think that would be very profound, very respectful. It’d be recognizing the regional district is in many – not just Snuneymuxw – Salish communities and it would also bring awareness to the Salish Sea.”

A staff report from February 2017 noted that the B.C. Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development recommended that the RDN “provide good rationale for the decision to change the name and demonstrate a high level of public consultation.”



reporter@nanaimobulletin.com

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