Building a Better Nanaimo Together
About Me
Hi, I’m Max MacKay.
Nanaimo isn’t just where I live, it’s where I was born, raised, and built my life. As a Status First Nations resident with deep roots in this city, I care deeply about our community’s history, its people, and the direction we are heading.
For the past seven years, I’ve worked on the frontlines of Nanaimo’s hospitality industry. Serving our community every day has given me a unique, unfiltered perspective on local life. Across thousands of conversations at work, on our local streets, and as an active member of the Nanaimo Golf Club, I’ve listened to residents from every walk of life share their stories, their struggles, and their hopes for our city.
These everyday conversations started to reveal a clear pattern. Whether talking to young families, retirees, or small business owners, the concerns were the same: public safety, rising living costs, the decline of our downtown, and a growing frustration with decisions coming out of City Hall.
I found myself having these conversations again and again. I realized that talking wasn't enough. Nanaimo is at a critical turning point, and our community needs leaders who are ready to listen, take accountability, and bring practical solutions to the table.
I’m running for City Council because I believe in Nanaimo’s potential. I bring:
Deep Community Roots: A lifelong connection and personal investment in Nanaimo’s future.
A Listener’s Approach: Seven years of real-world experience engaging directly with residents and understanding their everyday challenges.
Fresh Leadership: The energy, work ethic, and determination to ask tough questions and make sensible, transparent decisions.
I am ready to work for you to build a safer, stronger, and more vibrant Nanaimo that we can all be proud to call home.
Campaign Priorities
Nanaimo is at a critical turning point. You deserve leadership that delivers real results, safer neighborhoods, sensible spending, smart community growth, and a downtown core we can all be proud of.
Public Safety & Safe Public Spaces
Every resident, family, and business owner deserves to feel safe in their own neighbourhood. I will prioritize reclaiming our parks, trails, and commercial streets so they remain clean, secure, and welcoming for everyone. By securing dedicated provincial resources for mental health and addiction support while empowering local police and bylaws to address property crime and open drug use, I will deliver a firm, compassionate approach to public safety.
An Affordable & Accountable City Hall
Taxpayers deserve complete transparency, fiscal discipline, and maximum value for every dollar sent to City Hall. I am committed to keeping municipal spending focused strictly on core infrastructure and essential public services, rather than low-priority vanity projects. Through line-by-line budget reviews to cut administrative waste and open council decision-making, I will protect residents from unsustainable tax hikes and restore fiscal accountability to local government.
Smart Growth & Responsible Housing
As Nanaimo continues to grow, our roads, water systems, transit, and public services must keep pace. I will cut bureaucratic red tape and fast-track municipal permit approvals to get affordable, diverse housing built faster across the city. By enforcing an infrastructure-first approach to development, I will ensure Nanaimo expands responsibly while protecting the unique character of our established neighborhoods.
Revitalizing Downtown Nanaimo
Downtown should be the vibrant, safe, and welcoming heart of our city, a place where residents and visitors actively want to gather. I will restore visible downtown security to support local shop owners, workers, and visitors. By creating incentives to fill vacant storefronts with local restaurants and boutique shops, and actively investing in arts, festivals, and nightlife, I will transform downtown Nanaimo back into a premier Mid-Island destination.