Utilities
Water & Sewer Service
The Arrowsmith Lake Dam was completed in 1998 by the Regional District of Nanaimo, City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach. The dam supplies water for distribution and use by the City of Parksville. The French Creek Sewage Treatment Plant is operated by the Regional District of Nanaimo. The plant can process up to 1.2 million gallons per day and currently uses about 50% of that capacity. This resource is worthy of further consideration when evaluating future population growth and infill capability within the City.
Electrical Service
B.C. Hydro delivers electricity through a network of world-class systems providing safe, efficient and competitively priced electricity throughout British Columbia.
Natural Gas Service
Terasen provides natural gas to Vancouver Island via an undersea pipeline from the mainland.
Transportation
Roads & Highways
Parksville is serviced by the main Vancouver Island Highway #19, which bypasses Parksville. This four lane limited access highway was completed in 1997 and runs from Victoria to Campbell River, greatly reducing travel time between the major centers. Highway 19A and the Alberni Highway run through the middle of Parksville and connect the City to Highway #19. The internal road network of Parksville is typical of any major city and new roads are designed under the latest engineering standards.
Freight & Courier Services
Parksville is serviced by the major national freight and courier companies such as FedEx, UPS, CanPar, DHL Express, Danfoss, Greyhound and Purolator. Heavy trucking and reefer services are available from numerous sources and limited container service is available. A Post Office is also located in Parksville.
Bus Service
Passenger and parcel bus service is available on a regularly scheduled basis throughout the Island with connections to Vancouver and the U.S.
Rail Service
Freight and passenger rail service is available along the rail line between Victoria and Courtenay, with freight service also available to Port Alberni.
Air Transportation
The local airport is in Qualicum Beach and has a 900 m [3,000 ft] runway at an elevation of 60 m [200 ft], with a new passenger terminal, cafe and full fuel services. K.D. Air operates a scheduled air service to Vancouver and other points. International connections are made at Nanaimo and Comox, B.C.
The Nanaimo Airport has a 1500 m [5,000 ft] runway with flights to Vancouver as well as charter, helicopter and training facilities.
The Comox/Courtenay Airport has a 1500 m (5,000 ft) runway. WestJet Airlines has several daily flights non-stop to Calgary and other destinations.
The Nanaimo Seaplane Terminal offers scheduled and charter floatplane service to Vancouver.
Marine Transportation
All commercial marine transportation is handled in Nanaimo. Two Provincial ferry terminals service a fleet of regularly scheduled ferries between Vancouver Island, the mainland and the Gulf Islands. The Port of Nanaimo operates a deep sea shipping and container facility to various countries. These facilities are capable of handling any freight, cargo, rail and passenger services to Vancouver and points beyond.
Communication Systems
Telecommunications- Telephone communication infrastructure is provided by Telus Communications Inc., the second largest communications company in Canada. Telus provides fibre optic, ISDN, ADSL and ATM technology as well as wireless, satellite, and digital technology. The Telus system is one of the best worldwide. Long distance service providers include Telus, Sprint, AT&T and RSLCOM.
Cable- Shaw Cable and Shaw Fiberlink offer telecommunications solutions with fibre connectivity, and Ethernet gateways.
Internet - Internet access is available through local service providers.
Communication Media
Television- The local television station for Vancouver Island is CHEK Television in Victoria. A worldwide network of television stations are available through cable, satellite and internet services.
Radio - The local radio station is C.K.C.I. broadcasting from Parksville.
Newspaper - Local news and other coverage is published twice a week in a local paper, The News and The Oceanside Star. Regional, national and international newspapers are also available locally.
Waste Management
Domestic garbage and recycling collection is provided by a private contractor of the Regional District of Nanaimo. Waste from commercial and industrial users is collected by local contractors and paid for by the user. A transfer station for sorting and recycling waste is operated by the Regional District of Nanaimo and is located just outside the City limits.