Elder Qaamina Hunter used to visit Tofino two or three times a week, but those visits have faded, he says, due to parking woes.
Hunter lives in the offshore Ahousaht First Nations community of Maaqtusiis on Flores Island, located 30-minutes by boat from Tofino’s First Street Dock.
“It’s no fun now going through Tofino,” said Hunter. “I wish we didn’t have to get divided by mamałn̓i (white person) choices. Some are talking about pulling membership out of Co-op and just going straight to Port Alberni or Nanaimo. We’ve had a little bit of a heartache in our life.”
Like many offshore residents from Ahousaht, Hesquiaht and the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations, Hunter says he leaves his truck anywhere in town he finds a spot, even if it risks getting a ticket.
“I’ve run out of care. If they want to take my truck, go ahead,” he said.
Tofino hosted 711,200 visitors in 2024, according to an Economic Impact of Tourism in Tofino report. While those visitors spent about $430 million in the region, between accommodations, activities, food and shopping, having so many flock to a small community means locals get hooped on nearby parking for groceries or medical appointments.
Following conversations with Ahousaht leadership, the District of Tofino opened a temporary parking lot for Ahousaht members in May 2025. The 30-stall parking lot is located next to the Tofino Community Hall, which is a 10-to-15-minute walk — one kilometre away — from Tofino’s First Street Dock.
Hunter says the Ahousaht lot is “way up in the bush” and that it’s a rush for a lot of offshore members to unload their groceries and go back up the hill to park their vehicle.
“It’s gotten more difficult, especially for our elders or (people with disabilities). Our elders were always priority, but obviously not anymore,” he said.
“You gotta get a boat, you gotta walk up that hill and maybe a rest by LA Grocery and then get your breath and then walk that long, long stretch then turn left to get to that parking up there,” Hunter continued.
Ahousaht’s elected Chief Councillor n̓aasʔałuk (John Rampanen) also lives in Maaqtusiis and parks his truck up at Ahousaht’s lot by the community centre.
“This is not by any means a long-term solution. We are looking at other options. Ahousaht is inquiring further into property that are for sale or for lease that are much closer to the waterfront,” said Chief n̓aasʔałuk.
Ahousaht pays the district for the use of the lot next to the community centre. n̓aasʔałuk told the Ha-Shilth-Sa he hopes it will be “obsolete sooner rather than later”.
They’ve had “positive conversations” with Jamie’s Whaling Station about gaining access to the waterfront portion of their property and in addition to that, they are looking at leasing the former site of Shelter Restaurant.
Ahousaht’s offshore parking needs are about 100 to 150 vehicles for residents of Maaqtusiis, according to n̓aasʔałuk, but if the nation hosts an event, that number swiftly increases.
As of July 2025, there are about 140 designated offshore parking stalls located in Tofino’s downtown core, according to District of Tofino staff. Of those 140 offshore stalls, about 30 are assigned to Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.
“This designation was established through ongoing discussions between the District and the Nation, reflecting a shared commitment to reconciliation and acknowledging that Tofino is within Tla-o-qui-aht's traditional territory. These spaces are located closer to the First Street Dock to better support accessibility for Nation members,” reads a statement from district staff.
Tofino resides within the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.
Quite often Nuu-chah-nulth-aht are mixed ancestry. n̓aasʔałuk, for instance, is Ahousaht with ties to Tla-o-qui-aht’s Seitcher family. He says the exclusive parking designation encourages “divisiveness amongst First Nations.”
Hunter thinks the designated TFN stalls should say “Tla-o-qui-aht / Ahousaht” and that the Ahousaht lot up by the community centre should be for the tourists.
“They’re making it tourist first instead of local,” Hunter said.
To encourage a turnover of vehicles downtown and at the beaches and to encourage alternative modes of transportation, the District of Tofino rolled out paid parking in 2024.
In its first full year, net revenues for Tofino’s downtown and beach pay parking programs exceeded $568,000, according to district staff. Included in the net revenues is roughly $76,000 collected from parking violations in 2024.
Revenues generated from Tofino’s pay parking flow into to the district’s Pay Parking Reserve Fund, which supports a range of community infrastructure and services. To date, district staff say the pay parking revenues have contributed to the Neill Street and Village Green revitalization, including new tennis/pickleball courts and basketball court upgrades, as well as improvements to the Wickaninnish Community School sports field.
Offshore residents can get a yearly parking permit for free, “as parking in town is their only option” - but “spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Having a permit does not guarantee a space”, states the District of Tofino.
Saya Masso, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s (TFN) manager of Lands and Resources, says his nation has been squeezed for footprint and land just like they are being squeezed out of parking. He wants to find that “middle space” where tourism isn’t negatively impacting locals so much.
“We will park a little further if I knew that tourism is building our basketball court or helping our language survive and building us a long house. I’ll gladly accommodate more,” said Masso, who lives in the Tla-o-qui-aht community of Opitsaht located across the inlet from Tofino.
“Parking is critical in Tofino,” he continued. “It’s incredible downtown driving around looking for a spot, but because Tla-o-qui-aht has selected some spots, it is a little easier. Still, eight out of 10 days, I’ll drive by TFN spots and they’re occupied by tourists or by other offshore nations. Come and park at 3 in the afternoon, there is not a single spot.”
Masso says Tla-o-qui-aht extended an invitation to have a luncheon with Ahousaht with the goal of working together to resolve the parking issue amongst other things.
“Hopefully we can collaborate and work together,” said Masso.
He shared that he recently had a “heartfelt meeting” with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) about releasing three parking spots for Tla-o-qui-aht elders near the First Street Dock. DFO owns a building that overlooks the First Street Dock, and according to Masso, their driveway can fit six cars and they also have three down on the waterfront.
District of Tofino staff say they continue to advocate to the Province of British Columbia for increased investment and long-term solutions to address infrastructure challenges, and that they regularly meet with representatives from Ahousaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Hesquiaht First Nations to discuss ongoing parking needs and explore collaborative solutions.
To help support accessibility, in collaboration with TFN, the district installed a shelter at the First Street Dock in 2024 to assist families in coordinating drop-offs and pick-ups, especially for elders and individuals with mobility challenges, reads a statement from the district.
