PARKSVILLE - A significant amount of money is being raised to protect a large piece of land home to a large ecosystem.The Nature Trust of BC is looking to raise $350,000 to protect 13 acres of land home to wildlife along the Englishman River at 130 Shelly Road in Parksville.CEO of the Nature Trust Dr. Jasper Lament sai...

NANAIMO - Capable of going upwards of 25 kilometres per hour, a new network of shareable e-bikes is debuting in the city. Evolve, a program run through BCAA and already in place in several major centres, will start offering publicly rentable e-bikes through a soft launch on Wednesday, May 1, with a more widespread roll...

VANCOUVER - Escalating public safety concerns combined with increasing deaths link to drug toxicity is pushing changes to allowed drug consumption in public areas.Premier David Eby announced on Friday, April 26, collaboration with the federal government on changing the legality of drug possession and consumption in B.C...

NANAIMO - A long-promised and badly needed supportive housing complex is set to officially open in the city's downtown.Cornerstone, located at 285 Prideaux St., is a 51-unit permanent modular supportive housing project, part of a promise through a 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BC Housing and the City t...

NANAIMO - Less than a year after being formed a local non-profit group which brings men together in a positive and uplifting way finally has a permanent home. Organized by a local father and son last year, the Nanaimo and District Men's Shed Society (NDMSS) is celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, April 27, from n...

NANAIMO - Authoring children's books was not the kind of healing journey a busy Nanaimo nurse expected. An injury sidelined May Sosa for a few weeks last year, spawning an unscripted journey of creating more awareness of the struggles of neurodiverse children in the form of several fairy tales. Motivating Sosa to put p...

GABRIOLA ISLAND - A new staffing model for first responder paramedics on Island is proving a more resilient level of care. BC Emergency Health Services, through funding from the provincial government, transitioned Gabriola Island and 21 other rural and remote communities to a 24/7 Alpha shift model. It means a total of...

NANAIMO - A loaded and ready-to-fire sawed-off shotgun was confiscated by local Mounties on routine patrol in Harewood. Members of the Nanaimo RCMP Bike Patrol unit spotted a man well known to them loitering in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven at the corner of Fifth St. and Bruce Ave., around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Apri...

NANAIMO - An Indigenous land protector will spend an additional 48 days in jail following sentencing arguments in BC Supreme Court in Nanaimo. Angela 'Rainbow Eyes' Davidson, 38, was sentenced to 60 days in custody with credit given for 12 days served and 75 hours of community service on Wednesday, April 24 after being...

NANAIMO - Housing projects continue to be at the forefront of construction plans in Nanaimo, despite rising construction costs. The 2023 development and housing overview was presented during the Monday, April 22 Nanaimo council meeting, showing construction of multi-family homes far outpacing other housing developments...

NANAIMO - More houses are on the way for Nanaimo within the next five years.As part of the Housing Supply Act, the B.C. government has identified the next 20 priority municipalities they will work with to meet housing targets, now including Nanaimo, North Cowichan, and North Saanich.Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said in...

NANAIMO - A man with diversabilities is afraid of going for walks alone after being victimized by an apparent unprovoked, senseless attack. On Thursday, April 18 just before 8:30 p.m., the 54-year-old man was walking home on Big Bear Ridge in the Brannen Lake area with his dog after visiting his mother's home nearby. S...

NANAIMO - Several underused properties are poised for a substantial bump in housing in Nanaimo's south end. City councillors approved the first three of four required readings to a project calling for more than 120 market rental housing units on Nicol at Needham streets, during a Monday, April 22 council meeting. The p...

NANAIMO - With numerous factors stacked against him led by severe cognitive deficits, a Nanaimo man was sentenced to a further two years in jail. Dale John Patterson, 41, previously pleaded guilty to four drug trafficking charges and an impaired driving offence in connection with two incidents in 2021 and was sentenced...

PARKSVILLE - Risking his life to save another resulted in a well-earned bravery medal for the highly regarded president of Arrowsmith Search and Rescue. Arrowsmith SAR's Nick Rivers was awarded the Governor General's Commendation for Bravery medal during a ceremony on Saturday, April 20 in Parksville. Rivers and his SA...

NANAIMO - Furry friends will now have more space to sail on select BC Ferries routes to and from Vancouver Island.Larger, upper deck outdoor pet areas for leashed dogs and cats in carriers have been added to the Queen of Surrey and Queen of Coquitlam, sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo's Departure Bay and Langdale.T...

NANAIMO - A pair of multi-use artificial sports fields in the south end are now serving vastly growing demand. On Saturday, April 20 newly constructed side-by-side all-weather artificial fields surrounded by LED lighting for evening use opened to replace Sherry Fields at Harewood Centennial Park on Seventh St. at Howar...

NANAIMO - With a business plan approved for a new cancer centre in Nanaimo, an effort has begun to acquire a new diagnosis machine.Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation (NDHF) launched a campaign to raise $160,000 to fund a Mopec 400, a "grossing" instrument to allow for more examinations for early detec...

NANAIMO - Fans of classic vinyl are in for a treat.The Nanaimo Record Show will be back at the Bowen Park Auditorium for it's eighth year Sunday, April 21, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Jack Tieleman, co-founder of the show, is excited to see what kind of items people will bring."It's sort of like Christmas Day be...

NANAIMO - Several local areas of the central Island region are poised to start stage two water restrictions next month.Beginning May 1, most areas of the Regional District, including the City of Nanaimo and City of Parksville, will move into the enhanced restrictions which include limited watering hours based on house ...

QUALICUM BEACH - A unique community event utilizing the skills of community members is coming to the Oceanside area.On Saturday, April 20, the first edition of the Oceanside Repair Cafe will be taking place at St. Stephens United Church (150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach) from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.Organizer Lally Grauer s...

NANAIMO - A local man with an extensive criminal history has avoided additional jail time after being caught with a large amount of drugs and cash.Kerry Wallace Chang, 55, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of simple possession after being initially charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking following a July...

NANAIMO - An accidental flip of a switch is believed responsible for a small oil slick in a local marina. Crews at the Nanaimo Port Authority became aware of a vessel in the marina, between Cameron Island and the waterfront walkway, leaking oil around 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 13. Capt. Satinder Singh, NPA's vice pres...

NANOOSE BAY - An extensive volunteer effort freed an island BC Parks day-use site of damaging invasive plant species recently. Between April 11 and 14, BC Marine Trails (BCMT) volunteers paddled to the 12 hectare Gerald Island to remove English Ivy, according to a news release from the organization. "...originally...

NANAIMO - A proposed development at the gateway of the city's downtown is back to where it was earlier this year, despite continued objections from Snuneymuxw First Nation (SFN).Re-zoning of the former Howard Johnson Hotel site across multiple lots on Comox Rd., Mill St., and Terminal Ave. again passed third reading af...

Editor's note: This story contains graphic details which may disturb some readers. Discretion is advised. VANCOUVER - No other options were available to a woman who smashed her estranged boyfriend's head with a hammer as he slept face down and slit his throat, according to her lawyer. Acknowledging his client killed he...

A Nanaimo woman says she is serenading a killer whale calf with her violin, hoping to entice the orca to leave the remote lagoon where she has been trapped alone for almost four weeks. Carol Love says she is watching the tides at the Vancouver Island lagoon and will be playing the violin at every high tide to entice th...

NANAIMO - Local growing and improved food security are key messages behind a new event. Coinciding with Earth Day on Saturday, April 20, a trio of local organizations are combining to create an exhibition of local food production and food security at the Park Avenue Farm. Co-organizer Jennifer Kemp told NanaimoNewsNOW ...