Nanaimo, Parksville and Area

digital payments
Public transit ticket sale changes looms for mid Island bus riders
NANAIMO - Traditional fare products will soon no longer be sold to Regional District of Nanaimo's transit customers. As of Dec. 1, physical tickets, along with monthly and semester passes, won't be sold to RDN transit riders, while physical tickets will still be accepted as payment until they run out. The BC Bus Pass P...
17h ago
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powers out
Over 30,000 homes across Nanaimo, Gabriola & Oceanside without power as wind storm hits
NANAIMO - A forecasted 'bomb cyclone' storm system has caused swift and widespread impacts to the region's power grid. BC Hydro reports over 30,000 of its customers from south of Nanaimo to north of Qualicum Beach were without power as of 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Most major populated centres had major outages inc...
Nov 20, 2024
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move that snow
Snow removal for priority walking routes in Parksville under consideration
PARKSVILLE - Sidewalks lining priority routes could soon be clear of snow when the white stuff falls in Parksville. During a Monday, Nov. 18 council meeting, councillors agreed to advance a two-year sidewalk snow removal pilot project for consideration as part of upcoming budget discussions. Chief administrative office...
Nov 20, 2024
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expect delays
Some Nanaimo ferries cancelled ahead of wind storms arrival
NANAIMO - A strong fall storm moving into the region over the next day is already causing some issues for ferry travel. BC Ferries have pre-emptively cancelled the 8:45 p.m. sailing from Nanaimo's Departure Bay for Tuesday, Nov. 19, along with the corresponding 10:10 p.m. return trip from Horseshoe Bay. The final sched...
Nov 19, 2024
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fatally injured
Recommendations made after Coroner's Inquest into Nanaimo ferry terminal shooting death
NANAIMO - A seven-member jury have made a pair of recommendations to both BC RCMP and BC Emergency Health Services (EHS) following a week-long inquest. The jury were tasked with determining relevant facts about the death of 39-year-old Jerry Robert Smallwood, known as Jer Wood, on May 8, 2018 as he exited Departure Bay...
Nov 19, 2024
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be prepared
'We prepare for these events:' Hydro crews on standby as windstorm hits Vancouver Island
NANAIMO - BC Hydro says they have a full complement of crew ready to respond however they're needed over the next 24 hours.A strong system from the Pacific, dubbed a 'bomb cyclone' due to its quickly dropping pressure, is poised to make landfall throughout Tuesday, Nov. 19 and continue with rain and blustery winds over...
Nov 19, 2024
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British Columbia

B.C. RCMP say multiple victims injured in single vehicle crash
SAANICH - Mounties on Vancouver Island say they are investigating a single-vehicle crash that left "multiple" people injured. Sidney North Saanich RCMP say officers were called to a shopping plaza in Sidney at about 2:30 p.m. They say a number of people have been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening in...
5h ago
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Estate sale Emily Carr painting bought for US$50 nets C$290,000 at Toronto auction
TORONTO - An Emily Carr painting that sold for US$50 at an estate sale has fetched C$290,000 at a Toronto auction. Heffel Fine Art Auction House says "Masset, Q.C.I." sold for $290,000 at its fall sale Wednesday night. That's above a presale estimate of $100,000 to $200,000, and does not include auction house...
5h ago
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Site of massive B.C. river slide remains unstable, effects on salmon not yet clear
A salmon task force examining the impacts of the massive landslide that temporarily dammed British Columbia's Chilcotin River last July says there have been three "significant" slope failures since then, and the site remains unstable. A statement from the Tsilhqot'in National Government, which is part of the ...
7h ago
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B.C. Conservative leader names shadow cabinet, gives job to controversial member
VICTORIA - B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has assigned jobs to 41 of his 44-member caucus, including giving a critic's position to MLA Brent Chapman, who faced calls to step down during the campaign over controversial social media remarks. Several groups called on Rustad during last month's election to remove Cha...
7h ago
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Eby's NDP cabinet 'bloated, expensive,' says B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad
VICTORIA - British Columbia Conservative Leader John Rustad says Premier David Eby's new cabinet appears to be a taxpayer-funded loyalty program that rewards NDP caucus. Eby introduced his new cabinet this week, which includes 23 ministers, four ministers of state and 14 parliamentary secretaries. He also announced pos...
7h ago
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Investigation led to huge drug bust, which will disrupt Surrey drug trade, says RCMP
SURREY - Mounties in Surrey, B.C., say a year-long investigation has led to one of the largest drug seizures in the detachment's history and will "disrupt" the drug trade in the city. RCMP say they launched an investigation in June 2023 into a criminal group alleged to be involved in trafficking "high-po...
7h ago
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Canada

Trudeau expected to announce temporary GST break on some items, NDP says
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce on Thursday a temporary GST break for certain essential items to help ease affordability pressures. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says in a statement that the announcement is in response to his party's demands to permanently lift the goods and services tax on a ...
3h ago
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Trump nominates former congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
WASHINGTON - U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has picked a former Michigan congressman as his upcoming administration's ambassador to Canada. Trump said in a statement that Pete Hoekstra would help him "once again put America first." Hoekstra thanked Trump on social media platform X, saying he was honoured f...
4h ago
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Investigation led to huge drug bust, which will disrupt Surrey drug trade, says RCMP
SURREY - Mounties in Surrey, B.C., say a year-long investigation has led to one of the largest drug seizures in the detachment's history and will "disrupt" the drug trade in the city. RCMP say they launched an investigation in June 2023 into a criminal group alleged to be involved in trafficking "high-po...
7h ago
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Coroner's inquest into 2016 death of Ottawa man hears from ex-cop involved in arrest
OTTAWA - A former police officer involved in the case of an Ottawa man who died after a violent arrest says the incident still affects him eight years later. A coroner's inquest into the July 2016 death of 38-year-old Abdirahman Abdi began earlier this week, with witnesses testifying today. Abdi died after police respo...
10h ago
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Montreal unveils 2025 budget with new spending for housing, homelessness
MONTREAL - The City of Montreal is promising to speed up construction permits, raise taxes on owners of vacant lots and spend tens of millions of dollars more to help develop affordable housing as part of its 2025 budget. The $7.28 billion budget unveiled today by Mayor Valérie Plante includes a promise to incre...
10h ago
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Young Quebecers care less than older people about being served in English: survey
MONTREAL - A new survey conducted for Quebec's language watchdog says young Quebecers are far less interested compared to older residents about being served in English in stores. In a report published this week, the watchdog says 41 per cent of customers between the ages of 18 and 34 reported feeling indifferent to bei...
11h ago
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