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Nanaimo, Parksville and Area

classic gas
Qualicum Beach decides not to go electric for new garbage truck
QUALICUM BEACH - A new garbage truck is on its way to serve the residents of Qualicum Beach with the Town deciding to go with a traditional internal combustion engine over an electric vehicle.During the Wednesday, March 19 special council meeting, councillors accepted a report for information on replacing one of two ag...
Mar 22, 2025
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Lonsdale Shines
In his 100th career game Cole Lonsdale leads the Clippers to a win in Surrey
SOUTH SURREY - For two periods Cole Lonsdale and his Clipper teammates couldn't breakthrough the Surrey Eagles armour.That all changed in a wild third period with Nanaimo erasing a 2-0 deficit and coming back to record a 4-3 overtime victory.Lonsdale had a goal and an assist in the third period plus the overtime winner...
Mar 22, 2025
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touchdown
'Pretty special moment:' first ever all-female tackle football game coming to Nanaimo
NANAIMO - History will be made on Saturday, with the first-ever all-female tackle football game on Vancouver Island. The V.I. Steelers will host the Mainland Wildcats for a game at q'unq'inuqwstuxw Stadium on Third St on Saturday, March 22, a week after the province's first-ever all-female game was played between the t...
Mar 21, 2025
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economic impacts
'The impacts are huge:' calls renewed for second Island highway route after $15M wildfire loss
PORT ALBERNI - A significant wildfire on central Vancouver Island in 2023 was extraordinarily costly for some communities. Studies into the economic impacts have been completed since the Cameron Bluffs wildfire shut down Hwy. 4 between Oceanside and Port Alberni for around two weeks, in addition to other temporary clos...
Mar 21, 2025
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Memorable First
VIDEO: Clippers rookie Mitchell Patrick finding his stride
NANAIMO - Navigating the BCHL as a first-year player can be challenging but forward Mitchell Patrick is making the most of it.He's appeared in ten games since joining the club in December and scored his first BCHL goal on Saturday, Mar. 15."It was the first of many hopefully," Patrick said. "I hope it op...
Mar 21, 2025
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tariff bonus
Nanaimo food bank sees silver lining through ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war
NANAIMO - The 'buy Canadian' message seems to be resonating with local shoppers, creating a silver lining for a local food bank.Peter Sinclair, executive director of Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank said they've been inundated with hundreds of kilograms of American produce over recent weeks, which went unsold at...
Mar 21, 2025
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British Columbia

Southern B.C. faces messy roads, localized flooding with heavy rain, melting snow
VANCOUVER - Part of southern British Columbia is facing a two-day weather system that's expected to bring heavy rain and snowmelt due to rising freezing levels, resulting in potentially messy driving conditions and localized flooding. Environment Canada says the latest advisory is for the West Kootenay region including...
3h ago
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Anti-overdose naloxone kits at transit stops could help save lives, study suggests
VANCOUVER - Researcher Benjamin Leung carries a naloxone kit in his backpack in case of encountering an opioid overdose - but he admits that's about as practical as carrying a fire extinguisher in case of fire. Instead Leung is now advocating a new tactic of placing the overdose-reversing kits at transit locations near...
8h ago
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Rainfall warning issued for Metro Vancouver, parts of B.C.'s south coast
VANCOUVER - Heavy rain in the forecast is slated to pummel parts of British Columbia's south coast, with some areas possibly getting as much as 130 millimetres. Environment Canada says the rainfall warning covers much of western Vancouver Island including Tofino, Port Renfrew and Sooke, as well as parts of the Sunshine...
22h ago
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Vancouver reports first homicide of 2025 after man found dead on beach
VANCOUVER - Vancouver has recorded its first homicide of 2025 after a man was found dead in the city's Downtown Eastside. Vancouver Police say officers were called to Crab Park at about 8:30 a.m. after someone reported a dead body found on the beach. The force issued a release saying the case is the city's first homici...
Mar 22, 2025
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B.C. court voids 'cult' marriage, finding woman didn't 'truly consent'
A British Columbia judge has annulled the marriage of a woman to a fellow member of an India-based "cult group," saying she didn't "truly consent" to the 2023 wedding. The B.C. Supreme Court ruling issued this week says Arshnoor Kaur Jaura claimed she was manipulated and overwhelmed by a "barra...
Mar 21, 2025
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Boy, 5, playing game of hide-and-seek is found by RCMP helicopter in B.C.
MISSION, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - Mounties in Mission, B.C., say a police helicopter crew spotted a five-year-old boy after he went missing during a game of hide-and-seek. Police say the boy was at a children's camp near Mission on Tuesday when he walked away from the rest of the group playing in a forested area. Sta...
Mar 21, 2025
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Canada

campaign underway
Federal election begins, Canadians to go to polls on April 28
OTTAWA - Canada's 45th general election got underway Sunday, with the leaders vying to become Canada's next prime minister each positioning themselves as best to strengthen Canada's economy and stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump.Liberal Leader Mark Carney triggered the campaign midday by visiting Gov. Gen. Mary Si...
2h ago
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Federal election begins, Canadians to go to polls on April 28
OTTAWA - Canada's 45th general election got underway Sunday, with the leaders vying to become Canada's next prime minister each positioning themselves as best to strengthen Canada's economy and stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump. Liberal Leader Ma...
2h ago
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Anti-overdose naloxone kits at transit stops could help save lives, study suggests
VANCOUVER - Researcher Benjamin Leung carries a naloxone kit in his backpack in case of encountering an opioid overdose - but he admits that's about as practical as carrying a fire extinguisher in case of fire. Instead Leung is now advocating a new tac...
8h ago
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Ottawa increases AgriStability cap to help industry as it faces Chinese tariffs
OTTAWA - The Canadian government has announced support for the country's agriculture sector as it deals with tariffs imposed by China. The federal agriculture department says in a news release that the current payment cap under AgriStability, a program...
19h ago
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Travel concerns
Canada updates U.S., China travel advisories after recent frictions
OTTAWA - Canadians are now facing updated travel advisories to the world's two largest economies, after Ottawa warned travellers who stay in the United States for more than 30 days to make sure they register as required. The advisory for the United Sta...
Mar 22, 2025
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Canada says it will fund Jordan's Principle for First Nations kids through 2026
MONTREAL - Ottawa says it will continue to fund Jordan's Principle to support First Nations children through 2026 as some First Nations chiefs decry what they call cutbacks in services. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu announced the extension i...
Mar 22, 2025
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