Officers from a variety of specialized units were deployed to the Cameron Island Marina on Sunday, Feb. 1 after a man barricaded himself inside a tugboat. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

cameron island marina

‘Very volatile situation:’ barricaded man on Nanaimo boat arrested

Feb 2, 2026 | 9:26 AM

NANAIMO — A man barricaded in a boat in Nanaimo’s inner harbour triggered a substantial police response.

Mounties from the Nanaimo detachment, along with the Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services and hostage negotiators were deployed to the Cameron Island marina on Sunday, Feb. 1, after a man barricaded himself inside the vessel.

Nanaimo RCMP Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW the situation began at nearby Thrifty Foods inside Port Place Shopping Centre around 3 p.m.

“He was reportedly involved in a shoplifting incident, threats were made, he left the store and police were called. A short time later, the same individual allegedly broke into a tug boat that was moored in the marina.”

The tug boat the suspect was barricaded inside of. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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The individual refused officer instructions to leave with O’Brien saying it turned into a “very volatile situation”.

First responders pivoted from attempting to arrest the man, to containing the surrounding area, and called in specialized units to assist.

O’Brien stated officers were able to gain access and remove the suspect from the boat.

On Tuesday, Feb. 1., the BC Prosecution Service formally charged 44-year-old Marcel Alvin Fontaine with break and enter to commit an indictable offence, mischief under $5,000 and breaching a police/court order.

O’Brien credited the specialized resources for swiftly resolving the situation.

“Our officers are trained when they have a situation and they’re attempting to remove someone from a vessel or a house or an apartment. If threats are made and they realize the situation is escalating, they’re trained to remove themselves from that situation, contain it and bring in our Emergency Response Team who are trained in armed and potentially barricaded people.”

A large section of Cameron Island was blocked off from the public, with Mounties leaving the area around 5:30 p.m.

Portions of the Boat Basin dock were also restricted, with members of the public on the dock accessed off Nanaimo’s Waterfront Walkway ordered to stand back.

Multiple agencies were involved in supporting the evolving incident, including Nanaimo Port Authority and Nanaimo-based West Coast Marine Response Corporation.

A considerable portion of Cameron Island was taped off by police on Sunday. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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