Category Archives: Nanaimo
Man injured in Nanaimo encampment fire, Long Lake bluff also torched
NANAIMO - A quiet Nanaimo neighbourhood was illuminated with emergency lights in response to a notable overnight encampment fire. The fire was called in on Thursday, May 14, at 1:25 a.m. in the bush o...
May 14, 2026 An overnight fire flattened this homeless encampment fire between Rosstown Rd. and the Nanaimo Parkway.
UPDATE: New wildfire near Nanaimo Lakes Rd. being held
NANAIMO - Coastal Fire Centre crews spent the night actioning a new wildfire start west of the city, with a quick response leading to a swift resolution.Reported late Wednesday, May 13, the fire burni...
May 14, 2026 A small wildfire west of Nanaimo was sparked overnight Wednesday, May 13, with crews on scene to limit spread. More crews are expected Thursday. (Image Credit: BC Wildfire Service)
BC Ferries braces for challenging peak season
NANAIMO - With the busy summer travel season fast-approaching, BC Ferries warns its aging system offers limited flexibility and resiliency. The company provided a wide-ranging pre-summer operational u...
May 14, 2026 BC Ferries' customers can expect long waits like this at major terminals this summer, particularly during peak travel periods. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Seven more Nanaimo deaths in March from toxic street drugs
NANAIMO - Seven more people died locally due to the unregulated drug supply in March, part of 135 suspected drug deaths across British Columbia. Seven people also died in February in Nanaimo, bringing...
May 13, 2026 Another seven people in Nanaimo died in March due to unregulated toxic street drugs, part of 23 local deaths recorded so far this year. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Nanaimo man injured in 'unprovoked assault' in city's south end
NANAIMO - Mounties in Nanaimo are trying to identify an individual who allegedly attacked a man in Harewood. The incident, which police are calling "an unprovoked attack," occurred Monday, May 11, at ...
May 13, 2026 Mounties say a man was attacked along Seventh St., near Douglas Ave., on Monday afternoon in an apparently unprovoked assault. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Campfires permissible across Coastal Fire Centre for May long weekend
NANAIMO - Less than two weeks after implementing the earliest campfire ban in its history, the Coastal Fire Centre is cautiously scaling back prohibitions.Beginning Friday, May 15 at 12 p.m., campfire...
May 13, 2026 Campfires will again be permissible in the Coastal Fire Centre jurisdiction beginning Friday, thanks to a change in the weather pattern. (Image Credit: Dreamstime)
'Guys are notoriously known for shutting down:' Nanaimo-based cancer support group celebrates 100th coffee meet-up
NANAIMO - Casual, impromptu get togethers spawned into a widespread and impactful movement beyond anybody's expectations. Sea Wolves Vancouver Island Men's Cancer Support celebrated it's centennial co...
May 13, 2026 Around 30 men showed up for the 100th Sea Wolves men's cancer support meet-up coffee gathering in Nanaimo on Tuesday May, 12 (Image Credit: Submitted photo)
'Quite unsightly:' RDN cleaning up problematic Nanaimo River Rd. property
NANAIMO - The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) will once again clean up a well-known problematic property south of the city, after multiple delays and refusals from the owner to do it himself. The p...
May 12, 2026 Following a stop at the B.C. Supreme Court, the property located at 790/796 Nanaimo River Rd. in Extension will once again be cleaned up by the Regional District of Nanaimo. (Image Credit: RDN)
'There's just nothing better:' year-round Nanaimo market moving outdoors
NANAIMO - A growing mid-Island market is making a move. The Island Roots Market, which runs year-round on Wednesdays at Beban Park from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., is moving outdoors for the summer season, begi...
May 12, 2026 The Island Roots Market runs Wednesdays on the grassy area next to the Centennial Building, during the summer months. (Image Credit: Island Roots Market)
Island drivers heed 'slow down, move over' warnings
NANAIMO - Island drivers appear to be getting the message to slow down and move over.BC Highway Patrol reports just 39 tickets or written warnings were issued across all of Vancouver Island during Apr...
May 12, 2026 Officers across the province wrote nearly 1,000 tickets through the month of April for drivers who failed to slow down and move over to give roadside workers and emergency personnel more space. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)