Category Archives: Nanaimo
Province cancels controversial drug criminalization pilot project
VICTORIA - A three-year pilot project on drug decriminalization, which was designed to streamline access to needed supports, will not continue. Provincial health minister, and Mid-Island Pacific Rim M...
Jan 14, 2026 Provincial health minister Josie Osborne (right) announces the end of a three-year pilot project linked to decriminalization of small amounts of drug possession. (Image Credit: Government of B.C.)
Prolific Nanaimo offender allegedly assaults coffee shop owner, smears feces on window
NANAIMO - Described by a downtown cafe owner as a ticking time bomb, a notorious prolific offender allegedly exploded on downtown Nanaimo's waterfront. Ani Rathore, owner of Javawocky Coffee House on ...
Jan 14, 2026 Feces smeared on the front glass door of Javawocky Coffee House was the alleged work of prolific offender Aiden David Tye, following a confrontation at the cafe on Nanaimo's seawall on Tuesday, Jan. 13. (Image Credit: Submitted photo)
Nananimo man thrilled with $500,000 Lotto Max win
NANAIMO - A local man couldn't believe his luck when he discovered the lottery ticket his son had gifted him turned out to be a winner.Clifford S. had just returned home from walking his dog when he w...
Jan 14, 2026 Nanaimo resident Clifford S. is the latest local winner of a big prize following a Lotto Max draw. (Image Credit: BCLC)
'Near zero visibility:' fog advisory issued for Nanaimo & Oceanside
NANAIMO - A thick blanket of fog has enveloped the mid-Island, and it's a pattern which could continue through much of the week.After days of torrential rain, a high pressure system is moving across t...
Jan 14, 2026 Dense fog has blanketed the region repeatedly over recent days, but is set to remain for at least a few more as damp air near the surface is trapped by a high pressure ridge overhead. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)
'It was just amazing:' community rallies behind hard-luck Nanaimo sports collectible store
NANAIMO - Following a rough end to last year, 2026 is off to a much better start for a longstanding Nanaimo business. Three days after longtime popular owner Bill Whitten passed away, a lone male thie...
Jan 14, 2026 Sports Card Alley has been a fixture for several decades at its Beban Plaza location near Quality Foods. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Health advocate on Canada-wide run stops in Nanaimo
NANAIMO - He has every reason to be negative with constant heavy rains pouring down, but sure enough Trevor Redmond was viewed jogging into downtown Nanaimo with a wide smile on his face. In the midst...
Jan 13, 2026 Trevor Redmond mingled with several people in downtown Nanaimo during a mid-day break on Tuesday, Jan. 13 while running across Canada. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Suspicious death investigation underway in Nanaimo
NANAIMO - Local Mounties are looking further into the death of a 62-year-old man last month.The Nanaimo RCMP's Serious Crime Unit is leading an investigation into the December assault, and subsequent ...
Jan 13, 2026 62-year-old Allan Dudeck was assault and later died of his injuries in this alleyway between Georgia Ave. and Shepherd Ave. in Harewood in early December. The Serious Crime Unit is investigating. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
'Torin just lit up:' unique signs installed supporting deaf child in Nanaimo neighbourhood
NANAIMO - Three words displayed on a couple of signs in a north-end neighbourhood are giving peace of mind for a local family.Installed Friday, Jan. 9, a pair of 'Deaf Child Area' signs bookend the Up...
Jan 13, 2026 Six-year-old Torin, who had significant hearing loss, poses in front of a new sign near his Uplands-area home on Friday, Jan. 9, advising drivers to slow down for kids playing in the area. (Image Credit: Submitted photo/Geli Qualizza)
Nanaimo rental rates rise despite downward trend elsewhere
NANAIMO - Rent in the Harbour City is going against falling trends seen elsewhere in the province and nationwide.A new report released Monday, Jan. 12 by Rentals.ca shows the average price for a one-b...
Jan 12, 2026 The cost for an apartment rental rose faster in Nanaimo than nearly anywhere else in Canada to end 2025, with the Harbour City seeing a 5.6 per cent increase year-over-year. Similar trends were seen for other one and two bedroom rentals, despite downward pressure evident elsewhere. (Image Credit: Dreamtime)
Flood warning in place as Pacific system dumps considerable rainfall on mid-Island
NANAIMO - A flood warning was updated early Monday morning for the Englishman River system in Parksville, as a result of a weekend's worth of heavy rain.While exact measurements vary wildly across the...
Jan 12, 2026 Rivers in the region, including both the Englishman in Parksville and the Nanaimo River (pictured here) are at or over capacity due to heavy rain over recent days. (Image Credit: North Cedar Volunteer Fire Department)