Category Archives: Nanaimo
Advance voting open for 2026 Provincial Election
NANAIMO - Twenty-four hours before voters head to the polls to elect new local representatives, advance voting for provincial positions has opened. A six-day advance voting period opens Friday, Oct. 1...
Oct 16, 2026 Advance polls are open at a range of locations across the region for the 2026 Provincial Election. (Image Credit: Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Major overhaul pending for Parksville's Stanford Ave
PARKSVILLE - A busy north-south Parksville collector road will be resurfaced, as well as amenities added for non-vehicular users. The City of Parksville expects crews to begin revitalizing Stanford Av...
Oct 16, 2026 Parksville's Stanford Ave. E will be vastly overhauled following a multi-million dollar investment over the coming months. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Nanaimo Mounties trying to identify man accused of unwanted touching
NANAIMO - Local police are trying to identify a man who allegedly grabbed and inappropriately touched a woman prior to the suspect boarding a bus.The incident unfolded on Sept. 17 at around 3:30 p.m. ...
Oct 15, 2026 Police are looking to identify the man pictured here, who they believe is responsible for touching a woman without consent last month in Nanaimo's downtown. (Image Credit: Nanaimo RCMP)
Nanaimo records 19 deaths from toxic drugs in July and August
NANAIMO - Toxic drug deaths in B.C. in July and August have fallen to their lowest levels in those months since before the pandemic. Data from the BC Coroners Service shows that 113 people died in Jul...
Oct 15, 2026 The B.C. Coroners Service said deaths due to the toxic drug supply have fallen to their lowest levels since 2019. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Nanaimo, Oceanside turnout strong in pair of advance voting days
NANAIMO - While timing was a major factor, it appears poll workers were busy during advance voting opportunities for this year's municipal election. A pair of opportunities on back-to-back Wednesdays,...
Oct 15, 2026 Long lines were reported in Nanaimo for advance voting opportunities over the last two Wednesdays, with thousands across the region already voting ahead of the 2026 Municipal Election. (Image Credit: Chuck Blanaru)
Bear spray used during altercation at Nanaimo high school
NANAIMO - Local Mounties arrested a 15-year-old youth after they allegedly used bear spray against a fellow student at Wellington Secondary School. The incident unfolded just after noon on Wednesday, ...
Oct 15, 2026 Police say bear spray was used during an altercation between a pair of 15-year-old students at Wellington Secondary School on Wednesday. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)
'Too many issues:' Lantzville Fire Rescue cancels annual Halloween fireworks display
LANTZVILLE - A long-standing mid-Island tradition of an official Halloween fireworks won't be happening for the foreseeable future. The Lantzville Volunteer Firefighters Association announced on socia...
Oct 15, 2026 There will be no fireworks display in Lantzville on Oct. 31, with the fire department deciding to cancel it indefinitely, citing concerns about the location and weather. (Image Credit: Dreamstime)
Nanaimo's most prolific offender sentenced for feces-smearing tirade
NANAIMO - When Aiden David Tye implodes, society repeatedly pays the price. The 41-year-old Tye was back in a familiar place last week at Nanaimo Law Courts, before a judge for an alarming meltdown on...
Oct 14, 2026 Aide Tye threw 10 patio chairs as part of a startling, impulsive outburst at Javawocky Coffee House last January. (Image Credit: Submitted photo)
Annual drill shines light on emergency preparedness
NANAIMO - Drop, cover, and hold!Many workplaces, schools, and organized group settings are taking part in the annual Great BC Shakeout drill, featuring alerts sent out to many television and radio sta...
Oct 14, 2026 Don't be alarmed by a brief mid-morning notification on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m., it's just a drill. (Image Credit: Great BC Shakeout)
Economy and jobs the focus at Nanaimo provincial candidate forum
NANAIMO - Candidates looking to represent the local area in the Legislature in Victoria were under the microscope Tuesday evening.Six of the seven candidates running in Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and Nan...
Oct 14, 2026