NANAIMO - Work is continuing on how the City can prepare and respond to rising sea levels. During the Monday, Sept. 28 governance and priorities meeting, the Sea Level Rise Management Plan, known as "Our Coastal City," was presented, which looked at the possible future implications of rising sea levels in the...

NANAIMO - Opposition parties are continuing to confirm their candidates ahead of the 2026 provincial election.The opposition BC Conservatives have announced three candidates for ridings in Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum Beach, with each looking to unseat sitting NDP MLAs who swept to victory two years ago.In Nanaimo-...

NANAIMO - NanaimoNewsNOW is looking to provide voters a little more clarity amid a crowded field of local candidates this month.Beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, voters in the City of Nanaimo can use our new, interactive Know Your Vote tool to see how their thoughts and opinions on various topics match with those of the cand...

NANAIMO - All remaining fire bans on Vancouver Island will be lifted as of noon on Wednesday, Sept. 30.The campfire ban was removed earlier this month, and the Coastal Fire Centre said category two and three open fires will now be permitted.Category two fires include burn piles not exceeding two metres in height and th...

NANAIMO - A capacity crowd filled the Vancouver Island Conference Centre to hear from nearly every candidate running for Nanaimo Mayor and Council next month. Hosted by the Nanaimo and District Chamber of Commerce, an all-candidates forum on Tuesday, Sept. 29, gave voters the opportunity to mingle with candidates in an...

NANAIMO - Wednesday, Sep. 30 is the sixth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with events taking place across the mid-Island to commemorate the occasion. In Nanaimo, Deverill Square Park at 200 Irwin St. will host a free community event from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., starting with a traditional blessing by ...

This article is part of a multi-week feature from NanaimoNewsNOW, profiling Mayoral candidates across the mid-Island ahead of the 2026 Municipal Election. For complete election coverage, click here.PARKSVILLE - Much like the trajectory of Parksville's outgoing mayor, a city councillor is looking to leap into the city's...

NANAIMO - A new welcome pole at a local high school is being viewed as a concrete message for staff and students: everyone is welcome here.Carved by Snuneymuxw First Nation artist Noel Brown, the yellow and red cedar artwork was officially unveiled on Tuesday, Sept. 29, during a whole-school ceremony outside the main e...

NANAIMO - A swerving car missing a wheel with sparks flying along Hwy. 19A drew the attention of several motorists and area residents. The southbound driver north of Qualicum Beach, described in court as highly intoxicated on the evening of May 24, 2026, was Mackenzie Nicholas Blanchard. He was a few hours away from ha...

NANAIMO - Riders from the annual Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock made their way through Oceanside and Nanaimo, being celebrated and raising money to help find a cure for children's cancer. The group started their Monday, Sep. 28 ride at Aspengrove School in Lantzville, then headed south before arriving at the Nanaimo RCMP...

NANAIMO - Just in time for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a free virtual tour of local First Nation art and history across the Harbour City and Snuneymuxw First Nation territory is now available. 'imush tu hulitum (Walk of Life) is a self-guided tour of local SFN art, complete with information on each piece...

This article is part of a multi-week feature from NanaimoNewsNOW, profiling Mayoral candidates across the mid-Island ahead of the 2026 Municipal Election. For complete election coverage, click here. NANAIMO - Initially contemplating retirement, a candidate to be the next Mayor of Nanaimo said she "felt really comp...

NANAIMO - Real Estate is becoming scarse, both on street corners for candidate signage, and in the minds of voters bracing for back-to-back elections next month.Voters will go to the polls on consecutive Saturday's in October, voting for new municipal and regional representation on Oct. 17, then being asked to elect a ...

PARKSVILLE - A pleasant early fall afternoon didn't discourage a large crowd from filling Parksville's Jensen Centre for a well attended forum.Hosted by Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce, a standing room only crowd of about 300 people showed up for the Saturday, Sept. 26, event where candidates attempted to i...

NANAIMO - Drivers can expect some minor delays during their weekend travels, and potentially into the Monday morning commute. Riders from the annual Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock will travel from Parksville, down Hwy. 19, and into the city on Sunday, Sept. 27, making stops at two central Nanaimo businesses before a gala...

NANAIMO - All three incumbent MLA's across the mid-Island have announced their intention to run for re-election next month.Nanaimo-Gabriola MLA Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo-Lantzville's George Anderson, and Ladysmith-Oceanside's Stephanie Higginson, all representing the BC NDP, will be on the ballot next month for the sn...

NANAIMO - A 69-unit apartment complex is planned for the site of a former gas station near the city's downtown. Dubbed 'Saltwind,' developers envision a five-storey residential apartment complex at 76 Terminal Ave., site of the former Husky gas station, which was eventually demolished in early 2022, after a fire in Oct...

NANAIMO - From delivering punishing hits on the ice and gridiron to delivering blows inside a cage, an emerging local mixed martial artist is determined to see where his newfound passion takes him. Nick Robinson, a 25-year-old Nanaimo-based crane operator, is embarking on new heights in the cutthroat MMA scene, followi...

This article is part of a multi-week feature from NanaimoNewsNOW, profiling Mayoral candidates across the mid-Island ahead of the 2026 Municipal Election. For complete election coverage, click here.QUALICUM BEACH - A law student with a focus on data-driven decision-making and collaboration hopes her ideas get her elect...

NANAIMO - A man and a woman remain in police custody awaiting a court date next week after a string of robberies at a downtown liquor store. A 33-year-old man and 40-year-old woman were arrested Wednesday, Sept. 23, and are facing nine theft-related charges stemming from repeated incidents at the BC Liquor Store at Por...

NANAIMO - The rides, entertainment, music, and mini-donuts are set to take over the Beban Park Fairgrounds this weekend. Gates open for the 132nd annual Vancouver Island Exhibition at noon on Friday, Sept. 25, with three days of live shows and performances scheduled against the backdrop of rides and the midway from Wes...

NANAIMO - A pair of medical offices planned to be built near the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) is headed to the public hearing stage. A rezoning application was presented for four lots along Seafield Cres. and one lot on Dufferin Cres. south of the NRGH main entrance, to build "medical office buildings&...

This article is part of a multi-week feature from NanaimoNewsNOW, profiling Mayoral candidates across the mid-Island ahead of the 2026 Municipal Election. For complete election coverage, click here. NANAIMO - A former emergency room nurse-turned community advocate says leadership from City Council has been insufficient...

PARKSVILLE - A 1,200 kilometre journey down Vancouver Island is about to wind its way into Oceanside.The Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock will make its way from Courtenay to Qualicum Beach and Parksville on Thursday, Sept. 24, day six of their 14-day ride to Victoria in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.Mid-Island rid...

NANAIMO - Hesitant to illuminate increased criminal activity impacting her tenants, a frustrated Nanaimo property manager felt compelled to speak up. Eva Hamori oversees several Nanaimo commercial properties, as well as a singular residential rental complex which consumes a majority of her time. The 46-unit mixed use C...

This article is part of a multi-week feature from NanaimoNewsNOW, profiling Mayoral candidates across the mid-Island ahead of the 2026 Municipal Election. For complete election coverage, click here.PARKSVILLE - Having run in prior federal elections, a candidate vowing to deliver governance for the people is taking a ru...

NANAIMO - Already facing a lengthy prison sentence for drug trafficking, an offender pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge in relation to a Nanaimo traffic stop. Peter Anthony Alexander, 42, entered a guilty plea to a downgraded simple drug possession charge and was handed 30 additional days behind bars in connect...

NANAIMO - Over 200 housing units are one step closer to being built in one of the busiest areas of the city.City council recently approved the development permit application to build a pair of six-storey multi-family apartment buildings and seven three-storey townhouses at 2240 Northfield Rd., with 211 units in total, ...