Environment

Alberta promises close watch on new mines but cuts oversight of coal-polluted rivers

EDMONTON - Alberta government documents show repeated cuts to environmental monitoring despite contaminants in some waterways that exceed thresholds that are supposed to trigger increased scrutiny. Th...

Feb 01, 2021

Gabriola Island non-profit breathing new life into old clothes

GABRIOLA ISLAND - Reduction of clothing and textile waste in the region is top of mind for a local non-profit.Gabriola Island Recycling Organization (GIRO) received $103,044 in RDN funding for a texti...

Jan 30, 2021

Nanaimo family reunited with their cat 3 1/2 years after going missing

NANAIMO - A beloved cat has made it back to his fur-ever home after being missing for years. "I was elated to hear the news but definitely shocked as well," owner Laura Brethour said. "No-no had been ...

Jan 29, 2021

Crews begin drastic overhaul of Nanaimo SAR facility

NANAIMO - An organization tasked with often grueling searches will soon have a much improved facility to deploy and coordinate its resources.An expanded and tailored building storing all of Nanaimo Se...

Jan 26, 2021

Contaminant from coal mines already high in some Alberta rivers: unreported data

EDMONTON - Some Alberta rivers and streams have already been heavily contaminated by coal mining, unreported government data suggests.The province's plan for large-scale expansion of the industry is f...

Jan 25, 2021

2 hikers rescued in separate calls for help on Mount Benson

NANAIMO - Dangerous conditions on Mount Benson made for a long day and night for search and rescue crews tasked with retrieving a pair of injured hikers.Nanaimo SAR search manager Eugene Touchette sai...

Jan 24, 2021

Hikers rescued from steep section of Mount Arrowsmith, 1 person seriously injured

PARKSVILLE - Three people endured a harrowing ordeal on Mount Arrowsmith, stranded for hours and unable to move on a steep section of the mountain.Dozens of military and volunteer search and rescue re...

Jan 18, 2021

Public opposition growing: Petitions against Alberta coal mines top 100K signatures

Public opposition to the Alberta government's plan to expand coal mining in the Rocky Mountains is growing with tens of thousands of people signing petitions, writing letters and joining online groups...

Jan 18, 2021

Popular park closed for maintenance, other improvements planned this year

NANAIMO - Well used Kinsmen Participark will be closed this week, signifying the first of a few overhauls expected in 2021.The city's manager of parks operations Charlotte Davis said the forested park...

Jan 18, 2021

Alberta monolith comes with message to save eastern slopes of Rocky Mountains

A towering stainless steel monolith set up along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta comes with a message. The three-metre-tall structure, which reflects its surroundings, is one of m...

Jan 15, 2021