Nanaimo news

• Anne Marie McDonell

  19-08-2026 22:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  In Loving Memory
  October 27, 1956 – July 13, 2026Anne Marie McDonell passed away peacefully on July 13, 2026, at the young age of 69. S
  he was predeceased by her beloved husband, Allan Dick, with whom she shared a love of adventure. Together, they explored much of British Columbia and the Yukon, and travelled widely around the world—visiting Italy, Greece, Germany, Poland, Mexico, and Hawaii, among many other destinations.
  Much of Anne Marie’s strength and spirit came from her
  
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• High-risk sex offender arrested twice in six days

  20-08-2026 01:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A man deemed a high-risk sex offender was arrested twice by Langley RCMP in the span of six days for trespass and breaking into an apartment.
  Back in 2020, Vancouver Police issued a public notice about Michael Wayne Carpenter, who had convictions for three counts of sexual assault with a weapon, three counts of forcible confinement, and three counts of utter threat to cause death/harm. The convictions relate to crimes in 2005 in Kamloops.
  “Carpenter poses a risk of significant harm to the
  
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• Campbell River businesses targeted by vandalism

  20-08-2026 00:59 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Campbell River RCMP is investigating after several local businesses were targeted in an overnight vandalism spree where glass windows or doors had been smashed.
  At least four businesses were the target of broken glass windows between roughly 1:30 and 2:00 a.m. on Aug. 14.
  A suspect wearing all black with one yellow glove and one grey glove and associated with a red bicycle was captured on video surveillance.
  On Saturday, Aug. 15, at around 6:15 a.m., another business was targeted with a window s
  
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• Tariff deal on the horizon, but outlook still uncertain for B.C. forestry

  20-08-2026 00:55 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to appear with both Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump signalling a trade deal is in the works to avoid punishing 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on many Canadian goods.
  Trump and Carney spoke late Tuesday night and had what the president called a “very good conversation.”
  “As you know, the 50 per cent tariffs across the board were going on against Canada today, and they called yesterday, and they gave us the points
  
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• RCMP nab 32 impaired drivers on Vancouver Island’s highways during summer campaign

  20-08-2026 00:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  RCMP officers apprehended 32 drivers who were either impaired by alcohol or drugs on Vancouver Island’s highways during this year’s Summer Impaired Driver Campaign, which ran during a six-week period from June 15 to July 31.
  Across all of B.C., 229 impaired drivers were taken off the road during the campaign.
  The numbers are down from last year’s campaign, which saw 131 drivers on Vancouver Island pulled over while driving impaired during the initiative, and 626 overall across
  
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• Brief polling lead for B.C. Conservatives quickly erodes under new leader Findlay

  20-08-2026 00:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Several recent polls now show an erosion in public support for the B.C. Conservative Party as clear fracture lines appear to be developing in what was once a big-tent right-wing coalition.
  “Those who maybe were expecting a significant bounce for the Conservatives after their convention, after their leadership race, are probably disappointed because this is essentially the same standing that the party had in October of last year when they decided that [former leader] John Rustad was ‘
  
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• Abbotsford police investigate viral videos of 2 littering incidents

  20-08-2026 00:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Videos showing a woman appearing to dump trash into Mill Lake and near Blue Jay Elementary have gone viral and are now being investigated by the Abbotsford Police Department.
  According to the statement from the police, the videos were taken on different dates, with both incidents reportedly happening sometime in late July.
  “Incidents of this nature are unacceptable and can have a significant impact on our parks, waterways, and community spaces,” said the Abbotsford Police Department.
  
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• Vehicle flips off Island Highway near Nanaimo Golf Course

  19-08-2026 23:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A woman and her Cairn Terrier have no visible injuries, but have been transported by paramedics as a precaution, following a vehicle collision at the Dorman Road intersection off Island Highway in Nanaimo.Traffic was backed up for about an hour in the north-bound lane on Island Highway at the Dorman Road intersection by the Nanaimo Golf Course on Wednesday, Aug. 19, following a vehicle incident at about 12:52 p.m.
  Capt. Selby Nickel, from Nanaimo Fire Rescue, said it involved a teal SUV, with on
  
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• ‘Definition of a psychopath’ rejected for parole in violent Okanagan rape

  19-08-2026 23:13 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  WARNING: This article contains details about a criminal sexual assault and may be disturbing to some readers. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, contact the 24-hour Sexual Assault Support Crisis line at 1-877-954-6242 or the RCMP.
  A man previously described in court as “the very definition of a psychopath” will stay in jail for the brutally violent rape of a woman at his second-hand store in Penticton 15 years ago.
  In July, the Parole Board of Canada dee
  
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• Port Hardy-mid coast ferry sailings cancelled until September

  19-08-2026 22:51 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Ferry sailings between Port Hardy and the mid- and north-coast have been cancelled into September.
  BC Ferries announced the cancellations on Monday Aug. 17, saying that they were due to an issue affecting the vessel’s stern tube shaft seal. Sailings affected are between Bear Cove in Port Hardy, McLoughlin Bay in Bella Bella, Shearwater, Ocean Falls and Bella Coola.
  The vessel will be put in dry dock to complete the repairs. Due to the time necessary to complete the work, the cancellations
  
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• Emergency preparedness is more than stockpiling water

  19-08-2026 22:38 via nanaimobulletin.com
  I just watched some footage that made me sit back and take a deep breath.
  It was a social media video of a man driving through Faulder, B.C. on Aug. 11, the entire community — minus a few houses — was gone. It was just not there anymore.
  My first thought was obviously for the people who lived in those homes. Losing absolutely everything like that is literally unimaginable to me. I have no real frame of reference to what that must be like. Over the past twenty years, I’ve been c
  
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• Push to recall Okanagan MLA Tara Armstrong on hold as campaign gathers resources

  19-08-2026 22:32 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A campaign to recall Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong is being postponed for now as organizers look to accumulate the funds and volunteers they think they’ll need to have her removed from office.The number of signatures the campaign is able to gather in a period of 60 days is what will decide whether the polarizing Independent MLA will be removed, and the campaign’s organizers say they don’t have the resources yet to realistically meet the high threshold of si
  
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• Stephania (Sally) Urton

  19-08-2026 22:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  September 11, 1932 – August 4, 2026Stephania (Sally) Urton passed peacefully August 4, 2026, at KinVillage Lodge in Tsawwassen, BC. Sally is survived by her son Kevin, daughter-inlaw Dennette, and two grandchildren, Tyrell and Lauren. Sally is predeceased by her husband Don and son Gary. Sally was deeply loved and will be fondly remembered by family and friends. Born September 11, 1932, on a farm near Bankend, Sask. Sally was one of thirteen children to John and Mary Nazar. Sally eventuall
  
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• Linda M. Cole

  19-08-2026 22:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It is with great sadness that we announce our dear friend Linda Margaret Cole’s final journey on July 29th at the age of 86. Linda could be described as a force of nature, and also loved nature — hiking in the mountains, wild flowers, birds and creatures of all stripes, gardens and gardening. And she was a world traveller.
  Linda was born in Leeds in the county of Yorkshire, England, setting off for Canada at the age of 21. She settled first in Edmonton, then moved to Vancouver. Start
  
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• Ukraine’s 35th Independence year brings War Up Close VR to Kelowna

  19-08-2026 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  As Ukraine marks the 35th year of independence, the ”War Up Close” initiative invites people to experience a virtual reality museum and Children’s Art Showcase taking place on Aug.22.
  The exhibition has already taken place across North America and Europe. In Kelowna, it will take place at The Rotary Centre for the Arts from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  The 360-degree panoramic photography captures the adversary Ukrainian people go through every day. The exhibition takes people to the war
  
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• Iris Anne Klein

  19-08-2026 21:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Iris Anne Klein, who departed peacefully on the evening of July 5, 2026, at the Stanford Seniors Village in Parksville. A longtime resident of Cassidy and Nanaimo, Iris was a devoted member of the community. She became a licensed practical nurse at Malaspina College and worked at various nursing capacities in the region. Iris taught first aid and CPR for many years and was known for her light and humorous teaching style.
  Iris is survived by her son,
  
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• UPDATE: Summerland wildfire grows to almost 23,000 hectares as crews brace for strong winds

  19-08-2026 20:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (11:30 A.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland continues to grow, with crews now mapping the out-of-control blaze at 22,693 hectares in size.
  A changing weather pattern remains in the forecast for Wednesday, BC Wildfire Service said.
  Crews are also anticipating the fire area to be impacted by stronger and shifting winds on Friday, “which will increase fire behaviour, though conditions are not expected to be as severe as previously forecast,” the provincial service not
  
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• Emergency minister says Vernon cadet camp ready to house wildfire evacuees

  19-08-2026 20:32 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Vernon’s cadet camp will be ready to provide accommodations to wildfire evacuees if required, Canada’s emergency management minister said Tuesday despite previous concerns from a different federal ministry and the local MP about the suitability of the site for housing evacuees.Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski released a statement Aug. 18 saying the training centre stands ready to help people who have had to flee their homes due to wildfires.“The wildfire situatio
  
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• What’s On, Aug. 19

  19-08-2026 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  MUSIC
  Skinny Dyck, alongside Elliot C. Way, will be performing at The Queen’s on Aug. 20, with doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.showpass.com.
  Cherub Weaponry, the Kettle Black, Wax Mannequin and KVMP will be performing at The Vault Cafe on Aug. 20 at 8:30 p.m., presented by Fake Jass. Part of a monthly experimental music series featuring noise, drone, improv punk and beyond. Cost is $15.
  Petunia and the Vipers will be performing at The Queen’s on Aug. 21, with doo
  
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• ‘A social club that masquerades as a flying club’: Central Saanich modelers take to the skies

  19-08-2026 19:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  While retirement means slowing down for some, Duncan Ferguson used it as a chance to finally find something that could keep his hands busy and his eyes on the sky.
  Ferguson, treasurer of the Victoria Radio Control Modelers Society (VRCMS), joined the club in 2012 after his wife told him he needed a hobby. He had always been fascinated by aviation and had once considered pursuing a full-size pilot’s licence, but the cost made that unrealistic.
  Then, while passing the club’s field with
  
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• Three pro-Khalistan activists in B.C. & Ontario receive ‘duty to warns’ from police

  19-08-2026 19:33 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Three Khalistan Referendum activists – including one from Surrey – have received warnings from the RCMP about “credible and imminent threats to their lives.”
  Surrey’s Narinder Singh Randhawa received his second ‘duty to warn’ from police on Aug. 16, which is issued when police have identified threats to an individual’s life. Manjinder Singh of Abbotsford and Inderjeet Singh Gosal of Caledon, Ont. also received warnings.The three men were friends wi
  
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• ‘Nothing could compare’: B.C. speed climber breaks 5-second barrier

  19-08-2026 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Ethan Flynn-Pitcher has spent years chasing fractions of a second. Last week, all that work finally paid off.
  The 25-year-old Brentwood resident became the first Canadian to break the five-second barrier in speed climbing during a training run at The Boulders Climbing Gym in Central Saanich on Thursday (Aug. 13), stopping the clock at 4.996 seconds.
  Now, he is headed to the World Climbing Pan American Championships in Curitiba, Brazil, from Aug. 22 to 23, where he will try to make the mark offic
  
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• Small earthquake hits the Okanagan

  19-08-2026 18:57 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A small earthquake was reportedly felt in the Okanagan on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
  Some Penticton residents were quick to take to social media after feeling a rumble at around 11:20 p.m. Earthquakes Canada said it was a 2.9 magnitude quake, officially touching down about 30 kilometres southeast of the city.
  An earthquake with a magnitude of less than 3.5 is “recorded on local seismographs, but generally not felt,” the federal agency noted.A community intensity reports map supplied by Earthq
  
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• North Vancouver dad ticketed for letting underage son ride e-scooter

  19-08-2026 18:36 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A North Vancouver dad is facing a $109 ticket for letting his underage son ride an e-scooter on a busy stretch of road.A B.C. Highway Patrol officer spotted a small e-scooter rider in heavy traffic on Marine Drive at Pemberton Avenue in North Vancouver on Aug. 4 around 7:15 p.m., according to a news release Wednesday (Aug. 19).
  Police say the rider was wearing shorts, a T-shirt, an oversized helmet and large shoes.
  The officer suspected the rider was underage and stopped him.
  Police learned the
  
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• Donations and volunteers needed for Nanaimo Fresh Start back-to-school charity drive

  19-08-2026 18:27 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The 12th annual Fresh Start back-to-school charity drive is in full swing in Nanaimo, and assistance is needed.
  Dave Lawrence, the owner of That 50s Barber Shop in downtown Nanaimo, is the organizer of the annual event that provides school kids from lower-income families with a free backpack, school supplies, clothes and even a free haircut in preparation for the upcoming school year.
  Approximately 300 students are assisted each year.
  This year’s Fresh Start will take place on Sept. 5, fro
  
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• Donations and volunteers needed for Fresh Start back-to-school charity drive

  19-08-2026 18:27 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The 12th annual Fresh Start back-to-school charity drive is in full swing in Nanaimo, and assistance is needed.
  Dave Lawrence, the owner of That 50s Barber Shop in downtown Nanaimo, is the organizer of the annual event that provides school kids from lower-income families with a free backpack, school supplies, clothes and even a free haircut in preparation for the upcoming school year.
  Approximately 300 students are assisted each year.
  This year’s Fresh Start will take place on Sept. 5, fro
  
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• Minimal growth overnight at Ainslie Creek fire in Fraser Canyon

  19-08-2026 18:26 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Fire behaviour across the Brunswick Complex on Wednesday (Aug. 19) is expected to be similar to Tuesday (Aug. 18), according to the latest update from BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  BCWS primarily expects surface fire with the potential for intermittent crowning during peak burning hours.
  Temperatures on Wednesday could be slightly higher and winds from the southwest slightly lower, BCWS said. Higher winds and possible thunderstorms are expected later in the week.
  Both the Ainslie Creek and Brunswi
  
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• Arson charges laid against West Kelowna woman for Vernon fires

  19-08-2026 18:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A woman has been arrested and charged in connection with two grass fires in Vernon’s Commonage earlier this month.
  Emergency crews were called to the first fire near Bench Row Road Aug. 4, at 1:23 p.m. Shortly after, a second fire was discovered in Carlson Park.
  Investigators believe the fires were human caused and intentionally set.On Aug. 14, a suspect was arrested and subsequently charged with several Criminal Code offences relating to both fires.
  Mariah Banning Baer, 33, of West Kelown
  
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• Dodgers win U11AA baseball provincial title

  19-08-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Duncan 11UAA Dodgers are provincial champions after defeating the Oceanside Reds 8-5 in the final game of B.C. Baseball’s 11UAA tournament in Cranbrook on Aug. 2.
  “The boys played great,” said head coach Andrew Bell. “They put all their hard work together at the right time.”The Dodgers reached the championship game after a strong semifinal performance, beating Cloverdale 8-3. Oceanside advanced to the final after defeating North Shore 6-4 in the other semifinal.
  
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• ‘The weather conditions aren’t helping us much’: Bald Range in Summerland wildfire continues to grow west

  19-08-2026 14:34 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Increased fire behaviour on the western flank continues to pose challenges for crews at the Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland.
  In BC Wildfire Service’s (BCWS) latest video update, released on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Incident Commander Hugh Murdoch said that changing weather conditions have made suppressing the blaze challenging.
  “The weather conditions aren’t helping us much at all,” said Murdoch. “We’re seeing a lot more active fire behaviour in a variety of l
  
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