Nanaimo news

• B.C. post-secondary system facing worst funding crisis in its history, report finds

  18-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  British Columbia’s public post-secondary system is facing the worst funding crisis in its history, according to a new report that found 19 of the province’s 25 public institutions are projected to operate at a loss, with an estimated $300 million shortfall province-wide.
  The report, Rebuilding post-secondary education as public infrastructure in B.C. from B.C.Policy Solutions shows that since 2024, institutions have cut or suspended more than 180 programs. With these program cuts cam
  
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• NIWRA: Thousands of animals killed on B.C. highways each year

  22-06-2026 04:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It is estimated between 16,400 and 23,000 wild animals are killed annually on roads in British Columbia, and, sadly, wildlife collisions are becoming more common.
  Deer are the wildlife most often struck on B.C. roads, involved in nearly three out of every four wildlife collisions. Other animals impacted are bears, raccoons, wolves, cougars, beavers, muskrats, moose and elk. And before highway crews can pick up the carcasses, scavengers such as eagles, hawks, ravens, and turkey vultures arrive on
  
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• Oceanside RCMP: Thieves steal Cadillac, beer; large tree set ablaze

  22-06-2026 02:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  During the week of May 11 to May 17, the Oceanside RCMP received 278 complaints.
  Some of the incidents included:
  A business break-and-enter was reported with a Yamaha 9.9 HP outboard motor stolen from a locked compound in the 1000 block of Lee Road East in Parksville on May 12. The same day, another business break-and-enter was reported with two storage utility trailers entered and several cases of beer missing in the 3200 block of Island Highway West in Qualicum Beach.
  Also May 12, a black, fou
  
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• PHOTOS: Father’s Day Car Show draws big crowd in Qualicum Beach

  22-06-2026 01:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Seaside Cruizers Father’s Day car show returned for its 33rd year on June 21, with more than 500 cars registered.
  The show and shine event showcased classic cars, as well as cars and trucks of various types, for an estimated 20,000 spectators.
  The weekend also included Cruise Night on June 19 and a Poker Run on June 20, back from a one-year hiatus.
  The event also serves as a fundraiser for charities in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area. Last year, Seaside Cruizers donated a total of $
  
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• VIDEO: Otter family turns Beach Avenue into a wildlife crosswalk in Oak Bay

  22-06-2026 00:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Cyclists and pedestrians along Beach Avenue near Willows Beach were treated to an unexpected wildlife sighting Saturday morning.A family of four river otters stopped traffic near Willows Beach this morning, turning Beach Avenue into a makeshift crosswalk.Story to come. pic.twitter.com/w6Ds8luIeG
  — Oak Bay News (@OakBayNews) June 20, 2026
  Just after 9 a.m. on June 20, a family of four river otters, a mother and her three pups, brought traffic to a temporary halt as they made their way acros
  
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• Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton reported as 704 hectares

  21-06-2026 21:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton is being reported as 704 hectares on Sunday, June 21.
  The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) last updated the public at 10:46 p.m. about the wildfire of note, which was sized at 600 hectares on Saturday, June 20. They say the fire remains out of control.
  EmergencyInfoBC has a breakdown of all the evacuation orders and alerts in place for the Saw Creek fire.
  An evacuation alert was issued on June 20 at 2:15 p.m. by the Siska Indian Band for Zacht 5, Siska Flat 5A, and S
  
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• 47 properties in Lytton downgraded to evacuation alert due to Saw Creek wildfire

  21-06-2026 21:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 8:30 p.m.
  The Saw Creek wildfire continues to burn out of control at an estimated 704 hectares as of Sunday evening.
  However, the evacuation order for 47 properties in the Village of Lytton has been downgraded to an evacuation alert as of 7 p.m.
  An evacuation order remains an effect for approximately three properties in the village as well as 12 properties in Electoral Area “l” or Blue Sky Country.
  An amended evacuation alert is now in place for approximately 212 addressed pr
  
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• THORPE REPORT: Junior boys’ volleyball takes the court

  21-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Continuing our review of top junior volleyball teams from local schools, we focus this week on boys’ competition.
  At the junior boys’ level, the top local team came from Nanaimo District Secondary School, where the entry coached by Natalie McCallum and Acacia Christensen finished third on the Island and seventh at provincials. On the roster were players Jordan Arevalo-Pascua, Neven Bains, Henry Carlson, Ken Coffey, Adrian Cunnian, Emryst Maki, Brock Matheson, Mathew Morrison, Arlo Mo
  
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• Chilliwack author releases memoir about surviving mother’s ‘web of lies’

  21-06-2026 18:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Chilliwack woman is sharing her story about surviving her mother’s web of lies in her newly released book.
  Phillippa Mann’s memoir House of Cards was released in February and she’ll be having a book signing on June 27.
  She grew up in a home where everything appeared perfect on the surface while something much darker was happening behind closed doors.
  Her mother has “undiagnosed munchausen by proxy,” she said, which is a mental illness where a caregiver (often a mo
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, June 21: Vancouver hosts New Zealand vs. Egypt today at 6 p.m.

  21-06-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Vancouver will be alive again for a Sunday match featuring New Zealand vs. Egypt, 6 p.m. start at BC Place Stadium, on the first day of summer (June 21).
  The Group G game is one of two today, with Belgium facing Iran at noon in Los Angeles.
  In Group H action, Spain plays Saudi Arabia at 9 a.m. in Atlanta, and Uruguay faces Cabo Verde in Miami at 3 p.m.
  Saturday was busy with four games. Germany scored a late 2-1 win
  
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• Business Notes: Troller’s Fish & Chips moves to new location

  21-06-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Troller’s Fish & Chips has moved to a larger and more picturesque site.
  The restaurant, which has been located right on the docks in the Nanaimo Waterfront Marina alongside the Harbourfront Walkway for more than 30 years, has moved just one dock away from its former location.
  Manager Ritchie Evans said a larger space and a better view of the ocean for the restaurant’s customers was wanted.
  “The restaurant used to hide the view of the harbour, but the new location has the di
  
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• QUIZ: A salute to fathers and fatherhood

  21-06-2026 14:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Father’s Day, on the third Sunday of June, is a time set aside to honour fathers.
  How much do you know about famous fathers, in history, culture and fiction? Put your knowledge to the test with these 10 questions.
  Good luck.READ MORE: QUIZ: AI technology creates new worlds
  READ MORE: QUIZ: In celebration of hockey
  READ MORE: QUIZ: In praise of communication
  
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• ‘Resilient people’: Stories from Lytton on the second day of 2026 wildfire

  21-06-2026 05:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It’s safe to say that Lytton is a community full of brave people.
  Almost five years to the day since the start of the Lytton Creek wildfire, which killed two people and brought almost the whole town to ruin in 2021, the people of Lytton once again had to face a forest-fuelled fire encroaching on their town.
  What was first reported as a 10-hectare fire by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) the afternoon of June 19, quickly grew to 100 hectares, and then a few hours later, to 200 hectares. By th
  
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• Broombusters society celebrates 20 years of cutting broom on Vancouver Island

  21-06-2026 04:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  More than 30 local volunteers gathered in Coombs on June 13 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Broombusters Invasive Plant Society.Attendees included past and present volunteers who have helped clear Scotch broom throughout the Parksville-Qualicum-Beach area, from Nanoose Bay to Bowser and west to Whiskey Creek.
  Broombusters began in June 2006 when Joanne Sales asked Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek why the town wasn’t removing the large stands of Scotch broom lining local roads
  
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• Specialist on James Webb Telescope to present in Nanaimo

  20-06-2026 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Astrophysicist Nathalie Nguyen-Quoc Ouellette, the only outreach scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope in Canada, will be travelling to Nanaimo to discuss the advanced telescope, the search for alien worlds and her research on galaxy formation.
  In the June presentation hosted by the Nanaimo Astronomy Society, on Thursday, June 25, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Beban Park Social Centre, audiences will hear about “Cosmic Wonders with the James Webb Space Telescope.”
  Ouellette, who
  
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• LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Empathy and compassion is the answer

  20-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  To the editor,
  Re: Nanaimo’s council considers banning camping in two downtown parks, June 17.
  This letter is directed toward the South End Community Association (SECA) and other “neighbourhood advocates” with regard to their ongoing efforts to eradicate people experiencing homelessness from their neighbourhoods. I have witnessed your “advocacy” for your “neighbours” throughout the past few years in successfully shutting down essential, life-saving servi
  
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• HERBERT: Black Hills Nota Bene an icon on the B.C. wine scene

  20-06-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Black Hills Nota Bene has been an icon on the British Columbia wine scene for more than a quarter-century.
  Ross Wise, MW, head winemaker at Black Hills Estate Winery, led the way until recently, when he handed over the winemaking reins to Ryan McKibbon. That has not been the only change at Black Hills. Following the 2023 harvest came the winter freeze of January 2024, wiping out much of the old vines. Immediately, a major replant began.
  A more nuanced replant had already been in the works, but &
  
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• Lytton wildfire grows to 600 hectares on second day of blaze

  20-06-2026 18:54 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton is sized at 600 hectares as of Saturday morning (June 20).
  The wildfire was discovered on June 19 and was initially noted as 10 hectares in size. Within a couple of hours it had jumped to 100 hectares, and later in the evening it was marked as 200 hectares by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS). The latest update at 9:14 a.m., June 20, puts the wildfire at 600 hectares.
  The fire is suspected by the BCWS to be human caused.
  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD
  
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• Lytton wildfire at 600 hectaresas Highway 1 remains closed

  20-06-2026 18:54 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Update, 11:45 a.m.
  An update on the Saw Creek wildfire states that the fire, currently assessed at 600 hectares, has not crossed the Fraser River or Lytton Creek.
  The wind has shifted, and is blowing from north to south. The fire is exhibiting Rank 2 and 3 behaviour but is described as “not aggressive.”
  BC Wildfire Service crews are focusing their attention on the fire’s southern perimeter.
  Highway 1 remains closed between Boston Bar and Cornwall Road (Ashcroft), with detours a
  
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• Evacuation order expanded in Lytton in response to Saw Creek wildfire

  20-06-2026 18:54 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Update, 3 p.m.
  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has expanded an evacuation order issued on behalf of the Village of Lytton in response to the Saw Creek wildfire.
  Three additional addressed properties within the Village of Lytton boundaries have been newly-placed on evacuation order. This order is now in place for approximately 50 addressed properties in the Village of Lytton.
  Impacted properties are east of Highway 1, including Ponderosa Heights, and south of (but not including) Kums
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, June 20: U.S. beats Australia; 4 matches Saturday involve Germany, Sweden

  20-06-2026 16:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  There were four World Cup matches Friday and another four Saturday as group play continues at stadiums in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
  Friday, the U.S. topped Australia 2-0 in Seattle in the day’s first game, with Alex Freeman finding the back of the net in the 43rd minute, after Australia’s Cameron Burgess booted the ball into his own goal 11 minutes in.THE GOAL STANDSAfter a VAR check for offside, the U
  
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• COLUMN: Let’s celebrate the Best of Nanaimo in 2026

  20-06-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Where do the years go? It’s amazing, and perhaps a bit shocking, that we’re working on our 25th edition of Best of the City.
  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not surprised we’re still celebrating Best of the City, I know firsthand how popular the annual survey is. We understand how important it is to you and we are very grateful for your enthusiasm. It’s easily the biggest and best feature we publish each year.
  I suppose for me, it’s the reflection back and the r
  
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• VIDEO & PHOTOS: Indigenous Peoples Day brings culture, connection to Colwood

  20-06-2026 04:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The old jokes are always the best.
  After asking folks gathered at the shore of Esquimalt Lagoon to repeat back to him the Lekwungen phrase “Eykwachey’ul,” Bradley Dick (Yuxwelupton Qwal’ qaxala) hits them with the punchline.
  “You’ve all just committed to giving me all your money,” he says, drawing a wave of laughter from the crowd.
  He admits it’s a joke he tells every year at National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations, held in the grounds of Roya
  
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• Mitchell throws for 5 TDs as Tiger-Cats dump visiting B.C. Lions 41-27

  20-06-2026 04:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Stop. Hammer time.
  The B.C. Lions ran into a buzzsaw Friday night, dropping a 41-27 decision to the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats in CFL action at Hamilton Stadium.
  Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell passed for 285 yards and five touchdowns for the Ticats (2-1), who got majors from Maximilian Mang (2), Kenny Lawler, Kiondre Smith, Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Jake Doleaga. Kicker Marc Liegghio added five conversions.
  For the Lions (0-2), who were missing four wide receivers due to injury, Nathan Rourke tossed
  
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• Wildfire of note near Lytton grows to 200 hectares, Highway 1 impacted

  20-06-2026 03:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Update, 10:06 p.m.
  The Saw Creek wildfire near Lytton is now 200 hectares in size.
  The wildfire, which was first reported by BC Wildfire Service as 10 hectares late Friday afternoon, has rapidly grown through the evening.
  It was noted as 100 hectares at 6:45 p.m. The most recent update, which put the fire at 200 hectares, was made at 9:45 p.m.
  Firefighting crews from around the province are being called in to assist in tackling the wildfire of note.
  The fire is suspected to be human caused.
  This
  
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• Wildfire of note near Lytton grows to 200 hectares, evacuation order issued

  20-06-2026 03:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Update, 10:30 p.m.
  An evacuation order has been issued for areas east of Highway 1 north and south of Lytton.
  According to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD), the evacuation order impacts about 13 properties in Electoral Area I (Blue Sky Country). It was put in effect at 10 p.m.
  Impacted areas are as follows:Properties east of Highway 1 from Florence Road north to Airport Road
  Any other properties as outlined on the attached mapThe TNRD has also issued an evacuation alert for two prope
  
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• UPDATE: Lytton wildfire grows to 100 hectares, Highway 1 impacted

  20-06-2026 03:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Update, 9:37 p.m.
  The Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department has been called in to help battle the Saw Creek wildfire.
  They posted to their Facebook page at 9:15 p.m. on Friday saying that the BC Wildfire Service requested a crew from the department to go to the evolving wildfire near Lytton.
  “We are sending our Type 3 Engine with three personnel. We wish them well and stay safe,” the department said.
  Travel from Clearwater to Lytton takes over three hours.
  The wildfire of note is esti
  
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• Lytton wildfire grows to 100 hectares, Highway 1 impacted

  20-06-2026 03:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Update: 7:11 p.m.
  The blaze south of Lytton is now being reported as 100 hectares, as of a 6:45 p.m. update from the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  Highway 1 is currently impacted with 116.7 km between Cottonwood Road and Airport Road closed in both directions.
  Multiple BCWS crews are responding along with Lytton Fire and Rescue. Aerial resources and structure protection have also been deployed.
  The wildfire service says the blaze is currently burning at Rank 4 and 5, meaning a highly to extremely
  
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• 10-hectare wildfire discovered 4 km south of Lytton

  20-06-2026 03:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A wildfire sparked about four kilometres south of Lytton.
  The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) reported the fire on Friday afternoon, with the latest update coming in at 5:38 p.m.
  The blaze, located near Saw Creek, is an estimated 10 hectares and is burning out of control.
  Flames can be seen on the east side of the Fraser River along the Trans-Canada Highway.
  Drive BC notes a road closure on Highway 1 in both directions between Cottonwood Road and Airport Road for 116.7 km.
  “There is a wildfire.
  
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• Temple and boutique face long recovery after fire in Victoria’s Chinatown

  20-06-2026 02:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A fire that scorched a long-standing Chinatown building on Monday (June 15) has left Canada’s oldest Chinese temple heavily damaged and a longtime Victoria business navigating an uncertain future.
  Just before 3 p.m., a fire broke out at the Tam Kung Temple, a national historic site originating as a shrine in the 1860s. Yen Wo Society president Nora Butz said members are still not permitted inside.
  Investigators are working to determine the source of the fire. According to Butz, the society
  
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