Nanaimo news

• B.C. serial killer otter joins beloved Island marmot on missing critter list

  09-07-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  For fans of famous Greater Victoria critters, 2026 is not shaping up to be a good year.
  Joining the Empress Hotel’s yellow-bellied marmot Roger on the missing list is the notorious “Salish Sea serial killer,” Ollie the sea otter.
  Typically found living his life among the kelp at Race Rocks ecological reserve, Ollie has not been sighted since November last year.
  As well as losing some teeth, Valerie Shore, a senior naturalist at Eagle Wing Tours, says Ollie was last seen with an
  
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• B.C. reports fewest drug deaths in May of any month since 2020

  09-07-2026 21:33 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. saw the fewest monthly drug deaths provincewide in May of any month since February of 2020.
  But 3.5 people per day still died due to suspected unregulated drug toxicity, for a total of 109 deaths, according to preliminary data from the B.C. Coroners Service.
  The death rate over the past five years for people over 60 years old has remained relatively stable, with a sharp decline in deaths among people aged 19 to 59. More than three-quarters of those who died in May were male.
  So far in 2026,
  
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• Hosting Western Canadian U19 Women’s Softball tourney in August a first for Ladysmith

  09-07-2026 20:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Dedicated volunteers, strong local programs and improving facilities are helping Ladysmith emerge as one of Vancouver Island’s growing softball hubs, drawing competitive tournaments and showcasing the community’s passion for the game.
  The success of the Ladysmith Chargers U19 women’s team doesn’t hurt either.
  Coming off winning the bronze at the 2025 Western Canadian U19 in Brandon, Man., in May the team captured the silver medal at the SBR Rockies Showdown Tournament in
  
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• Rare long-beaked common dolphins spotted in North Island waters

  09-07-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Experts at the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS) are monitoring reports of rare long-beaked common dolphins spotted in waters off the North Island, a species typically found in much warmer climates further south.
  Two separate sightings of the species have been documented this month.
  A juvenile dolphin was recently identified in Esperanza Inlet and reported to marine mammal researcher John Ford and the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network.
  Separately, according to MERS, a larger individual
  
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• Former UVic star Elias Ralph gets NBA opportunity with Sacramento Kings

  09-07-2026 20:10 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Three Canada West championships with the University of Victoria Vikes were only the beginning for Elias Ralph, who is now knocking on the door of the NBA.
  Ralph was named to the Sacramento Kings’ 15-player Summer League roster after joining the club as an undrafted free agent following the NBA Draft. Prior to being added to the Kings roster, the 22-year-old attended pre-draft workouts with Sacramento and the Golden State Warriors.
  Before heading to Las Vegas, Ralph was also part of Sacrame
  
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• Amber Alert issued for 6-year-old in Alberta

  09-07-2026 19:40 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An Amber Alert has been issued for a six-year-old boy near Beaverlodge, Alta.
  Beaverlodge RCMP issued the Amber Alert for Lanakai Morrison around 1:15 a.m. Mountain Time on Thursday (July 9). Police say Lanakai was allegedly taken by his 35-year-old mother, Krista Morrison from Valhalla Centre, near Beaverlodge.
  Lanakai is believed to still be with his biological mother, Krista, her partner Daniel Ludwig and another child, 4-year-old Karl Morrison, police said.
  Lanakai is described as having a s
  
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• Chemainus volunteer delivers ambulance to Ukraine, misses Kyiv missile strikes by hours

  09-07-2026 19:26 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference, Chemainus volunteer Peter (Shep) Shepherd is now home from a humanitarian journey to deliver one of 50 ambulances to Kyiv, Ukraine.
  The mission, an effort with volunteers from around the world, was to drive ambulances from Frankfurt, Germany to Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.
  They were to leave Frankfurt on May 18 and work their way east in aid of Ukraine Focus, which is a non-profit, whose goal is to provide support to the medical professionals
  
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• Lake Cowichan creator allows art lovers to get their hands on rare pieces with relocation sale

  09-07-2026 19:24 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Lake Cowichan artist and author Don Moss is looking for new homes for much of his collection of artwork before he embarks on a new adventure.
  “While relocating them is certainly possible, it would be both costly and increase the risk of damage, so I felt this was the right time to invite people to experience and collect the work here on Vancouver Island,” said Moss.
  Moss, who is originally from Saskatchewan, first moved to Victoria with his family in 1972.
  He says in many ways his fi
  
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• Vancouver Island preschoolers urge drivers to slow down to save baby deer

  09-07-2026 19:03 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Preschoolers in Fairfield, Victoria, recently proved that age is not a factor in trying to make an impact on the community we live in.
  The students at Moss Rock Preschool came across several instances where deer had a hard time crossing the road because of speeding vehicles.
  After listening to the students who were worried for the deer’s safety and their own, the preschool invited them to create their own signs, asking for the vehicles to slow down.
  “When we take a moment to think ab
  
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• Indigenous women report ‘shocking’ mistreatment during childbirth care: study

  09-07-2026 19:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  New data from a first-of-its-kind nationwide maternity study led by University of British Columbia researchers has found that three-quarters of Indigenous women surveyed report some form of mistreatment or disrespect from care providers during pregnancy and childbirth.
  UBC Prof. Saraswathi Vedam said the study is “not just about being nice to people” — mistreatment leads to poor outcomes.
  “When people don’t trust the health care system, when they’re mistreated
  
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• ‘Wild experience’: Parksville fisherman hooks sixgill shark off Vancouver Island

  09-07-2026 18:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Dale Ksyniuk was out in search of bottom-feeding fish and was in for a big surprise when he reeled in a shark in the waters off French Creek.
  The Parksville man was alone on his boat on July 5, with four rods out, hoping to reel in a lingcod or a halibut just north of the marina.
  His weakest rod, with a 40-pound test line, hooked something which he initially thought was the bottom, but it turned out to be a 10-feet-long bluntnose sixgill shark.
  “I basically fought it for just over two hour
  
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• Victoria students recognized for teaching classmates life-saving skills

  09-07-2026 18:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A pair of Grade 12 students at Glenlyon Norfolk School is making an effort to change the script on how youth can confront the city’s most pressing public health crisis.
  While many of their peers spent the final year of high school navigating studies, extra activities, and university applications, Noah Grand and Isabella Jubb spent time learning about Victoria’s opioid crisis.
  They then tried to educate their peers who are about to go into university life, where they are potentially m
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, July 9: Quarterfinals kick off

  09-07-2026 17:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup soccer match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Quarterfinals kick off today with Morocco, ranked 6th by FIFA, taking on France, ranked 1st, at 1 p.m. in Boston.
  Morocco is the first African country to reach two World Cup quarter-finals and has lost only two of their last nine matches against European teams. They also have scored 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the second African team to reach “double figures” in a single tournament.
  Fr
  
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• WORLD CUP DAILY, July 8: Quarterfinals kick off

  09-07-2026 17:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Daily FIFA World Cup soccer match updates and news for Black Press Media publications.
  Quarterfinals kick off today with Morocco taking on France at 1 p.m. in Boston.
  No matches Wednesday, July 8
  QUARTER-FINALS
  Thursday, July 9:
  Morocco vs. France at 1 p.m. in Boston
  Friday, July 10:
  Spain vs. Belgium at 12 p.m. in Los Angeles
  Saturday, July 11
  Norway vs. England at 5 p.m. in Miami
  Argentina vs. Switzerland at 8 p.m. in Kansas City
  ===========
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  17K hotdogs consumed: Vancouver by the nu
  
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• New environmental issues raised over Nanaimo Rock City apartment-building project

  09-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The planned construction of a six-storey apartment building at 3400 Barrington Rd. adjacent to a wetland is being questioned after new environmental information has come to light.
  Neighbour Tamara Brown, who addressed Nanaimo city council at its meeting on Monday, July 6, said the project, located near Rock City Road, would remove approximately 437 trees and involve the extensive blasting of bedrock beside, what is now believed to be, an exceptionally rare peatland ecosystem.
  She said that since
  
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• Lasting change comes from looking beyond unwanted behaviour

  09-07-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  One of the biggest shifts we make when working with dogs is changing the questions we ask.
  Most people naturally ask, “How do I stop this behaviour?” Whether it’s barking, lunging, growling, jumping, or pulling on the leash, the behaviour is what we notice first. It’s disruptive, frustrating, and often the reason people seek professional help.
  But lasting behaviour change rarely begins by trying to stop the behaviour itself.
  Instead, we ask a different question: “Wh
  
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• City of Nanaimo, RDN to give prospective candidates the 411 on elections

  09-07-2026 03:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  With B.C. municipal elections coming this fall, aspiring politicians in Nanaimo and area will have a chance to learn the basics during a pair of information sessions.
  In a press release, City of Nanaimo said it is collaborating with Regional District of Nanaimo to offer people a chance to “learn more about the role of elected officials and the election process.” The first session takes place in Nanaimo at the RDN’s headquarters on 6300 Hammond Bay Rd. on Wednesday, July 15 and
  
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• UVic alumnus Simon Keith celebrates 40 years with donor heart

  09-07-2026 01:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  More people have walked on the moon than have lived four decades with a donor heart. On July 7, Simon Keith joined that exclusive club, marking exactly 40 years since his first life-saving transplant.
  Long before he became the first athlete in the world to play professional sports after a heart transplant, Keith grew up in Greater Victoria. He played youth soccer with the Lower Island Youth Soccer Association before suiting up for the Prospect Lake Lakers in the Vancouver Island Soccer League.
  H
  
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• Search finds no evidence after report of body ‘floating’ in Slocan River: RCMP

  09-07-2026 01:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  RCMP say that a search has yielded no evidence after a report of a body “floating” in the Slocan River on Tuesday.
  Nelson RCMP received a report on July 7 around 12:45 p.m. from a concerned citizen who believed they may have seen a body “floating” in the river between Slocan Park and Passmore, approximately one hour earlier.
  A news release says there was an “extensive search” of the area by police, search-and-rescue personnel and local fire departments, but &l
  
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• PHOTOS: Eagle chick returns to its Victoria nest after BC SPCA checkup

  09-07-2026 01:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A baby eagle found on the ground in Beacon Hill Park is safely nesting again after a wellness check at the the BC SPCA site in Metchosin.The eaglet was found last week and taken to the Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre before being returned to the busy Victoria park.“Huge thanks to parks staff, the BC SPCA and Wild ARC teams and everyone who helped give this eaglet another chance to soar,” the city said announcing the chick’s return.Wild ARC sees about 3,000 animals annually, w
  
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• Native plant gardener in Nanaimo’s south end shares success ahead of pollinator project

  09-07-2026 01:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A “patchwork” of urban native plant gardens will begin springing up this fall throughout Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter, as part of Nanaimo Area Land Trust’s pollinator patchwork project.
  Linda Brooymans, NALT stewardship, told the News Bulletin, the organization will be meeting with about 21 interested property owners through the Nanaimo Old City Association this summer to begin putting plans in place to install pollinator-friendly gardens around the community.
  NALT will dis
  
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• Michelle Kocourek, Nanaimo’s ‘Queen of all things Silly Boat,’ dies

  08-07-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A linchpin of a cherished and popular Nanaimo fundraising event has died.
  In social media posts, Nanaimo Child Development Centre announced that Michelle Kocourek, resource development coordinator, died Friday, July 3 after a battle with cancer – she was 67.
  She retired in 2019, but returned in 2022 and among her projects, the centre’s annual Silly Boat Regatta fundraiser, which takes place on July 19.
  She was with the centre for 20 years, which offers services to children with devel
  
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• 3 rescued after vessel sinks on Stuart Lake near Fort St. James

  08-07-2026 23:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A man had to cling to debris from his sunken vessel for more than an hour after it capsized on Stuart Lake near Fort St. James on Tuesday, July 8.
  Fort St. James RCMP say three people needed to be rescued after a 17.5-foot vessel capsized near Sowchea Bay. Before officers arrived, RCMP say a nearby resident heard cries for help, launched their boat, and went to assist.
  One man and a child made it safely to shore, but another adult male needed to be rescued.
  The individual who was left behind had
  
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• Alberta lands $13-billion Meta data centre project

  08-07-2026 23:03 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Meta Platforms, the company behind Facebook, has announced a $13 billion investment in Alberta.
  In a July 8 release, the Alberta government announced the company intends to build its first Canadian data centre in the province within Sturgeon County.
  The construction will represent “one of the largest private-sector investments in Canadian history,” creating more than 3,000 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs when the site goes operational.
  The site is expected to generate about
  
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• Profits from Okanagan-based Ponzi scheme targeted by B.C. Supreme Court

  08-07-2026 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A B.C. Supreme Court justice has ruled that profits earned through a Ponzi scheme must be repaid to help compensate investors who lost money.
  On July 3, Justice Fitzpatrick approved that the trustee of the scammer’s estate switch course to enact a procedure to retrieve the “unjust enrichment and money” gained by those who profited from the scheme.
  The case surrounds Okanagan resident Curtis Quigley, who was charged along with his partner, Kathleen Treadgold, by the Edmonton Pol
  
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• RCMP rescue 11 people from overturned canoe in Burrard Inlet

  08-07-2026 21:33 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Eleven people had to be rescued following a distress call for an overturned canoe in the Burrard Inlet off the coast of Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver.
  RCMP’s Tactical Marine Operations Group, which has been deployed to Vancouver for the World Cup activities in Vancouver, was doing patrols in Burrard Inlet on July 5 around 3:30 p.m. when they heard a distress call on Marine VHF Channel reporting an overturned canoe off the beach in West Vancouver, police said in a news release Wednesday
  
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• THE MOJ: Vancouver loses another sports-talk radio station

  08-07-2026 21:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It’s happened again.
  Another sports-talk radio station in Vancouver has been shut down.
  News began leaking on Sunday night that changes would be coming to Rogers’ properties across the country including Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver.
  In talking to one individual on Monday night who is employed by Rogers, he knew there would be some cuts coming but what he didn’t know was that both Sportsnet 650 and News 1130 would be shuttered.
  When the news did come out on Tuesday morning, he was
  
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• Man charged with murder after victim of Saanich assault dies

  08-07-2026 20:29 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  One man has been charged with murder following an assault that took place in Saanich late last week.
  On July 3, Saanich PD began investigating a serious assault that took place in the 4000 block of Quadra Street just before 5 p.m. the same day.
  The victim was taken to hospital in serious condition, and 30-year-old Suleyman Budak was arrested and charged with aggravated assault in connection with the incident.
  In a July 8 news release, Saanich PD announced that the victim of the assault had succu
  
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• Woman rescued from capsized boat off Richmond dies in hospital: RCMP

  08-07-2026 20:06 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The charter fishing boat that sank off the coast of Richmond in June has been located more than 150 metres below the surface.
  Richmond RCMP released new details Wednesday (July 8) about the vessel and the people on board at the time of the sinking. Ten people – eight charter guests, the vessel operator and a person assisting the operator – were on board the boat when it sank. Four people were rescued and the remaining six were initially reported missing but then presumed drowned hour
  
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• Island city eyes Swedish approach to slow speeding drivers in playground zone

  08-07-2026 20:04 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Colwood has its sights set on slowing down lead-footed drivers near a popular park.
  Designated a ‘playground zone’, a stretch of Kelly Road adjacent to Herm Williams Park has a 30 km/h speed limit.
  However, according to Coun. Ian Ward, residents have flagged concerns about vehicle speeds within and approaching the playground zone, as well as a lack of enforcement.
  To combat the issue, Ward has proposed the city explore speed-control options, including conventional measures such as ra
  
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